Is it agreed that the Clerk to the Committee will send a written message to the Clerk of the Dáil to the effect that the Committee has completed consideration of the Bill and has made amendments thereto, which the Ceann Comhairle will convey to the Dáil at the first convenient opportunity? Agreed.
Message to Dáil.
I thank the members, the Minister of State, Deputy Treacy, and his officials, Vincent Madigan, Geraldine Hurley, Seán O'Flaherty and John Simmons, for their assistance and contributions to the debate. We all acknowledge that the Companies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill deals with very important issues, such as examinership, the Companies Act, private limited companies, partnerships, audit requirements, provisions to tackle the problems created by Irish registered non-resident companies - which is very important in light of recent experiences - and the amended provisions of section 240 of the Companies Act regarding investment limited partnerships. These issues are very topical and have been brought to our attention by the proceedings in Dublin Castle and elsewhere in recent times. It is very important that we, as the Select Committee on Enterprise and Small Business, address certain issues and take on board recommendations and suggestions from various interested groups.
In light of the banter we had, it is great to have the Minister of State, Deputy Treacy, back here. One might expect him to be a little bruised after quite a difficult election campaign. There is no better man to know that than Deputy Rabbitte, who went through a similarly bruising campaign and had a little bit of a hiccup like the Minister of State. The football result last Sunday was even more bruising and is closer to our minds.
It is great to have the Minister of State back in his usual excellent style, showing his competence and ability to steer through a Bill of this nature. Perhaps it is in the national interest that he is with us today.
The Chairman had rather hoped to get his job.
I thank the Chairman and members for their total commitment and dedication. We have spent seven hours on the Committee Stage debate of this very complex legislation. I am very grateful for your co-operation. I assure the committee that my officials and I will give a great deal of consideration to the requests that have been made and we will return as positively as we can to see what we can do to achieve members' wishes.
I thank the secretariat, my officials, the parliamentary reporters and everyone who has been so helpful all day. We are very grateful and I wish them all a very good holiday.
I join you, Sir, in thanking the Minister of State and his officials. A great deal of work was done before we commmenced this meeting. My remarks were made in a constructive manner. I am glad the Minister of State listened on Second Stage and made amendments to the Bill. I hope by the time we reach Report Stage he will have listened again to what we have said here and introduce more amendments.
I pay tribute to the Clerk, Lena Quinn, Martin Smyth from the secretariat and to the others involved.
The Select Committee adjourned at 6.32 p.m.