I move: That, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders — (1) a Special Committee consisting of 5 members of Seanad Éireann be appointed, to be joined with a Special Committee to be appointed by Dáil Éireann, to form the Joint Committee on Autism; (2) the Joint Committee shall consider matters relating to the services and supports provided by the State for autistic people and, in so doing, may have regard to the Resolutions of Dáil Éireann of 2 April, 2019 and 29 April, 2021 on these matters; (3) the Joint Commit…

I move: That, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders - (1) a Special Committee consisting of five members of Seanad Éireann be appointed, to be joined with a Special Committee to be appointed by Dáil Éireann, to form the Joint Committee on International Surrogacy; (2) the Joint Committee shall expeditiously consider and make recommendations on measures to address issues arising from international surrogacy having particular regard to: (a) all aspects of the rights, interests and welfare of children born throug…

The Minister is very welcome to the House. I am pleased she is supporting this amendment Bill and, in doing so, ensuring the work of my colleague Senator Chambers and of Una Ring and Eve McDowell in Stalking Ireland will come to fruition and help protect the women of Ireland and, indeed, some men. I welcome the taking of Report and Final Stages of this amendment Bill in the House today. I thank the Cathaoirleach for allowing me the opportunity to say a few words on it. I commend the tireless work my colleague and o…

It is important that the Seanad sends our congratulations to Leona Maguire on her fantastic achievement over the weekend. She has broken many records but the record she broke on the weekend by being the first ever Irish player to win on the prestigious LPGA tour is incredible and noteworthy. She has lifted women's golf and women's sport to a higher level. I congratulate her on that. Today is the 19th Safer Internet Day and the theme this year is "Together for a Better Internet". We all have to work together with al…

The Minister of State is welcome. The change to the Title of the Bill was interesting in that it has brought two distinct areas together, but they are two important areas. I welcome and will support the introduction of the legislation, which will deliver a key commitment made in the programme for Government. In the case of mink farming, it will place a statutory prohibition on the practice, which is welcome because it has been considered outdated and inhumane for some time. It was important that certainty was broug…

The Minister is very welcome to the Chamber and I appreciate that he is here given the importance of this Commencement matter. I rise to seek absolute clarity on the future of Cathal Brugha Barracks and the Irish Defence Forces. We are all aware of the outrageous tweet from the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, which came from left field and shocked all of us. Not only did it shock all of us in this House, it shocked the defence community throughout the country and none more so than in my native Kildare. I come from a v…

I thank the Minister for his response and for bringing clarity to the debate. At the very least, we can say the tweet sent out by the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, was disingenuous and ill-informed. I thank the Minister for making it clear that no decision has been made by Government in terms of relocation and for acknowledging the very strategic location of Cathal Brugha Barracks and the 1,000 personnel who serve. They must be central in this debate. I accept what the Minister is saying regarding a feasibility stud…

I wish Senator Pauline O'Reilly well in her first day taking the Order of Business as Acting Leader of the House. Tomorrow is Countess Markievicz's birthday and, to celebrate and commemorate that, Women for Election are launching a new campaign called "Count Her In". It is about supporting women to stand for election. They will be having a photo call outside the gates of Leinster House at 12.45 p.m. for all of the incumbent women in the Oireachtas - those of us who are fortunate and privileged enough to be here. Ce…

I congratulate Senator Flynn on her Bill. I was pleased, while acting as Leader of the House on Tuesday, to be able to accept the amendment to the Order of Business in order that Senator Flynn could introduce this Bill today. I am doubly pleased to support it on the floor now. Senator Flynn’s opening of this conversation has been phenomenal. It was the first time that I myself thought about the need to change the language around this. This is because while the term “child pornography” is horrific, awful and none of…

At 2.30 p.m. next Tuesday.

Senator Norris is very humble when he says that he is not the world's greatest Joycean scholar. No matter what, he is our Joycean scholar and we are all incredibly proud of him both for his work on Joyce and literature and for the work he has been doing in the Seanad. In addition to celebrating the 100th anniversary of the publication of Joyce's Ulysses , it is also important to note that he was 40 on the day it was published so today would have been his 140th birthday. There is no doubt that the world of literatur…

I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Deputy Niall Collins, to the Seanad to take this Commencement matter.

The rationalisation of the CAO portal is very welcome. I checked out gov.ie/therightcourse and was amazed by its information and the number of courses on it, which any of us can take at any stage.

I thank the Cathaoirleach. For the day that is in it, I am sure he will not mind if I read one of St. Brigid's prayers into the record.

When I mention the angels of God, I refer to whatever God means to Members. Lá Fhéile Bríde shona daoibh. Brigid means so much to people not just around Kildare and Ireland, but around the world. I was in Strasbourg at the Council of Europe meeting last week. There are three parishes outside Strasbourg called after St. Brigid. St. Brigid's church in Strasbourg had a ceremony last Sunday, which was interesting. I wish everybody well. In the words of the blessing: May no fire, no flame burn us; May no lake, no sea dr…

I hope I can read my own writing. Being able to write as quickly as possible is the first test.

I thank the Senator. I assure everyone it is pure coincidence that I am here as Acting Leader on St. Brigid's Day. However, it is an absolute pleasure.

I am very happy to be St. Brigid's representative in the Seanad today. To follow what Senator Wall said, Members do not have to wait until next year to come to Kildare; they are welcome to come anytime. In fact, Solas Bhríde has a wonderful set of activities going on throughout the week. To turn now to the issues at hand. Senator Malcolm Byrne, like most Senators, recognised the importance today of Lá Fhéile Bríde and I thank them for that because she is synonymous with the environment, with farmers and with social…

I move: That Seanad Éireann approves the following Order in draft: Technological Universities Act 2018 (Section 36) (Appointed Day) Order 2022, copies of which have been laid in draft form before Seanad Éireann on 29th November, 2021."

The Tánaiste is very welcome to the Seanad. This is very important legislation that will bring about a fairer system. I welcome the fact it is employee led, there is transparency at the heart of it, and there has to be consultation with employees in any working environment with regard to the policy that will be adopted by the employer. The Bill is certainly very much welcome. It gives workers legal protection over tips. This means the tips received cannot be counted towards an employee's basic pay and the tips must…