The Minister is very welcome. It is only a few short weeks since we gathered in this Chamber to debate the Health (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 2021, which saw the sunset clause on emergency powers extended by resolution until the 9 January 2022. We were all hopeful in the intervening weeks that the epidemiological situation would improve to such an extent that these emergency powers, while provided for in legislation, would not be required. Unfortunately, the epidemiological situation has deteriorated further in the int…

Today, I would like to discuss the recent announcement on the easement of restrictions with particular reference to the music and entertainment industry and the confusion, uncertainty and anomalies delivered on Tuesday afternoon. On 31 August last, 22 October was hailed as the date for the full reopening of this sector. Since then, preparations have been under way, rehearsals have been taking place and tickets were sold in anticipation of a return to full capacity after 587 days of closure. Unfortunately, instead, …

I draw attention to the horrific abuse of adults with intellectual disabilities that occurred at the Ard Gréine Court facility, Donegal. On Friday last, The Irish Times ran another piece on the issue after it finally received a copy of the unpublished report into the matter, the Brandon report. We now know that approximately 108 incidents of devastating abuse were experienced by at least 18 residents of this facility, many of them non-verbal, over a period of about 13 years. It is shocking. The HSE management had f…

I am delighted to be here to speak in support of this Bill. I commend Senator Moynihan and her colleagues for their work on this important and pressing issue. The words "housing" and "crisis" are intimately intertwined in Ireland and often they appear inseparable, but they are not. We can do better on housing across the board and the Bill, as introduced by the Labour Party, will go some distance in alleviating some of the pressure in the housing market. There is little doubt the housing crisis we are experiencing i…

I wish the Minister a good evening. He is very welcome to the Chamber. I thank him for taking the time to be here with us. I can imagine how busy he has been. It has been an incredibly challenging 18 months for all parties. There is no doubt about that. I acknowledge the Trojan efforts of the Department, the health service and NPHET to keep us all in good health throughout this pandemic. The roll-out of the vaccination programme is an area of particular success. Ireland's place at the top of international vaccinati…

The Minister is welcome to the House. I commend my colleague, Senator Currie, on bringing the motion to the House. It is wonderful that she is doing this and that everybody is so unified in respect of it. As we discussed last week, representatives from all major parties North and South recently signed a document outlining their rejection of the UK Government's proposals to introduce an amnesty for legacy killings. The document, signed by all the main parties in Belfast and Dublin, states they reject the British Gov…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Leas-Chathaoirleach. I welcome the Minister to the Chamber. It is the first time we have been in the Chamber with him, so it is good to see him here. Thankfully, there appears to be a light at the end of what has been a very dark tunnel. I commend the Minister on the work he has done in taking on that role as Minister during a very difficult period in the history of the State. Not only did he have to deal with the pandemic but with all of the data issues as well. At times during the pandemi…

I attended the launch of a pre-budget submission hosted by the Music and Entertainment Association of Ireland, MEAI, outside Leinster House. It was a powerful launch. MEAI was formed in June 2020 as a result of the pandemic which decimated the entire industry. Since then it has worked tirelessly, on a voluntary basis, to represent the industry to Government and help find solutions to reopen the industry. I am privileged to be one of 11 Oireachtas Members involved with the MEAI committee, which was established in Ma…

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy James Browne, to the House. I also welcome the Bill. However, I wish to highlight the importance of language in the Bill. For example, when we use words such as "smuggled", "trafficked" or "asylum seeker", we can lose track of the people and the stories beneath these terms. While I welcome many of the provisions within the Bill, some of the issues I have with it stem from a lack of precision in the language, which threatens to lose the complexity and struggle of each of the s…

I want to highlight the issue of the Owenacurra Centre in Midleton, which is home to 19 people who have severe and enduring mental health difficulties, some of whom have lived there for many years. It is the only long-stay adult mental health facility in east Cork and prior to the Covid-19 emergency, it also provided respite and day care. On 28 June the residents received the shock announcement that the Owenacurra Centre was to be closed by 31 October due to concerns about the building. To get an understanding of t…

