I thank the Minister of State, the Department and the Minister, Deputy Jim O'Callaghan. I know this will be changing after my conversation on the phone yesterday evening with the Minister, who thanked us in the Civil Engagement Group for our work. I thank from the bottom of my heart my three colleagues in the Civil Engagement Group, and all of their personal assistants, as well, for their work in respect of this important legislation. I get what Senator Kelleher said about it not being a question of the Government …

I want to bring to the attention of Members the decision of TG4 not to broadcast a debate around the presidential election. What TG4 is doing is keeping thousands of people out of the conversation. I am a member of the Traveller community. My first language should be Cant but, unfortunately, it is not. Our language was robbed from us and I am raising this issue today because I am afraid that the same thing will happen to Irish-speaking people. A lot of Irish people in Donegal get their information from the likes of…

I want to bring the Minister of State's attention to the mental health inequalities this Bill must address but currently ignores. This legislation will shape mental health services for generations, but it fails to confront the discrimination that drives mental health crises in marginalised communities. The Traveller community faces a mental health emergency that shames our nation. Our suicide rate is 6.6 times higher than that for people in the general population. They are our children, our siblings, our future, de…

I know exactly what it is like to face racism, discrimination and hate in this country. I know what it is like to see Traveller accommodation being burned. I know what it is like for members of the Traveller community who experience multiple levels of racism and discrimination. Even when looking for accommodation under the HAP scheme, people are discriminated against because they are members of the Traveller community, they are black or brown or are from the Muslim community. The ill-treatment of migrants, asylum s…

Sports should be for everyone but right now, we see two-tier examples of how Ireland is failing to live up to its own values. First, let me address the 47 Palestinian children who were denied the chance to visit Ireland. These children are aged nine to 16 years. They wanted to play Gaelic football here. They live in refugee camps. They have never seen the sea or been on a train. They live in fear. Ireland calls itself the land of hundreds of thousands of welcomes. We say we support Palestine and our Government talk…

The Senator's time is up. It is important that everybody get a chance to speak.

I call on the Minister of State to respond. He has ten minutes.

I wish County Donegal every success.

I did not get to hear all of Senator Ryan's speech this evening due to a committee meeting but, having listened to my colleagues in the House, I will listen back to it later. I grew up on a halting site with 73 extended families. Today there are about 20 extended families on the site. It is funny how, in some communities, domestic violence is seen to be part of the culture. I have said in this House numerous times that domestic violence is not part of my culture. It is not part of Traveller culture or our way of li…

I rise in support of Senator Tom Clonan’s Bill. All of the Civil Engagement Group supports this very important Bill. I am here five years this week, and since Senator Clonan has entered the House, his passion and determination around equality for people with disabilities has shown and brought things to the table that many of us would not have thought of in this House. The personalised budget means people will not be told what services they need or what services they should have. They can pick and choose for themsel…

Before moving to the next speaker, I welcome the New Zealand ambassador, Mr. Trevor Mallard, to the Houses and his guests, Mr. Chris Hipkins and Ms Toni Grace. I also welcome Deputy Catherine Connolly and her son, Stephen, to the Public Gallery. I hope they have a nice experience.

We must suspend the House. Does the Minister want to return to the debate?

Is that agreed? Agreed.

We will resume.

I will suspend the House and ask the Minister of State to come back to speak for a further minute and 44 seconds.

I ask the Deputy Leader to move the suspension of the House until after the vote in the Dáil.

Is that agreed? Agreed.

We will resume. The Minister of State has one minute and 47 seconds.

I am privileged to support the Bill and I thank Senator Boyhan for all his hard work. He said something important to me which I had never really thought about. This was that there are victims walking the corridors of Leinster House. Behind us we have Catherine and Sheila, two very powerful women. I have worked with them for many years on institutional abuse and the mother and baby homes. We must be clear that while financial compensation is necessary, no amount of money can repair the damage done to those who suffe…

I move amendment No. 1: In page 3, between lines 19 and 20, to insert the following: “ “child sexual abuse material” means any visual, audio, textual material, digitally-generated or artificially created material that depicts or otherwise represents a person who is, or is depicted or represented as being, a child and who is engaged in or is depicted or represented as being engaged in real or simulated sexually explicit conduct, or any visual representation of the sexual organs of a person who is, or is depicted or …