In accordance with Standing Order 85, the following message will be sent to the Dáil:
The Select Committee on Transport has completed its consideration of the State Airports Bill 2004 and has made amendments thereto.
I thank members for their co-operation. It was a long day but everyone had their say. It is very important from the point of view of committee work that the Bill was examined line by line rather than dealt with quickly.
I thank the staff from the Department and the staff of the committee for the work they have done over a long period. It is regrettable that staff and members were expected to work excessively long hours at short notice. It is an unacceptable way to do business which I hope will not be repeated.
I endorse Deputy Shortall's comments. I thank the staff of the committee, the backroom staff and the officials from the Department. It is an unacceptable situation which I hope will not be repeated. I again thank the staff because it has been a very long day. It is ten hours and 15 minutes since we sat down here to consider the Bill.
I also thank members of the committee for working a very long day. I appreciate the efforts of members in going through the legislation. I thank the chairman for his chairmanship all day in difficult circumstances. I join other members in complimenting the staff who rise to these occasions which occur from time to time. It is to their credit that they show such flexibility when called upon, for which I thank them.
I would like to be associated with the words of thanks to the staff of the committee, the parliamentary reporters and the ushers. We have definitely proved that the House can rise to any occasion when needed. All the staff, including staff officers, have done a tremendous job to ensure we got through our work today.
