I welcome the Minister of State and his officials to the Chamber. I thank the Minister of State for the work that he and the Department have done on this Bill. I am covering for Senator Paddy Burke, who could not be here. The Bill will have the support of the Fine Gael Party. As the Minister of State said towards the end of his speech, the Bill is essentially just to modernise the system. As someone who had two boys during the Covid pandemic, I understand the difficulty that was posed for parents who had to registe…

Thank you, a Leas-Chathaoirligh. I did not get the opportunity last week to congratulate the Deputy Leader on his elevation. I wish him well in his new role. I am not sure how long it will last or how long we will be here but I know he will conduct himself in a very fair way for everyone in the House. Many people in Clonmel woke up this morning to news of rising costs in childcare services from one provider in the town. Clonmel Childcare has made the difficult decision to leave core funding and increase fees becaus…

The Cathaoirleach might not be aware but we have been joined by 20 Tipperary people. I have great company with me.

I do not normally have this sort of back-up when I speak. I will be brief. I congratulate the Minister of State on his elevation last week, which was well deserved. I look forward to continuing to work with him. I am delighted he will remain within this portfolio, which will be important for the next number of months. The Minister of State has addressed most of the points and I would only be repeating the matters raised by Senator Crowe. I welcome this important Bill. As the Minister of State said, it is particular…

I thank the Minister of State for coming to the Chamber today to take this Commencement matter. Before I speak about childcare and childminders, it is important to acknowledge the incredible work the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, has done in his Department to reduce childcare costs for parents right across the country. In budget 2023, there was a reduction of 25% and in budget 2024 there was a reduction of 25%. I was applying to participate in the national childcare scheme two days ago and noted there has been an incr…

I thank the Minister of State for his response. The response from the Department and the Minister is essentially what I have been asking for. With regard to that draft legislation, if proposals are put forward by the groups representing childminders, I hope the Minister will agree to them. There is no doubt about the Minister's commitment to supporting childcare. It is about the changes being appropriate to the home and family setting and making sure that is recognised in the proposals. I look forward to seeing the…

He is doing so with great energy.

I thank the Minister for being here and taking this Commencement matter. Before I speak about the 9% VAT rate, which is being pushed very hard by sectors across the country that are struggling, the hospitality sector in particular, it is first important to acknowledge what his Department and this Government have done. Since we have been in government in 2011, we have always held the Ministry for Enterprise, Trade and Employment within Fine Gael. We have done that because we have always been pro-business and we want…

I thank the Minister very much for his response and agree with everything he said. Any time I speak with businesses in Tipperary, the very first thing they say, before they make a request, is that they recognise what this Government has done over the past number of years, particularly during the Covid-19 period, in supporting them and their employees and in keeping them alive. That has been crucial. However, we do not want to get to a point where we helped them during Covid and kept them alive but we are not there …

I thank the Minister of State for coming to the Chamber this morning. As he is well aware, one of the biggest criticisms we get as Government public representatives when there are announcements of international protection or Ukrainian citizens coming to a town is the lack of communication. That happened only this week in Tipperary when there were rumours circulating over the weekend that there were going to be 80 international protection applicants facilitated in the Dundrum House Hotel. Public representatives from…

I thank the Minister of State for his reply. Of all of what he read out, only two paragraphs answered some of the questions I asked. I appreciate it is not his Department. He mentioned if the contract is agreed and that they are working with the provider. The provider said a few months ago that he would not use it for international protection and then he was found out. The new owners were found out to be misleading. Everyone in the town knows this is happening. Everyone in the town can see workers going in, changin…

This proves that when I ask questions-----

-----and I know the answers myself, the Department and the communication team do not deliver those answers.

The Minister of State is very welcome to the Chamber. I wish her well and congratulate her on the new role. I have not seen her here since her appointment. I received correspondence from Lorraine Lowry, the principal of Scoil Chormaic, signed by all of the staff, in which she outlines some of the concerns the schools has related to special schools. It is appropriate that I read out the letter and have some of the concerns place on the record of the House. They know on the ground exactly what is needed for these kid…

I thank the Minister of State for her response. It must be acknowledged that a lot was done in budget 2024. The Taoiseach has made this a priority by appointing the Minister of State to the role and having her in Cabinet. From the perspective of principals, they get frustrated when they hear this is the responsibility of the Department of children or this is the responsibility of the Department of Health. It is about helping young kids with special educational needs in a school. While I understand that, the role th…

Next Tuesday, 28 May 2024.

I thank the Cathaoirleach. Unfortunately, Clonmel has been in the news in recent days regarding some incidents that have happened on a site on Heywood Road. This is a site that has been earmarked for 82 modular homes for Ukrainians. Unfortunately, someone who was working on that site was injured, hospitalised and stayed overnight. There have been a number of incidents there. Certainly, the view within Clonmel, from canvassing in the area and meeting locals, is there is huge frustration within the community. No one …

-----but this is important to say because people on the ground know this. The level of violence that has happened has to be condemned but that will not stop. There is a community and there are neighbours there who are willing to do that and more, if things do not change. There needs to be better communication from the Department or someone will get seriously hurt.

The Order of Business is No. 1, report of the Committee of Selection, to be taken without debate on the conclusion of the Order of Business; and No. 2, Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking) Bill 2023 - Second Stage, to be taken at 11.45 a.m., with the time allotted to the opening remarks of the Minister not to exceed 15 minutes, those of group spokespersons not to exceed 12 minutes, those of all other Senators not to exceed six minutes, and the Minister to be given not less than 15 minutes to reply t…

I thank Senators for their contributions. Before I begin, I wish to acknowledge that Senator Moynihan's mother passed away. I want to pass on all of our condolences to the Senator at this difficult time. I lost my mother a long time ago - it is 24 years now - and it still hurts. It is raw for the Senator at the moment, but I am sure the support of her friends and colleagues in the House will help in that process of healing. Most Senators spoke about yesterday's incident involving the Slovakian Prime Minister. Most …