Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister. I wish to express Sinn Féin's support for amendments Nos. 7 to 11. As the Minister knows, we support this Bill but the well-thought-out amendments proposed by the Civil Engagement Group are worthy of support. As Government amendments are pending anyway, there is the opportunity for the Minister to take some of these on board today. I really hope she does so. I also want to take the opportunity to welcome some of the folks in the Visitors Gallery today. They have a particular interest in this Bill. The Minister will have met them before. They are our comrades from Fórsa, the trade union: Mr. Jim Mitchell, Ms Bernie Aston, Ms Ellie Brennan, Ms Paula Hilman, Mr. Chris Crowley and Ms Orlagh Fawl. They have a particular set of concerns which we may or may not get to today in terms of amendments but they are here to show that their concerns are still very much in place and we hope the Minister will pay heed to them.