-----but yes I am, indeed.

I spent last night knocking on doors in Drogheda selling Field of Fortune fundraising tickets because this is the main fundraiser now for completing the 14,000-seater stadium in Dundalk. We need new home county grounds and I am going to ask one more time for funding from the sports capital grant. We are short €7 million, unfortunately. The Minister can see we are on a roll, and this is the type of structure we need to give a team clearly heading towards a major part of the championship. We need to give it a home su…

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Kieran O'Donnell, to the House and invite him to deliver his opening statement.

It was a tall ask in the time allotted. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit.

Before we move to our next speaker, I welcome to the Visitors Gallery, Mr. Matthew Wagner, who is a guest of Deputy Mary Lou McDonald. I hope you enjoy the rest of your day. It is quite timely then that we are moving to our next speaker, an Seanadóir Joanne Collins.

I particularly welcome the Minister, when he has this important legislation in his hands. As Chair of the joint Oireachtas women's caucus, I know I speak for all my colleagues when I say that this is vital and warmly welcomed. I look forward, as the Minister said, to it making a swift passage through both Houses. I particularly acknowledge my colleagues, Senator Fiona O'Loughlin and Deputy Paul McAuliffe, who have made this possible and, of course, the families of the two victims, for whom both these laws are suita…

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit, an Teachta Dooley. I call Senator Costello.

Before we move to our next Commencement matter, I welcome two guests in the Visitors' Gallery - Diarmuid Cronin and Elizabeth Barron from Rylane, County Cork. Tá fáilte rompu. I see they are in the safe hands of my colleague, Deputy Aindrias Moynihan. I hope they enjoy their day.

I was going to extend a bem-vindo to the Portuguese delegation. I must also, and this is rough, say hoş geldiniz to our Turkish delegation. As the convener of the Turkish-Irish friendship group, it is very special to see them here. My childcare concerns are far behind me. That is the case for my own generation and it passes to the next. When my children have their own children, they are going to be in a better place to look after childcare because there have been extensive interventions through Government. Via the …

I also extend my warm welcome to the Swedish ambassador. Having just purchased my first Volvo electric vehicle, EV, I feel an extra special connection. I wish the ambassador a happy national day. I also extend my congratulations and best of luck to Drogheda businessman, Edward McCloskey, who founded WaterWipes in 2009. His excellent product is stocked in over 50 countries. Last year he won the EY Entrepreneur of the Year award. Today he is representing Ireland in the final of the EY World Entrepreneur of the Year i…

I thank the MEPs for attending. They do tremendous work in Europe on behalf of all their communities in the Midlands-North-West constituency. I love the diversity, that we all came from different backgrounds. Mr. Mullooly and I left the fourth estate and moved to the first estate, as it is called. Some would say we leapt from the frying pan into the fire. I hope he is enjoying his role as much as I am. Mr. Mullooly left in 2021. I have been working all week to make sure RTÉ is providing value for money to its viewe…

-----the midlands correspondent position when he accepted his redundancy package?

It is very relevant to what we have been debating over the past few weeks. Will he disclose the exact value of the redundancy package he received? We understand it was an RTÉ decision, but it had a huge bearing on the fact that position was filled. It was not done away with and only 13 months later it was filled. I would be grateful for his comments on that.

He has not addressed at all the question I-----

When it is it proposed to take Committee Stage?

Is that agreed? Agreed.

I want to speak about the really stark report from the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre that was launched this morning, but before I do, I have to refute the opinion of Senator Keogan about Fianna Fáil, an incredible party that I am proud to be a member of. We are the longest-serving party in Europe. We were responsible for Ireland joining the EU. Seán Lemass and Countess Markievicz brought in some incredible programmes. Fianna Fáil introduced free education, free travel, Aer Lingus and, even to this day, the smoking ban.…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit. Anois, Seanadóir Clifford Lee. I understand the Senator is sharing time with Senator Rabbitte. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Before I call the next speaker I welcome a large group to our Visitors Gallery today - the Belturbet Men's Shed and the Douglas Men's Shed, guests of the Taoiseach, Deputy Micheál Martin. They are very welcome here today. It is lovely to see them all. They have taken a day off from their whittling, woodwork, etc. I know the Drogheda Men's Shed do a fantastic scone. I am not sure if those present do that as well. I hope Michael O'Gorman of the Belturbet Men's Shed and the Douglas Men's Shed enjoy their day here.

Is that agreed? Agreed.