I echo the comments that were made previously relating to Garda Kevin Flatley and offer my condolences to his family. I can only imagine how difficult today and the past few days have been for them. I offer my condolences to all members of An Garda Síochána who served closely on the force with him. I support the amendment tabled by my colleagues. I thank Senator Ruane for her and her office's work. I thank Senator Flynn for her work and contribution in this area. As a solicitor, I appreciate the contribution that h…

I thank the Minister for his overview of this technical regulation. It is appropriate, given the changes at European level, that there be an opportunity in the Oireachtas to debate this. I mentioned when the Minister's colleague, the Minister, Deputy Byrne, was in the Chamber a few weeks ago the fact that while we are recognising insolvencies across the EU, access to credit is not available on a European level and it is not possible for a deposit-holder in Ireland to gain access to deposit rates in banks in Germany…

I thank the Minister for coming to the House. As this is our first interaction, I wish him the very best in his role over the coming term and I look forward to plenty of engagement. The Fine Gael group of Senators has tabled this motion tonight recognising the importance of third level education for both the economy and wider society. Access to education at third level, be that through universities, our technological university or apprenticeships, will be important over the course of this Government and into the fu…

Yes, I second the motion.

As this is my first interaction with the Minister of State in the House, I wish him the best of luck in his role for the term ahead. I wish to address Ireland's upcoming EU Presidency and the opportunities it brings for Ireland. Specifically, I want to speak about three key areas, the first of which is the further integration of banking across the EU. It should not be the case that an individual can go into a bank in another European country and put money on deposit at a higher rate than is available to depositors …

I will start my first engagement with the Minister of State by wishing him the very best of luck in his role. I sincerely hope he succeeds in his endeavours. I rise to support the Bill on behalf of my good friend and colleague, Senator Joe O'Reilly, who unfortunately cannot be here today. I am from a rural part of County Wexford. There is an opportunity underpinning this Bill to help to bridge the urban-rural divide that at times can lead to a big gap between the facilities available in large cities and towns, and …

Now.

I congratulate the Minister of State on the successful shepherding of this legislation through the Oireachtas. It is important to pick up on one of the points the Minister of State mentioned relating to the public. This service is a free service and it is important to stress that there is no levy or charge. This is a free service provided to make protection a key priority for financial consumers.

It is proposed to sit again at 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday, 29 April.

I thank the Minister of State for coming to the Chamber to discuss this important Commencement matter. The reason I have raised the issue is the most recent census showed that in my county of Wexford, the proportion of people going to third level is 37%, which is 8% below the national average of 45%. Wexford has the fourth lowest level of third level education of all counties. The South East Technological University offers us an opportunity to have a technological university based in Wexford where we can work to he…

I thank the Minister of State for confirming that specific funding has been set aside within the Department's budget towards the cost of the site. I recently met Professor Veronica Campbell, the president of the SETU, along with my colleague, Councillor Robbie Staples. I commend the great work taking place on the current Wexford campus of SETU at St. Peter's College and the work being done to put the word out that there are courses available there. This is about securing a purpose-built, designated, state-of-the-ar…

I thank the Minister of State for accepting my invitation to visit Enniscorthy in the not too distant future to address the long-standing flooding issues that we have had in the town. I look forward to working with him in my role as Fine Gael's Seanad spokesperson on public expenditure and infrastructure. I want to highlight the sheer devastation I have witnessed, and I am sure the Minister of State is the same as me, that flooding can bring to houses, residences and business properties. On Christmas Day in Decembe…

I thank Senators Harmon, Cosgrove, Noonan and Stephenson for introducing this Bill in the House today and commend them on doing so. It is safe to say I can speak for everybody in this Chamber in saying that anybody who chooses to perpetrate the practice of, or promote, sex for rent is abhorrent. It is completely and utterly against what good, decent Irish people stand for. It is only right and proper that there be legislation in this area and, indeed, a criminal statutory offence for anybody who engages in the prac…

I want to highlight the ongoing water outages on Whiterock Hill in Wexford town. My office was inundated again this morning with phone calls when the local crèche in that area of Wexford town was forced to close. This is the eighth outage Whiterock Hill has experienced since the beginning of 2025, which means that in the 13 weeks to date in 2025, the water has disappeared and the taps have gone dry eight times. Some of these outages have lasted for days at a time. We are told that Irish Water is monitoring the situ…

I thank the Minister of State, welcome her to the Chamber, congratulate her on her appointment and recognise the work she and her officials did with me on highlighting the need for more speech and language therapists in the town of New Ross. That is appreciated and it is hoped we will have further good news in that area shortly. I highlight again what has been highlighted already, which is the shortage of speech and language therapists and occupational therapists, especially for children when it comes to the assess…

At 10.30 a.m. tomorrow.

I thank the Minister for coming to the Chamber and acknowledge the presence of Councillor Paddy Meade from Meath, who has joined us. I begin by highlighting the need for greater State involvement in the childcare sector. As somebody from Wexford, I am contacted every week by parents who highlight to me the fact that in many areas of Wexford, be it urban areas like Wexford town, Enniscorthy and New Ross or rural villages, they simply cannot access childcare. We have to accept that the private model we have is not wo…

The Minister is most welcome to the Chamber today. We are both from the same town and it is a source of great pride in the town that he has been elevated to the Cabinet as Minister for housing. I know the Minister's family and know how proud his parents are of his role. There is a great tradition of public service in his family, with his grand-uncle, his father and now himself representing the people of Wexford in Dáil Éireann. I sincerely wish him the very best of luck. I will address some of the measures that cou…

I want to raise the ongoing review of the national development plan, of which the House is aware, and specifically the Rosslare to Dublin Connolly rail route. At present there are seven services each day on the rail route, travelling from the port of Rosslare through Wexford town, Enniscorthy, on to Gorey and onwards to Dublin Connolly through Wicklow. I wish to specifically highlight the need for investment in early morning services for commuters in Rosslare, Enniscorthy and Wexford town. At present, there is an e…

I speak in support of this amendment to the principal Act. It is important where a member of the public has experienced and been a victim of financial wrongdoing, the mis-selling of financial products or financial fraud at the behest of somebody who is regulated under the provisions of this Act, that there be the opportunity for an individual complainant or two complainants, whatever the case may be, for evidence to be taken under oath in the course of those proceedings, with the penalties that go with that to appl…