I welcome the decision of the Minister for Finance and the Government to extend the 9% VAT rate to February 2023. This is a very important decision that is designed to support the sector most hit by Covid-19 in order that it can continue to operate in the shoulder season. Senator Conway asked for a debate with the Minister for Education and for a review of the use of schools and related buildings outside of school times. I join with him in that request. Considerable Exchequer funding is spent, has been spent and wi…

I welcome the Minister to the House and thank him for his stewardship of the Department of Finance. I congratulate him on listening to the views of many and on his own vision in terms of the extension of the 9% VAT rate in the hospitality sector. Retention of that rate is important in terms of jobs and people. If the Minister were to listen to the dystopian view of the world from Senator Gavan one would imagine the Government we are part of and support has done nothing to help anybody, to assist, to promote or ensu…

I wish the Cathaoirleach well on his trip on Monday. I wish him Godspeed. Today, the Central Statistics Office announced that the unemployment rate has fallen to 4.8% in April, when it was 7.5% in April 2021. We have 129,500 people unemployed in this country. In her Bill, Senator Sherlock speaks about the whole issue of flexible working and the need for flexibility in working. In reading a piece of the Bill and listening to her contribution this morning, I noticed that the one group she did not talk about at all - …

However, it is important that we have a debate on higher education in the context of the new model unveiled by the Minister yesterday. It is exciting. Not everybody has to go to college but we cannot have barriers to people doing so. That is the important point about yesterday's plan. I will conclude by saying that everybody should be able to access to higher education. Not everybody has to take it up but there should not be barriers to access.

I am happy to accept that correction.

I am happy to take it. I am sorry for interrupting Senator Wall.

I second the amendment.

I welcome the Minister to the House. I will be brief. Like Senator Dooley, I am a member of the transport committee, which has engaged in an inordinate amount of informed debate and consideration of this issue. Senator Dooley referred to the issue of architecture and to Michael Kingston whose testimony and evidence are to be commended. This is a technical Bill. It is about protecting and saving lives and ensuring that our Marine Accident and Investigation Board has confidence. I am heartened by the Minister's comme…

Dé Máirt ar leathuair tar éis a dó.

I ask the Deputy Leader to arrange a debate on the future of the pharmacy sector. Next week the Irish Pharmacy Union, IPU, will hold its annual general meeting. I want to take the opportunity on the floor of Seanad Éireann to pay tribute to the outgoing general secretary, Mr. Darragh O'Loughlin, for his professionalism, commitment, advocacy and drive, along with so many others in the IPU. We heard a clarion call from the co-chairman of the IPU, Ms Kathy Maher, last weekend. She said the pharmacy sector was at crisi…

How does one follow that? "Whispers informed strangers" is one of my favourite lines from Heaney. I commend the ambassador of Poland on the wonderful generosity of the Polish people and their government in the ongoing horrific Ukraine situation. I thank the ambassador who is very welcome to Ireland. I ask the Leader to facilitate a debate on the national development plan 2040. The Minister, Deputy Michael McGrath, has appointed five members to the oversight body. That is important. This morning, the CSO published f…

Hear, hear.

Well said.

Hear, hear.

Well said.

I welcome the students and staff and thank them for being here. Democracy and politics are very important in every aspect of their lives. I wish them well in being here today. I seek a debate on vaccines beyond Covid. This is World Immunisation Week. Ireland spends 0.2% of its health budget on immunisation. That figure would alarm and amaze all of us. If it does not, it should because, during the Covid pandemic, we have seen the importance of vaccine take-up. We have seen the success of our vaccine programme in the…

All of us are acutely aware, as members of the committee, of the importance of this Bill. It should be put on the record of the House that there has been extensive consultations on this Bill. I thank Michael Kingston for his engagement with us. I ask Members to read the report on pre-legislative scrutiny and the heads of the Bill from the Joint Committee on Transport and Communications. All of us have an overarching aim to improve safety and ensure that reform takes place. I have a one-dimensional ask of the Minist…

Next Tuesday.

Tomorrow at 10.30 a.m.

I thank the Cathaoirleach for raising the sad passing of Michael O’Kennedy and sympathise with his wife, Breda, and family. I got to know the late former Minister in his retirement. He was a gentleman and was always encouraging to me despite any political differences we might have had. I also wish to be associated with the remarks regarding Jimmy Leonard and extend my sympathies to his family. Will the Leader invite the Minister for Foreign Affairs to come before the House? This week, a district court in St. Peters…