On my own behalf and that of the House, I congratulate Senator O'Hara on his election to Seanad Éireann. I welcome to the Public Gallery his mum and aunt. You are very welcome and I hope you enjoy your day in Leinster House. It is a very special day for Malachai, as a Member of Seanad Éireann, and for you. We congratulate you and thank you for being here today to support him.
I now call on the Leader to announce the business of the day
It is a pleasure to welcome our newest Senator, Malachai O'Hara, to the Seanad today. It is lovely to have a new Member. On behalf of the Fianna Fáil group but also on behalf of the House itself, as Seanad Leader, I wish him the very best and congratulate him on his election. I look forward to working with him in the Seanad for the next number of months, or for however long we are here.
The Order of Business for Thursday, 11 April is No. 1, motion re: proposed approval by Seanad Éireann of a proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and Council on enhancing police co-operation in relation to the prevention, detection and investigation of migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings and amending Regulation (EU) 2016/794, to be taken at 12.15 p.m. and to conclude at 1.05 p.m., if not previously concluded, with the time allocated to the opening remarks of the Minister not to exceed five minutes, those of all Senators not to exceed five minutes, and the Minister to be given no less than five minutes to reply to the debate; and No. 2, Road Traffic Bill 2024 - Committee and Remaining Stages, to be taken at 1.15 p.m.
I welcome Deputy Stephen Matthews to the House. I also welcome former Labour Party MP, Mr. Andy Reed and his wife Sarah. Mr. Reed was a Member of Parliament from 1997 to 2010. He is a friend of Senator John McGahon. You are very welcome and I thank you for being here today. I hope you have a very pleasant visit to Leinster House.
First, I want to add my voice of welcome to Senator Malachai O'Hara. I look forward to working with him in a collaborative and positive way. It is lovely for him to have members of his family here. When all of us here were elected, it was during Covid so we had our first sitting in the Convention Centre and could not invite any family members or supporters. His family being here today is something to be cherished.
I support the Order of Business as outlined by the Leader. I want to raise a number of issues today, the first of which is the new proposed community engagement areas for An Garda Síochána. I organised a meeting on Monday evening last, together with Councillor Anne Connolly, in Rathangan. Around 200 people turned up, which was incredible and showed the depth of feeling of the people about this issue. Rathangan has a small Garda station which is aligned with the Kildare area, which is only 10 km away. In the new proposed community engagement area, it would be aligned with Leixlip, which is almost an hour away. Leixlip is at the far end of north Kildare, in a different metropolitan district and a different Dáil constituency. It makes absolutely no sense. The people of Rathangan have a strong affiliation with the areas of Kildare, Monasterevin, Newbridge and so on. Everybody at that meeting agreed, unanimously, that we should fight this as hard as we can. This new model was due to come into force on 19 May but I understand that it has been pushed out indefinitely. I tabled a Commencement matter but unfortunately, it could not be taken under the provisions of the House. I ask the Leader to ask the Minister for Justice to come before the House to speak about this new model and to speak about the geographical areas. This is important for everybody because all areas are impacted. For some, it may be a positive difference but for us in Rathangan, it is not.
I have written to the Minister and the Garda Commissioner on the matter but I would appreciate it if we could have an engagement with the Minister for Justice in this regard.
I will also raise the issue of the Tánaiste's announcement regarding Palestine the evening before last. It has long been Fianna Fáil policy that Palestine should be recognised as a state in its own right and that there should be a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine. It is now Government policy and we really must welcome that. It is very important in moving forward. The Tánaiste also stated that Ireland will work with our European counterparts. It is really good to see him taking the lead in this regard. Obviously, a lot more is needed. That is not to be at this point in time but we do need to keep looking for more.
My last point is on osteoporosis and bone density. The Minister, Deputy Donnelly, has done a lot of work in the area of women's health but we all know that women's bones are more brittle than men's and that, because of menopause, bearing children and so on, women are more at risk as they age. I would like to see some work done by the Department of Health on the issue of osteoporosis and women's bone health. Perhaps we could ask for a debate with the Minister.
I welcome the guests of the Minister of State, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, and Deputy Whitmore to the Gallery today. They are very welcome and I thank them for being here.
I welcome Senator Malachai O'Hara and his mum to the Chamber. They are very welcome. I also congratulate Deputy Simon Harris on his election as Taoiseach and all Ministers who have taken up new or reshuffled positions in Cabinet or as Ministers of State. I also pay tribute to the outgoing Taoiseach, Deputy Leo Varadkar, for his support and friendship over the years.
The Committee of Public Accounts was scheduled to further examine the affairs of Inland Fisheries Ireland on 7 March but, unfortunately, the CEO became ill and, because he is the chief Accounting Officer, the meeting had to be postponed. I understand that he will not be available for the reconvened meeting. I wish him a speedy recovery and hope it was nothing I said. I also welcome the appointment of Dr. Cathal Gallagher as interim CEO.
Events continue to roll on in IFI and there are now three questions of public interest that the CEO, the board, the chair and the Minister, Deputy Ryan, must address. The first is the issue of several disclosures accompanied by documentary evidence regarding the senior appointment in Galway submitted to the Minister, the Department of the environment and the IFI board in late 2022. To its credit, the IFI board attempted to start an external investigation in January 2023 but the members were removed, that is, sacked, on a no-fault basis by the Minister, Deputy Ryan, before they could launch an investigation. The section 18 appointees who replaced the board eventually hired RSM to conduct an investigation but, significantly, the subject of the investigation, one of the respondents, remained in position while the investigation proceeded. This is in stark contrast to an earlier case that resulted in an unfavourable WRC decision for Inland Fisheries Ireland.
RSM recently presented its report on this serious matter to IFI. I was refused a copy of this report even though I was a complainant. A former employee who is a respondent was denied a copy because he is a former employee. The ironic, sad and pathetic thing here is that the former employee is only a former employee because IFI unfairly dismissed him. He won his case at the WRC, which commented very unfavourably on the conduct of the chief executive officer, as I put on the record here. The taxpayer paid for this report and, while the procedure was flawed, the outcome is surely in the public interest. Surely staff, failed applicants for promotion within Inland Fisheries Ireland and the public have a right to know how appointments are made to posts paid for by taxpayers.
I am asking for a copy of the RSM report into protected disclosures. If I cannot get it, the Minister, Deputy Ryan, needs to step up and get it. He has shown scant interest in inland fisheries in his tenure. He is busy doing other things. There is no Minister of State with responsibility for this area. Let the Minister step up now, get a copy of the report from RSM and have it published. There can be no secrecy. There has been enough secrecy, duplicity and everything else in respect of inland fisheries for many years. It is now time to end it and there is only one person who can do that, the Minister, Deputy Ryan. There are two other issues associated with this matter that I will raise another day. I and others are sick of it. I am sick of the secrecy. We have a new board and a new chair. I want that report published.
I will use my few minutes today to welcome an Seanadóir Malachai O'Hara. What a proud day it is for him. On this special day, I welcome his family to this very important Chamber, Seanad Éireann, a place of many voices. As part of our general deliberations on the celebration of the Seanad, our previous Cathaoirleach, Senator Mark Daly, titled a section "Northern Voices". We had a very healthy and great debate. It is great to have not only a Northern voice, but someone with an accent as beautiful as the Senator's as that voice. When I came up the stairs this morning, I heard it and knew we were definitely amongst Northerners. The Senator is very welcome.
