The Order of Business is No. 1, motion regarding the protocol and arrangements for President Roberta Metsola's address to a joint sitting of both Houses of the Oireachtas on Thursday, 2 February 2023, to be taken without debate on the conclusion of the Order of Business; No. 2, National Cultural Institutions (National Concert Hall) (Amendment) Bill 2022 - Committee and Remaining Stages, to be taken at 5 p.m. and to adjourn at 7 p.m. if not previously concluded; and No. 3, Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022 - Committee Stage, to be taken at 7 p.m. and to adjourn at 9 p.m., if not previously concluded.
An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business
I support the Order of Business as outlined by the Leader. I have raised directly with the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy O'Gorman, in recent weeks and before Christmas the issue of hotel providers not receiving payment for a number of months for hosting Ukrainians. It has come to my attention again this week that a number of hotel providers in County Clare have not received payment from the Department since September or October. These people are owed tens of thousands of euro for the provision of accommodation and food. The problem is that the providers have to purchase the food on a weekly basis and at least one of them and possibly two are now at the pin of their collars financially. Companies are beginning to refuse to supply them with product simply because the providers are not in a financial position to pay their bills.
There is something seriously wrong with a situation whereby the Government is not paying its bills and people are being put under enormous pressure and stress to keep feeding and supporting the Ukrainian people being housed here on an emergency basis. They are doing so free of charge at present because they are not receiving the payments they are due. It is reprehensible that the Department and the Government would leave people hanging on a string waiting to receive payment. If there are issues in terms of reconciliation, what is wrong with paying 80% or 90% of what is owed, with the balance to be straightened out in future or deducted from future invoices?
There is something seriously wrong when the Government allows business owners to swing in the air and expects them to feed, house and turn on the electricity and heating for the Ukrainian people who are in Ireland. What is wrong with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth that it cannot pay 300 to 400 suppliers in an efficient manner? There are companies in this country dealing with thousands of suppliers on a weekly basis, and doing so efficiently. Given the size of the Civil Service and the competencies that are within it, surely to God this matter can be resolved.
I ask the Leader to bring the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth in here, as a matter of urgency, to explain what the hell is going on in his Department such that businesses in the west of Ireland and all over the rest of the country are left swinging, waiting for their money.
Before I call Senator Casey, I welcome Mr. Leighton MacRéamoinn and Mr. Dylan Freeman from Cóláiste Chillian to the Public Gallery. I hope they have a very beneficial tour of Seanad Éireann as guests of Senator Lynn Boylan.
The issue I raise relates to the post office network. Last June, the Government announced a package deal of over €30 million to support the post office network, with €10 million per year to be provided over three years. That was meant to commence this month but state aid approval and enabling legislation are required in order to bring it to fruition. The legislation in question is the Communications Regulation Bill 2022. That Bill passed Report and Final Stages in the Dáil last Wednesday. Responsibility now falls to the Senate to ensure that the legislation is processed as quickly as possible.
I want to put on record the importance of this support to the post office network. Over 600 post offices will benefit from this support scheme. The post offices are divided into different categories. Those with newer contracts are more reliant on this support than those with older contracts, but all 600 are financially out of pocket because the legislation has not been passed. To put this in monetary terms or to provide an understanding of it, one postmaster I spoke to is out of pocket for December and January to the tune of more than 30%. That brings the viability of the relevant post office and its postmaster into question. We all know how hard it is in business out there in the context of the cost-of-living crisis but we are asking these post offices to survive without this State intervention which was promised to them. Without it, they will not survive. They have already gone through January without it. I am not sure exactly when the legislation will be coming before us but it looks like they will also have to go through February without payment of this support. It is significant because when a business loses 30% of its income, its viability becomes questionable. We all know how important post offices are to our communities and how hard it is to keep them open. Without this support, the viability of every single one of the 600 post offices will be questionable.
