I have received notice from the following Senators that they propose to raise the following matters: Senators Mary Seery Kearney and Regina Doherty - The need for the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to make a statement on Government funding for St. John's Ambulance Ireland in light of the breaches of child protection laws as laid out in Dr. Geoffrey Shannon's report. Senator Victor Boyhan - The need for the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to make a statement on his commitments to people living in homes with building defects and the timeline for the publication and implementation of the draft fire safety code of practice.
Senator Róisín Garvey - The need for the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to make a statement on the lack of data available around housing needs assessments for persons aged over 65 years. Senator Fiona O'Loughlin - The need for the Minister for Transport to make a statement on the roll-out of a blue parking card to those living with dementia and their families. Senator Maria Byrne - The need for the Minister for Social Protection to provide an update on the review of the means test. Senator Sharon Keogan - The need for the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to make a statement on measures being taken to combat the sexual exploitation of children in State care following the Protecting Against Predators report recently published by the sexual exploitation research programme in University College Dublin. Senator Tim Lombard - The need for the Minister for Transport to provide an update on works at Castlefreke and Old Head coastguard stations. Senator Tom Clonan - The need for the Minister for Health make a statement on the use of agencies as a brokerage for personal assistants consistently and throughout every community healthcare organisation, CHO, area. Senator Eugene Murphy - The need for the Minister for Finance to make a statement on the potential of abolishing VAT on sunscreen as a public health measure. Senator Seán Kyne - The need for the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to make a statement on ongoing delays in making farm payments to shareholders of Keelderry Commonage, County Galway. Senator Emer Currie - The need for the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs to make a statement on the need to address the availability of the Troubles permanent disablement payment scheme in the State. Of the matters raised by the Senators suitable for discussion, I have selected Senators Mary Seery Kearney and Regina Doherty, who are sharing time, and Senators Victor Boyhan, Róisín Garvey, Fiona O'Loughlin and Maria Byrne, and they will be taken now.
I wish to inform Members that a matter raised by Senator Craughwell was the sixth Commencement matter picked, but he has withdrawn his Commencement matter, which I originally selected. The other Senators may give notice after the recess on the matters they wish to raise.
As I will not be here for Order of Business, I want to thank all Senators, staff, Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas and the Seanad Office for their courtesy to me since December. I wish them all a very joyful recess, where they can get a break with their families.