An Seanadóir O'Hara takes a seat at a very crucial time for this Seanad but also in his own political career. He was elected to the Seanad unopposed and I see that not as a negative, but as a plus, because it says a lot about him as a candidate and about his credentials. It speaks of, to and about him, his track record of advocacy, his wide engagement with environmental and social justice issues and his commitment to reconciliation, prosperity, tolerance and inclusion across political, social and cultural divides. That is a wonderful record. Anyone coming from the North who did not have that sort of a record seeking election to this House in opposition to an Seanadóir O'Hara would be facing very strong credentials. He was widely welcomed. I commend the Green Party on selecting him. I can see why it did so. I believe it was the Irish Post that quoted the Senator on his election to Seanad Éireann. To paraphrase, it was attributed to him that he said he would ensure that all voices from Northern Ireland are amplified in Seanad Éireann. I commend him on taking on that task, which will come with challenges.
It is, of course, important that Northern Irish voices are heard in Seanad Éireann. We know that the Taoiseach has 11 nominees. On the last occasion, in exercising his prerogative, the then Taoiseach did not choose to nominate any Independent voices or Northern voices to the Seanad. That was his choice and his prerogative and I respect that. As I stand here today, I am mindful of the great work and contribution of the former Independent Senator, Ian Marshall. He was very active in respect of Queen's University, agriculture, peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland, the island of Ireland and European affairs. We do not have him any more. Perhaps we will have other people. I will use this opportunity, in welcoming the Senator to the House, to make the case for the future Taoiseach, whoever he or she might be, to use that prerogative under the Constitution of Ireland to provide for the appointment of different voices, different perspectives and Northern voices. I commend the Senator on his work. On behalf of the Seanad Independent Group, I will say that we look forward to collaborating and engaging meaningfully with him. It is always important. In the Seanad, the former Labour Senator, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, said that the Opposition is not the enemy of the Government and that we have a function and role to be constructive and to work with it. I wish Malachai and his family well. I wish him every success and every happiness in the job in hand. Best of luck.
Don chéad uair, glaoim ar an Seanadóir Malachai O'Hara. For the first time, I call on Senator Malachai O'Hara. I will be generous with time today.
Go raibh maith agat, a Chathaoirligh. Dia daoibh, Seanad Éireann. I thank everybody, the staff, the Senators, the elected Members and their staff, who have made me feel exceptionally welcome over the last few days. I am delighted to be here. I thank my Green Party colleagues for the nomination and other parties that, as Senator Boyhan noted, did not contest the election. I believe people saw the importance of replacing one Northern voice with another. I pay tribute to the former Senator, Niall Ó Donnghaile. On his resignation, his party leader said that he was a great voice for Northern nationalists. I want to build on those foundations and strive to be a Senator for all voices from the North.
I thank my mum, my aunt and my wider family. My dad cannot be here today. They taught me the value of education and a curious mind, to be unafraid and to stand up for what you believe in. They taught me to use the tongue in my mouth and to be myself. Those values gave me the courage and strength to come out and be my authentic self. Some 14 years ago, I met someone whom I love and with whom I am building a life. I now have my own family, something a nervous 14-year-old boy struggling with his sexual orientation would never have thought possible.
I want to be a Senator for all communities in Northern Ireland. I am the son of a republican and from an extended working-class nationalist republican family in north Belfast. I am proudly clan O’Hara. I am a child of free school meals and born on an interface. We had a grille over our window and one of my earliest memories is our next-door neighbour being firebombed. If you know Belfast, that was the interface between the New Lodge and the Shankill. The mid-1980s were too dangerous and we moved, but stayed in north Belfast.
After studying and working in Birmingham, England, where I became an Anglophile, I returned to Northern Ireland and began to work in the community and voluntary sector, and did so for the best part of two decades. I worked in the most disadvantaged areas of the city, specifically north and west Belfast, and for more than seven years, I managed health services at Ireland’s largest LGBT organisation.
It is lamentable that 26 years after the Good Friday Agreement and its promise of an anti-poverty strategy, we still do not have one, and the areas that were the most deprived in western Europe in 1998 are still the most deprived. The promise of peace has largely been delivered but the promise of reconciliation and the promise of prosperity have only come for some.
I am an activist. I am the former chair of the equal marriage campaign in the North. I led a campaign about air pollution in the city of Belfast and my first motion at Belfast City Council was to establish a climate unit, putting that city on a path to net zero.
I also became a harbour commissioner. The symbolism of a changing Northern Ireland was that the son of a man who stood at the dock gates, hoping for work but not sure that he would get it because of his name and background, became a commissioner.
I served on the board of a local suicide prevention charity for eight years in north Belfast and a regional mental health charity for four years. For me, mental health is personal, political and professional.
During the pandemic, I worked with others and, using my links in the community sector, we set up a soup kitchen to deliver meals to the most vulnerable. In just over three months, we delivered 17,000 meals across north and west Belfast. It was a cross-community project we built from the ground up, working with loyalist ex-prisoners on the Shankill led by a Green Party councillor called O’Hara, the son of a republican. I could still be running that soup kitchen, but I did not get into politics to run soup kitchens; I got into politics to change the conditions so that people do not need to rely on soup kitchens.
I am keen to work with all here. It is a testament of my ability to work cross-party that last year at Belfast City Council I got the support of 60 members from all eight different parties together and not a single one of them voted against the establishment of an overdose prevention centre.
It is these links with activists and community, my professional background and my political allegiance as an other and therefore not predetermined on the constitutional outcome that position me to be a Senator for all. I intend to use the privilege of sitting in this House to amplify all voices from the North. In the coming months, I will be inviting them here and I hope that Senators may even sojourn north and meet those groups. I want to be a Senator for all in a Seanad for all.
I welcome Senator O’Hara. That was a very powerful first speech to the Seanad. I know he will make a great addition and be a great voice in this Chamber over the next year.
I also pay tribute to Niall Ó Donnghaile. His absence is a huge loss to this Chamber. I hope to see him back in political life in some form in the years to come. He has very important perspectives and I do not think his passion for politics, equality and amplifying Northern voices, including the voices of Northern nationalists, has gone away.
I raise the issue of the post-natal support system, particularly in the Cherry Orchard, Ballyfermot and Chapelizod area. It is a gap that has happened as a result of people going on maternity leave. The issue is not that people are going on maternity leave but, rather, the non-replacement of people going on maternity leave. This is unfair on local PHNs, who arrive back to a cascade of problems and issues because nobody is taking over the role. It is also a problem because developmental checks are not taking place.
I will give a couple of examples from mothers in the area who have told me about key developmental checks that have been missed. One mother’s 12-month-old child has not been seen since her baby’s three-month check-up. One mother only had the five-day and ten-day check-up and was told that if there were any more issues or concerns, she should go to her GP. An 18-month-old has not had the 20- to 24-month development check and her mother said she was fobbed off when she called about this. She was told to go to her GP but the GP said they do not do development checks. One mother's child has not had a development check since five weeks and her baby is now seven months old. A local mother was told in February that the HSE management are aware of the staff shortage in the area and they were due to issue a letter to local parents, none of whom have been told about the gaps in the system. Nobody has received a letter and we have not been informed of any alternative arrangements.
Post-natal support and developmental checks are an essential service. They are particularly important to catch issues and make early interventions, particularly in an area such as Ballyfermot and Cherry Orchard. No alternative arrangements were put in place for this. We know there will be gaps in the system as public health nurses, who are predominantly women, are rightfully allowed to go on maternity leave, take reduced hours or take career breaks. The problem is when there is no alternative put in place and HSE management just says “It will be grand”. It is not fair on the public health nurses coming back when there is a cascade of issues and it is not fair on parents. In particular, it is not fair on children who might fall through the cracks as they are not getting the early intervention they need.
