A Chathaoirligh, if something is being asked to be withdrawn, I will have to ask-----

I have been directly challenged and asked to withdraw a comment.

To be very clear, what I said was that it was 40% and it was in some instances, whereas the Senator has twice now - if he examines the transcript, he will see what is correct-----

Yes, and at that point, I would like Senator Blaney to withdraw his remarks.

I look forward to Senator Blaney withdrawing his comments at that point.

I am sorry, I am not going to be misrepresented.

I join others in commending a very good and necessary Bill, as has been said. It is very good and well drafted legislation, with real nuance and sensitivity in how it approaches the issues, and goes through the kinds of policy points highlighted by groups and academics and addresses every concern section by section and line by line. I know it may seem kind of cold to go to the quality of the legislation, but I think this is really important because it should not be delayed. This is one of the really well-drafted Bi…

I share the concern many have expressed about the proposals before us. I echo what we have heard across the House about recognising migration as something that has happened for centuries and millennia and something that is often a net positive for countries. Ireland, with its history of migration in different economic and political circumstances, circumstances of conflict and so on, as well as its record of contribution globally, should have a particular understanding of migration. Part of the context around migrat…

Let us be clear, however; I do not believe we should join it at all. Let us look at what was in that proposal that has been withdrawn, which comes from the same kind of logic in terms of safe countries. It comes from the same kind of perspective, which is a neocolonial perspective and a colonial perspective in terms of determining or arbitrating the lives of others. The change would mean that rather than having to have a connection to the country a person might be deported to, it would say the concept of a country …

I second the amendment.

I move amendment No. 7: In page 9, between lines 28 and 29, to insert the following: "Report on access to Health (Amendment) Act Card 8. The Minister shall, within 12 months of the passing of this Act, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas detailing how the Health (Amendment) Act Card can be provided to all persons who were, for any period, resident in an institution specified in the Schedule to the Residential Institutions Redress Act 2002.".

This amendment seeks to oblige the Minister to prepare a report on access for survivors to the card provided for under the Health (Amendment) Act 1996, known as the HAA card. This issue was raised throughout the Committee Stage debate and is one of the key requests that have been consistently made by survivors. Even in the week since that debate, people have contacted our office outlining the shortcomings of the provision in the Bill for a medical card to meet the health needs of survivors. In the absence of adequa…

This is a rare instance where we have an example of something that could be best practice, that maybe could be an example for other countries and other places which are dealing with the litany of residential and non-residential institutional abuse. We have something which Ireland wrote: here is an enhanced card. We have gone to the trouble of looking into the details and figuring out how we can really support you, and not just in terms of a standard medical card because we recognise that yours is not a standard sit…

I want to open by commenting on one important thing. We hear the line again and again that supply is the issue or supply is the problem. We need to be really clear that profiteering is the problem. That is the problem. Supply is important, but profiteering is what has been the obstacle in housing. I have seen it over the last ten years in these Houses, again and again. Senator Andrews spoke earlier about the area where I live. There are empty apartments all over those areas where the rent is kept at an artificially…

I support Senator Boyhan in terms of a review. The Minister said that she has to put a figure in the Bill but there is absolutely nothing to stop her including a review mechanism in the Bill. I believe it would be appropriate that there would be a clear mechanism to review the sum of €3,000, which is clearly and, potentially, going to be very inadequate. My amendment No. 26 touches on this and a number of other issues. As we start another chapter with the dissolution of one body and creation of another, one thing t…

I am a little disappointed by the Minister's response about the use of waivers. We need to be clear. When we hear about redress schemes, they are usually accompanied by apologies and sincere expressions of how sorry we are as a State. The Minister then says these are there to replace legal action. Are these redress schemes about recognising we have done wrong as a State, and that we owe something to people for having done some things wrong, or are they to protect the State against actions and against individual cas…

I wish to add a single sentence. Briefly on the rights issue, I want to signal that I may include on Report Stage a version of the right to information. This relates to sections 18 and 19 of the Bill. We may not reach them if this debate is guillotined, but I want to signal the importance of ensuring subject access requests for data. There are very narrow purposes for which the information will be transferred to the Minister and used. They need to include people's rights around their information in the context of s…

I move amendment No. 26: In page 9, between lines 28 and 29, to insert the following: “Report on adequacy on best practice in supports to survivors of residential institutional abuse 7. The Minister shall, within 12 months of the passing of this Act, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas on best practice in supports to survivors of residential institutional abuse examining concerns including: (a) the adequacy of healthcare, educational and financial supports; (b) the use of waivers; (c) the application …

I thank the Minister, Deputy Harris, for what I believe is genuine from him in terms of a commitment to moving forward, although we will, with others, and I see the Chair of the foreign affairs committee here also, be looking to ensure we do not see a dilution of the occupied territories Bill and that we see its full meaning, impact and compliance with international law reflected. We also need to puncture some of this narrative of self-congratulation which I am also seeing coming through from certain other Minister…

This is a very welcome and important Bill. I regret that the Government seems to be looking for a timed amendment in respect of it. Frankly, this is an issue on which we have waited too long. It has dragged on for far too long. In 2017, members of the Civil Engagement Group including myself, Senator Lynn Ruane and the then Senator Grace O'Sullivan from the Green Party, and others, brought forward a derelict and vacant sites Bill. It was opposed by the Government at that time. Some of the provisions that were in tha…