I thank the Minister.

Before we start, I welcome Deputy Michael Cahill and his two guests. I suspect they may not have gone home since the weekend and are still celebrating Kerry's win. They are very welcome.

The next speaker is Senator Mark Duffy, who probably has not gone home since the weekend.

You never know, Senator, this could be your year.

The Cathaoirleach is not neutral on that, is he?

I have consistently raised the issue of the Irish Glass Bottle site on behalf of residents there. The Irish Glass Bottle site offered huge hope for families in Ringsend, Pearse Street and Sandymount. The residents fought really hard to have homes for the local community. However, the homes they hoped and fought for were undermined by the Government's bond with the big developers and the commitment to the market, as if the market was ever going deliver homes for the local community and those who need to secure a roo…

Sinn Féin welcomes this Bill and its proposals to support the post office network. This needs to be supported across the State in both rural and urban areas, which was why we proposed an investment of €15 million in funding for postal services in our alternative budget last year. Sinn Féin has long supported a new public service mandate for our post office services, backed by strategic investment in an expanded range of services and better conditions for postmasters, to ensure that the existence of post offices is …

We support this legislation. It is really important. I have an observation on the comment the Minister of State made about the post office in Rathmines. It will go to a private operator and he will be very good. He puts customer service at the front of his business model. The difficulty is that were that business model to change over time ,where then would the post office go? There is a real concern that it is privatising that postal service. It is about ensuring that while it is there in the Centra in Rathmines, i…

Amendments Nos. 5 and 6 are related and shall be discussed together.

I again want to raise the shocking animal welfare and transparency concerns relating to the greyhound racing industry. Every year, the industry is handed millions of euro by the State. There is no expectation of accountability or efficiency in how that money is spent. It is handed to the industry on the assumption that it contributes to economic activity and that Greyhound Racing Ireland has a functioning system for protecting greyhounds. Unfortunately, the truth in that regard is far from clear-cut. The greyhound …

Before we move to the next Commencement matter, I welcome Lisa McInerney and her friend Leah Farrall to the Public Gallery. Leah is visiting us from Australia and has worked for many years as an official in the Parliament of Australia. They are guests of Senator Conway. I hope they have a nice visit. They are in good hands.

Before the Senator rises, I welcome Ferns Diocesan Youth Service, FDYS, a group of Traveller women who are guests of Deputy Lawlor. They are welcome. It is important that young women are involved in and engaged with politics, because whether or not they like all the old men, this is where decisions are made. It is important that people engage. I also welcome another group with Deputy Ó Súilleabháin. They are welcome. I know they will all be well looked after. It is great to see them here. It is important that every…

The next speaker is Senator Cosgrove. We will just wait for the Minister of State, Deputy McConalogue.

I can second that.

I missed Senator Kennelly's comments, as I was a bit late getting up, but I believe that the Senator has asked me to withdraw or retract a statement I made. Yesterday, I made the statement that the greyhound industry "has a shocking dog welfare record. It is absolutely shocking and there is no transparency or accountability." Hell will freeze over before I will retract that because there is any amount of evidence. There is no transparency. There is no accountability.

The Senator will not interrupt me. We can debate the issue. I suggest that we invite the Minister in. I have got plenty of evidence and there is no transparency or accountability----

I am conscious of the clock. Will the Cathaoirleach add a bit of time?

There is plenty of evidence that there is no transparency or accountability in the greyhound racing industry. The Committee of Public Accounts is already investigating some of the issues related to greyhound racing. On another issue, Leader, the charred remains of a dog were found in Ballymun last week. This dog was so badly damaged it was nearly impossible to identify it. Animal welfare officers described it as one of the most distressing cases they had ever encountered. NSPCA animal rescue made the grim discovery…

Too late.

I learned that last week.