I ask the Leader to raise these issues with HSE management with regard to putting in place an alternative or reconfiguration in the system where this happens, such as even GPs being paid or told they have to fill some development checks. We do that for vaccines and other post-natal checks. It is an essential issue and the State is systemically failing both the people who have to take maternity leave and children in local areas.
I give a warm welcome to Senator O’Hara and his parents. What a fantastic start and a brilliant speech. It will be great to work with him and I look forward to it.
I wish former Taoiseach, Deputy Leo Varadkar, well for the future. I commend him on his public support for a united Ireland, his aspiration to see a united Ireland in his lifetime, his encouragement for those in his party actively involved in the constitutional debate, his attendance at Ireland’s Future event at 3Arena, at which he spoke, and his comments in his last interview as Taoiseach on RTÉ on Monday evening that the cost of a united Ireland was not an inhibiting factor. All of that contributed positively to the national debate about this country’s constitutional future. I also acknowledge his role in successful marriage equality and abortion reform referendums, his opposition with the EU to Brexit, which prevented a hard border; and his leadership during the difficult years of the pandemic.
I wish the new Taoiseach, Deputy Harris, well. I do not think we will agree on most things but I nonetheless urge him to adopt a similar approach to the reunification of our country as that taken by the previous Taoiseach. He should make a united Ireland one of his main priorities in the time that is left of this Government before the next election. There are many issues related to the constitutional debate that require a Government-led plan - reconciliation with unionists and Protestants, the economy, the health services and education. The Government’s shared island unit is an important and welcome development and is addressing many of these issues, but not in a planned or co-ordinated way. I urge the Taoiseach to set up citizens’ assembly or a credible alternative to such an assembly to advance the constitutional debate to the next level. Planning is key to the future direction of the constitutional debate and the Government’s involvement in that planning is crucial to a successful outcome.
The second issue I raise is that of the workers in SouthDoc who provide a key service in health services in Cork and Kerry. These are the workers who kept the health service in those areas going during the Covid pandemic. All of us were relieved when we saw a deal for section 39 workers at the back end of last year. However, now I am told that the HSE, under the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, is now saying that the SouthDoc workers do not actually belong to section 39 even though they had a previous pay increase under section 39. Right now, hundreds of workers in SouthDoc are being told that the pay deal that was supposed to include them does not include them and they still cannot get the increments they were due last year. This is just another example of the difference between the spin of this Government and the reality that those workers are being failed. I once again call for the Minister who is not here, Deputy Donnelly, to actually come into this Chamber and debate health services instead of hiding, which he has been doing for the past four months.
I welcome the students from CBS Primary School in Dundalk who are here as guests of Senator John McGahon. They are very welcome to Leinster House. Céad míle fáilte. I hope they can get homework off tonight as a token of our appreciation of their visit to Leinster House. I also welcome Councillor Maria Doyle and thank her for being here.
Along with others, I welcome Senator Malachai O'Hara. His commitment to equality and to the reconciliation of people is something that should inspire all of us. It is appropriate to acknowledge his predecessor, former Senator Niall Ó Donnghaile, who did an awful lot of good work in this House.
I wish to raise the case of Josip Štrok, the 31-year-old Croatian man who was brutally killed in Clondalkin last week. He was walking home with a friend and just going about his life normally. He and his friend were attacked by a gang and the alleged reason was that they were told they should speak English. It was a racist attack. His friend was knocked unconscious and woke up to the news that Josip Štrok was dead. For any family to discover this is horrific. His father then had to come to Ireland to repatriate his body to Croatia and he made some of his organs available for donation. It is horrible that this country has come to this and that we see this level of racism. Unfortunately, some of the language we see in public debate contributes to this. I do not believe some of the horrible anti-immigrant rhetoric we hear is acceptable and it is contributing to the environment that seems to allow this kind of thing to happen. I hope Members will join with me in extending our sympathies to the family of Josip Štrok and to the Croatian community in Ireland following this horrible attack.
I have previously asked for a debate on the issue of coastal erosion and protection for our beaches. Councillor Lisa McDonald has been raising how we have experienced problems of coastal erosion in County Wexford a lot recently. I ask for a debate specifically on that issue to be scheduled.
I welcome Senator Malachai O'Hara and his family. It is a very special day and I hope they enjoy it.
First, I congratulate our new Taoiseach, Deputy Simon Harris. I worked closely with the Taoiseach in his former Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. He has really shown his commitment to technological universities across the country and actually has made towns across the country university campus towns. It is all part of Our Rural Future and this will continue.
I congratulate our new Minister of State with responsibility for the west, Deputy Alan Dillon, who has been appointed to the Department with responsibility for housing and who is from Castlebar. He really has an understanding of the needs of big towns and rural areas and this will be crucial for us going forward in Government.
I congratulate Cork's Deputy Colm Burke who is Minister of State with responsibility for public health. There are many talented women in Fine Gael. The Minister of State, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, and the Minister of State, Deputy Higgins, have joined Cabinet Ministers, Deputies Humphreys and McEntee, and the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton. With our new Cabinet Minister, Deputy Peter Burke at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, it is a very proud day for Mullingar. It is also a very proud day for County Limerick with the Minister, Deputy O'Donovan, in the Department of further and higher education. This team will be absolutely incredible in ensuring we are delivering for towns across Ireland. It is really important that we see that this balance of Ministers across the country will highlight the needs of towns. As stated by the Taoiseach, Deputy Harris, jobs and education are two of the key areas we need to focus on across the country.
As a Taoiseach's nominee, I acknowledge the former Taoiseach, Deputy Varadkar, and his engagement, support, commitment and dedication over the last number of years and how he drove success for us in terms of the highest employment figures ever and when the population of Ireland is at its highest level ever. It is great to know we have this talent and this team within Fine Gael to drive us forward in the time ahead.
I, too, welcome Senator O'Hara to the Seanad. Today is not the day for a discussion on by-elections. I came to this House through a by-election but we will have that discussion and I encourage everyone to join in. I thank the Fine Gael Party and the now Taoiseach, Deputy Harris, for choosing my home town for his first Ard-Fheis. I was delighted to see them there. If the Taoiseach brings half the energy he brought to the Department for further and higher education to the Office of the Taoiseach, I expect great things.
I will speak of the now Deputy Leo Varadkar, TD, who sent me a text message on the day he stepped down. He said to me that I had sent him an email some years ago looking for him to change the wording on the citation of the national day of commemoration. He said he would bring a memo to his last Cabinet meeting to change that wording. It was the most generous act of an outgoing Taoiseach to do that and I will forever be in his debt. I want to thank him.
Senator Kyne has left the Chamber and he being a Gaeilgeoir would say I have a hard neck to be looking for an allowance to be restored in education for teachers of Irish but the language needs to have good Irish teachers and in a financial measure we took that allowance away some years ago. We need to see that allowance restored to teachers who are teaching through the language.
My last point is for the Leader. Two EU motions are coming before this House, today and next week. There will be a motion on the measures on human trafficking and the other one will be on the agreement with Canada. Surely to God those motions should have gone to Senator Conway's committee to be debated before they came to this House. I ask the Leader that anything that relates to the EU should go before that committee. That is what we set it up for, to scrutinise anything related to the EU. I would appreciate if the Leader would do that.
Once again Senator O'Hara is very welcome and I wish him the very best. It is lovely to have a northern voice here again.
