As this is a Report Stage amendment, Members may speak only once.

This amendment corrects a typographical error.

I recognise the enormous work that Members of both Houses have put into Committee Stage of the Bill. Now that we have put together a significant body of legislation to deal with ethics in the public sector, we could perhaps direct our attention to ethics in the business sector. The business sector has a long way to go before it emulates the standards now being set in the public sector. There is a level of murkiness, a lack of accountability and a lack transparency in the business sector which is wrong for shareholders, customers and society.

I thank the Minister of State for taking all Stages. I hope the legislation we have passed will give people, especially our young people, a renewed confidence in the political system.

I thank Senators for their help and co-operation with the passage of the Bill, as well as for all the work they were involved in prior to its publication. I echo the words of Senator Joe Doyle – we have made much progress in this type of legislation. The Bill is another strong addition to the corpus of legislation restoring public confidence in standards in public office.