I ask the Leader to provide information or guidance on when this legislation will be brought before the House. Can we prioritise it? Can we get it through in one or two weeks in order to ensure that those in the post office network to whom I refer will not be out of pocket for a second month?
Last week, I spoke about accountability. At the weekend, we had another exposé relating to the HSE. Once again, Ministers' heads are on the chopping block, for want of a better description. The thought crosses my mind that when decisions like this are taken, Ministers operate on the advice given to them by their departmental officials. Because of the system of government we have in place, however, the person giving the advice is never called to account. Ultimately, the Minister of the day may end up having his or her head on the chopping block for a decision that was taken ten, 15 or 20 years ago, as the case may be.
The time has come for a complete review of the Ministers and Secretaries Act of 1924. It is nearly 100 years since that Act was written. I ask the Leader, the Cathaoirleach and the Clerk of the Seanad to put together a committee of this House that would review the Ministers and Secretaries Act with a view to bringing it into the 21st century. We cannot continue to have a situation whereby people can hide behind an Act of the Oireachtas that is almost 100 years old and not be accountable for decisions taken or advice given. I have a letter from two Ministers telling me that they have no idea what is going on but that they trust their officials to do the job correctly.
That is simply not good enough. I can understand how Ministers could be duped or find themselves in a situation where there are 100 letters to be signed this evening. They go in to sign them and they trust the people who are asking them to sign these letters. It is not good enough. This House is the ideal place to carry out a review of the Ministers and Secretaries Act because we do not have the pressures of the Dáil on us. Between the Leader and the Cathaoirleach, I would ask that they consider putting together an ad hoc committee that would be prepared to sit down and look at this Act and see if amendments should be brought forward. I am quite happy if a committee turned around to say that there is no need to amend the Act and that it is perfectly up to date. It is 100 years old, 99 this year, and it is time that it was reviewed.
It is just wrong that we constantly hear of Ministers being fired for the good advice that they thought they were getting at the time. We can go through CervicalCheck, the national children's hospital and through so many foul-ups in this State and it is time now to actually sit down and review it. I ask the Cathaoirleach and the Leader to report back to this House within a week as to whether or not we can do this. I thank the Cathaoirleach.
Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach agus leis an gCeannaire chomh maith.
There are a couple of issues I wish to get through today and the first is that in the past week, we saw another day of quite severe disruption on the Belfast to Dublin rail line. There was a day of miscommunication and delays. We know of the economic and societal importance of that connection between the two major cities and what it brings to the economies and lives of both cities. It is time to ask the Leader to request an update from the Minister for Transport on the all-Ireland rail review and on where that is currently at. We cannot just wait for a review to be concluded and, hopefully, its recommendations implemented, when there are issues which are glaringly obvious in the here and now. There is a memorandum of understanding, MOU, between Belfast and Dublin city councils and central in that MOU is the importance and benefits to both cities brought about as a result of the rail link. The reality, particularly as we head into the summer months and know the benefits of tourism, is that we cannot afford to see these disruptions continue without an intervention at some level. I ask the Leader to request those statements at the earliest possible opportunity.
Second, we have seen a very worrying and devastating escalation in Jenin and the attacks carried out there. The death toll of Palestinians is now, I believe, somewhere over 30 since the beginning of the new year and we have also seen a number of Israeli people killed. It is crucially important that we hear from the Minister for Foreign Affairs on what measures we are taking at the EU in respect of the UN to very much ensure that our experience of conflict resolution and of peace building is to the fore, but also in respect of our humanitarian support for, in particular, the people who are suffering in Palestine.
We are seeing now some very extreme rhetoric from Israeli Government ministers, which is saying something, given the extreme rhetoric from Israeli ministers over the past number of years. We are also now seeing again collective punishment, which we know is a war crime, being carried out against the families of Palestinians who have been arrested, and against whom no charges have been brought or convictions secured, but yet their family homes are being demolished as a result. It is important that we hear from the Minister and ensure that the Irish Government and State are heard loud and clear on the international stage saying that apartheid is wrong, that it must end, and that the Irish Government will be active champions in opposing apartheid and war crimes.