I remind Senator Craughwell that the terms of reference of the EU affairs committee do not allow what he proposed. He should be aware of the terms of reference of the committee.
I welcome the guests of a former Senator and now a Deputy from Wexford, Deputy Brendan Howlin. They are a group from the Men's Shed in Wexford. I am not sure if he is doing a try-out of that before the next election after which he will retire but on my behalf, I thank him for all of his service to public life as a Member of both Houses of the Oireachtas. I wish him well in his retirement, whenever that may be.
Ar dús, céad míle fáilte chuig Seanadóir O'Hara. Comhghairdeas. He is very welcome to the House and I really look forward to working with him. I will be very proud to serve in the Seanad with him. I also welcome his family, who have just departed. Like most family members, they have gotten sense at this point of his career. They will be there at the times he needs them.
I welcome the opening of the world premier of The Pull of the Stars at the Gate Theatre in Dublin. The Gate Theatre is at the top of O'Connell Street on Parnell Square in the heart of my constituency. I congratulate in particular Róisín McBrinn and Colm O'Callaghan for bringing this world premier of Emma Donoghue's The Pull of the Stars to the stage at the Gate Theatre. They had the opening night last night and it was a world premier. Emma Donoghue herself is an Oscar and Booker Prize nominee, a woman and probably one of Ireland's finest writers. The play is set in an 1918 pandemic maternity ward. It is a real experience and a tour de force of the human experience. It has real resonance in the 2024 post-pandemic Dublin of today and is set on stage in the Gate Theatre, which is in the shadow of the Rotunda Hospital and which is the world's oldest maternity hospital. The setting could not be more perfect. The play deals with the universal themes of hope, struggle, resilience, the connection of relationships and of class. Most importantly, it presents the women's experience. It presents sisterhood, maternity, birth and death. It is truly a tour de force and an extraordinary production. I encourage people to attend.
It also deals with the most incredible Dr. Kathleen Lynn. As the Leader knows, I have brought a motion to this House and Fianna Fáil, the Labour Party, SIPTU, Fórsa and many other groups support the naming of the national children's hospital after Dr. Kathleen Lynn.
I thank the Senator.
It is not just to remember Dr. Kathleen Lynn, who was the most amazing woman and physician that she was, but also to forever send the message that healthcare be provided based on need and no other reason.
Comhghairdeas ó chroí do Sheanadóir Malachai O'Hara. I wish the Senator the best in the Seanad. It is wonderful to have another working-class voice in the Chamber.
I will raise with the Leader an issue related to An Post and ask for a debate with either of the two shareholders in An Post, namely, the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications and the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform. An Post is pursuing a cost-saving programme under which it wants to close down three of its directly operated post offices and outsource these services to independent contractors. It also wishes to sell the building that houses one of the post offices. Phibsborough post office, one of the three locations, serves a population that extends far beyond the boundaries of Phibsborough on the northside of Dublin. It is a vital service for cash lodgements for the many businesses in the area because we have only one functioning bank in the area, such has been the number of closures in the vicinity in recent years. When people in the area heard what An Post was planning, it caused huge dismay regarding the uncertainty of services, the building in question, which was built in 1893 and then inherited by the Irish Free State and renovated and rebuilt in the 1970s, and the complete lack of imagination by An Post, a public company, regarding the use of the building. It uses half of the building now to house its IT servers.
Some 2,500 signatures have been gathered in the locality to oppose the measures proposed by An Post. When the company talks about its journey of transformation or wanting to serve its communities and having commitment to community and inclusivity and says its purpose is simply to act for the common good and improve the quality of life in Ireland now and for generations to come, it raises a fundamental question about whether its bottom line is profit or fulfilling its public service obligation in communities such as Phibsborough and in other parts of the country.
I welcome Senator O'Hara to the Chamber. I have not had the pleasure of speaking with him yet. There are probably a few disappointed Members of the House because I think he will challenge them for the title of best dressed Senator going forward.
This is my third time calling for a debate on national aviation policy. An engagement with the Minister has still not been ordered. We need a debate on aviation policy. There are a whole host of issues, not least in Dublin Airport but also in Waterford where the airport has submitted a business case to the Department seeking €7 million in addition to the €5 million allocated by the previous Government to widen and lengthen the runway. This is a critical piece of infrastructure for the south-east region. Private sector investment of €12 million is on the table. The business case was submitted to the Department prior to Christmas. I know there has been engagement between Department officials and the airport but a decision needs to be made in early course because the ground works at the airport must be carried out in good weather. This leaves a window of between now and September in which the go-ahead has to be given for this critical investment. Some €12 million of private sector investment is on the table and the Government is being asked to come up with an additional €7 million. I would like to have the Minister appear in the House to discuss that and other issues of national aviation policy.
I welcome the students and teachers from Coláiste na hInse in Bettystown to Leinster House. I thank them for being here and hope they have a pleasant visit. Go n-éirí leo.
I add my welcome to our newest Member, Senator O'Hara. He is very welcome and I look forward to working with him. It is a great day and I hope he has a nice celebration going into the weekend because it is wonderful to be elected to Seanad Éireann and have one's voice heard here. Congratulations.
I ask for a debate on agriculture. We are all down because of the amount of rain we are having. It is all right for us because we can use an umbrella or decide not to go out but farmers are caught. I have never seen a time when so much land was unpassable. Sheep can hardly walk on a field without poaching it. I do not know how long it will take for a good spell of weather to come along to dry the land. Thousands of hectares of land are not ready to be sown which means there are no crops, potatoes and all other types of crops, sown. We also have cattle in sheds which costs a huge amount of money to keep going.
I would like the Minister for agriculture to come to the House to discuss short-term and long-term actions and supports for our agricultural community and farming families who are going through a very hard time.
I also acknowledge the new Senator and wish him the best of luck. I hope he enjoys his experience in this wonderful House.
We should have a debate with the Minister for Education about Irish oral examinations in the past few weeks. We have had a bizarre situation in which the profile for having oral examinations count as part of the leaving certificate has been changed. Traditionally, the examinations take place in school time. This year, as happened during the Covid-19 period, we had them during the Easter holidays. On the Saturday, Sunday and Monday of the Easter holidays, students were brought in to do their oral leaving certificate examinations. No school transportation was provided and there was no support for the students.
I acknowledge the teachers who came in on their own time to support students. Some had good experiences and some had terrible experiences. The lack of support due to the schools being effectively closed was a big issue for students. Everyone needs a break to refocus. At Easter, students have other things to do other subjects they need to study. It is terrible that the Covid guidelines for dealing with this have not changed. I fundamentally believe the Minister needs to change the approach and appear before the House. While knocking on doors, I spoke to parents who were horrified that students were put through this without any support. I acknowledge the teachers who went in on their own time to support these students. That must be acknowledged but the Minister and the Department need to change focus. Unfortunately, they have not done so.
It gives me huge pleasure, on behalf of the Green Party, to welcome our colleague, Mal O'Hara, who is chair of our all-Ireland party. I have worked closely with Mal for a number of years. On behalf of the Green Party, I negotiated our foreign affairs and Northern Ireland policy and Mal joined me in those negotiations along with former leader Clare Bailey. We negotiated with the Ministers, Deputies Coveney and Darragh O'Brien, the all-island group within the Government. It is fitting that Mal is sitting in this Parliament with the Government today. It is also important to mention the Senator's family. I had the pleasure of sitting down with his mum and auntie last night. Quite apart from the fact that Mal is very dedicated to his family, he is also very good-humoured and funny and we will all experience that over the coming months.
