Are we seeking a debate on housing? We are.

I commend the Senator on his work on the initiative that was launched yesterday, and on his leadership in the area of autism and creating autism awareness. As Cathaoirleach, I will be writing to all Members to encourage them to accept that we need to make our Parliament autism-friendly by December 2023. That requires all of us collectively to do that together. I thank Senator Carrigy and the members of the committee for all of the work they have done thus far. We certainly all need to support the next challenge. Th…

I welcome to the Public Gallery the students and staff from Greystones Educate Together National School who are on a tour today. They are very welcome and I hope they have a pleasant visit to the Houses of the Oireachtas.

No interruptions, please. Senator Ahearn has the floor.

Senator Byrne had his opportunity. Let the Acting Leader reply.

I welcome students from Greystones Educate Together National School and St. Mary's Holy Faith in Killester. They are all very welcome. I thank them for their patience as the Acting Leader replied to the Order of Business and for being here.

Before we deal with No. 1, I welcome to the Public Gallery Councillor Michael ‘Moegie’ Maher, mayor of Galway. He is very welcome. He is joined by a group of American county supervisors from Washington County. They are all welcome not just to Leinster House but to Ireland. We thank them for their service in the United States of America and for the friendship they have established with us. Our Leas-Chathaoirleach, who will be taking over in the Chair in a moment, is doing an extraordinary amount of work in America, …

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Richmond.

I have received notice from the following Senators that they propose to raise the following matters: Senators Robbie Gallagher and Niall Blaney - The need for the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to make a statement on the opening this year of the sports capital programme to new applicants. Senator Emer Currie - The need for the Minister for Education to make a statement on the need for a new secondary school in Tyrrelstown, Dublin 15. Senator Róisín Garvey - The need for the Minister…

An chéad chainteoir ná an Seanadóir Robbie Gallagher who is sharing time with Senator Blaney.

My apologies for being late and I now ask the Deputy Leader to outline the Order of Business for today.

At the beginning of our Order of Business I welcome a very distinguished group of young women to the Gallery. I say that deliberately because they all commenced school together in 1966 in the Presentation Secondary School, Thurles. They are all very welcome. I hope that the friendships endured, that there is not so much rivalry or slagging now and that they have a wonderful day here in Leinster House. We are so honoured to have these guests here and I thank them for being with us this morning. I call on Senator Cro…

I welcome the students in the Gallery from St. Mary's CBS in Portlaoise. They are very welcome to the Houses of the Oireachtas.

At this juncture, I welcome to the Public Gallery Ms Sharon Bradley, co-ordinator of the Dublin 12 drugs and alcohol task force, who is here with her family. She is the guest of our colleague and friend, Senator Seery-Kearney. I thank Ms Bradley for the tremendous work she is doing in the community. The work the committee is doing is incredible. I thank her very much for being here today.

Before I ask Senator Malcolm Byrne to address the House, I thank him for the event he is hosting on media freedom today at 12.15 p.m. We are joined in the Public Gallery by Ms Caoilfhionn Gallagher, who has been recently appointed as the Irish special rapporteur for children. She is a barrister by profession and has been very involved in many high-profile cases. I thank her for her work. We are also joined by Mr. Sebastian Lai, who is a prominent Hong Kong journalist and political activist. He is the son of Jimmy L…

Thank you. The time is up.

Go ahead and make the point.

We can have that debate another day.

Thank you. Before I call Senator Mullen, I welcome the students from St. Columb’s College in Derry who are with us this afternoon. We are joined by Mark McConnellogue, James Tourish, a student who was the winner of the life advocate awards essay competition, and Adam McIntyre, Aaron Kelly and Geraldine Ahern, who are here with them today. As members will know, St. Columb’s College is one of the most illustrious colleges in the country, with Nobel laureates, sportspeople, musicians, academics and even an RTÉ corresp…

Níl éinne eile ag iarraidh teacht isteach ag an bpointe seo. Glaoim ar an Leas-Cheannaire.