Earlier today, I hosted Sonas in the audiovisual room, which represents a women's refuge from domestic violence. We heard harrowing stories from a number of articulate ladies with lived experience. While Cuan has been set up and progress is being made, a lot of progress is still needed in the delivery of support for people fleeing domestic violence. I ask the Leader for the opportunity to have statements in the Seanad to discuss the matter and open it up to all parties and none to contribute to the conversation. I …

I would like to second what Senator Fitzpatrick has said on acknowledging the 40th anniversary of LAMA. I would welcome the executive and the wider group of local authority members coming to meet the Members of the House. I have no doubt everybody here feels the same. This my second time this week raising the issue of co-ordination in respect of local authorities. At home in Portumna, we have a rescue boat for the River Shannon. For any colleagues who do not know, Portumna is at the mouth of Lough Derg. The rescue …

I ask the Leader either to bring the relevant Minister before the House or to have statements on safe routes to school. Active travel was incredibly positively received when it was originally launched. However, it got curtailed along the way, in 2022, when the definition of active travel and safe routes to school meant just the schools but did not take into consideration day services or respite houses that could be along the same pathways. For example, in Portumna we have a lovely development consisting of a respit…

The Minister of State is very welcome to the Seanad. I think it is his first time here and I wish him all the very best in his role. If ever there was one person who was fitting, he is the person for it.

My colleague who is over there, Senator Noonan, happens to agree with me and we have spoken about it. This is a debate I called for, along with many other Senators. It was great to have the senior Minister earlier and I welcomed his contribution, especially where he said there will be much to learn from. He said we are fully out of the response stage in respect of it and that the strategic management framework overseen by the Office of Emergency Planning in the Department of Defence will be reviewed through the Gov…

I welcome the Minister of State to the Seanad and look forward to working with him. This debate is on one of my pet subjects, specialising in transport as I do because I come from east Galway where we have many transport issues. I have written them down so that I do not forget any of them. I was delighted to see that we have focused on fairer fares in this motion because if one travels one way from Athenry to Galway, it is €5.10. We are trying to take cars off the road. It is not a fair fare. We look after people i…

The Minister of State is very welcome. I thank him for being here. I know what a strong advocate he is. He first introduced me to the Fianna Fáil Party when he was holding a meeting on rural crime. It gives me a great opportunity to speak about keeping communities safe while also focusing on the rural issues. No different to Senator Scahill, one of the biggest issues in east Galway is our strategic location. We are on the bridge of the Shannon. Portumna is on the bridge, so our entry point is on the bridge but the …

I thank the Cathaoirleach for the opportunity to raise the matter of digital and cyber safety for children. I note that in the programme for Government there is a substantial paragraph laid out on digital safety for young people. I would like a discussion to take place between the Departments of Health and Education to determine which Minister will fund and support the online safety programme for schools, giving them more flexibility in how they use it. One evening last week, I attended a cyber safety workshop in C…

I congratulate Senator Kyne on his role as Leader and I look forward to working with him during his term. I, too, want to discuss Storm Éowyn. In County Galway, where I come from, not only was the impact felt while the storm was going through the county, but it lasted until last Monday when the last person in Galway, in Dunmore, had their electricity reconnected. That is far too long to wait. We have to reflect and learn from this. Learning is great but we have to operationalise that learning. That does not fall to…

I welcome the TY students here this afternoon. The Minister, Deputy Chambers, is very welcome to the House and I am delighted to stand before him in support of the legislation he has brought forward. This legislation is really important, with the view of extending the numbers from 20 to 23. The key point of this is to improve cross-departmental working. When we look at the marine, we have not had a Minister of State with responsibility for the marine since 2011. Since then we have had Brexit and we need to protect …

I congratulate the Cathaoirleach on acquiring the role. I look forward to working with him. The title of father of the House is one that will suit Senator Wilson very well. I look forward to working with each and every one of the Senators. Some of them I know already and others I look forward to getting to know. My career path to the Seanad has taken place over the past 11 years. I worked in local authorities, I was a member of the opposition for five years, and I have been in government and served as a Minister of…

I thank the Deputy for raising that issue. The data on the particular organisation the Deputy spoke about was that it had a number of houses that were not running at capacity. That was relayed to my Department and the Department of public expenditure and funding was secured to ensure it could go full tilt. It is now able to provide children's services seven nights a week, 52 weeks of the year. Some of its service houses were not in operation seven days a week. Funding was secured and it has been given to the new in…

It is important to say that in every budget in recent years we have secured funding for assessments of need. However, in July this year we changed the approach and secured additional funding which was approved by the Cabinet to enable the provision of private capacity for the delivery of assessments of need for our longest waiters. To date this year, we have increased the number of assessments by 23% on this time last year. It is important to note that more than 1,400 assessments of need have been delivered through…

I thank the Deputy for his questions. I will answer on the ADHD piece. The Deputy stated that the clinic is closed. My understanding is that it is not closed but it is not taking any additional referrals at the moment. I have written to the mental health unit there because I do not agree with that approach. Approximately 40% of all children referred to CAMHS will be diagnosed with ADHD. It is important that those children have access to supports. I only became aware of this in recent days. My understanding is that …

One rotten apple spoils the barrel, or so the saying goes, but it should not. Every party, like every large organisation, is going to have members with history, problems and secrets. The true measure of a party is not about whether it has these rotten apples, it is how it deals with them. Nowhere is this more critical than when it comes to the safety and protection of our children. What we have seen in recent weeks, whether the McMonagle affair, the recent exodus of TDs amid claims of censorship and kangaroo courts…

I disagree.

That was two years ago.

That is not true, there was one-----

I thank Deputy Tully for tabling this motion this evening. I welcome the advocacy groups in the Gallery. I wish I had half an hour to answer everything but I have ten minutes. I will try to keep to the script but I will answer other pieces to the issue as well. As the Minister of State with responsibility for disability, I am fully committed to the continuous advancement of rights and the alignment of services with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, as are my colleagues in government. As …

I thank the Deputy for raising the matter, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Transport, Deputy Ryan. He has responsibility for overall policy and Exchequer funding for the national roads programme. Once funding arrangements have been put in place with TII, under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2015 and in line with the national development plan, NDP, the planning, design and improvement and upgrading of individual national roads is a matter for TII, in conjunction with the relevant local authorities. TII deliv…