I also congratulate our new Taoiseach, Deputy Simon Harris. I have the utmost respect for former Taoiseach, Deputy Leo Varadkar, and wish him well on his future journey. I must say, however, that I was massively disappointed when I heard the speech at the Ard-Fheis on Saturday evening that there was scant reference to climate. We are a three-party coalition. We have made huge progress working together. It looks like our emissions for 2023 will be down by about 5%. We need to continue with what we have been doing as a country and what members of the public expect and want from their Government.
I have no doubt that it was an error on his part not to put climate front and centre but I will also say that we will be watching carefully to ensure the progress we have made does not fall apart. This is why it is important that we work together, that the Green Party is in this coalition and that we stand our ground on climate for the future of our children.
I welcome Senator O'Hara. I am really glad to hear that he has a sense of humour because he will certainly need it in here over the next couple of months. I ask the Leader to write to the Minister for Health regarding the Human Tissue (Transplantation, Post-Mortem, Anatomical Examination and Public Display) Act 2024, which came into effect on 28 February 2024. The opt-out register is still not in place. This oversight is not just an administrative delay. It is a matter of fundamental rights and individual autonomy that cannot be ignored. In recent years, our Government has emphasised the importance of the autonomy of the human body and the idea of "my body, my choice". Very little consideration, if any, has been given to people who seek to choose not to donate their organs. People's objections could range from sentimental reasons to religious objections or simple personal preferences. The lack of the register from the effective date of the legislation is hypocritical on the part of this Government. What about people's right to choose? It was clearly far from a priority for this Government, particularly given the administrative, logistical and financial gains of the State through having the right to force organ donation by default. Without this register, individuals are left in a state of uncertainty unable to exercise their right to control their bodies, particularly if they are in an unconscious state. Today the next of kin of somebody who is injured and unconscious and who is known to have a conscientious objection to organ donation will likely have to take a court case on the person's behalf in the hope that his or her organs will not be donated. It is imperative that individuals can choose whether they want to opt out from organ donation under this law and this Government has failed by not yet providing this mechanism. It is a fundamental flaw of the legislation. There is no excuse for the abysmal failure of the Government to ensure that this opt-out operated from day one so it is imperative that the Leader writes to the Minister regarding this today.
I welcome everybody back. We had quite a break for various reasons such as St. Patrick's Day and Easter. I acknowledge the presence of Senator O'Hara. He is very welcome. I came back in a by-election, as did my colleague Senator Maria Byrne, that was not as easy as Senator O'Hara's one. I even had a member of Senator O'Hara's party on the ballot paper but despite that, many of his party members voted for me. I was delighted to get back here and it was a wonderful experience to get back in a by-election as no doubt Senator Maria Byrne will also testify. I am sure it was even nicer to do it without having to take part in any contest.
I acknowledged on the last day we sat that Leo Varadkar was stepping down as Taoiseach. I pay tribute to him and also to Deputy Coveney and Deputy Madigan, who is my local TD, for all their work in their ministerial portfolios and congratulate Simon Harris. I also congratulate Deputy Peter Burke. I worked well with him on the regional health forum for south Dublin and mid-Leinster for many years. I congratulate Deputy O'Donovan, who used to come to this House when I was spokesperson on finance. I also congratulate Deputy Dillon. Former members of the Oireachtas Committee on Transport, particularly Fine Gael members, seem to do quite well. Senator Buttimer became Cathaoirleach, Deputy Kieran O'Donnell became a Minister of State and now Deputy Dillon has become a Minister of State. I also congratulate Deputy Higgins and Deputy Colm Burke, who is a former Senator.
Senator Horkan is going next.
I do not know. The Fine Gael members of the committee seem to do better than anybody else so far. I acknowledge the longest-serving diplomat in Ireland leaving today, namely, the soon-to-be former Georgian ambassador, H.E. George Zurabashvili, who is known by many Members here. I pay tribute to him for his work on behalf of the people of Georgia and Ireland-Georgia relations.
I acknowledge the presence next week in Ireland of over 4,000 participants at the Transport Research Arena conference, a really important conference for Ireland. It is important that in advance of it, we acknowledge what a big event it is for Ireland and welcome the delegates and participants.
I also welcome Senator O'Hara to Leinster House. As somebody from a minority background, it is wonderful to have somebody here speaking on behalf of Northern Ireland. Senator Ó Donnghaile did a great job and Senator Currie certainly does a great job in that area so I suspect Senators O'Hara and Currie will have many conversations to benefit the people of Northern Ireland.
I also congratulate Simon Harris on becoming Taoiseach - the youngest Taoiseach in our history. I have worked with him for 13 years. The Cathaoirleach knows that he delivers on his commitments. I engaged with him three times when he was Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science on very specific issues relating to disability. One involved a visually impaired lady who had come here from Ukraine and wanted to do a degree but could not get a grant and the system did not facilitate her getting a grant. The then Minister met her and resolved the issue. Another example of the type of work he did involved a Syrian lady who got probably the second or third highest leaving certificate result in the country last June but was finding it very difficult to get the finance to go to Trinity College. He met her at our think-in and within three or four days, he resolved the problem so Simon Harris resolves issues. He gets things done. He might not get everything right but I am extremely confident that we will see a Taoiseach who will deliver and deliver quickly. It is appropriate that we pay tribute to Leo Varadkar, a Taoiseach we thought we would never see again because he was such a gentleman and did things with distinction. He did so much quietly and privately for people that nobody will ever know about. I acknowledge and salute his team because it was outstanding.
I welcome Senator O'Hara. On Tuesday night, a very momentous occasion took place with the hosting of the women's international match between Ireland and England in the Aviva Stadium, which attracted a record crowd of 33,000 people. At a pre-match reception, FAI president Paul Cooke asked the people in the room to lobby their politicians and make sure to tell them they wanted increased funding for the progression of women's football and women's sport in this country. Yesterday former President Mary McAleese attended the Oireachtas Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media. She has chaired the steering group leading the integration of the GAA, the LGFA and the Camogie Association and she was joined by the presidents of those associations yesterday. Regarding the merger of these three associations, all called for increased funding for women's football and camogie. The president of the GAA, Jarlath Burns mentioned a women's compromise rules match between Ireland and Australia that was played in Parnell Park. He said that the dressing room the Australian team used had two toilets - two toilets for a panel of 30 women. He asked why was this the case and replied that it was because the dressing rooms are built for men. There is no doubt that the funding required for the improvement of facilities across the country will be significant. Since 2022, the sports capital grant delivered a record €150 million in grant aid, which is a fourfold increase in sports funding in this country. I have been advocating for a long time that we need a tenfold increase in sports funding. The new president of the GAA was asked whether there was one thing he would like to see happen in respect of funding and he replied that he would like to see the immigrant investor programme that has been stopped by Government brought back into play. It delivered significant amounts of real funding for sports clubs across the country and could fill the hole. The Government stopped it because of what it described as the influx of Chinese applicants and the backlog of cases. There are around 700 applicants in the system that are causing a backlog in funding for many sporting associations across this country.
I call for a debate very promptly with the Minister to deal with the backlog in funding and the reintroduction of this scheme through the Department of Justice.
Senator Martin has proposed an amendment to the Order of Business: "That No. 12 be taken before No. 1". The Leader has indicated that she is prepared to accept it. Is that agreed? Agreed.
Is lá speisialta dúinn é inniu toisc go bhfuilimid ag cur fáilte roimh Sheanadóir nua inár measc, an Seanadóir Malachai O'Hara. Cuirim fáilte roimh an Seanadóir, Ultach ó chathair álainn Bhéal Feirste agus ceannaire an Chomhaontas Glas sa Tuaisceart. Baineann an Comhaontas Glas, mo pháirtí féin, le timpeallacht an oileáin ar fad, beag beann ar aon teorainn fhisiciúil.
