I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Fleming, to the House. I second Senator Ardagh's comments on the Bill. I congratulate and compliment her on her work, diligence and tenacity and for chairing the cross-party committee. Today is an important day. The Senator is right that it is about ensuring better outcomes for people. Our debate today, while it may be about a technical Bill, is about the quality of life of people. I welcome our distinguished visitors in the Gallery and thank them for their advocacy and work …

I welcome that we will have a minute's silence for Vicky Phelan. As was said yesterday, it is important that we not just commemorate her life, but that we put into words the actions she sought us to take. This morning the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Mary Butler, a very progressive Minister of State in the Department of Health, launched an important report by the Samaritans on mental health. There have been 350,000 calls to its helpline. A figure of 19,000 from within the prison system indi…

Hear, hear.

You are Micheál’s man so you have influence.

I welcome the Minister of State and thank her for being here for this important debate. I wish to be associated with the words of commendation to her and her availability. When we meet the Minister of State on her travels, we cannot but be impressed by her warmth, understanding, competency and awareness of the issues pertaining to the nursing home sector. I say this as a former Chair of the Committee on Health. I do not come here to give the Minister of State false praise, but it is an important sector. As Senator …

I also wish to be associated with the expressions of sympathy to the late Vicky Phelan and I thank her for her advocacy and campaigning zeal. I think we all agree that we should not lament her passing without ensuring that the action she fought for is fully implemented. May she rest in peace, and to her family we express our deepest sympathies. Senator Conway's suggestion of a motion of sympathy tomorrow is a good one and I hope the Leader will acquiesce to it. I ask that the Minister of State at the Department of …

I ask the Leader, as a matter of urgency, to facilitate a debate with the Minister for Justice on the future of An Garda Síochána and the need for us to support the members of the Garda. One can look at the figures revealed this week, where the number of gardaí retiring or leaving early is the highest in five years. One can also look at the number of people going into Templemore, which is just 90 out of a recruitment batch which is quite a deal smaller than was hoped for. One can then listen to the representative b…

I join Senator Boyhan in wishing members of LAMA every success in their two-day deliberation. In the context of the body politic, it is important we have a debate on local government, its funding and the discrepancies in some cases between the allocation of funding to counties. I congratulate Governor Maura Healey, the first lesbian woman to be elected governor of Massachusetts last night. She is an extraordinary person who will be a wonderful governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and its people. I wish her…

I am not advocating that people should not watch the World Cup; I will watch it. I know Senators Gavan and Clonan are sports people and they will probably be watching it as well. The following might be a discordant note but I congratulate Harry Kane, who will wear the One Love armband. That should be a clarion call to all teams to wear the One Love armband because that sends a message into millions of homes around the world that we stand for love, inclusivity and diversity.

Hear, hear.

Now.

I thank the Minister of State and her officials for their perseverance, tenacity and ability to listen. As Senator Murphy said, there may have been a lot of turbulence in the air. The contributions of Senator Craughwell and my good friend, Senator Doherty, have lent to this Bill being debated. While there may be differences in the jets stream around what we are trying to achieve, ultimately, this Bill is about reform. In tandem with that, it is about safety, security, regulation and consumer protection. At the hear…

I have an issue with the motion in terms of the 16 minutes and being fair to Senator O'Loughlin. I know that-----

I appreciate that but if the Leas-Chathaoirleach could indulge me for half a minute. We should not be limiting the time of debate in the House and I am not part of the Committee on Parliamentary Privileges and Oversight, but it is an erroneous decision by it to curtail the speaking time of Members. In previous contributions, Senator McDowell has spoken about how, on occasions like this we should give the proponent of a motion further time. I am disappointed to hear that proposal.

I rest my case.

I welcome the UCD students including the Leas-Chathaoirleach's son, Eoghan, who is a very fine young man pursuing his studies in UCD. I commend Senator O'Loughlin on this important motion. As a member of the Oireachtas transport committee, I recognise this issue is pertinent to the Senator in her area. In my work as transport spokesperson, in advance of tonight's motion and in general, I have engaged with many councillors and public representatives. The NTA, Dublin Bus and Go-Ahead Ireland were before the transport…

This is a debating chamber, by the way. We are entitled to put forward motions for discussion.

I ask that the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment come to the House and that we have a debate on the world of work, in particular on employment law and the situation regarding our tech industry in light of the appalling behaviour by Twitter over the weekend and especially Mr. Musk and the way he has trampled on the rights of workers. Like Senator Hoey, I wish to express my abhorrence at what has happened to the workers. There was no notification other than by an email. They were locked out of their accou…

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, to the House. I thank the Minister of State for being here for the debate tonight on housing. I commend the Minister and the Ministers of State in the Department on their work on housing. I also put on record my appreciation of the previous Minister, Eoghan Murphy, who was a very good Minister in an extraordinarily difficult time. In many ways, the developments being opened today were planned, commenced and begun in his time. I also commend my colleague, the environme…

I do not know if you should be saying that.