A legitimate point has been raised

Senator Higgins raises a legitimate issue that needs to be addressed. However, I propose to speak about it in respect of later amendments. Amendment No. 5 is not grouped with these amendments. The point she raises is legitimate, which is the reason I was very pleased to hear the Minister of State indicate that there would be a public information campaign. I do not know if huge numbers of staff are required but it is important to distinguish between the point Senator Higgins has just made and the fact that we are as…

This raises a legitimate issue. The concerns expressed by Senators on Second Stage and in moving this amendment are real concerns with a real basis. The people identified are exactly the people to whom Senator Moynihan referred, those with literacy difficulties for whom English is not their first language, or those with disabilities, including intellectual disabilities and so on. I can understand where this amendment is coming from in terms of the creation of a criminal offence in section 4(2). The concern is that …

I will respond to Senator Boylan. I am very slow to take lectures from her on the fact that I am a white male middle-class-----

There is an important point here. I have spent 14 years of my life representing the very people that Senator Boylan talked about, namely, members of the Traveller and Roma communities and those in the parts of society that are done down by officialdom. I have defended those people and I know very well what life is like for them. There is a suggestion that if we change what is in this Bill, the kind of landlords to whom Senator Higgins mentioned, that is, those who are unscrupulous are not going to say exactly the s…

I may be mistaken but it is my understanding that Part 4 - and specifically section 67(2)(b) - relates to the obligations of a tenant under an agreement which he or she has made as part of a tenancy. Where such tenants fail to abide by conditions, whether paying rent or another condition, this section puts a limit on the time it takes for a landlord to take action against them. Section 67(2)(b) provides for 28 days. Section 5(5) of the Bill we are discussing does not allow for the period during which, as Senator Ru…

I welcome the Minister's acknowledgment of the great work community employment schemes do, but the rural social scheme plays an important part in rural Ireland as well. Does the Government have plans to extend that scheme? I had a meeting the other day with the County Kildare Leader Partnership, which had been asked about this matter. I think the Minister also said she was hoping to expand the Tús scheme and create additional places. I ask her to confirm that for us.

I move: "That Second Stage be taken today."

Fáilte ar ais, a Aire. This is the first piece of legislation that has come before this Seanad from the Department of Justice and Equality. It is a very welcome legislation. As the Minister said in her Second Stage speech, there are some really progressive aspects to this Bill that will help the Courts Service and the justice system to function in a much easier and more efficient way. It is important to recognise the importance and urgency of some of the provisions of the Bill outlined by the Minister. I note the M…

Now.

In the first instance, I would not ascribe for a moment motives of obstruction or delay to Senator Ó Donnghaile. It is a perfectly reasonable amendment and has its place, but I do not believe that place is in this legislation. In his contribution on Second Stage, Senator Mullen referred to the provisions in section 7, which insert section 11B into the 1962 Act and refer to circumstances "resulting from a pandemic, catastrophic event or other occurrence leading to mass fatalities". He lamented the idea that such cir…

I want to address a couple of issues Senator Mullen mentioned. I understand the point he is making about pluralism. It is a matter for the Minister to outline the rationale behind this section. It seems to be more from the point of view of facilitating the electronic transmission of documents than addressing a wider pluralistic point. It is important to draw the distinction between the different types of document required to be witnessed. Senator Mullen made reference to passport applications and registering to vot…

Now.

Now.

I dtús báire ba mhaith liom fáilte a chur roimh an Aire agus comhghairdeas a dhéanamh leis as an bpost nua atá aige. Táim an-sásta é a fheiceáil sa Roinn Cumarsáide, Gníomhaithe ar son na hAeráide agus Comhshaoil agus tá a fhios agam go ndéanfaidh sé an-jab dúinn ag am atá an-tábhachtach ar fad dár gcomhshaol anseo. I welcome this tremendously important Bill. If I have one criticism, it is that the Title disguises what the legislation is actually doing. I echo Senator Pauline O’Reilly's point that we are now embark…

I support Senator Higgins. Sometimes there is a propensity in legislation to overly prescribe the make-up of these boards, but the points she has made are valid ones. The Minister may not be inclined to accept an amendment that would further prescribe the make-up of the board. There may also be room to amend the section in the original Act that prescribes the skill sets of the board members. It could be left up to the Minister of the day and we could trust to his or her discretion who would be the right person to f…

I congratulate the Minister of State on his appointment and I wish him well. It is an important role that he is taking on in this portfolio. The role of credit unions, in particular, is something that is undervalued in society. The good they have done for people who the banks do not want to deal with is huge. I would love it if the Minister of State would consider it appropriate to beef up what the credit unions can do for those people so that they serve a particular section of society that is often forgotten by th…

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit agus tá súil agam go n-éireoidh leis. Tá a fhios agam go bhfuil an-suim aige sa ghnó, fiontar agus gnó áitiúil. Tá súil againn go n-éireoidh leis ina phost nua agus táim ag tnúth go mór leis an obair a dhéanfaidh sé ansin. The Minister of State told us about how important SMEs are, and there is no doubt about that. They are one of only a handful of serious pillars that hold up the economy of Ireland and it is important to recognise how much they mean to the success of the economy a…

A number of Senators this afternoon have mentioned workers' rights, pay and conditions and maternity leave. It strikes me that there is one category that is often forgotten when debating such matters, namely, councillors and members of local government. Because they are not employees they do not benefit from the usual employment rights such as the minimum wage and maternity, paternity and parental leave. This was brought home to me very acutely last night when I attended the July meeting of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown C…

I dtús báire, ba mhaith liom comhghairdeas a dhéanamh leat, a Chathaoirligh, faoin bpost atá agat anois. Tá súil agam go n-éireoidh leat sa Chathaoir sin. I also welcome the Minister to the Chamber and congratulate her on her appointment. We are very lucky to have somebody of her experience and skills to take over such an important portfolio, and I am confident she will do an excellent job to safeguard us all. The legislation she has outlined to the House is perhaps a very important part of that. I take on board en…