An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business
Seanad Éireann — 2026-05-26
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Martin Conway (IND), Administrative Panel

I would also like to pay huge tribute and congratulations to our former Leader, Seán Kyne, on his elevation to the Lower House. I have known Seán Kyne for more than 20 years at this stage. The first time I met him was prior to the 2007 Seanad election when he came and sat in my kitchen and from then on we were firm friends. Seán is there in good days and bad. He is a thoroughly decent person and is a loss to this House but a huge asset to Dáil Éireann. The people of Galway are very lucky to have a representative like Seán and they know it, because they elected him. Governments do not win by-elections but Seán Kyne did win a by-election, which is a testament to him, in the first and last instance, and his decency, integrity, backbone, intelligence, shrewdness and above all, his commitment to public service. The Houses of the Oireachtas are very fortunate to have people of that calibre and I wish him every success over the next three and a half years in his role in Dáil Éireann. I would also like to wish the Acting Leader well in the coming days.
I would like to echo the comments made on farm safety. The Cathaoirleach will recall the initiative of the Seanad Public Consultation Committee between 2011 and 2016, which resulted in a very good report on farm safety that included a series of recommendations. I was lucky enough to be the convenor back then. A number of the recommendations were taken on board by the Government at a time there were not huge resources in the country. Unfortunately, too many people are still losing their lives in farm accidents. It might not be a bad idea to refresh that very good report and draw up a supplementary report on farm safety, 15 years later. It is an issue on which we have to be ever vigilant. Beautiful days like today are the type of day that farmers embrace, want and need. We do not want people getting hurt or losing their lives so whatever can be done, in terms of raising awareness, should be done.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-05-26/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:59+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-05-26