An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business
Seanad Éireann — 2026-07-14
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Laura Harmon (LAB), Industrial and Commercial Panel

I want to raise the issue of Bessborough again today. There will be a rally next Saturday in Cork at 2.30 p.m. People are calling for the site to be preserved as a site of conscience, historical importance and, above all, a memorial for survivors and their families. It was heartening yesterday to see cross-party support from across the Government, the Opposition and Independents outside Cork City Hall, calling for the land to be acquired by the State via compulsory purchase order. I ask all Senators to put on pressure within their parties on this issue. It is really important that we secure this site and bring it into public ownership.
The second issue I wish to raise is the issue of access to safe swimming in Ireland. I have been campaigning for a number of years for a lido in Cork City. When I was a Cork city councillor, I had a motion calling for a lido within the city. Unfortunately, the Lee baths, which were hugely popular, closed the year I was born, back in 1986, 40 years ago now. There has never been anything like it since.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-07-14/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-27T06:52:15+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-07-14