I seek leave of the House to introduce and take No. 12 on the Order of Business before No. 1. I will set out the reasons. No. 12 is a Bill entitled the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Formaldehyde) Bill 2024. I kindly thank the many Senators who co-sponsored it. There needs to be greater oversight of the use and disposal of formaldehyde to ensure improved protection of both human and environmental health. My Bill proposes to establish a code of practice governing the safe use and disposal of formaldehyde with particular reference to embalming.
It is appropriate on the day that we welcome a new Senator that there should be an all-Ireland approach to formaldehyde. I would like to see that, just as I would like to see an all-island environmental approach to protecting the native Irish honey bee and tackling the scourge of water pollution. I would like all of us to get behind an all-island transport strategy. I look forward to working with Senator O'Hara on this Bill and I thank him for being one of its co-sponsors.
I am glad you clarified the all-Ireland approach, Senator. I was getting worried for a minute.
I welcome Senator O'Hara to the Chamber and look forward to working with him. I am sure he will get great experience over the coming months. I congratulate my two colleagues from Limerick which did very well in the ministerial reshuffle, with Deputy Patrick O'Donovan being appointed to the higher education portfolio and Deputy Kieran O'Donnell, a former Member of this House, being moved to the OPW. I am delighted for both Ministers of State and also for some former colleagues in this House, specifically Deputy Colm Burke who was appointed Minister of State at the Department of Health. He was a very diligent member of this House. I wish him and all the other Ministers of State and senior Ministers who were appointed the very best.
I raise the issue of University Hospital Limerick, and not for the first time. I have asked on numerous occasions that the Minister for Health come to the House for a debate on the future of the hospital. I was delighted when the Minister came to Limerick last week and made a number of announcements. However, there is a problem with some of those announcements. There is a problem with the nursing home that was referred to. It is my understanding that it cannot now be used to provide 50 beds. We need a debate because the UHL is in the news every single day. It is not fair that the people of Limerick and the mid-west have a hospital that is not working properly. While some areas have started to change, which I welcome, and I know everybody works really hard, we have to get to the bottom of the issue to find out why issues remain and to find another 50 beds if this nursing home cannot be used. I ask the Leader to write again to the Minister for Health because it is important that we have a debate as soon as possible.
Cuirim fíorfháilte roimh bhliain 4 ó Ghaelcholáiste Cheatharlach. Tá siad ar an ardán anseo. Is cúis mhór áthais dom fíorfháilte a chur roimh Ruairí Ó Liatháin, cara liom, agus Conchubhar. Cuirim fáilte go Teach Laighean roimh Ruairí. It is good to have you here and to welcome you all to Leinster House today. As Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann, I extend a céad míle fáilte, a sincere welcome, to Governor John Carney of Delaware and his delegation who are here today with the Leas-Chathaoirleach in the Public Gallery. Governor, you are very welcome. You have been a great friend of Ireland and we thank you for being here today.
I also want to welcome in the Public Gallery, our Consul General in New York, Helena Nolan. She is an extraordinary servant of our country and has done a great job in New York.
Go raibh míle maith agat Cathaoirligh agus b'fhearr liom fáilte a chur roimh ár n-aíonna ó Ghaelcholáiste Cheatharlach. I also welcome our other distinguished guests.
I would like to second my friend, Senator Martin's Bill. I know from Senator Keogan that she does not anticipate any stiff opposition to this particular Bill. It seems to be worthy of support from all sides of the House.
I wish our new Senator well. I was going to introduce myself as a member of a minority group in the House but since the recent referendum results, I can no longer make that claim with any integrity. I reiterate my call for a debate in this House on the outcome of those referendums and the lessons to be learned on various issues, as well as the policy issues that might flow from that.
I also wish our new Taoiseach well. He is a man of talent but talent is not enough. He is a man of great work rate but work rate is not enough. He has a hard task ahead of him. If I could give him one piece of advice, it would be to keep his promises. He has not always done so but he has made a lot of very important promises in recent days. I hope he will do so. I wish him well.
I ask for a debate on the implications of the report by Dr. Hilary Cass looking at gender services in the United Kingdom. It has major implications for what has been going on here under the leadership of several Ministers for Health, including our current Taoiseach, and the HSE. It is clear that Dr. Cass has found that there is no evidence base for the practice of giving puberty blockers to children under the age of 18. She has called for an end to the practice. She has said that the normal principles of paediatrics and mental health do not seem to have applied when it comes to the treatment of transgender identifying children.
There is massive concern in the UK regarding how the numbers went from 50 children, mainly boys, in 2009 to over 3,000 children, mainly girls, now. What has been happening in Ireland? We know the HSE has been on the wrong track. Before I sit down, I want to ask for a debate on this. I ask for a review of what the HSE has done in these cases under various Ministers. I want to know whether children have been endangered and whether the State could face a cause of action from those children whose lives may have been harmed by puberty blockers and other treatments carried out on them under the auspices of our health authorities. We need to open up this issue and look at exactly what has gone on and we need accountability on the matter.
I remind all Senators that, on the Order of Business, the second tier of speakers are confined to a particular time and must raise one issue only. I have become a bit lax in enforcing this rule and Members are straying into the realm of saying what they want. All Senators should uphold the rules of the House.
I, too, welcome Senator O'Hara. I am wearing green for him today. I went to Queen's University and spent three very happy years in south Belfast. I am very much looking forward to having another north Belfast voice in the House. I recognise the contribution Senator Niall Ó Donnghaile made to this House. We miss him and his Belfast wit.
Regarding Senator O'Reilly's concerns about the prioritisation of climate action, in our new Taoiseach's speech at the Árd-Fheis it was one of the priorities he outlined. He specifically referred to the importance of empowering farmers in the necessary transformation.
I had a meeting yesterday with a group called Retailers Against Smuggling. That certainly outlined to me the extent to which people are availing of black market goods and services. I am startled 25% of people have availed of them in the last year. That includes TV subscription services via dodgy boxes, coal and other fuels, drugs, medicines, supplements, alcohol, vaping products, cigarettes, rolling tobacco and then of course we know of the growth in things like hair and beauty services as well. I appreciate that Covid as a disrupter blurred the lines when it came to people's attitude to accessing products and certain behaviours related to law and order, behaviour on the roads and things like that, but we need to rein this in. It is not good for public health. It is not good for the Exchequer. It is not a good sign and we need to deal with it. We need to engage with people like those in the organisation I mentioned. We need fines, legal reform or law enforcement, but primarily in this instance we need awareness.
I welcome Senator O'Hara. I am delighted he was looking at the Fine Gael Ard-Fheis and our new Taoiseach's speech, but I point out climate formed part of that speech. It opened up with "The world is changing, and we need to work together on climate action" and finished with "Fine Gael wants to support you to make the change in your home, in your farm, in your business".
I take the opportunity to congratulate my Longford-Westmeath colleague, Deputy Burke, on his elevation to the role of Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. He has been an excellent representative of the constituency and I look forward to joining him after the next general election.
I have raised cigarette pricing and youngsters vaping on a number of occasions. Some issues have been brought to my attention and one in particular is the fact of cheaper cigarettes being sold within shops. It is all to do with the minimum excise duty tax policy that is currently set at €11.50 for 20 cigarettes while most brands are, as we know, selling for €16.75. The last time it was increased was September 2020 and it is now €5 below the MPPC, meaning it is really becoming ineffective. What we have now is cigarettes being sold more cheaply and it is making them more available to a younger market and young kids who are smoking and should not be. We all know the ill effects of it, so I would like the Minister for Finance to look at this and increase it to bring those prices back up with the main prices to keep smoking out of reach of the younger generation.
