Cuirim fáilte mhór roimh an Aire, an Teachta Catherine Martin, agus an Aire Stáit, an Teachta Chambers. Cuirim fáilte roimh an bplé ar an nGaeilge agus an teanga atá ar bun inniu. Tréaslaím le coiste Ghaeilge an Oireachtais as an sárobair atá ar siúl faoi stiúir an Teachta Calleary. Leagann mo chomhghleacaí, an Seanadóir Ward, béim ar an teanga leis an nGaeilge atá á húsáid aige sa Teach agus go laethúil. Tá bród orm mar gheall ar an obair atá á déanamh ag an Seanadóir Ward. Is linn ar fad an Ghaeilge agus is deis …

I also welcome Senator Norris back to the House. Cumann Lúthchleas Gael begins its annual convention today. I congratulate and wish the new uachtarán tofa, the incoming president, Mr. Larry McCarthy, every success. He is the first overseas president of the GAA, although he is not from overseas. He is from my club in Bishopstown in Cork and on behalf of the club, I congratulate him. I hope Seanad Éireann will congratulate him on his elevation to the role as uachtarán Cumann Lúthchleas Gael and I wish him, Barbara, C…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Leas-Chathaoirleach and I welcome the Minister of State to the House. Her contribution underlines the difficulties that the aviation and airline sector feels and is experiencing at present. We were on the precipice of Covid-19 this time last year. Prior to that, Ireland was renowned as a hub for the aviation industry with 50% of leased aircraft connected to Ireland. Our economic considerations, allied to political and social considerations, were favourable. That is why this debate is critic…

I welcome the Minister to the House and thank him for being here. My remarks are predicated on the fact that I do not doubt his sincerity or integrity in any shape or form. I come to this debate conscious of the fact that this report which was commissioned is seen by many people as being insensitive to their needs and lived experience. It has an impact that really cannot be measured in the lives of so many people. The report is disappointing in its language. I thank the Minister for his engagement and his testimony…

I welcome the Minister of State. The issue of public health doctors is an important one in our community, notwithstanding Senator Mullen's remarks. There have been numerous reports recommending a restructuring of the public health medicine scheme and specialists are awaiting consultant status. The Crowe Horwath report was the most recently commissioned and was published in January 2020. It was viewed as the roadmap by which progress could be made by the Department of Health towards parity of esteem and position for…

My information is that the talks are at an impasse and the IMO has walked out. The Crowe Horwath report stipulated that the training of a cohort of specialists in public health medicine should be at a standard recognised internationally and equivalent to other medical specialties. I appreciate the commitment of the Minister of State. Specialists in public health medicine and medical officers of health are responsible for the health of the population and we, as a Government and a Parliament, must afford them the sam…

The topic that is on many people's lips this morning is the decision of the ASTI to withdraw from talks on the leaving certificate, which Senator O'Loughlin raised earlier. As a former teacher, I understand where ASTI is coming from regarding calculated grades. We need perspective in this debate but, as Senator O'Loughlin said, to walk out of talks is wrong. I would appeal to the ASTI to come back into talks because the students, teachers and parents of Ireland all deserve certainty and an end to the dialling up of…

Hear, hear.

Hear, hear.

I welcome the Minister of State and commend her on her work. The welfare of people is important to us as a collective and also individually. The important point all Members can make today is that there is significant investment, but there is a need, as Senator Mullen correctly said, to teach people resilience. In that regard, I ask the Minister of State for her co-operation on the need for the Government to legislate for mental health training in the workplace. I am struck by the fact that we sometimes do not talk …

Déanaim comhghairdeas leis an Aire as a bheith ina seanmháthair. I congratulate the Minister on becoming a grandmother. It is a wonderful day for her and her family and I join the Leas-Chathaoirleach in congratulating them on the birth of Arthur Humphreys Egan. The name sounds wonderful and I hope that he may be a Member of this House in future years. Two years ago, our unemployment rate stood at 4.8%. That was the monthly unemployment rate for December 2019, with 119,000 citizens unemployed. Today, because of Covi…

I join the Cathaoirleach in paying tribute to our former colleague, Professor Brian Hillery, on his tragic death. Ar dheis láimh Dé go raibh a anam dílis. I ask the Leader to facilitate a debate next week on the Government's Covid-19 plan. The people have found this third lockdown much more challenging than other ones. Therefore, there is an onus on the Government to level with the people in a very clear coherent way and not in the drip-feed way that we have grown accustomed to in recent days. The debate and the ro…

I offer my congratulations to Senator Bacik and her new husband, Alan, on their marriage. It took her long enough. It took Miriam Lord to tell us. I genuinely wish her, Alan and their daughters every happiness and congratulate them. I apologise for springing that on her.

I am not going to rain on the good mood this morning in the House but Senator Ó Donnghaile is correct. The nation holds its breath in the context of Brexit and the relationship between us as a people and Covid-19. There is a need for the Government to bring clarity and certainty, and not to allow fear and wonder to continue over the Christmas period. Shops, pubs and gastropubs have reopened and there is an air of worry again this morning around when they will close. I wish the Cathaoirleach and all his family a ver…

I welcome the Minister of State to the House and congratulate him on his elevation. I will begin on a discordant note, although the responsible Minister is not present. I wish to raise two issues. We all support the Appropriation Bill, which is an important parliamentary fixture, as Senator Kyne stated. It is normally taken on the last sitting day of the legislative calendar and gives the Government the approval to spend and embark upon the Estimates process in Departments. Every Department is listed in the Schedul…

I wish to respond to the Minister of State's remarks regarding councillors' pay and conditions. Schedule 1 at Vote 34 refers to the allocation of moneys to the office of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, "including grants to Local Authorities, grants and other expenses in connection with housing, water services, miscellaneous schemes, subsidies,grants and payment of certain grants under cash-limited schemes", while Vote 35 refers to retired pay, pensions and compensation. Political courage is…

Can I make a point by way of clarification? The reason I mentioned Deputy Michael McGrath is that he is the Minister responsible. It is lying in his Department and I-----

I do not disagree with Senator Casey; it should have been sorted out years ago but was not. The point I am making is that the Minister with responsibility is the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. That is the context in which I referenced Deputy Michael McGrath.

I join Senators McDowell, Murphy and Sherlock in asking the Deputy Leader to facilitate a debate on the issue of vaccination. Many of us have been very supportive of the vaccine regime for a long time. We do not need to be told to sign a pledge to support vaccination. It is imperative that we show leadership collectively and that we dispel urgently the myth around vaccination. Vaccination works. All of us, in our roles as leaders in the House and as citizens, must promote and support vaccination. The vaccination pl…

I wish to share time with Senator Ahearn. I propose that he takes one minute of my time.