I support the Order of Business as outlined by the Leader. I extend the sympathies of my own party and indeed the House to the people of Tumbler Ridge in British Columbia. It was absolutely shocking to wake up this morning and listen to the breaking news that ten people have been killed and 29 injured in a school shooting in a small community. We know how absolutely devastating this is for the community. I was in Canada just before Christmas, and had the opportunity to meet some terrific Canadian people. Our ambass…

I thank the Minister of State for being here. She and the Government have acknowledged that the current system in relation to assessments of need is not fit for purpose. I welcome that, but families in Kildare and nationwide need to see that recognition matched with action, additional staffing, transparent timelines and a very clear plan to eliminate the existing backlog. We acknowledge that there is a big backlog nationally. When we look at the figures, we can see that the scale of the backlog in CHO 7 in Kildare …

I thank the Minister of State for her response. I mentioned the figures from last May because I did not have the up-to-date figures but, obviously, since May and December another 500 children went over that period of time. Some 2,125 applications are overdue and, at any level, that is shameful. I acknowledge the Minister of State outlined some of the changes that are being made and I appreciate that and the fact that 11 new teams have been established. I also appreciate the fact the Minister of State mentioned the …

I support the Order of Business. It has been wonderful to see so many Brigid events around the country, particularly in Kildare. I congratulate Kildare County Council, Solas Bhride, Into Kildare and the dean of St. Brigid's Cathedral, Kildare, for all the wonderful events that were hosted, despite the bad weather, across County Kildare. They were a pleasure to attend, particularly the inaugural Spirit of Kildare Awards ceremony, which was the brainchild of Mayor Carmel Kelly. That was held on Sunday night. Several …

As the Leader knows, Lá Fhéile Bríde is almost upon us. I hope everybody has a good bank holiday weekend. It is important to remember the legacy of Brigid. She was somebody who showed great compassion and she supported unmarried mothers and supported farmers. She is the patron saint of the honeybee and of agriculture. There are celebrations right around the country but particularly in Louth and most certainly in Kildare. I encourage those who have the opportunity to go and remember this remarkable woman, who is the…

I thank the Minister of State for being here. We know that aside from skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in Ireland. Approximately one in seven women will be diagnosed with it. The HSE provides a variety of treatment options for women with breast cancer depending on its stage, grade and severity. Among these options is a mastectomy, which is a procedure that removes the breast after which patients can have breast reconstruction surgery, a procedure that replaces the breast tissue previousl…

I thank the Minister of State. In her response, she acknowledged that "breast reconstruction surgery following treatment is an important part of a patient's recovery and should be accessible to everybody". It is not just an important part; it should be an urgent part. It is not cosmetic. It is a recognised component of cancer recovery. At the moment, public patients are facing prolonged uncertain waits. It appears from the statistics that women's reconstructive surgery is consistently deprioritised within the elect…

I thank the Cathaoirleach for his lovely tribute to our dear friend, Brian. I know that he was a close friend and colleague of yours. Brian was kind, generous and compassionate. He was passionate about public service and he showed huge resilience in the face of adversity and lifelong health challenges. He had a trademark smile and maybe you could call it a grin. Even looking at photographs of him, you can see that mischievous grin on his face. You can see the force of such a strong personality who absolutely loved …

I thank all 19 Senators who contributed on this afternoon's Order of Business. We started with Senator Maria Byrne. Along with everyone else who spoke this afternoon, Senator Byrne paid great tribute to our former colleague Brian Crowley and extended sympathies to his family, to the Cathaoirleach, who had a very strong personal relationship with Brian, and to the Fianna Fáil family. It is very much appreciated. I know that his family certainly appreciate all of that. Senator Byrne also spoke about the Academy Award…

I move: That Seanad Éireann: - expresses its deep sadness on the death of Brian Crowley; - conveys its sincere condolences to his family; and - expresses its gratitude for his notable contribution, as a member of Seanad Éireann, to Irish public life and for his dedicated service to the people of Ireland.

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Troy, for being here and for proposing this motion, which Fianna Fáil welcomes and supports. It is hard to think that in less than a month, it will have been four years since this war of aggression against Ukraine started. Since 2014, when Russia seized Crimea and fuelled a lot of fighting in the Donbas area, tensions have been very high. It is difficult to think, however, that nearly four years have passed. We see the incredible impact on the people of Ukraine. At every opport…

I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach. I will move a motion for an expression of sympathy by the House at the end of the Order of Business. The Order of Business is No. 1, the Mental Health Bill 2024 - Committee Stage (Resumed), to be taken at 12.30 p.m. and to adjourn at 3 p.m., if not previously concluded.

Which we got last night, actually.

I acknowledge Councillor Gaffney, who was with the school group that just left. I thank the 16 Senators who spoke to us this morning about different issues impacting their areas and on a national level. It is always important that we have this level of debate. Senator Fitzpatrick spoke about the overnight developments relating to the threat to Greenland and tariffs. She acknowledged the Taoiseach's steadfast position and approach on supporting a unified EU response. I know the situation is evolving. There is certai…

I move: That Seanad Eireann - - expresses its deep sadness on the death of Gerard Lynch; - conveys its sincere condolences to his family; and - expresses its gratitude for his notable contribution, as a member of Seanad Éireann, to Irish public life and for his dedicated service to the people of Ireland.

Our guests are most welcome. I hope they have an enjoyable day. Today sees the start of TradFest in Dublin. It is the largest folk and traditional music festival. It is really important in celebrating Irish cultural identity and I recommend that people get to many of the events. One of the things that is really notable about TradFest is that it partners with AbleFest, which is the largest inclusive musical festival and which will be run over two days at the National Stadium. It provides a place for neurodiverse chi…

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Dooley, for being here for a very important motion from the Fianna Fáil grouping. We have seen significant progress in recruitment and retention over the last number of years. Year on year, for the past three years, we have seen recruitment increase, which is important. It is also important to acknowledge the ongoing innovation by senior military management and the Department of Defence in relation to structures and methodology on recruitment and retention. It is a job worth do…

I thank the Minister for being here. I really appreciate it. I take this opportunity to formally congratulate her on her new role. I was able to do so informally, but it is important to also do it formally. What I am raising today will not be new to the Minister because I happened to bump into her at the Young Scientist exhibition and took the opportunity to speak to her about the situation in the school at the Curragh. Of course, I have been in email contact with her office on an ongoing basis. It is coincidental …

I thank the Minister for her response and her interest and concern in relation to this matter. I understood from my meeting in the week before last with the principal and the teachers that an application had been submitted through the KWETB. I will phone the principal directly after this engagement. The school has a good working relationship with KWETB. I would be concerned if the Department had not received that application at this point. Obviously, that is a clear priority. I want to hear from the Minister that o…

I support the Order of Business as outlined by the Leader. I wish to express sympathies to the people of Spain on the most horrific rail crash that occurred there on Sunday last. I believe 41 people have been confirmed dead, but the number of fatalities continues to rise. Almost 150 people were injured, 12 of whom are in critical care. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of those who have been bereaved and with all of the volunteers, safety workers and aid workers who assisted at the scene. I congratulate the New…