In accordance with Standing Order 85, the following message will be sent to the Dáil:

The Select Committee on Social and Family Affairs has completed its consideration of the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004, and has made amendments thereto.

I thank the Minister and her officials for attending today's session and all my colleagues for their worthwhile and fruitful interventions and proposals at various Stages of what can be an extremely technical process with a technical Bill. I look forward to Report Stage when I hope the Minister will take cognisance of several matters raised and perhaps accede to some of the amendments tabled by my colleagues.

I thank the Chairman. I appreciate that we have had time to consider several very technical amendments, and I thank the members for their consideration as well as the committee staff for facilitating us. I understand that it is difficult to get us all to agree on a schedule, but it is much appreciated.

: I wish to be associated with that and thank the Minister, her staff, and the members for the courtesy which they showed us regarding the technical amendments. We look forward to their support and co-operation for the remaining Stages.

I thank the Minister and her officials. I compliment her on the Bill and congratulate her on the amendments that she tabled.