Tomorrow is Lá Fhéile Bríde. I will not have the opportunity of speaking on the Order of Business tomorrow but I want to wish everybody beannachtaí Lá Fhéile Bríde, particularly my female colleagues in the Seanad. There will be a rally outside Leinster House at 12.30 p.m. and I know that Natalie McNally’s family will travel to Dublin. Natalie was murdered in Lurgan over the Christmas period and her killer remains at large. Like many female victims, she, and in this instance her unborn baby and her family, are awaiting justice.
This is a worrying time for women and we have debated that at length in this Seanad, not least under legislation the Leader has brought to the Chamber.
I encourage colleagues to be present at the vigil tomorrow at 12.30 p.m. and to support Natalie and the families of all those women still campaigning for justice.
We have all seen the anti-refugee sentiment present now in many of our communities. It has risen to a terrifying point. The attack in Ashtown, Dublin 15, last Saturday was the latest and most insidious incident. Deep down, for many of us, there is a belief that it is only a matter of time, sooner rather than later, before somebody is very seriously injured or worse. There are, of course, many things the Government and the State can do to try to head off the rise in this very ugly sentiment. I will touch on just one action I believe the Government can take and this concerns the role of social media platforms.
I appeal directly to the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Deputy Martin, in this regard and to make a statement in this House concerning what influence she is bringing to bear in this context. Some of the largest social media platform companies have their Europe, Middle East and Asia, EMEA, headquarters here in Dublin. It is incumbent on the Government to use its influence now to try to ask representatives of these companies to do all in their power regarding this situation. These companies have an important responsibility in curbing what we all know to be the propagation of lies, false information and hate online. For many weeks now, we have seen individuals and groups preying on communities with grievances and concerns. These people have been allowed to go ahead unimpeded.
While we all defend the right of everybody in this country to have an opinion, it must never be acceptable for somebody to go uninhibited in the publication of lies, hate and fear. These social media platforms can do many things in respect of security checks, anonymous accounts, as we all know, and content moderation. There is a reprehensible, symbiotic relationship between those propagating hate and these companies, because we know the more hits and reach they have, the more these posts are pushed out. I appeal to the Minister, Deputy Martin, to engage directly with the social media companies because we are at a hiatus now regarding the regulation of these entities between the enactment this month of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022 and the advent of the online safety code, which many in this Chamber have called for. Additionally, the EU Digital Services Act, DSA, co-ordinators will not be in place until 17 February 2023. We need the Government to step in because there is this hiatus.
I call Senator Keogan next.
I thank the Cathaoirleach and appreciate being allowed up before Senator Flynn because I have to attend another meeting at 4 p.m. On this day, Tuesday, 31 January 1984, some 39 years ago, Ann Lovett died aged 15. She and her child were buried in Granardkill cemetery on Friday, 3 February 1984. On Saturday night, 4 February 1984, "The Late Late Show" was coming to an end when the host read the headline from the next day's edition of The Sunday Tribune newspaper: "Girl, 15, dies giving birth in field". "My goodness me", said Gay Byrne, letting the newspaper fall to the floor, "Nothing terribly exciting there."
The Dublin newspaper had already been alerted by an anonymous phone caller and the story was covered by Emily O'Reilly and published on Sunday, 5 February 1984. The then editor of the newspaper, Vincent Browne, made the decision to name Anne, along with giving her address. RTÉ covered the story the day after, on Monday, 6 February 1984. By Tuesday, 7 February, it had been decided that a private inquiry would take place, conducted by officers from the Department of Justice and the Department of Education. The then Minister of State with responsibility for women's affairs and family law, Deputy Nuala Fennell, had called for a full-scale public inquiry, but this was decided against. Over the ensuing two weeks, Gay Byrne would change his tune as his radio show was inundated with letters from women telling some of their stories. He and his team read out letter after letter, with Byrne saying there were too many letters and they could not be ignored.
