Amendments Nos. 1, 4, 6, 13 and 14 are related. Amendments Nos. 4, 6, 13 and 14 are consequential on amendment No. 1. Amendments Nos. 1, 4, 6, 13 and 14 may be discussed together by agreement. Is that agreed? Agreed.

We have to listen to Senator Mullen's points. I get what he is saying 100% and I agree with him. Senator Doherty's suggestion is good. It is for everyone to start thinking about if we are making those advance healthcare directives and that is a choice that we would have to stipulate and discuss. As Senator Mullen stated, there cannot be differentiation if there is not a directive there. We have in our law that the life of a child, of a baby, after 12 weeks is different to the life of a baby prior to that. We have t…

I wish to highlight an issue I have been raising in the Seanad for a long time now, together with lots of other people, namely, the number of households living in fuel poverty in the State. It is now at pandemic levels. We have a serious issue where people living in very vulnerable households are moving into and staying in fuel poverty. I ask the Seanad this morning to support me in my quest to insist that the Government would mandate energy producers to reduce the wastage of energy. Currently more than €300 millio…

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I am a huge supporter of the motion and it is very simple for me. It is this island's second city and I support the motion and always have done. I am biased, being from County Louth and living between the two capital cities of this island, I believe we should have a passport office in Belfast. I am more prescriptive than the Senator who mentions anywhere in the North but I say it should be in Belfast. Senator Ó Donnghaile put out all the practical reasons. We spoke abou…

I, too, welcome breast cancer awareness month. It is something that is very close to my heart. My colleague, Councillor Teresa Costello, and I had a breast cancer awareness stand last weekend at the Fianna Fáil Ard-Fheis. It is incredible the number of people who came over to share their stories and knowledge and they asked questions about how to self-check. We had a nurse and a breast cancer gene, BRCA, specialist there on the day to answer questions. The amount of interest is spectacular, as is the amount of hear…

I wish to share a thought. This Bill is supposed to be empowering for so many people. We all could speak at length about our disappointment. However, I just want to put on the record that we are dangling a carrot in front of people, telling them that we are working towards and listening to their will and wants, and we are improving our advance healthcare directives. We are then kicking it off into the ocean, saying it might not actually work. We might not listen to them unless they can swim out and catch it. I just…

I welcome the Minister of State to the House to discuss this very important issue. I wrote a few notes as I listened to Senator Clonan's contribution. In conversations with friends and colleagues yesterday evening, one of the complaints I heard about the budget was the lack of new thinking in it around people with disabilities. Rather than punishing people, we should incentivise them to work by changing the tax code and presenting things as supports as opposed to benefits. The budget is a very strong one. I am very…

I move: That Seanad Éireann: agrees that: -while Ireland rebounded strongly from the challenges of the pandemic, in recent months it has become increasingly clear that the increase in energy prices is rendering the international economic outlook very serious; - these inflationary pressures on the price of energy have been exacerbated, to an enormous degree, by the illegal and reprehensible Russian invasion of Ukraine; -with this invasion, increased energy prices became a very real challenge for households and busin…

I wish to share time with Senator Murphy.

The Minister is very welcome to the House. It is great to be here and starting Seanad Private Members' business on a very important issue. All of a sudden, it seems that energy is the cornerstone of everything in the economy and society in terms of how we survive but, in reality, that has always been the way. It is the fuel that feeds us, drives us, heats us and it has always been central to how an economy or society functions. Sadly, it is now a weapon of war. The crisis has also made energy a threat to our democr…

The Minister is welcome to the House. I will not speak for too long but I really welcome the Bill. It is important we work to enact this Bill to address the significant inadequacies outlined by the Minister. Fantastic effort is made by so many of our GALs around the country in looking after children who need that care. It is important to empower both the child and the guardian ad litem to ensure an enhanced decision-making capacity in the court and that the child's views are always front and centre in making the be…

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Feighan. I welcome the opportunity to speak on this important issue that involves saving lives. It is of utmost importance to many women, men and families all round the country. I have worked with my Fianna Fáil colleague, Councillor Teresa Costello, in South Dublin County Council on many breast care issues. This is another issue that she and I work on regularly. I ask for an update from the Department of Health on the waiting list for preventive mastectomies and about the se…

I thank the Minister of State. It is good news that the advisory group will report. I very much welcome the ongoing work by the Department in all services to reduce waiting lists, increase care and improve outcomes for many patients. I will follow up with the Department on specific details about the waiting lists and ask which services will be expanded in the short term before the advisory group reports. If someone is awaiting a feared cancer diagnosis, late 2022 is too far off. I will push for that, therefore, wit…

Dáil Éireann has agreed, on this 13th day of July 2022, to the amendments made by Seanad Éireann to the Sick Leave Bill 2022. Dáil Éireann has agreed, on this 13th day of July 2022, to the amendments made by Seanad Éireann to the Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Bill 2022. Dáil Éireann has agreed, on this 13th day of July 2022, to the amendments made by Seanad Éireann to the Circular Economy and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022, changed from the Circular Economy, Waste Management (Amendment) and Minerals Develop…

Amendment No. a1 on the first additional list of amendments, dated today, is in the name of Senator Mullen, but the Senator is not in the House to move the amendment.

Amendment No. b1 is in the name of Senator Mullen. He is not here to move it.

Amendment No. c1 is in the name of Senator Mullen. He is not present so he cannot move it.

Yes.

You may speak to amendment No. 1a to section 7 when it comes up.

Senator Dolan wishes to come in.