Anois An Seanadóir Murphy, who is joined in the Public Gallery by two friends of his, Justin Dixon and Andrew Burke. You are very welcome to Leinster House.
Go raibh maith agat, a Chathaoirligh. I wish Senator O'Hara the very best of luck. I look forward to working with him. I work well with his colleagues here and I am sure he will become part of that group.
I also extend my good wishes to the Taoiseach. We hope the Government will continue address the issues of importance to the people. One of those is a major one in my own County Roscommon and has now become a national issue, namely, flooding. I refer in particular to the plight of the people around Lough Funshinagh. This is not just another flooding issue. As some people will know, Roscommon County Council tried to carry out emergency works to prevent houses, homes and farms being flooded. Unfortunately, a case was taken by the Friends of the Irish Environment and Mr. Tony Lowes and that blocked the work from continuing. I look at the state of that countryside now and at people being flooded out. I had a couple on the phone in tears yesterday. The man is 80 and his wife is 78. Their home, their land and their house, has now been flooded with water. This particular problem is now spreading to another village. The couple were crying on the phone and asking how they are going to be taken out if they get sick.
It is an incredible story. All I will say here is I hope emergency legislation can be put through these Houses as quickly as possible to allow Roscommon County Council to take X amount of water out of that lake. It is a turlough that has not emptied. We do not know why. Everything has been done to find out why it is blocked or whatever. This should not be happening. There is utter devastation. I tell my colleagues, no matter what part of the country they are from, that they should go down and see what people are going through. They have no idea what is being done to people in a democratic state. They have no idea and it has to come to an end. I am so hurt for those people and so annoyed for them. We must enact emergency legislation to drop the level of water in that particular turlough. Everything is dead. The trees are dead. The birdlife is dead. The flood has destroyed everything good in the environment and that point is being missed. People are now leaving their homes because they have no option. It must be brought to an end.
While the sun might be shining in Dublin there is teeming rain in the west of Ireland, including Clare. The weather conditions since last July have made farming almost an impossibility. The pressure, both mental and physical, on the farming community is palpable. Regardless of size and scale of operation every farmer in the country is under enormous pressure. There are issues around fodder and the inability to plant grain. There is concern now about not being able to feed cattle through the summer period because it has not been possible to let them out onto grass and there is a shortage of fodder. That is not to speak about the impact this will have on the next harvest. There is an immediate crisis. The Leader has been making great efforts to try to get the Minister for agriculture to come to the House and I hope she will be able to update us on that because it is of paramount importance. We need to see a really important approach being taken by the Government, and not just to solve the issues of today, because this is going to have long-term repercussions, especially for grain farmers, but also for those in dairy and livestock. They are under enormous pressure right now and it will require financial investment by the State to protect our farming enterprises, our family farms, our food production and the security of that production. We all know the importance of that, so it is really important we have a progressive debate on the issues facing farming because of the very significant climatic conditions we have experienced over the last 12 months.
Go raibh míle maith agat. Anois, An Ceannaire le do thoil.
I thank the Cathaoirleach and thank all Members who contributed on the Order of Business. I commend Senator O'Hara on his fine maiden speech in the Chamber and thank Members for the gracious, warm congratulations they extended to him. It looks well for the House and it is the manner in which we conduct ourselves in here. It is quite a collegial Chamber. We have our differences at times, but we work well together.
I concur with the remarks of many Senators wishing former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar well and thanking him for his long service of seven years in the top job. It is a long time to be in that position given the intensity and demands of the role. I thank him for his service to the State. I wish the new Taoiseach Simon Harris the very best of luck in his work as he takes on what is probably the most pressurised and important job in the country as well. I wish all the Ministers, those who have been reappointed and those who are newly appointed, well in their roles for whatever period of time we have left. We have been told 11 months, but who knows. In any event, I have no doubt they will all hit the ground running and do their very best to deliver for the people of this great country.
I also pay tribute to former Senator Niall Ó Donnghaile. We have not had an opportunity to do that and today seems like the appropriate time to do that. He was a fantastic colleague. We did not agree on everything, but he was a very measured, considered contributor in this House. He led the Sinn Féin grouping until very recently. He was a great voice for Northern Ireland, for all communities in the North and was always keeping issues relevant to the island and to Northern Ireland on the agenda.
I have no doubt that the Senator will continue in that vein and that others will do the same.
Well said.
I wish the Sinn Féin grouping well, too, as it continues forward.
Senator O’Loughlin spoke about an issue relating to community engagement groups in the Rathangan area and how she and her colleague, Councillor Anne Connolly held a public meeting, which had 200 in attendance. All of us know that 200 attending a public meeting is a significant number. I urge the Minister and local gardaí to take on board the concerns raised by those communities. As someone who visited County Kildare very recently, including Kildare town and Rathangan, it seems strange that it would be put into the Leixlip division because there is quite a distance between the two areas. There will always be teething when one is making changes of that nature and I hope that the delay in implementation is there to give space to deal with those particular issues.
I also want to take on board and concur with Senator O’Loughlin’s remarks about what happened on Tuesday. On Tuesday we had the election of a new Taoiseach. On Tuesday, Deputy Micheál Martin, the Tánaiste, formally stood in the Dáil Chamber and said that Ireland as a state would move to recognise the state of Palestine. That was a hugely significant moment. We have long campaigned for this. Many Members of this House and the other House, cross party, have sought that. I was particularly struck by the Tánaiste’s remarks when he said that delaying this was no longer credible or tenable and that he has, for the past six months, been working with other member states to try to get a coalition of member states that are involved in peace initiatives at EU level to move to collectively recognise the state of Palestine. We do not have a date yet but we are told that it will happen in the coming weeks. It is a hugely significant moment for Ireland and the Government that it is now Government policy that the Irish State will formally move to recognise the state of Palestine. I think for all of us it was a hugely significant moment. I want to add my support. I was delighted to see it being said in the Dáil by the Tánaiste on Tuesday.
Senator Kyne, as he has often done, raised the issue of Inland Fisheries Ireland. He has raised serious issues that are of public interest in this Chamber on a continuous basis. I have requested, on numerous occasions, the Minister, Deputy Ryan to come to the House to debate the issues. I understand the reasons he has articulated as to why, from his Department's perspective and from his perspective as Minister, it is not appropriate but there are serious issues of concern to the public that have not been adequately addressed. I commend Senator Kyne on continuing to raise these issues. He has been doing it for the best part of a year now. Changes have been happening but there seems to be a degree of secrecy around some aspects of what has been happening in Inland Fisheries Ireland. We all want to see that matter concluded and brought to a satisfactory resolution.
Senator Boyhan extended warmest congratulations to our new Senator. He did make a comment that he did not think the Opposition should be viewed as the enemy of the Government. I want to assure Senator Boyhan that Government Senators do not view Opposition Senators as the enemy. As I said, we are a collegiate Chamber. We work together. That does not mean we always agree but I certainly do not agree with that particular viewpoint.
