Dáil Éireann has passed the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (Amendment) Bill on 6 November 2024, to which the agreement of Seanad Éireann is desired. Dáil Éireann has passed the Appropriation Bill 2024 on 6 November 2024, to which the agreement of Seanad Éireann is desired.

The Cathaoirleach has received notice from the following Senators that they propose to raise the following matters: Senator Mary Fitzpatrick - The need for the Minister for Education to make a statement on her engagement with the State Examinations Commission regarding the proposal from Dyslexia Ireland that additional exam time be given to students with dyslexia in the junior and leaving certificate examinations. Senator Malcolm Byrne - The need for the Minister for Education to provide an update on the pilot scho…

I thank the Senator.

Before I call on Senator Keogan, I welcome the pupils of St. Margaret’s National School in Finglas and their teachers. I hope they are having a good day and learning things about politics and about this building. I hope in the future some of them will become politicians and do a better job than we do, or as good a job as we try to do anyway. If their teachers are listening, the pupils will not have any homework today or tomorrow.

The Senator's number one supporter is behind her in the Public Gallery, smiling as she speaks.

Before I call the Deputy Leader, I also thank Martin Groves, Bridget Doody and all the team in the Seanad Office for their professionalism in recent years. We have moved from the Convention Centre to the Dáil and back to the Seanad. We really only developed the unity between us once we came back to our home here in Seanad Éireann. While it has been a fast four and a half years, they have been busy and fruitful. I wish everyone well in their campaigns for the Lower House or the Upper House. We have a busy number of …

Seeing as the other two did and I did from that Chair earlier on, I want to acknowledge-----

Am I allowed to speak? It is quite fitting that the Senator is sitting there in his last moments in this Chamber. I wish him and his family well. I also acknowledge the Minister on her exemplary work over the past five years. Being Minister for Justice is not an easy job and it has been difficult for the Minister's predecessors but she has done incredible work, particularly for women right across the country. If I had to mention one place, it would be Cuan Saor in Clonmel that looks up to her so much in all she has…

I welcome the Minister of State to the Chamber and thank him for introducing the Bill. The fact there are no amendments suggests it will be widely accepted. We did a lot of pre-legislative scrutiny on this in the Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment and most things have been thrashed out. It is a technical but important Bill. I acknowledge the work the Minister of State and his officials in the Department have done on it. We have got it through just in time, which is good. I thank the Minister of State for…

Before I ask the Minister to respond, I welcome the students of CBC Cork Preparatory School. I hope they are having a very good day visiting Leinster House. I hope they are enjoying it and learning a lot. I hope some of them become politicians in the future. If their teachers are there, I can tell them they have no homework this evening if there is any coming. Or rather it is two days, that is Wednesday and Thursday.

Recommendation No. 7 has been ruled out of order due to a potential charge on the people.

I welcome Deputy Michael Ring's guests, who I suspect are from Mayo: Ita Plunkett, Patricia Walsh, Margaret O'Donnell and Sheila English. They are all very welcome to the Chamber. I hope they have had a fruitful and enjoyable day with Deputy Ring. They are in very good company, so should enjoy it.

I welcome the guests of Deputy John Paul Phelan, who I suspect are from County Kilkenny. I hope they are having a very enjoyable day. It is tough for a Tipperary man to welcome Kilkenny people, but they are very welcome and I hope they have a good day. They are in very good hands with Deputy Phelan. Unless the Minister has anything further to add, we will move on.

Recommendation No. 9 has been ruled out of order as it is not relevant to the subject matter of the Bill.

It has already been discussed.

Recommendation No. 16, in the names of Senators Gavan and Warfield, has been ruled out of order due to a potential charge on the people.

Recommendation No. 17 is in the names of Senators Gavan and Warfield. Recommendations Nos. 17 and 18 are related and may be discussed together by agreement. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Recommendations Nos. 19 and 37 are related and may be discussed together by agreement. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Recommendations Nos. 25 and 41 are related and may be discussed together by agreement. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Now.