Well okay, but they get a half day on Wednesday so it is two and half days. I am not going to have a row with the Senator. My point is that if we are seriously looking at how we can prevent the spread of the disease, that is one part of our arsenal. The people who work in our vaccination centres deserve great credit. There have been issues arising from a breakdown in communication which is disappointing. I appeal to the Minister of State that she would go back to the HSE on the matter of redeployment of people. I d…

Senator Keogan is correct. At one level, it is no business of a journalist to be inquiring as to the vaccination status of any Member of the Oireachtas. It is an intrusion of privacy and I fully concur with her. I answered the question for one reason. I am a proponent of vaccination, whether it is the HPV vaccine or the Covid-19 vaccine. I am a big believer in vaccination. We are role models as legislators, and, in my opinion, if we expect people to get vaccinated, and we stand up here and make comments and act wit…

I was not saying that.

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I thank the Cathaoirleach for allowing me to raise the important matter of the HSE advanced paramedic motorbike unit in Cork. There are two such motorbikes operational in Cork. The key words are "operational" and "Cork". They have been in use for only two of the last 52 weeks. Why have they been unused and lying idle? I am asking the Government and, in particular, the HSE to reinstate the advanced paramedic motorcycle unit in Cork as a matter of urgency. It saves lives.…

I thank the Minister of State for her response. I also want to thank the members of the NAS in Cork for their work and commitment. The response is positive in so far as it contains a commitment to resume the service. While this is not the Minister of State’s area of responsibility, I ask her to ensure that we receive a resumption date. A definite date is required because, as we all know, with the greatest respect, this could linger in HSE never-never land and might never happen. The service might never resume and w…

I ask the Leader to arrange a debate on the new road safety strategy 2021-2030, which the Minister of State, Deputy Hildegarde Naughton is bringing to Cabinet today, in the new year. This is an important strategy with an overarching aim to reduce road deaths, which we will all support. It is worth noting for the information of Senators and road users that since the first road safety strategy was introduced in 1998, there has been a 70% decline in the number of road deaths. That is something we all welcome. The new …

Hear, hear.

I begin today by congratulating and thanking Cáit Hayes, who is retiring from the staff of the Houses of the Oireachtas. Cáit has spent 35 years working here, with distinction, in many different roles. Those of us who have got to know her over the years recognise the value and interest she had in the Parliament that is the Oireachtas, in representing us abroad and at home. I thank her most sincerely and I wish her a very happy retirement.

I welcome the Government's decision and announcement earlier to extend the EWSS and to make changes to the CRSS. It is very important that we continue to support our hospitality sector. I echo the call by Senator Black and others that the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Deputy Martin, be asked to come to the House for a discussion on live entertainment and the music industry. Senator Black comes from a very cherished position of being an extraordinary musician and singer. Those of u…

Hear, hear.

Does the Senator really believe that? Incredible.

The Minister is very welcome to the House. I begin by referencing an article by Ms Caitlín Griffin that was published in the Irish Examiner on 12 September: "1,346 cases of Covid confirmed as expert says mask-wearing is needed in primary schools". The one thing we have learned is that this pandemic or virus has a trajectory all of its own, as the Minister has said. I like Senator Keogan on a personal level but what we listened to in the House today is absolutely appalling. We are legislators, Members of the Oireach…

Hear, hear.

I welcome the Minister back to the House. I think we have all missed a trick in this debate and we should all be stepping back. We should actually have proposed collectively that there should be pre-legislative scrutiny of this Bill. That is what we should have done if we are to be honest about it. The debate so far is like the debate we had in this House a couple of years ago when we unanimously supported the motion calling for pay and conditions to be improved. There is a reason I say that we missed a trick. Sena…

I join colleagues in commending our front-line workers who worked so tirelessly yesterday to keep us all safe. I say "míle buíochas" to them. I agree with Senator Lombard that there is a need for the OPW to expedite flood defence schemes across Cork as a matter of urgency. I exhort the OPW and the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan, to get on with the work. Let us make sure we do not have any more conundrums about flooding and fear, in Cork city in particular. The Deputy Leader and I served on the Committee on the…

Bring it on.

I welcome the Minister to the House. This is an important Bill, but it is also a missed opportunity. We should not have taken this week and next week to do it, which are the last weeks in which it can be done. We should have done this in a rolling way. As I said on the Order of Business two weeks ago, our role as parliamentarians and the role of our staff have changed considerably over time. The Minister spoke about our proud parliamentary traditions. We have those traditions, but I remind all Members of the House …

I made the point in the Chamber two weeks ago that our staff are parliamentary assistants, researchers, psychotherapists, sociologists and mental health experts. They are now social media gurus, journalists writing press releases and speeches, and deal with members of the public at their most vulnerable. Nobody is taking cognisance of that in officialdom. The role has changed, as has our role as parliamentarians. I will conclude on this. There are not too many coming behind me and it is an important debate.

There are not too many who are trying to ride both horses in being a Deputy and a Seanadóir. As Members of the Upper House, the research we have to do in the scrutiny of legislation means that we deserve to have parliamentary assistants and not just one member of staff. I thank the Acting Chairperson for his indulgence.

I will take two minutes and leave the rest to Senator Cummins. I welcome the Minister to this important debate. I wish we had more time. Our horse and greyhound industry is very important to our country, economically and internationally. Ireland is known for how we treat our animals. It is a bit disingenuous of some to come in here and criticise the industry unfairly when they do not understand what has been done in terms of the changes to the greyhound industry, around rehoming and care. The Senators can shake the…