No.

Tá an solas imithe.

Tá baint ag leasuithe Uimh. 21, 28 agus 33 le chéile agus pléifear le chéile iad.

I acknowledge the engagement the Minister had with Fianna Fáil councillors and other councillors through Senators. He fully understands the need for councillors to be able to engage. That will happen but it is important to put on the record of the House that the Minister has engaged widely with councillors, certainly through our group. He has attended meetings and explained his position to those in attendance. That has to be acknowledged. The Minister fully understands the importance of engagement with councillors.

I will not delay the debate, but I acknowledge the comments from Senator Wall and the Minister. The amendments are quite similar, but the most important thing is that it clearly states that there will be this for councillors, because they will have to be notified. That is important, and councillors have been telling us that. I acknowledge the fact that the Minister will have a look at this and, hopefully, we will have a situation where councillors will have this notification put in place.

I second the amendment.

It is nice to see Senator Boyhan as the Acting Chairman for this debate. As many speakers have done, I pay tribute to a number of people in this House who have been very vocal and have worked very hard on the issue of protecting our children properly. I include our Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, who is very strong in her role with regard to children, and the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman. As other speakers said, we must ensure all children who are in care are properly looked after. As stated earlier, 94% of childr…

I want to pay tribute to three young lads from Scoil Mhuire in Strokestown who recently won a national Garda youth award for the fundraising they did for Childhood Cancer Foundation Ireland. In 2020, Jack Beirne, Andrew Jordan and Mark Rogers did a transition year enterprise project. It is supposed to be a money-making enterprise but they decided they wanted to do something for Childhood Cancer Foundation Ireland. They decided to restore a 1956 Ferguson 20 vintage tractor. Even people who live in the middle of Dubl…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach. Fearaim fáilte roimh an Taoiseach. Is iontach an rud é go bhfuil sé anseo chun labhairt linn. Is í seo an chéad uair dó a bheith anseo mar Thaoiseach. The Taoiseach is very welcome to the House. This is not an easy time for a leader and this has already been acknowledged and said. I agree with the comments of Senator Paul Daly on forestry and on the accounts given in respect of funding, particularly for Galway County Council. I know that the Minister, Deputy Darragh O’Brien,…

And just transition.

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. Is lá brónach é sin do gach duine sa Teach seo. Is lá an-bhrónach é do na teaghlaigh freisin. I will take a few short moments to pay tribute to those people and their families. Once I saw this on the agenda last week, I wanted to do this because many people would expect me to. The Irish people have never forgotten this tragedy. When I go to towns like Castlerea and Ballaghaderreen in my own county, people still tell me they were out walking late that night and heard or saw that he…

I knew the Leas-Chathaoirleach was a good decent, Cavan man as well. I express my appreciation to him and to my colleagues for allowing me to contribute now. I was due to be the second speaker on this issue, but, unfortunately, our lead contributor has been held up because something unavoidable happened. I was at another briefing over in Buswells Hotel, and I could not get away from it before now. I welcome the Minister again. I really appreciate, as do all the Members, that the Minister is always here-----

-----to listen to the debates and that he wants to be part and parcel of this process. Regarding the new situation concerning rents, the cap at 4% was replaced on 6 July 2021 when the rent increase in the RPZs was prohibited from exceeding general inflation as recorded in the HICP. The aim was to bring about far lower rent increases for the estimated 74% of all tenancies in the RPZs. The HICP average rate of increase was 0.73% over the three years to July 2021. Given the continuing rise in inflation, however, a ren…

I agree with Senator Davitt's comments. I did not speak in the House yesterday, so I wish to extend my sympathies to our colleague, Senator Currie, on the death of her dad, Austin, a man who stood shoulder to shoulder with the Catholic community in Northern Ireland when they needed it. He never did it through violent means, but always through peaceful means. Go ndéanfaidh Dia trócaire ar a anam dílis. Senator Dolan referenced the wonderful environmental work being done in schools. Funnily enough, I have received a …

I extend a special welcome to the Minister of State, Senator Pippa Hackett. It is nice that a Minister of State is also a Senator. I also welcome Members to this very important debate. I remind them that the Minister of State will have ten minutes to deliver her opening statement. We will then move to the party leaders. Senator Garvey will have eight minutes, followed by Senators Mullen, Paul Daly, Lombard, Boylan, Hoey and Higgins.

Not alone did we find out that Senator Garvey has a great knowledge of trees, but she is good at reciting poetry as well. I call Senator Mullen from the Independent Group.

Thank you. I call Senator Paul Daly, who is representing Fianna Fáil.

I have no doubt that the Minister of State's heart is in the right place in her efforts to deal with this issue and I welcome her statement today. Senator O'Loughlin quoted figures on licences going back to 2016 which were quite high but in some of the intervening years there has been a drop. This should not have all been dropped on the Minister of State's desk. It is not all her fault. Part of the problem has been building up for quite some years. Like many others here, I have met foresters in the hotel across th…

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit, mo chomhghleacaí agus mo chara. I thank the Cathaoirleach for considering this matter and allowing us to debate it. I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, for coming to the House to deal with this Commencement matter. The Minister of State's commitment to mental health and to older people is well recognised throughout the country. To be honest, communities continuously tell me about the great work being done by her. I want to acknowledge that here this morning. It would be …

I welcome the statement from the Minister of State. Commitments were given regarding CAMHS and they have been fully looked after with these developments. I welcome that the Minister of State addressed the subject of the psychiatry of later life, but it is now clear that some issues remain concerning staffing. The Minister of State explained the situation very well in respect of how long it is taking to get staff into certain areas. The good thing I take from what the Minister of State said is that good progress is …