In the wake of the tragedy, statements were given by bodies such as the Federation of Services for Unmarried Parents and their Children and ALLY, which in 1983 helped 520 unmarried girls to cope with their pregnancies. Ms Gemma Rowley, the chairperson of ALLY, questioned the need to print Ann's name and address. Cherish, an organisation for single parents, also made a statement. Today, Ann's name would not have been mentioned but I wish to remember her in the Seanad today. She was a friend of mine from school and she certainly made an impact on all of those that knew and loved her.
We remember Ann Lovett. I think Christy Moore, in his wonderful, powerful song commemorated her life as well. I thank the Senator. I call Senator Flynn.
I wish to support Senator Sherlock in asking the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, to come to the House because a few of us in this House do not feel safe on social media. Never mind politicians, many ordinary people from minority backgrounds in Ireland do not feel safe on social media, now more than ever. In the past 24 hours, I have reported hate and threats of violence towards me for simply putting up quotes on social media. Facebook does not see that I am being threatened; it is the same with Twitter. It is inappropriate. I was threatened, to be honest. It is not just about me personally, it is about all politicians and ordinary people like black people, brown people, refugees or migrants, that is, ordinary people within our society. We all have freedom of speech and should have freedom of speech but when your speech becomes a threat and becomes hate towards a community or individual, it is no longer freedom of speech. What you are doing is hate speech. I do not need to give a lecture in this House because we are all trying. I credit the politicians on "Upfront" last night on RTÉ for showing their support for migrants and refugees. We want to show that support. I also called last week for the Minister responsible for equality to come into this House to reassure migrants and refugees about their safety in Ireland. Nobody is really safe around social media. We need to look at how we can keep people safe. I would not even say we need tougher laws because we do not need more laws to be able to protect our people, what we need is for Facebook, Twitter and all those apps and social media platforms to be able to act to protect ordinary citizens.
I commend Senator Flynn on her courage today again in speaking up and challenging that behaviour. She should be able to carry out her duties as a public representative without fear of prejudice, discrimination, harassment or any type of intimidation. There will be a Committee on Parliamentary Privileges and Oversight meeting tomorrow. The Leader and I will talk afterwards about measures we can perhaps take to support all Members of the House in doing their work. It is something we should be vociferous on. I thank the Senator for that.
We need to work together.
You have the full support of the Cathaoirleach, as all Members of the House do and did when the Leas-Chathaoirleach was the Cathaoirleach, in ensuring we all do our work without fear. I will be happy to talk to the Senator again on that matter. I call Senator Cassells.
I wish to raise with the Cathaoirleach, the Leader and Members and to commend the campaign launched yesterday by Rachel J. Cooper at Croke Park for people to learn the words of the national anthem, "Amhrán na bhFiann". There is a startling statistic that many people in this country apparently do not know the words to "Amhrán na bhFiann". A campaign is being aimed at third-class to sixth-class students, who are invited to send videos of themselves singing the national anthem. I remember when I went to primary school, the national anthem was always on the inside cover of your homework journal. I probably learned the national anthem as a six-year-old because I was in Croke Park every Sunday and the words of the national anthem were on the programmes. Being successful back then was something you learned on a weekly basis. I was proud to go to Cork last Sunday and belt it out in Páirc Uí Chaoimh as the juggernaut of Meath football relaunched again when we defeated the Cathaoirleach's county.
It is a serious campaign.
I pay tribute to Rachel J. Cooper for doing this. Ms Cooper is the author of Our National Anthem, a children's book. The fact that it has instigated such a debate already is amazing. There were significant debates on the breakfast programme on Newstalk yesterday about people who actually do not know the words to the national anthem. Dr. Ciara Kelly talked about how she visited to Ghana and representatives there stood up and sang their national anthem. Of the 30 people present from Ireland, not one knew the words of the Irish national anthem. That is quite a startling statistic. This campaign is worthy of the support of the Oireachtas in order that we will get a generation of young children who know the words to their national anthem.
