I move amendment No. 7: To insert the following after "October, 2022": "; - that the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine shall, within 6 months following the passing of this motion, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas outlining the potential for a dedicated portion of the Fund to be allocated towards community projects which involve the care and protection of animals".

I welcome the motion. This is an important time to recommit to, and make it clear, how important neutrality is and how well it has served Ireland. I echo the belief that a strong constitutional mandate is already outlined in Article 29, including devotion to the ideal of peace, the recognised principles of international law and the peaceful settlement of international disputes by arbitration or judicial determination. Those were the very early signals. We have a history of constitutional determination in respect of…

I compliment Senator Martin. I am also very happy to be one of the co-sponsors of the Bill. We have taken our lead in not expanding on the different sections. The key point is that, if this keeps moving through, it is an opportunity to ensure we deliver protection for the native Irish honeybee next year. It is important we complement that with really strong measures in protecting the habitat. In that regard, we need to look to our hedgerows and pollinator plants, including in urban areas. It is vital for our ecosys…

I want to formally object to the content of the Order of Business for tomorrow, Thursday, which is done in the form of a motion. Again, it is regrettable that we are seeing Bills being taken at all Stages. This Government has developed too much of an attachment to emergency legislation. I am also conscious in the case of both of these Bills, and I was on the relevant committee for one of them, that the Government asked for a waiver of pre-legislative scrutiny and then is also truncating proper scrutiny in the Chamb…

If we chase getting some of the money from the arms industry, we lose our diplomatic power, which is so fundamental and which has made a difference and saved lives throughout the world.

I have to finish.

This has been part of a move away from 2015, when we were rescuing people in the Mediterranean. That year, our Naval Service membership was the highest. That compares to 2017, when we saw Irish ships being brought to arms fairs.

I will conclude but I suggest this is a matter of significant urgency for a House that cares about human rights.

I am opposing the motion in relation to Thursday.

I may not oppose the Order of Business, but I will oppose the motion in relation to Thursday which is to be taken separately.

I am happy to come in. This is an issue I feel strongly about. We have raised and discussed it at the Joint Committee on Gender Equality, which the Minister has mentioned. It would be regrettable if the committee, which is in place to expedite and press for action and monitor what actions are happening in respect of the many recommendations of the citizens' assembly, was in some way used as a reason not to do things that move us forward in terms of equality in the State, or to wait. They made a number of recommenda…

Hear, hear.

The question is not the suitability of the Attorney General as part of the process. The question is where he or she fits in the process and that danger and concern of him or her being involved twice in the process, as we heard in the debate. There is a role for the Attorney General in the second part of the process where nominations have been suggested but not made, with the names of nominees having been put to the Government. The Attorney General has that role in advising the Government and will, of course, exerci…

I understand the Government is not accepting any of my amendments to this section.

Then I am not going to press amendment No. 4. Amendment No. 6 is consequential on this and it might miraculously pass.

I move amendment No. 6: In page 10, to delete line 32.

Amendment No. 9 is in this grouping. It also makes it clear that one of the laypersons appointed should be nominated by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission. This is fundamental. It was fundamental in the understanding we had during pre-legislative scrutiny. It was in the original heads of the Bill. When I do pre-legislative scrutiny I look to make sure that all of the relevant voices and bodies are there. The heads of Bill as presented to the committee provided that a nominee from IHREC would be included…

It is not that there are a lot of bodies and that it would be nice to have them represented. This is quite different. Yes, there are lots of different interest groups and expert groups, but we have outlined the fact, that, with respect, has not been addressed, that the public duty and equality and human rights are a statutory obligation. The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission is the point at which many different areas of interest and expertise have their intersection with the law. For example, there are man…

I move amendment No. 9: In page 10, line 33, after “ 13 ” to insert “of whom one shall be nominated for appointment by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission”. I will withdraw the amendment and bring it back on Report Stage, when I will call "Vótáil" on it. I hope the Minister will reconsider the matter in the meantime.

I move amendment No. 12: In page 11, between lines 6 and 7, to insert the following: “(4) The Attorney General shall not, as a member of the Commission, play a role in the selection or recommendation of persons for appointment to judicial office in the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, High Court, Circuit Court or District Court.”.