I welcome this very important legislation. This Bill is not only about enhancing the role of local authorities but also empowering their elected representatives to serve and to do their job without fear or worry. The points being made in the debate are well made. The Minister of State should be acknowledged as the person who delivered for councillors in his term, to be fair to him. He delivered on the thorny issues of councillors' pay and conditions and he deserves the support and thanks not just of Members in this…

On this sombre day, I also pay tribute to Private Seán Rooney who tragically lost his life as a peacemaker. As Senator Malcolm Byrne said, he was part of our UNIFIL peacekeeping mission. We give thanks for Private Rooney and sympathise with his family. As Senator McGahon rightly and eloquently said, let us bring him home so that we can celebrate his life. We sympathise with his family and think of the injured soldiers who were with him as well. This morning, the Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, publi…

As a body politic, we need to restore confidence in An Bord Pleanála and the whole planning process. I have a pathological dislike of the whole virtual meeting scenario given that we are now out of Covid. Yesterday, we met members of the Local Authority Members Association, LAMA. Some council meetings are now held virtually or a blended version is available. Several possible scenarios could present themselves here. If there is a vote, mar shampla, on a proposal and it is my turn to vote, I could pretend that my lin…

That is true.

I thank the Minister of State for being here. This matter is redundant because neither the Minister for Transport nor his Minister of State is present. I appreciate that they have schedules and business to attend to but I tabled a Commencement matter on the review of the national aviation strategy. I appreciate that the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan, in his previous capacity as a Minister of State at the then Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, would have a knowledge of tourism. However, he never held…

I did mention it.

The Minister of State has made a good point regarding a revision of the scheduling. I thank him for the reply. Comprehensive work on our aviation policy is required. It is critical that we build on the success of our aviation sector to date because aviation plays such an important role for us. It enhances connectivity which leads to job creation and economic development. The Minister of State was correct in his off-script remark that Shannon and Cork airports are important. Everything cannot go through Dublin Airpo…

The Minister of State has made a good case to be the Minister for Transport next week, in fairness to him.

Hear, hear. Well said.

I join Senator Mary Seery Kearney in welcoming the proposals from Government about international surrogacy and the recognition of surrogacy arrangements. She did not mention herself in her contribution. She deserves major accolades for her tenacity, professionalism, zeal and drive to make sure that this happened. I sincerely thank her and say well done to her. We have an orange weather warning forecast for tonight and tomorrow. I ask that the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy O'Brien, come…

Well said.

I welcome the Minister of State to the House and thank him for bringing this information to us today. To be fair, Senator Higgins has made a telling contribution in this context, no matter what one's view is on Seanad reform or one's position regarding this House. I am anxious not to digress from the matter before us, but if we are to build upon the Taoiseach's contribution on this subject last Monday and his claim that he saved the Seanad, as the leader of the Government, and in the context of this proposal of the…

I welcome the Minister of State and thank her for her presence this afternoon. I acknowledge that we have a severe weather alert and there has been a major issue across Europe with weather incidents. It is important that the 35,000 passengers and travelling members of the public who have been discommoded over the past five days are looked after and adequately and properly recompensed. I am a member of the Joint Committee on Transport and Communications, which has heard concerns expressed around the preparedness of …

I am standing in for Senator Conway. I welcome the Minister of State. I hope this is not her last time to address the Seanad as Minister of State at the Department of Health because, to be fair to her, she has been a very proactive Minister of State. I do not say that patronisingly. As a former Chairperson of the Joint Committee on Health and Children I found it refreshing to see her take on vested interests in her Department. I commend her on the work that she has done during her time in office. I hope that if she…

I thank them for that. I know first-hand from my own experience this year of how much work they do and the care and attention they give to the families and those patients who need it. The Sláintecare consultant contract is transformative. A public-only hospital contract is to be welcomed. Then, in tandem with that, there is €23 billion in the healthcare budget for this year. We have increased the number of acute beds with a 26% increase in critical beds. Senators Gavan or Maria Byrne will come into the Chamber and …

Senator Martin is absolutely right.

What about a good Ulster fry?

Is the Senator going to give us a song?

I join other Members in congratulating the Cathaoirleach and all members of staff on the very suitable and excellent commemorative event yesterday in Leinster House to commemorate Seanad 100. Senators, including me as recently as last week, have raised the issue of the drug, Kaftrio. I ask that the Minister for Health come to the House and present an update to us. That would be opportune because there is still an issue with access to treatment for young people with cystic fibrosis. I will not read it to the House b…

Hear, hear.