I thank the Minister for that commitment. It will be very much welcomed by Members of this House. That respect is very important and I am sure it will be reciprocated. We have had a very worthwhile debate. When is it proposed to sit again?

Is that agreed? Agreed.

I wish to ask the Leader when the renewal of the accommodation recognition payment for beneficiaries of temporary protection will come before the House. As he knows, this temporary measure is up on 31 March. It has been renewed twice over the past four years. There are many Ukrainians in this country - approximately 36,000 at the moment - who are benefiting from host families looking after them over recent years. This has always been a temporary measure, but it obviously needs to be renewed. We currently have more …

I welcome yesterday's announcement of funding for cycleways and walkways across the country. Tipperary has received almost €650,000 to go towards cycleways and improving routes in the county. This is a critical piece of infrastructure. It is very good for well-being and good for people to be out and active. Routes along Tipperary have been quite successful. The Suir blueway from Carrick-on-Suir to Clonmel is being extended from Clonmel to Marlfield and Cahir. With this funding, it will continue up to the Rock of Ca…

Now.

The bells are ringing in the Lower House, so the Minister of State has to go to vote. The next Minister of State due here has to vote as well, so I ask the Acting Leader that we suspend the House until 3 p.m.

Is that agreed? Agreed.

We will switch and take matters Nos. 5 and 6 with the Minister, Deputy Calleary, first. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Before the Minister responds, I take this opportunity to welcome the guests of Deputy Richard O'Donoghue from CBS in Charleville who are here in the Public Gallery. I hope you are all having a good day and enjoying your visit. I also hope the Deputy is looking after you well.

As we wait for the Minister of State, Deputy Murnane O'Connor, to take the next Commencement matter, I thank Senators Fitzpatrick and Ruane for facilitating the change to suit the Minister, Deputy Calleary.

I thank the Senator. Before I ask Senator Ruane to speak on her Commencement matter, I welcome guests of the former Captain of the Guard John Flaherty. It is lovely to see him again. He and his guests are very welcome. They are in much better hands than a Senator or a TD bringing them around this building. They are in wonderful hands. It is great to see John.

I ask that we have a debate with the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment on the news of possible tariffs for the EU and the impact they could have. As we all know, businesses across the country are going through a very difficult time. They have increased expenditure, and challenges which are quite demanding for them at the moment. The Government recognises that and is trying to put supports in place for businesses, such as the 9% VAT rate which will be introduced in the next budget and other measures. I a…

I propose a suspension of the House until 3.05 p.m.

I welcome the Minister of State to the Chamber and wish him well in his new role. It is wonderful to have a former Member of this House elevated to a Ministry. I know that during his term he will show this House and Members of this House the utmost respect, because he is a former Member. I raise the issue of security for all public representatives right across the country. As the Minister of State knows, politics has changed in the past 20 years. Demands on politicians and local representatives have increased drama…

I thank the Minister of State for his response. As he said, he knows this issue very well. He was a councillor for 11 years in Waterford City Council and mayor for two years. He knows the challenges and pressures councillors are under. Councillors also know that. I know from talking to a lot of councillors that they are very hopeful that he will be able to make changes. As he said, 23 people put in applications in 2024. We have more than 1,000 councillors, which shows there is something in the system that is wrong.…

I am sharing time with Senator Duffy. We will take five minutes each, if that is agreeable. The Minister is very welcome to the Chamber. He has now been here two weeks in a row, which is a good start. You cannot talk about community safety or crime without first acknowledging the service our gardaí provide right across the country. In our jobs, we deal with them on a weekly basis. We know the sacrifices they and their families make for them to carry out the work they do. We have family members, friends and neighbou…

I move: That Seanad Éireann approves the exercise by the State of the option or discretion under Protocol No. 21 on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland in respect of the area of freedom, security and justice annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, to take part in the adoption and application of the following proposed measure: Council Decision authorising the opening of negotiations for an agreement between the European Union and the United Kingd…

I will share time with Senator Lynch if that is agreeable to the House. I probably will not need all the time. First, I congratulate the Leas-Chathaoirleach on her election success and I wish her well. As others have stated, she will be a very fair and balanced Leas-Chathaoirleach. She has huge experience in this Chamber and I know she will work extremely hard on behalf of all Senators. I welcome the Minister to the Chamber for the first time. As Senator Clifford-Lee said, I suspect this will be one of his easier v…

I congratulate the Leader on his position and I wish him well. It looks like we have a fairly full House today so if he will be answering questions he might be half the day replying to everyone. I am sure that will change in time. I ask that we have a debate with the new Minister for Transport at the earliest convenience. The previous Minister, Eamon Ryan, did an awful lot of good work in certain areas in terms of public transport, walkways and cycleways but in the previous programme for Government there was an agr…

We realise that we have ample opportunity to speak in the Chamber on a range of issues on any day of the week, but it would be remiss of me not to congratulate the Cathaoirleach on his election. Many attributes have been directed his way by a number of speakers, with whom I agree. He has and holds two very important attributes, which he showed as Cathaoirleach previously, that are crucial going forward. The first is his relationship and connections with our friends in America. That is more important now than it eve…