When anyone is faced with a difficult health diagnosis, particularly if it is terminal, it is simply life shattering for that person and his or her family and close friends. Apart from the emotional impact and the stress about diagnosis, treatment and the financial impact, there is the significant concern about whether a person can afford to pay for treatment or get a medical card and if he or she was eligible, how long it would take get that medical card. All of us in politics know how complex and difficult it is …

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, for being here to take this matter. I also thank her for clarifying exactly where we are with regard to this. Of course, I acknowledge that this was in the programme for Government. I have fought for this and have been very struck by those going through this, no more than during the presentation in the audiovisual room, which the Minister of State mentioned, and it is something that we absolutely need to do. It is welcome and the Minister of State confirmed that a det…

I welcome the Minister of State to the Chamber. While the news on the incidence of Covid-19 among the Irish population is good, now is certainly not the time to let down our guard. We must be as consistent and vigilant as possible. Today also brings good news regarding the Covid-19 vaccine being developed by Pfizer. While we are in this difficult situation and our hard-working public health officials are grappling with the many issues facing us, there is an onus on Members in this House to consider how to enable pe…

I fully endorse the views of my colleague, Senator Flynn, who called for support for our healthcare workers. When President-elect Biden takes office the first thing we will do is look for support for the undocumented Irish. It is about time we faced up to the undocumented here and showed them similar respect. The migrant healthcare workers who have given such service, compassion and support in our hospitals, care homes, nursing homes and private residences for those who need extra care are living a very difficult e…

I move: That leave be given to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to make provision for hate crime; the imposition of a heavier penalty on an offender whose commission of a relevant offence (a list of which is contained in the Schedule to this Act) is accompanied by hate crime against an individual based on said individual's asylum or refugee status, race, colour, religion, nationality, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, transgender identity, sex characteristics, age or perceived age and to provide for relate…

Next Wednesday, 11 November.

Today is a new day, and this morning we received better news on the airwaves when we woke up regarding what is happening in America. Let us hope that by the end of today or tomorrow we will see the return of integrity, decency and honesty to the White House. I too support of the Debenhams workers. I participated in the online Zoom call with shop stewards and other Oireachtas Members yesterday. The fact that Debenhams itself has walked away from this entire process and that KPMG is threatening to walk away by the en…

I am delighted to support the motion tabled by the Green Party. It follows an amendment that my party tabled in the Dáil last year that made Ireland only the second country in the world to declare a biodiversity emergency. Without doubt there is an emergency. We all learn from the people around us and we have all learned a great deal from David Attenborough and Greta Thunberg, most recently, over the past few years. I learned from a man that I would like to pay tribute to the late Joe Lynch from Valentia and Rathan…

Yes.

The Minister has always been a very strong and firm advocate for housing for all. He recognises, as we all do, that everyone aspires to having a safe and secure home. Our home is our castle. It is where we can feel safe, which is extremely important. The Minister, through this Bill, will ensure that tenants have that security during this time of crisis. It is good that the legislation includes provisions to allow the measure to be used again if necessary. That means we would not have to come back to debate the matt…

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, to this House. It is the first time I have had the chance to publicly congratulate her on her appointment as Minister of State. I have no doubt that with her work ethic and compassion, she will make a big difference to the lives of people with a disability. I also want to say well done to the Minister of State on securing a significant disability budget, the highest in the history of the State, in budget 2021. Now we have to make sure that makes a difference on the …

I thank the Minister of State for that response. It is certainly good news that therapy can continue through level 5. I had asked the Minister of State to Kildare to meet representatives of KARE and the Muiríosa Foundation. She had committed to doing that during October but the restrictions mean that cannot happen. When we talk about redeployment, there are two different kinds. We are talking about therapists who are going to, or have gone to, contact tracing and those who went from intervention therapy to assessme…

I endorse, support and second Senator Gavan's call. It is really important. We have to examine human rights throughout the world and see what we can do. The issue I raise relates to my friend, Pat Tinsley, whom I have spoken about in the House previously. Pat and 29 others have been diagnosed with amyloidosis. No treatment is available in this country, although it is available in Northern Ireland, the UK, Europe and the US. The treatment's name is patisiran. I have engaged with the company that produces it. It woul…

I was very saddened during the week, as I have no doubt all of us were, when we got an email from Senator Norris telling us that, sadly, Cathal Martin had passed away. During the debate on Senator Norris's Bill three weeks ago, he and Senator Casey spoke very passionately and compassionately about Cathal and the difficulties he had in life. On behalf of my grouping, I extend our deepest sympathy to Les, Linda, Ciaran and Holly, and acknowledge the incredible work Les has done on the National Screening Advisory Comm…

I draw the attention of the Leader to justice, which is hugely important to all of us, specifically District Court area 25, County Kildare. In this District Court we have twice the number of cases that are in many other jurisdictions, so we have a situation where cases dealing with important matters such as child custody, access and maintenance are not being heard. I know of a particular situation where 15 months after a child has been born a dad is still waiting for a court case to make sure he has access. That is…

I thank the Minister for attending to listen to our comments, observations and concerns. Undoubtedly, the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes is investigating one of the darkest periods in Irish history. Mother and baby homes represent some of the worst aspects of our collective history and humanity. Their existence was underpinned by a complex web of culpability and responsibility. Since it was established in 2015, the commission of investigation chaired by Judge Yvonne Murphy has worked to gain…

I am sharing time. The Minister is most welcome to the Chamber. This is my first opportunity to congratulate him publicly on attaining high office and I wish him well. He has certainly started in the manner in which he means to go on. I have always considered him very positive, pragmatic and practical, and that is stamped throughout the budget. It is the first time in a decade that Fianna Fáil has had an opportunity to put its stamp on a budget and that is very important. I very much welcome the historic investment…

I welcome the Minister, Deputy Foley, back to the House. It has been such a difficult time for the students of 2020 and their parents, teachers, the Department of Education and Skills and, indeed, the Minister, who inherited a strange legacy. The word on "unprecedented" has been much bandied about over the past few months but truly the task faced by the Department of Education and Skills must have seemed at many times to have been completely overwhelming. I thank the Minister for giving us an update on the transpor…

I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House. I thank Senators Mullen and McDowell for tabling this very important motion. A very realistic and grim picture of human rights abuses has been painted. When we think about families and communities and how they are impacted it is absolutely horrific. We cannot be silent in the face of this elaborate campaign of oppression and repression, religious discrimination and worse. Ireland has very important cultural and trading links with the People's Republic of China.…

I welcome the Minister of State back to the Chamber. She has been a most frequent visitor since the Seanad reconvened and she was appointed to her position. I know of her compassion for older people. In her past life as a Deputy she was co-chairman of the all-party committee on dementia and did incredible work on the issue. We could not have anybody more suited to the position she now occupies. As 1 October was International Day for Older Persons, I felt it was appropriate to table a Commencement matter on the issu…