I thank the Minister of State for taking the time to deal with this Commencement matter this morning. I was very disappointed to learn the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, has decided to drop the incitement, or hate speech, sections of the Criminal Justice (Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences) Bill 2022. We can all agree that our legislation is not fit for purpose and we are seeing a dangerous and disturbing rise in intolerance, intimidation and violence against minority communities. The Garda r…

The Minister sat in that seat back when we discussed the Bill in 2023. Her words were, "You can still be offensive". Along with the amendments in the Bill as it stands now, without the Minister scrapping the incitement of hate speech, it was still okay to be offensive. People could still be racist or offensive but targeting and calling somebody names, running after them on the street or what we see on social media is hate speech. It is disappointing for me and for the Coalition Against Hate Crime to see a complete …

The Senator has had an opportunity to speak.

This evening's session will address the Final Report of the Joint Committee on Autism. I ask Senator Carrigy to move the motion.

I thank the Senator. The debate will follow the normal pattern where the Senator will have 12 minutes to speak on the report.

The Senator does not have to share his time so he has 12 minutes' speaking time.

Before we move on to the next speaker, I thank Senator Carrigy for his dedication, all his hard work on the autism committee and his commitment to bringing about change. Most importantly, I thank him for being determined and committed to put autistic children and adults on the agenda in Leinster House. I thank him for that and for being a very fair and honest Chair. I welcome our guests from AsIAm, Michael O’Flanagan and Adam Harris.

I am sorry, Senator, we have to give everybody the opportunity to speak.

I would be the first to admit that this is a very important issue, but we must be fair to everybody. I call Senator Clonan who is sharing time with Senator Boyhan.

The Senators have eight minutes between them, so it will be four minutes each.

I will start by thanking the Chair of the committee, Senator Micheál Carrigy, for all his hard work and dedication, for making sure that members of the committee understood what was happening and for going above and beyond with the 109 recommendations. I remember being so nervous going into my first committee meeting on autism and issues that impact people who are autistic because we usually say people with autism and people who are autistic are not the issue, society is the issue. Receiving the training we got as …

This morning, I met representatives from the Irish Foster Care Association and learned of some of the inequalities that foster parents and children experience. If a foster child is coming to someone's home, a lot of the time, the child comes with just the schoolbag on his or her back without any start-up grant for a bed or a few little toys to make the child feel at home. The child or parent is not entitled to a little start-up grant for that child. A parent who is fostering a child is also not entitled to the back…

I move amendment No. 63: In page 67, between lines 33 and 34, to insert the following: “(vi) the promotion of accessible and inclusive urban design;”.

I move amendment No. 64: In page 67, between lines 33 and 34, to insert the following: “(vi) the provision of suitable Traveller accommodation and community facilities;”.

I will speak briefly on the amendment on Traveller accommodation that the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, has indicated his Department cannot accept. Yesterday, while the Minister of State was in this Chamber, he made a comment that Traveller accommodation falls under the traveller accommodation programme, TAP, which is handled at a local and national level as well. That is the problem. It has not worked in the past 25 years and the Minister of State should implement the amendments from the Civil Engagement Group, some o…

Hear, hear.

I second the amendment.

I second the amendment.

I second the amendment.

I second the amendment.