Go raibh maith agat, Senator Cassells. I think all of us will support any campaign to support people learning the words to and singing the national anthem. It is important to do that.
I wish to raise two very local issues. First, I received communication from some fifth year students regarding leaving certificate 2024 and the fact that they were out of school an awful lot during second and third year. While dispensations are being made for the current cohort of leaving certificate students, it does not look like there will be any for those coming up behind. Those students were missing from school for a long period. I am going to write to the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, but I would appreciate if the Leader could support me in respect of this matter because it affects many current fifth year students.
I welcome that the Limerick to Foynes rail line is being reopened. Phase 1 is being worked on at present. However, a combination of the National Roads Authority, Iarnród Éireann and the local authority went ahead and cut all the hedges at the backs of houses for a distance of 2 km last week and did not inform the residents that this was being done. I was in one resident's house at the weekend. The noise was so bad that you would swear the motorway beyond rail line was inside the bedroom. The trees that were the barriers to noise have been taken away. This has led to people's houses along a 2 km stretch being really affected by loud noise. These people are dealing with the fact that the rail line is being worked on and that the road is now on a higher elevation than their back walls. The latter is a risk in terms of security. In addition, they are going to have trains running past their back walls. There does not seem to be any joined-up thinking on the part of the three organisations to which I refer in the context of sound barriers or looking after residents who paid major amounts of money for their lovely homes. I am going to call the Minister for Transport, but I would appreciate any support the Leader could offer in respect of this matter.
We have a vibrant sailing scene in Ireland. As an island nation, we are lucky enough to have a number of sailing hubs around the country. Dún Laoghaire is obviously primary among these, but Cork could be included on the list. Within the sailing communities in question are vibrant para sailing communities. People who, for one reason or another, have physical disabilities are in a position to get involved in sailing. There are vibrant para sailing communities in Ireland and internationally. Unfortunately, the International Paralympic Committee, IPC, decided yesterday that para sailing will not form part of the Paralympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028. This decision has been lamented by World Sailing, which has said it will not stop their determination to promote para sailing. Irish Sailing has stated that it will continue to foster para sailing in Ireland. That is tremendously important, but it is a real retrograde step by the IPC not to include para sailing for 2028. There has been a quiet and big risk campaign at an international level to have para sailing return to the Paralympics. It would have meant so much to so many serious international competitors on a vibrant scene. We see from the Parasailing World Championships that there are many people sailing at a very high level. Their participation would make for a wonderful competition in Los Angeles in 2028. I really regret that the IPC has decided not to do this.
I join Irish sailing not only in regretting that decision but also saying we need to push harder for greater facilities, encouragement and supports for those involved in parasailing.
It is good to see the Cathaoirleach in the Chair. I was away last week. I commend him for what he said a few moments ago on the tragedy of Ann Lovett's life. Quite rightly he cited the song by Christy Moore about the middle of the island. I have to say that even now the lyrics are absolutely powerful. I lived just a few miles away from Ann Lovett. The key line is "Everybody knew, nobody said". It is powerful and still resonates to this day. I wanted to acknowledge that.
At present a conversation is kicking up in the audiovisual room with Jim Clerkin of Oxfam on a stunning report it brought out last year. It is the first proper analysis of wealth globally and in Ireland. It shows a huge shift in wealth towards a very small section of people, with 1% of people in Ireland owning 27% of the wealth. This in itself is quite stunning. The top 10% own 64% of the wealth. Two thirds of the wealth in the State is owned by just 10% of the people. This is the most in-depth study done on wealth.