I am standing in for our leader, Senator Higgins, who could not be with us. On behalf of the Civil Engagement Group, I welcome our colleagues from the European Parliament. It is lovely to see them again. This is about Irish and European parliamentarians. It is both important and timely that we have the opportunity to discuss the role of the EU in addressing challenges such as the Covid-19 pandemic, the climate and biodiversity crisis, and the humanitarian crisis happening across the globe. It is also an opportunity…

I want to start by thanking the Cathaoirleach for providing this space for us to hold this important debate this evening. I also thank the Minister for joining us to be part of the conversation. Most importantly, I want to commend, congratulate and thank my colleague Senator Ruane for introducing this motion and for encouraging this conversation. I also want to commend the work of Senator Ruane’s office, as well as the work of the international experts with whom Senator Ruane consulted in drafting the proposed legi…

I want to highlight the "RTÉ Investigates" programme that aired a couple of weeks ago on Thursday, 1 July 2021. As we all know, it was a harrowing documentary that shared some of the urgent concerns of care workers, adult safeguarding experts and family members of those who had lost loved ones in a nursing home setting to Covid. It was difficult to watch as, once again, the high levels of neglect in nursing homes throughout the country in the midst of the pandemic when so many people among us needed support and car…

I welcome the Minister to the House today. I can only imagine how hectic it has been for him and how busy he is in these really crazy times. I fully support this Bill to extend the period for receipt of claims by the CervicalCheck tribunal. As we all know, the past 16 months have been seriously challenging for everyone. Covid-19 has affected the pace of everyday life and the CervicalCheck tribunal has been affected the same way; there is no doubt about it. Naturally, therefore, an extension is essential, especially…

I move amendment No. 4: In page 11, between lines 36 and 37, to insert the following: "(2) The review specified in subsection (1) shall examine whether and to what extent the operation of the amendments is having a deterrent effect on employees seeking to make a complaint to the Workplace Relations Commission.". I am speaking on behalf of Senator Higgins. This is a simple amendment to ensure a review under section 13 will examine whether the provisions of the legislation are having a chilling effect on employees. I…

I thank the Minister of State for his reply and for committing to engage with stakeholders. It is important that any problems that arise be addressed immediately. We fully support this Bill and would not like to see it delayed.

I welcome the Minister to the House. I was listening to the debate in my office. It is the first time I have spoken on this legislation. I know the Minister has come to the House a few times. It is the first time I have spoken when the Minister has been in the House. I wanted to come to the Chamber to say that I strongly support Senator Boyhan's amendment. I am very concerned. It is most important that we restore the power to local authorities. They have a strong role in relation to section 183 of the Local Governm…

The Minister of State is welcome to the House. It is great to see her. She is doing a great job in her role. I thank her for her recent support in helping with a young woman who had an eating disorder. The family is grateful to the Minister of State for her intervention. I support this Bill's aim to address a long-standing issue affecting business owners and farming families under the fair deal scheme. It is an issue that has been long recognised as needing to be addressed. However, I have some concerns. We have th…

I have been receiving many letters in recent weeks from people in the music industry who are absolutely devastated and worried about what is happening to the industry. I will read out one letter that I received late last night which really sums up what is going on for people in the industry. It states: Dear Senator Black, I'm writing to appeal to you, to the Seanad and to the Minister, Catherine Martin, to support the live working musicians of this country, in this very unsure time. I'm a full time working folk mus…

I highlight the report published by Alcohol Action Ireland last week. It is called Alcohol Treatment Services: A snapshot survey 2021. It explores some of the prevailing issues related to alcohol services in Ireland and it is shocking. It highlights the significant gap between services needed and those available, the additional difficulties placed on those seeking services and the added harm to children and family networks. I commend Alcohol Action Ireland for presenting a concise and poignant synopsis of the views…