It occurs to me that earlier I omitted inadvertently to say thank you and to wish happy Christmas to Peter Finnegan, represented here by Elaine Gunn, and the Houses of the Oireachtas Service. In every aspect of the services they offer us, they are superb and without parallel. We are deeply grateful to them as we are to the civil servants who work here in Leinster House, and to the political staff who support us.

Finally it would be a travesty not to wish happy Christmas and all the best to the members of the press corps whose constant surveillance of us here is an important part of the democratic process. Guím Nollaig shona agus athbhliain faoi mhaise orthu.

I think they should take a break. They work too hard altogether.