What Oxfam is saying to us is that the report suggests that it is time to have a national conversation about a wealth tax. As things stand this is not sustainable. Even organisations such as the World Economic Forum and the IMF are saying that perhaps we need to look at this. Successful wealth taxes are already in place in Spain and Argentina. Other countries are actively looking at it. Consider the huge differentiation in wealth and the fact we see a very small section of people owning the wealth. I have the figures here. The bottom 50% of Irish society owns just 1% of the wealth. That is the reality as detailed by Oxfam. This is not sustainable. I am asking for a conversation and a debate in the Chamber.
I represent Dublin 15, which contains Ashtown. We all know what happened in Ashtown, not only at the migrant camp last week but the community also faced the murder of a woman, Maud Coffey, a few short weeks ago.
Ashtown is a multicultural place to live. It is a growing and diverse community of wonderful people. What happened last week was a disgusting and disturbing act. Probably one of the worst acts a human being can do is to target people who are more vulnerable and at a low point in their lives, and prey on them. These people are you and me and the people who attacked them are the worst of us. Fear is not a cause. In this case it is a crime.
We all have to stand together against this type of action and for people who are vulnerable, defenceless and innocent. It has been said many times in the House that all it takes is somebody with an air of respectability, perhaps with success behind him or her, who can ride the wave of the right wing and create a movement that we do not want. I concur with what my colleague, Senator Sherlock, said about online media and how the message was amplified and has incited people to attack and target. I want to reflect on this and agree it is something that we must all stand against.
I support the comments of Senator Flynn on the ongoing campaign against many Members of this House, the other House and other public representatives, particularly with regard to people coming from different backgrounds and communities being targeted.
Social media is the wild west of public comment with people hiding behind it and being able to say things that they would not be able to get away with in other media. It is something that we have to address. I also echo the comments of Senator Keogan about Ms Ann Lovett. On this day 39 years ago, she died in a country that did not embrace all its citizens and treat them equally. People had to hide from society.
As regards the post office network, hopefully that legislation will pass as soon as possible to assist the 600 plus post offices that badly need it. Go raibh maith agaibh.
I would like to raise the issue of how we are going to use our Goverment assets appropriately when it comes to the OPW, in particular. I was in Kinsale at the weekend. The town is a jewel with so much going for it. The number of OPW properties and assets there is enormous. We have James Fort, Desmond Castle and the Battle of Kinsale site, as well as other OPW properties throughout the town. We need to put a coordinated plan together to make sure all of these properties and sites are open to the public. Some are and some are not. As we build our tourism identity, these are important heritage sites which have so much heritage attached to them. James Fort, Desmond Castle and the Battle of Kinsale site are really significant monuments that need to be opened up as much as they can be.
There is a considerable amount of work involved in getting some of these sites open but if we had a coordinated plan to work with the local authority, the chamber of commerce and the local community then everyone would benefit. I am calling for a debate with the Minister responsible for the OPW about how we can ensure that the majority, if not all, of these OPW sites can be opened to the public.
This week the Dáil will be discussing and, I presume, passing the Mother and Babies Institutional Payment Scheme Bill 2022. At least that is its intention. I do not want to rehash all of that today. Suffice it to say, the Bill is in the Dáil and many of us have received hundreds and hundreds of emails about it. I tend to respond to them all as a collective group because it is important that we engage with people and people feel absolutely isolated.
In essence, when one distils the information before us in these emails, which all the Senators in this room have received as is clearly indicated on them, they are calling for two things. First, they are calling for the Government to expand the redress scheme to include those who spent time in mother and baby institutions or county homes, and to make an enhanced medical card available to those survivors. Second, to extend the scheme beyond the abuses, to include boarding out and adoptive placements or abuse through forced labour, vaccine trials, racial and disability-based discrimination or illegal expatriation outside the State. These are simple issues.
