I stand today to speak about social media and a number of stories that presented themselves over the summer. There was the spreading of misinformation and threats. Social media policy seems to protect the protagonists in these situations more than the victims. It is affecting every area of life at present but, specifically at this moment in time, it is affecting Oireachtas Members. It is affecting presidential candidates. It is also definitely prevalent among the general public and the general population. It is a r…

I welcome this conversation. I thank the Minister of State for coming into us today. Unlike my esteemed colleague, I did not get the chance to visit the rest of the country on the canvass for the Seanad, so I will talk about Roscommon and my area. I concur with Senator Cosgrove about the plan the Northern and Western Regional Assembly produced as well as a call for overall balanced regional development. Unfortunately, the plan the Senator referred to has very little reference to Roscommon in it. The infrastructure …

I join everyone else in welcoming Martin Hughes to his new role. I also pay tribute to Martin Groves and Bridget Doody for their work in their former roles. When talking about two people who have always gone above and beyond in their roles, it is worth mentioning the staff working in our schools. A lot have come back in difficult times, experiencing issues with bus transport and school meals. A lot of smaller schools received notification in recent weeks to say they were below the number of meals being delivered an…

I rise today, on the final sitting of this term, to talk about school buses once again. It is something I have raised on at least two occasions in recent weeks, but this is a good news story. Bus Éireann this week came back to me and, after a submission I made initially in March, said: We have investigated the feasibility of amending the school bus to serve Ballymoe Village and I wish to advise that this amendment will take effect for the 2025/2026 ... academic year. Because of what I have said in this Chamber befo…

I move: That Seanad Éireann: – having regard to the conclusions and recommendations of the Report of the Scoping Inquiry into Historical Sexual Abuse in Day and Boarding Schools Run by Religious Orders, published on 3rd September, 2024; – noting that it is the opinion of the Government that these matters of significant public concern require, in the public interest, examination by the establishment of a Commission of Investigation; – noting that the Minister for Education and Youth has led the Government's consider…

I thank the Minister for coming in today. I suppose we are all considering this motion with a deep sense of responsibility and with a conviction to support it and the establishment of the commission of investigation into the handling of historical child sexual abuse in day and boarding schools. This is a long-overdue recognition that the education system and the institutions that govern it harboured dark and painful truths. It is a moment that demands honesty, empathy and a firm commitment to justice. For too long,…

I thank the Minister of State very much for facilitating today's statements on sport. Like previous speakers, I reiterate the health benefits of investing in sport. We have often spoken in this Chamber about revitalising and regenerating rural Ireland and what a rural economy needs to survive. Sporting facilities are what a community needs to survive. I am not so old that I do not recall getting changed for soccer and Gaelic games in the back of cars. Likewise, I can remember togging out for football games in conve…

I rise today following a meeting yesterday with the Irish Hotels Federation, IHF, which is a representative body that represents more than 900 hotels and guesthouses employing approximately 66,000 people nationally. We in this House are all familiar with their ask with regard to the VAT rate. However, I wish to look a bit further and call for a discussion in this House on how we can support them in training up their staff. There is no training fund for that sector. Many of the institutes have to pay for that out of…

I was going to say, "Happy birthday".

I welcome the Minister of State, once again, to the Chamber. The Minister of State always seems to come in just before I speak but I thank him for coming in again. In the Minister's opening statement, he mentioned the passenger cap at Dublin Airport. While I was planning to talk about balanced regional investment and the north west, I recall speaking following St. Patrick's weekend to a hotelier here in Dublin whom was I was staying with and asking how busy the hotel was. The turnover was similar due to costs, but …

I thank the Minister of State for once again gracing us with his presence. He is a great friend to this Chamber. I thank him for always making himself available to us. I call on the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht to make a comprehensive statement on the Department’s remote working strategy and the specific targets set out for the remainder of this term. This is a vital plea for the future prosperity and sustainability of rural communities, a future that hinges on decisive action and …

I thank the Minister of State. At a time when Ireland has nearly 100% employment, we have the capacity to deliver high-paying, knowledge-based jobs directly into the heart of rural communities. Tens of thousands of remote-working roles are available globally. Ireland is well-positioned to capture a significant share of this market. By establishing the right structures, Ireland could create a fourth pillar of employment, complementing indigenous companies, foreign direct investment and agriculture. I met a lady on S…

I rise today following a visit to Ballaghaderreen in west Roscommon last Friday with Deputy Grace Boland for the unveiling of a mural dedicated to her father and his enactment, as Minister for Education in the early 1980s, of the abolition of corporal punishment. It was very poignant on the day to hear it was not a very popular suggestion when he brought it up. However, he did it because, as a politician, he knew it was the right thing to do. It was 15 or 20 years later that we realised the impact of the decision h…

The Minister of State is welcome. It is great we have a rural Minister of State who understands this brief and the impact of post offices on rural communities. Post offices have long been more than simply places to post letters or collect a parcel. As we have heard tonight, they are trusted local institutions that support the day-to-day lives of people in every corner of our country. They are community hubs, lifelines for the elderly and, increasingly, essential service providers in an age when banks and other supp…

I wish to bring up an issue that I am sure is relevant for every Member of this House. It is also a timely intervention at the moment as it is with regard to school transport. I call for a debate in this House on school transport. Like many of the Members of this House, I have regularly used the representatives at Bus Éireann's email address to try to raise issues about routes school buses are taking and capacity. The timely manner of responses is totally inadequate. At this time of year, it is important that we ar…

On 5 May, Fine Gael Members of this House brought forward a motion to ensure students' concerns regarding the costs of accessing further education were heard. In that motion, we stated it was urgent and it reflected the daily reality of thousands of students and families grappling with financial pressures. We commended on 5 May the €1,000 reduction in each of the previous three years. These cuts were not just symbolic. For many families they were a lifeline that made the difference between sending their son or daug…

I welcome the survivors in the Gallery: Sheila, Mary, Miriam and Mary. I thank them for sharing their stories with us. I commend our colleague Senator Victor Boyhan on the way he has explained his story over the past couple of weeks and opened up on it. The survivors have an exceptional advocate in this Chamber. After their ten requests there, I am sure my Government colleagues and I will be happy to work with them to see how we can develop that. This legislation, as I have said previously, is a reaffirmation of ou…

I rise today to discuss the issue of insurance for forestry owners. Recent events, particularly in west Roscommon and in Longford and Achill, have laid bare the critical inadequacies of the insurance landscape. We often hear about re-establishment costs being covered but I fear the term is often misunderstood and, frankly, it falls short of what our forestry owners truly need and deserve. Let us be clear that the re-establishment cost primarily covers the cost of clearing debris and replanting the trees. It helps f…

I rise to discuss a sector that had a turnover in 2022 of €52 million and employs approximately 555 people. It is the craft beer sector in Ireland. We need to have a debate on the laws around licensing. The microbrewery in Ballinlough, west Roscommon, Black Donkey Brewing, recently announced it will cease trading. It has been in existence since 2013. Ms Michaela Dillon and Mr. Richard Siberry came up with the idea. It was the first brewery to brew commercially with native wild yeast. They have cited Ireland's outda…

I support this motion. My colleague, Senator Nelson Murray, has been an advocate of SMEs and rural business, as have I, since we entered the Chamber in February. I was a third-generation retailer in Roscommon. I know the effort and industry our small businesses put into everything they do. It is not just about the bottom line. Rather, it is about being part of the community. It is part of their drive. Small businesses embrace the essence of what being Irish means and what community and rural life are all about. I w…