That is perfect. I would love to have more time to speak on this but I will get straight to the point. I fully support this motion and I thank the Minister for his input and support to the sector. The horse and greyhound industries are a huge sector where I am from in Tipperary. I thank the Minister for his work in supporting Clonmel greyhound track and securing its future for the next number of years. Horse racing creates 10,000 jobs directly and loads more indirectly. It contributes about €1 billion in generated …

I am sharing my time with Senator Maria Byrne. I welcome the Tánaiste to the Chamber and thank him for attending. I am conscious that as we speak, there are businesses right across the country that are closed not because of Covid measures but because of Storm Barra. It is a really difficult time for businesses today. This will possibly be the case tomorrow. They are extremely worried about that. In that context, about a year ago the Tánaiste and the Minister of State responsible for the OPW, Deputy O'Donovan, set u…

I second the motion. I thank the Cathaoirleach for facilitating the sort of debate we are having today. It is very much welcome, and I hope we will continue in this way. I acknowledge the good work of Senator O’Loughlin on this debate and the fact that everyone on the administrative panel supports it. I remember talking to my family at home in the 1980s when my mother was a politician. She had two children when she was a councillor but took no leave from the council at the time. She was asked to run in the 1987 gen…

It worked for both of you.

I welcome the Minister of State to the Chamber and thank her for coming here. Like most people have said, this is an important discussion though not one that anyone wants and legislation must be brought through, if and when necessary. Legislation has been brought before and the sky did not fall in. Things have been done, and done in the proper way. I want to comment on the tone used today by Senators Boyhan and Gavan. I acknowledge the way that they spoke. They spoke about the concerns of people. We have all receiv…

-----or compare the Minister for Health to medical apartheid. We have all got messages from people who have been ill-informed, gone down rabbit holes and almost cannot be brought back in their view of this pandemic. We blame RTÉ, and rightly so, and we blame the media and social media but these Houses have a responsibility. The Oireachtas commission, which acts in the best interests of how these Houses are run, needs to reflect on the language that is spoken in these Houses and the impact that has on society going …

I welcome the Minister to the Chamber and thank him for taking this Commencement matter. The straw incorporation measure is a payment for chopping straw and incorporating it into the soil. There are certain crops that can be used such as winter or spring oats, rye, winter or spring wheat, winter or spring barley and winter or spring oilseed rape. You can get paid on, at least, 5 ha but for no more than 40 ha. If you apply for more than 40 ha you can carry it out but there is no payment above 40 ha. The Department o…

I welcome that this will be available for the duration of the next CAP. I acknowledge the excellent work that the Minister has done on CAP over the past weeks and months, and his engagement with farmers throughout the country. No one would want to limit the possibility of farmers coming onto the scheme, especially when, as the Minister said, it is a positive one. He said that there has been a pay-out of approximately €8.5 million. There will be €10 million for this scheme in the budget. Particular farmers in Tipper…

I received confirmation during the week that construction at Clonmel Garda station is expected to start in September 2023. It is welcome that we have a timeframe for it but it is incredibly frustrating how slow the process has been. Clonmel Garda station is part of a bundle under a public-private partnership, PPP. The bundle includes Macroom Garda station and the family law complex at Hammond Lane in Dublin. Clonmel Garda station has had planning permission for a while, as has Macroom Garda station. As with all PPP…

I ask that the Minister for Health be called in as a matter of urgency regarding the winter plan he announced a week ago. I recall that, last year, it was announced in the second-last week of September and it was a winter plan for October to March, yet this winter plan was only announced a week ago. That has raised concerns for the public, although it is welcome that there will be an increased number of ICU beds, which have gone from 300 to 350. I was looking at the nationwide trolley count this morning. Some 274 p…

Who ever said Covid certificates stop people getting Covid?

On a point of order, a comment was made earlier by a Senator that Covid certificates do not prevent people from getting the virus. Comments like that diminish public confidence and confuse people. It is important to say that Covid certificates are there to protect people from going into environments. No politician in this House or the Lower House has ever made a comment like that. It is important to clarify.

I hope that when comments like that are made, the Cathaoirleach would intervene and clarify for the public who are listening.

It is blatantly untrue. People listen to this and they trust what is said in the House.

I was and then you told me to stay quiet.

Well you did not say to stay quiet, but the next Senator was up to speak.

It is dangerous commentary.

It is rubbish; that is what it is.

I did, and then you went to someone else.

I welcome the comments of the Taoiseach yesterday in reply to a question from Deputy Richmond on the roll-out of antigen testing for use in early childhood settings, Montessori schools and crèches. In his response he said there should be some fine tuning. I ask that we get the detail of the fine-tuning for that sector as a matter of urgency. All they are asking is that they be treated the same as those in school education. In recent days we have heard of the challenges in getting substitute teachers. The same chall…