I am appealing to Members of this House who are members of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, the Labour Party and all other parties to use their influence tonight and speak to their colleagues. Let us have a bit of compassion in our politics. Let us understand the hurt and the feeling of betrayal these people have suffered. I plead with Senators to spare a little extra time and thought and demonstrate that we can show compassion, care and genuine concern for these people and provide the simple support of an enhanced medical card and some reasonable contribution towards the counselling and support services they need. We are failing them if we do not do that. They have asked this of us in hundreds of emails in the last few days. Please let us not say here today that we can walk around the corridors of this House and are indifferent. We have the power, the function and the ability to communicate with the powers that be in Dáil Éireann. I appeal to everyone in this House to do so in the next 24 hours.
The issue of the communications Bill was raised by Senator Mark Daly. I am a postmaster myself so I know the effect this Bill not being passed is having on the nearly 900 post offices around the country.
It would give legislative status to the proposal put forward last June with regard to subsidising the network. Unfortunately, while we were waiting for EU approval of that Bill, all of those offices have received significant reductions in their wages in January. If the legislative process in the Seanad goes over a certain number of weeks, it is going to run into the same issues again in February. There are a lot of post offices, particularly in the city where rental costs are significantly high, which are finding it extremely difficult to meet these targets. I ask the Leader if the timeframe might be set out. I think the next Stage is due to take place on 14 February. Would it be possible to condense that process and have the Committee and Final Stages in one day, or whatever days it can be fit into the schedule, to finish as early as possible in February in order that the same situation does not occur again?
I thank the Cathaoirleach and all Members who contributed to the Order of Business today. Senator Conway spoke this morning, as he has done previously, on issues around the payment outstanding to many hoteliers across the country housing refugees and providing food and board. I will ask for an update from the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. However the newly-appointed Minister of State in that Department, Deputy Joe O'Brien, will be in the Seanad Chamber on 15 February. There will be an opportunity for Members to question the Minister of State on that issue, and any other issues relating to the ongoing refugee challenge and to international protection. That opportunity will be there.
Senator Casey raised the issue of post offices this morning, as have Senators Daly and Carrigy. Senator Casey spoke about the importance of the post office network and the lifeline thrown to them last June when a significant package of €30 million over a three-year period was given to post offices. However, enabling legislation is outstanding and it passed all Stages in the Dáil last week. I am happy to outline to the House that it is due before us on 14 February for Second Stage. We are due to have Committee Stage on 22 February and Report and Final Stages on 28 February. While it is possible to condense Stages together, it is not considered best practice and we would need to get the agreement of Opposition Members as well because it would not be considered to be emergency legislation. We can have a discussion about that at the meeting of group leaders and Whips to see if it is possible. As it stands, that is the proposed schedule and while we are due to complete all Stages by the end of February, I appreciate that every month that goes by is a challenge for those businesses and families.
Senator Craughwell made quite a lengthy statement about accountability and transparency, as he so often does. On this occasion he made reference to the Ministers and Secretaries Act and has made a specific request of me and of the Cathaoirleach to establish an ad hoc committee to review same. It is not really within my gift to do such a thing. It is within the Senator's gift at any stage to propose amending legislation to any laws currently on the Statute Book. I urge the Senator to look at what amendments he would like to bring, or bring some ideas to the House that we could debate openly on the floor. I would of course be happy to schedule such a debate.
Senator Ó Donnghaile about the Belfast to Dublin train. I was not aware that there were issues with that line. I am happy to tell the Senator that a debate has been scheduled for 23 February on the rail network and the all-island rail review. That will give an opportunity to Senator Ó Donnghaile and others to discuss the future of the country's rail network. He has also requested a debate with the Minister for Foreign Affairs on the ongoing situation in Palestine-Israel and he also wanted to extend wishes for a warm, happy St. Brigid's Day tomorrow, as he will not have an opportunity to do so then.
Senator Sherlock spoke about Ashtown, as did Senator Currie, who lives in that constituency as well. That particular incident was really awful and there is not an awful lot more that can be said about that. We are all very aware of it. I just hope the individuals concerned, the victims, are being cared for and are okay. However, that was a horrifying sight to see posted on social media. Seeing the footage was horrific. However, there will be ongoing challenges in this space. It is happening in other countries. We are not alone in that regard. We have to try to tackle it in many ways and Senator Sherlock is right to say that social media has a role to play in that. We are headquarters to many of the large social media companies and they are regular attendees in Leinster House to brief Oireachtas Members and speak to us.
