I want to speak for a moment or two about the disability protests outside the Convention Centre this morning. I joined the carers, parents and families assembled there. It was not just frustration and anger that were palpable, but also huge despair. People really feel they are at the end of their tether. A group called Enough is Enough organised this particular protest. This story is not new to people with disabilities. In late January, I met representatives from the Muiriosa Foundation and the KARE organisation, w…

I welcome the Minister and wish her well in the task she has ahead of her. I commend her on the work she has done over the past four weeks. I am happy to support this Bill, which puts the pandemic unemployment payment on a formal statutory basis, which is very important. It allows for paid social insurance contributions for employees directly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, which is correct. I share the concerns outlined by Senator Ardagh about transfer of information and we must absolutely know how that came ab…

I congratulate the Minister sincerely. I worked closely with her over the past four years on the education committee and in the women's caucus. She is a politician of deep conviction and a woman who is passionate about her county. I have no doubt that those will be matched by ambition and vision for the Department she now leads. I understand that the Minister might be visiting Kildare in a professional capacity in late August to open the new centre at the Irish National Stud. While she is there, I invite her to tak…

I thank the Minister for coming to the House to address the very many valid concerns of Members of this House. I congratulate the Minister and wish her well in her new position. I met her before either of us ever had designs on the Houses of the Oireachtas, probably in 2001, when the Minister was chairperson of Tralee host town committee welcoming Special Olympians to the town. At that point, I thought the Minister an incredible leader within her community and from that I learned how passionate she was about educat…

On Sunday, we lost an inspirational woman who showed great bravery and courage in her public fight to take on the health services and expose how she was let down. We were all hugely saddened by Ruth Morrissey's passing. We express our deepest sympathies to her husband, Paul, and her darling daughter, Libby, to whom she always referred as her little butterfly. Ruth was brave and courageous. Along with other great people, such as Vicky Phelan, Emma Mhic Mhathúna, Lorraine Walsh and Stephen Teap, Ruth shone a light on…

I thank the Leader for yesterday agreeing to bring in two Ministers before the House goes into recess but I ask her to also invite the Minister for Education and Skills. Last week, I raised some concerns about the challenges facing students and teachers in schools that hope to reopen in late August and September. It is vital that we be given the opportunity to engage with the Minister on that issue and on the issue of school transport to enable children to get to school. I also wish to engage with the Minister with…

"What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality." Never a truer set of words were said. Being in politics, and I am sure it is the same for many of us, we all at times struggle with self-doubt and struggle in dealing with the impact of social media and other aspects on ourselves. There is a complete onus on us to protect our own mental health and that of the nation. The impact of Covid-19 has been huge on so many levels but the impact on mental health has been absolutely incredible. I listened yesterday to some…

On Tuesday, the Alzheimer Society of Ireland released a report called Life After Lockdown. Yesterday, I had an opportunity to read its findings and it was a very dark and disturbing read. Pre-Covid life was very difficult for those who suffered from dementia and their carers, so we can only begin to imagine what their lives are like now. We are now informed by extensive research that shows as many as 77% of carers have said that their workload has increased dramatically and 61% of them have said that they fear for …

I assure Senator Craughwell that, as a Kildare Senator and somebody who fought hard on behalf of the Defence Forces in the Dáil over the past four years, I will continue to do that and he will not be on his own. I want to take up Senator Warfield on his comments. He said that An Taoiseach has not said anything on proposals for extending maternity leave. In fact, An Taoiseach said that he has spoken to the three Ministers involved from the Departments of Justice and Equality, Employment Affairs and Social Protection…

Is mór an onóir í a bheith anseo. Déanaim comhghairdeas leis an gCathaoirleach agus leis an iar-Chathaoirleach, an Seanadóir Denis O’Donovan. It is not my first time to speak in the Seanad. I had that opportunity last year when, along with Senator Bacik, we hosted a session in the Seanad Chamber with the most wonderful young people from around our country. As part of the commemoration of Vótáil 100, they spoke about their ideals and vision for Ireland going forward. It is a privilege to address the Seanad for the s…