When anyone in Kildare hears of any death of somebody in the Defence Forces, we all have an intake of breath because so many members of the Defence Forces live in Kildare. While always acknowledging that somebody somewhere has been left bereft and bereaved, there is always a tiny sigh of relief when it is not somebody one knows. Over the weekend, we heard of the tragic death of a member of the Defence Forces in Spain. Then, all too soon, the news came out that it was a very loved son of Newbridge, "Doc" Declan O’Co…

We should, therefore, note that day as well.

Thanks to my cousin, Ed O'Loughlin, I became aware over the weekend that progress has been made to repatriate the body of a County Kildare native, Patrick Sarsfield, who led the Jacobite army during the Siege of Limerick city in 1691. We have many Sarsfields teams and one of those, of course, is Newbridge in County Kildare. Patrick Sarsfield was buried just outside Liège in Belgium. The exact location of the burial ground has now been established following the intervention of Dr. Loïc Guyon, the honorary consul of …

I thank the Cathaoirleach for selecting this Commencement matter and the Minister of State, Deputy Fleming, for making himself available to take it. I add my voice to the welcome given to the school group in the Visitors Gallery. It is lovely to see them in the place where democracy is at work and policy decisions are made. In the future, we may see some of them sitting in this House and in the Dáil. As a proud Kildare woman, I have always been a strong advocate for members of the Defence Forces. I live just a few …

I am sure that Blessington, being so close to Kildare, has many Army families within its ranks. I thank the Minister of State for his response. I accept that US immigration rules and operations are solely matters for the relevant US authorities. It can therefore be difficult to resolve issues from our end. I am pleased with the clarification he has given. I am glad it is possible to seek an exemption. It is also important that he has clarified that an exemption cannot be sought after a refusal has been given. There…

I support the Order of Business as outlined by the Deputy Leader. I thank everybody who joined in the St. Brigid's Day festival over the weekend. It was incredible to see the energy, not just in County Kildare but all around Ireland, and indeed outside the country as well. There was a special mass in St. Bride's Church in London, which was lovely to see on RTÉ television the other night. I make a special mention of Fr. Liam Merrigan in Monasterevin who organised a small Camino walk, which I participated in. More th…

I thank the Minister, Deputy Harris, for being with us in the Chamber to discuss this very important issue. As we all know and acknowledge, violence against women is endemic not only in Ireland but around the world. It has to be seen as a human rights issue. We have seen high-profile murders in recent years that have brought these issues front and centre. They have stopped society in its tracks. They have shocked all of us. In a way these brutal murders enabled women to speak about their fears. The deaths of women …

I very much appreciate that this Commencement matter has been selected and that the Minister is here in person to take it. As Fianna Fáil spokesperson for education in the Seanad, I am very proud of my party's record in education, particularly during the Minister's tenure. She has dealt with some very difficult issues and some of the themes she has addressed and some of the actions she has taken have been transformative, in particular the announcement in budget 2023 that free primary school books will be available …

That is good news. This gesture – it is more than a gesture – is absolutely appreciated by school communities around the country. It is good news that the Minister has clarified that schools will be able to nominate their preferred provider. Most of the independent bookshops and shops already have arrangements in place with schools. There was a concern that they would be bypassed. I know the Minister understands the importance of supporting local businesses. It is important that this measure is a win-win for everyb…

At the end of the Order of Business I will table a motion for the expressions of sympathy by the House. It is important that we express our support and solidarity with the Turkish and Syrian people as what has happened in that region is beyond belief. The death toll has reached over 11,000 now and it is felt that the final number could reach as high as 20,000 deaths. Our thoughts, prayers and solidarity are with the Turkish and Syrian people.

The Order of Business is No. 1, Central Bank (Individual Accountability Framework) Bill 2022 - Second Stage, to be taken at 3.45 p.m. and to conclude at 5 p.m., if not previously concluded, with the opening contribution of the Minister not to exceed eight minutes, all Senators not to exceed five minutes, and the Minister to be given no less than eight minutes to reply to the debate; No. 2, Communications Regulation and Digital Hub Development Agency (Amendment) Bill 2022 - Second Stage, to be taken at 5 p.m. and to…

I accept Senator Martin’s amendment to take No. 19 before No. 1 so that we can take Second Stage of his Bill next week. It has been lovely to listen to all the heartwarming connections with Niamh Bhreathnach. She was a special person who had a special place in life and there is no doubt that this transcended parties. As Chair of the Irish Women's Parliamentary Caucus, when we started the caucus in the last mandate and we opened it to former members, Niamh was certainly a regular attendee and a great supporter, part…

I move: That Seanad Éireann- - expresses its deep sadness on the death of Niamh Bhreathnach; - conveys its sincere condolences to her family; and - expresses its gratitude for her notable contribution to Irish public life and for her dedicated service to the people of Ireland.

The first thing I was going to do was to thank you, a Chathaoirligh, for having the moment of silence for peace yesterday. I very much appreciated that. All the schoolchildren from Scoil Bhríde Athgarvan appreciated that you came down and gave so much time to them at our St. Brigid's cross-making workshop. I thank everybody from across the House who came. It was wonderful to have the buzz of children showing parliamentarians and staff how to make those crosses. It was a very special day for them as, of course, it w…

Go raibh maith agat, a Chathaoirligh. Very many congratulations to you. It is said that a healthy democracy requires a decent society and also requires that we be honourable, generous, tolerant and respectful. The Cathaoirleach absolutely embodies all those qualities, as I know from the time in which I have got to know him and from stories I have heard about him from my brother-in-law, Jim Ryan, from Cork and, of course, my Fine Gael colleagues. He has the gravitas, presence and dignity to represent the Seanad at h…

It is all in Kildare, so.

I thank the Cathaoirleach for selecting this important matter. I also thank the Minister of State, Deputy Heydon, for making himself available to take this Commencement matter in the Chamber. I raise the challenges facing the equine sector in Ireland. It is an issue that disproportionately affects my area of Kildare. I will begin by quoting the foreword of a recent Horse Racing Ireland, HRI, report, which stated: There are few places in the world with a breeding and racing tradition as rich as that in County Kildar…

I acknowledge there is a very strong case here. The former chief executive, Shane O'Dwyer, and the chairperson, Cathy Grassick did a really excellent job with the proposal, which I have read thoroughly. It is centred on the three key supports of reducing costs, enhancing ease of trade and developing new and existing markets. The question I asked was specifically around the support of the IRE scheme because it has proved to be really excellent. I did not get a sense from the Minister of State's response that it woul…

I support the Order of Business as outlined by the Deputy Leader. I am glad to see that the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill has progressed significantly. I welcome a particular aspect in it, where the Minister said that the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, BAI, should be given €2.5 million to support services provided by independent radio stations. Local independent radio stations are very important in terms of the work that they do for the community. The BAI also has to issue a report within three months…

I thank the Minister of State for taking the time to come in on behalf of the Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, OPW, Deputy Patrick O'Donovan. I want to raise the issue of land ownership, its transparency, and the State's role and responsibility in terms of land that should fall under its control. I will talk about one particular situation, but this is something I have come across over the years. I am sure it mirrors a lot of different situations. I have been working closely with…