I will request a debate with the Minister, Deputy Martin, on that aspect of this issue. It is much broader but that is one area we as policymakers and legislators can do something about.
Senator Keogan spoke about Ann Lovett and I commend her on her remarks in the Chamber. It is very appropriate we acknowledge what happened to Ann. As a country we learned a lot from that situation. It changed Ireland. Unfortunately, it took a really sad situation for that change to happen. I concur also with the Cathaoirleach's remarks in that regard.
Senator Flynn spoke, as she did last week, about the ongoing situation with hate. Today she spoke about the challenge many public representatives are facing in the form of online hate, abuse and being the target of a campaign. As I said, I will request a debate with the Minister, Deputy Martin, on that issue. As the Cathaoirleach has pointed out, there is work happening in the Oireachtas to try to address those safety concerns for Members, and especially female Members. There will be a meeting with the Ceann Comhairle and female Deputies and a similar meeting with ourselves and female Senators to see what we can do to try to address those safety concerns. It is better to be proactive, as opposed to reacting. Let us not wait for something more severe to happen. Is that not the point? I thank the Senator for raising the issue.
Senator Cassells spoke about the campaign by Rachel J. Cooper around the national anthem and wanting to start with third- to sixth-class students to ensure every citizens have the words of anthem. It is a very worthwhile cause and I wish her well in her campaign.
Senator Maria Byrne spoke about potential challenges with the 2024 leaving certificate examinations. I note the Senator's comments and understand she is going to engage directly with the Minister, Deputy Foley. I ask the Senator to come back to me if there is any assistance I can give her in that regard. She welcomed also the reopening of the Limerick-Foynes railway line but raised a particular issue around a 2 km-stretch of housing where the sand barrier has been removed to make way for the rail station but no remedial works have been done to date. I urge the Department of Transport and the local authority to look after the concerns of local residents there and ensure their homes are protected.
Senator Ward spoke around an issue that, to be honest, I am not totally au fait, namely, parasailing and sailing. It would not be a huge sport in participation terms where I am from but he said there was a particular issue with the Paralympics where parasailing is not going to be permitted as a sport. It is an important issue he has raised.
Senator Gavan also spoke about Ann Lovett and drew the House's attention, though I think everyone is aware anyway, to Oxfam launching its report in the audiovisual room today. I think that was at 4 p.m., so it is probably still going on. The Senator has asked for a debate on a wealth tax. I might have a conversation with him about that. I am not sure we would have a debate on a single tax proposal as that probably would not be appropriate. I ask the Senator to come back with a wider topic for discussion in the area of finance and taxation n which we could have a discussion in the House.
Senator Currie spoke about the situation in Ashtown and spoke very passionately about her community.
Senator Mark Daly spoke about the campaign against public representatives and the work that has been done by his office and with the Cathaoirleach as well. He also concurred with the remarks around Ann Lovett and the post office network.
Senator Lombard asked for a debate with the Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW and I will request that.
Senator Boyhan spoke very passionately, as he often does, around the issue of the mother and baby homes and the redress scheme. I think we are all acutely aware of the challenges there and the deficiencies in parts of what has been offered, as well as those who have been left out. We will get one opportunity to do this right and I hope it is done right, to the benefit of survivors and to ensure people are cared for and looked after in what was a very black mark on our history. We will forever be ashamed of how we dealt with women and children in this country. We are still dealing with it and we are not dealing with it very well, but at least it is out in the open now - most of it - and we are coming to terms with that as a country, though we have a long way to go yet.
Senator Carrigy spoke about the post office network as well. I have outlined the schedule that is proposed for the month to come but we will revisit that topic across parties and across groups.
I thank the Leader.
Order of Business agreed to.