The amendment states that "Under this Act, all records relating to the adoption or informal care arrangement of a relevant person are considered to be that person’s personal data, regardless of whether that data are shared with another person. Personal data in relation to a relevant person, includes but is not limited to" and so on. The Minister has said that we are better off sticking with the definitions that are most up to date and in line with the European Court of Justice and the GDPR. The problem is that this…

The Minister just spoke about the need for a culture change in the context of releasing information to adopted people. We all know the history of that not really happening and of bodies trying to keep it hidden under the carpet. The Minister then said that his Department will be tasked with trying to change that culture not only within the Department itself but within organisations like Tusla and the AAI. I do not know on what planet it makes sense to task the very organisation that has potentially created that cul…

The amendments tabled by Deputy Bacik seek to address one of the most significant barriers in the Bill, which is the mandatory information session. The committee's pre-legislative scrutiny report was unambiguous in recommending that the mandatory information session should be removed from the legislation and that alternative appropriate safeguards should instead be provided for, such as the sending of correspondence by registered post. The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission stated the information session pr…

Firstly, the Minister's insinuation that I dispute parents being able to register a no-contact preference is ridiculous. That is evident in the fact that we are not debating amendments to remove the no-contact preference. We are debating amendments on removing a mandatory information session for adopted people. The Minister bringing that into it is evidence of the non-existence of legitimate argument in keeping a mandatory information session. If we accept the Minister's argument that some mechanism is necessary to…

I move amendment No. 58: In page 23, between lines 6 and 7, to insert the following: “(6) When a relevant person applies under sections 11 and 12 for information and/or when a relevant person applies for their personal data, the relevant body or the Authority will make available all medical records to the relevant person regardless of whether they have explicitly requested those items.”.

I welcome the changes the Minister has made to the legislation and all the work he and his Department have done on it. Is there any chance of that last change being made in respect of the mandatory information session? If we accept the Minister's argument that it has to be there, a really good compromise would be if the way it was carried could be achieved through Deputy Bacik's amendment. There would be a lot more support for the Bill if that was reconsidered in the Seanad, as Deputy Bacik has said.

Is there any chance the Minister would consider amendment No. 59?

I hope the Taoiseach is aware that Cork has the worst children's disability services in the country. Families are not coping seeing their children deteriorate with the lack of services. There are no words for the suffering families are enduring, not to mind the State’s neglect of children with disabilities. Progressing disability services has failed. Children are worse off than they were before reconfiguration. Not only are these children’s rights being denied, their capacity to live full, independent lives is bein…

Does the Taoiseach think the management should meet with them?

There is an appalling disparity in the Government's allocation of our national mackerel quota. Only 2% is assigned to all vessels under 15 m, while 98% is given to a few much larger boats. Inshore fishers make up the majority of the fishing sector and they engage in the most sustainable type of fishing which has been practised in our island and coastal communities for centuries, yet they only receive 2% of the quota. Last year, because of this massive disparity, inshore fishers were forced to stop catching mackerel…

Sorry, but I am not asking about that.

I am talking about the national allocation of our mackerel quota.

It is only 2% to the sector.

Any electoral reform is welcome. This reform is long overdue. We are all aware of issues around voter registration, the inaccuracies of the register of electors and poor voter education. Our republic is founded on the sovereignty of the Irish people, but this can be only realised through an electoral system that proactively enables participation, fostering understanding of elections and facilitating as many people as possible to vote. It is disappointing that such a long-awaited Bill is lacking the necessary ambiti…

The Government's rural development policy for 2021 to 2025 commits to progressing vital infrastructure development for island communities. However, the Dursey Island situation tells a different story. Only after weeks of sustained pressure did the Department commit to provide a public replacement to the cable car during its temporary closure. The people of west Cork are rightly worried that this is a further indication of the Government's lack of commitment to support our offshore islands. What assurances can the M…

The issue for people on the islands is that while the Government says it plans to progress vital infrastructure development for island communities, they believe the reality is different. In the case of Dursey Island, instead of an immediate reassurance to those who farm and live there, the council and Department played pass the parcel. The Department provided funding for a public service because ultimately it was always going to be the responsibility of the Minister's Department. The community and public representa…

I cannot speak for Cork County Council, but the last-minute nature of the announcement was unacceptable. Weeks before the closure, I raised it with the Minister's Department. It is disappointing that the Minister is unwilling to acknowledge the frustrations and worries of the island community. It is an incredibly resilient group, but it needs Government policy backed with concrete measures to support it now. I have continuously pushed for investment in small piers on our islands and coastlines. They are vital infra…

Despite the prominent role of agriculture in Ireland, it is a fragile system exposed to disruption in international supply chains. We are net importers of many vegetables and we are highly reliant on industrial fertilisers. Will the Minister provide an update on his meetings with farm organisations to improve our national food security this year? What policy changes does he propose to ensure our food sovereignty in the longer term?

I acknowledge the Minister's efforts to address the issue. What policy changes are we looking at to address food sovereignty? Farming organisations have outlined that very few farmers have the capacity to grow the grain we need. What consideration is being given to supporting the existing tillage sector to have the knowledge and capability to encourage planting of more grain? With targeted funding, farmers could plant more or rent suitable land. Has flexibility for the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme, GLAS…

The cattle are already calving now. The Minister is aware of the pressing need for farmers to be supported, but this situation raises larger points about our food sovereignty. The pandemic should have been a wake-up call to pivot towards a more secure position. In 2020, our vulnerabilities to food supply chains were clearly exposed. Now, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has highlighted this weakness again. I am very concerned that no real lessons were learned, either by the Department or by the Government, on this i…