I will touch on some of the issues Senator O’Hara spoke about. His CV and experience speaks for itself. It is fantastic to have that experience here. He spoke about how peace has pretty much been achieved for all. It is still a peace we have to mind and it is a work in progress but the reconciliation and prosperity has not been achieved for all; it has been achieved for some. We can all agree that is something we have to work on in this Chamber collectively. His work, in terms of the community and voluntary sector, will be hugely valuable in his contributions here. As he said, it is 26 years since the Good Friday Agreement. We have more work to do on that yet. That will be part of his mandate and what he will do in this Chamber. I wish the Senator well.
Senator Moynihan spoke about the post-natal support system and those going on maternity leave not being replaced. I agree with her comments. It is something that might be worthy of a Commencement matter. There are challenges throughout the country in replacing those who go on maternity leave but the Senator is correct that those working in the public health system, and public nurses, tend to be women more than men and it is more of an issue there.
Senator Gavan spoke about section 39 workers in the south in counties Cork and Kerry and the challenges there and he asked for a debate with the Minister for Health, Deputy Donnelly. The Minister is not hiding, as the Senator might have suggested. He is one of the most prominent Ministers in the Government and is out pretty much every week discussing health issues. I accept the challenges in what the Senator spoke about. He also commented on the constitutional debate. I think we will keep it on the agenda of this House. I have no doubt that the Senator will continue to do that as he has done for the past four and a half years.
Senator Malcolm Byrne spoke about Josip Strok, the 31-year-old Croatian, and his tragic murder. What is in the media is that it was racially motivated and based on his not being able to speak English. Obviously, the full investigation is yet to be completed but we extend our sympathies to his family and to his friend who thankfully survived the attack. We wish him a full and speedy recovery. I will request a debate on coastal erosion that the Senator also requested along with colleague, Councillor Lisa McDonald.
Senator Dolan congratulated all those who have been promoted in recent days.
Senator Craughwell made a point about allowances for Irish teachers. That might be worth a Commencement matter. He has also raised issues around the two EU motions, one that we will debate shortly and another on an agreement with Canada. The Cathaoirleach has made the point that it would be a matter for the EU scrutiny committee and is not really one for the Leader of the House.
Senator Fitzpatrick paid tribute to the “The Pull of the Stars”, which premiered yesterday at The Gate Theatre.
Senator Sherlock raised the closing and outsourcing of services at An Post. I suggest that she tables a Commencement matter on the issue.
Senator Cummins requested a debate on aviation policy, which I have requested that previously, but I will ask again. I agree with his remarks that it is a hugely important area.
Senators McGreehan and Dooley raised issues relating to farming and the extensive rainfall. On the issues farmers are dealing with currently, it has effectively been raining since last July. I understand the last 12 months have been the second-wettest since records began. It does not matter how prepared or well-resourced a farmer is, nobody can withstand that volume of rainfall. We have had very little let-up at all. I welcome the Minister’s comments on support around fodder. Farmers are hugely concerned about input costs and having enough fodder to feed their cattle. We are coming to the end of the spring lambing season. Traditionally, lambs would be out on early grass but that has not happened. There is huge pressure and anxiety on farmers who feel they cannot care for their animals or pay the bills and deal with the costs coming in. Financial supports will be needed for the farming sector but my understanding, which Senator Dooley touched on, is that we have to deal with the fact that really wet seasons may become the norm and we need to put plans in place for future years. I am pleased to confirm that the Minister for agriculture, Deputy McConalogue will be in the Chamber next Tuesday to take statements on this issue and to hear the views and concerns of Members. It will be a hugely important debate.
Senator Lombard asked for a debate on education in relation to Irish oral exams. He might table a Commencement matter on the issue.
Senator Pauline O’Reilly welcomed her colleague, Senator O’Hara, and made a particular point around the Taoiseach’s speech at the Fine Gael Ard-Fheis. I do not know if it is my place to comment on that. Senator Emer Currie responded to that. That is Members’ interpretations of that. I certainly agree with the Senator’s remarks that the climate agenda is hugely important but it should not be viewed as a constraint or presented as a straitjacket for people. It should be viewed, as I view it, as a massive opportunity for the country and something that we have to deal with in any event. Sometimes the catastrophising around climate change only makes people feel hopeless. As we move along and deal with our keep cups, recycling and bottle returns, the elephant in the room is big industry, not only in Ireland but globally. How we tackle that as a member of the European Union and as a country is hugely important. The narrative around climate change can sometimes be too negative.
Senator Keoghan called for a debate on the human tissue Act and the opt-out register. I suggest a request for a Commencement matter would be appropriate since it is a specific question. We can follow up directly with the Minister on the opt-out register.
Senator Horkan drew comparisons between his election to this House and that or Senator O’Hara. Good man, Gerry. He also congratulated the Georgian ambassador who will leave us soon -----
Today.
----- today, for his extensive service, and wished well.
Senator Conway congratulated all his colleagues on their promotions.
Senator Cassells raised a particular issue around the Aviva Stadium, the FAI and increased funding for women in sports. I will request a debate with the Minister with responsibility for sport.
Senator Martin has proposed an amendment to the Order of Business that No. 12 be taken before No. 1. I am happy to accept the amendment to the Order of Business.
Senator Maria Byrne has raised issues around University Hospital Limerick. She has been raising the issues relating to the hospital for years.
Senator Maria Byrne has been a fantastic advocate for the hospital in Limerick, its patients and, importantly, the people working there. The Minister, Deputy Donnelly, has taken a very hands-on approach. He has visited the site on numerous occasions. He has made it very clear that rostering over seven days and having a full service seven days a week is a crucial and key element to solving the problems there. He is actively working with the new manager and staff there to try to resolve those issues.
Senator Mullen asked for a debate on the Cass report. I share his concerns. What we have been reading in terms of what is contained in the report is deeply troubling. We do not have a full appreciation yet of the impact and implications for Ireland, and our strategy and health service here but the matter should be debated. It must be fully aired and Members should be allowed and facilitated to express their views and ask questions without fear of being cancelled, abused, trolled or whatever else comes along with it. The issue is too important. Ordinary people on the ground are asking questions. Senator Mullen will appreciate that there is a huge fear among politicians about dealing with this issue and speaking openly about it, but that is an issue for a different day. The level of abuse directed at politicians and public representatives for asking questions on this issue must be called out and rejected. This debate should be allowed to take place without fear about asking questions.
Senator Currie asked for a debate on the black market, following her meeting with Retailers Against Smuggling. She expressed concern that 25% of citizens who were surveyed have availed of black market goods. Senator Carrigy raised issues around vaping and cigarettes among young people.
Senator Murphy made a very impassioned plea for the people of Roscommon, especially those dealing with flooding in the area. I am personally familiar with the difficulties there as I have seen it myself. There are huge challenges. People feel completely desperate and hopeless about addressing this issue, which has been left on the long finger for years. This is not an issue that happened yesterday or the previous week; Senator Murphy has been raising it for years in this Chamber. He introduced legislation on this issue before the Oireachtas, yet people are still living in that situation. It is completely unacceptable and needs to be addressed by the relevant authorities. The local authority needs to get to the table as well and push for services from a national perspective.
Senator Dooley raised the issue of farmers and fodder in County Clare and the west. He rightly pointed out the future challenges we will have with grain in particular. If farmers cannot plant this year there will be nothing to harvest next year. This is a huge concern. The Minister, Deputy McConalogue, is very much aware of the issue and he is engaging with the farming organisations. He is putting together a support package for farmers to address the current issues and to look at the long-term issues as well between this year and next year. That concludes the Order of Business.
Senator Martin proposed an amendment to Order of Business: "That No. 12 be taken before No. 1." It was seconded by Senator Mullen. The Leader has indicated that she is prepared to accept this amendment. Is the amendment agreed? Agreed.
