I asked the Senator if he would take a question.

Dé Máirt seo chugainn, ar 1 p.m.

Mar aon le Seanadóirí eile, ní raibh mé chun labhairt ar an mBille anseo. Tháinig mé toisc gur iarr an Seanadóir Seery Kearney orm a bheith anseo agus ár dtacaíocht a thabhairt don Bhille. Ach nuair a bhí mé ag éisteacht leis na Seanadóirí eile, cheapas go raibh rud éigin le rá agam. I wanted to pay tribute to Senator Clonan, my neighbour in Blackrock, for the work he has done, not just on this Bill but on this issue, in highlighting it, sharing his real-world experience of it with everybody in the House and the Go…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit as ucht teacht isteach chun an nithe i dtosach suíonna seo a fhreagairt. This important issue affects families throughout the country. It relates to neonatology services, particularly in children's hospitals, and the provision of neonatal intensive care units, NICUs. We have a problem. There are NICUs in maternity hospitals, but where babies requiring surgical interventions or interventions in certain specialist areas are transferred to the four Children’s Health Ireland, CHI, ho…

I accept entirely the bona fides of the Minister and the Minister of State. Having listened to what the Minister of State has said, I do not think there is an understanding within the Department of the urgency of this matter. It is not enough to make reference to an investment of a full-year cost of €2.6 million “to enhance the service in preparation for the establishment of the NICU in the new children’s hospital”. It must be in place now. The NICUs must be operational now with the staff complement of specialist n…

I want to raise a number of issues, primarily in light of the decision that was made by the Taoiseach correctly to issue an apology to the families of the Stardust victims. In that context, one issue I have raised on a number of occasions in this Chamber is the lack of action by the Government and successive Governments with regard to the victims of thalidomide, who have been waiting a much longer time for real recognition by the State of the situation into which they were put. Now, we have a situation where fewer …

The section creates the right for people to be compensated in circumstances where there is a breach of their right to have proceedings dealt with "within reasonable time". I have two questions about "reasonable time". I know that later in this section, there is an expansive definition in section 11(4) of what factors will be considered for what constitutes "reasonable time". The Bill obviously does not concretely or definitively define "reasonable time" because it will depend on each case, nor does it define what t…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach Gníomhach. I dtús báire, ba mhaith liom mo chomhghairdeas a dhéanamh leis an Aire as an bpost atá fós aici. Ba mhaith liom freisin fáilte a fhearadh roimh an rún seo ón ngrúpa Fhine Gael. There is nothing in this motion that we should be afraid of. It makes absolute sense to opt into this measure. Unfortunately, Ireland has not been a champion in dealing with human trafficking. We have already been identified as a tier two country and we have work to do to make sure that we a…

Many of our athletes are still in the qualification process for the Olympic Games in Paris this year. I wish all of them good luck and I congratulate those who have already qualified. I am thinking in particular of Jack Marley, a boxer from Monkstown, which is in my area. We do not hear enough about these athletes and what they have already achieved in qualifying for the Olympics. We also do not hear enough about the fact that the Paralympic Games will follow the Olympic Games in Paris later this year. I am thinkin…

I acknowledge and thank the Minister of State for accepting my amendment on Committee Stage.

I acknowledge our friends from Estonia. In the context of our European neighbours, we have a lot to learn from Estonia, particularly its approach to digital advancements. There is a lot to be followed there in terms of developing our capacity in the digital realm. I welcome them to the Chamber this morning. I also acknowledge that today is European Day for Victims of Crime so it is very important we remember that we have so much work to do to ensure that those who are victims of crime are recognised and that we put…

I move amendment No. 2: In page 6, to delete line 16 and substitute the following: “(i) by the deletion of “against”, and”. Fáiltím freisin roimh na páistí ó Holy Child. It is great to see the interest of students to come to Leinster House because, at the end of the day, this is a building that belongs to them, and everything we do here is with the aim of improving lives for them, their families and everybody else. It is wonderful to see students who are interested in coming in. I know Holy Child Secondary School v…

I move amendment No. 6: In page 6, line 26, to delete “by or on behalf of the Central Authority” and substitute “by, or on behalf of, the Central Authority”.

I move amendment No. 8: In page 7, line 3, to delete “custody” and substitute “custody,”.

I move amendment No. 9: In page 7, line 7, after “her” where it firstly occurs to insert “subsequent”.

I move amendment No. 10: In page 7, line 7, to delete “a European arrest warrant” and substitute “another European arrest warrant”.

I accept what the Minister of State is saying. The reason I tabled amendments Nos. 14 and 16, for example, regarding the deletion of reference to section 21A is that I am not sure it is wise for us to be putting into this legislation where a decision has not been made to prosecute. The de facto implication of that, and I am absolutely open to correction here, is that member states could seek the extradition of a person from this country to theirs for the purpose of investigation of a crime. I hear what the Minister…

I accept the Minister of State's bona fides on it. On that basis, I intend to move the amendments-----

I know, but that is what I intend to do, so that I can resubmit them. Perhaps they could be considered in the meantime.

Very good. That being the case, perhaps you could advise me, a Chathaoirligh, if there is any point in my continuing? Is it correct that a number of amendments will fall on the basis of No. 13 being agreed? I refer to amendments Nos. 14 and 16, for example.