I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive reply. I am delighted that he is committed to the scheme. I again thank the city manager, the city council and the staff of the OPW. As the Minister of State rightly noted, the office was not immune from engagement or from changing the plan. It is now critical that we put a timeline in place and proceed with the scheme. This is about lives, livelihoods and getting it right. We have a good scheme now. I thank the Minister of State for his commitment and commend him…

Senator Seery Kearney should go ahead.

I thank Senator Seery Kearney for sharing. I will be very brief. I commend the Minister for her calmness, professionalism and the way in which she carried out her business. When other people around her were playing politics, the Minister was firm and decisive. As Senator Murphy and other Senators said, mistakes were made. We accept that. I hope that following this the State Examination Commission and the Department of Education will sit down with the unions and teachers to iron out the circumstances of what happene…

Déanaim comhghairdeas leis an Aire Stáit as ucht a ceapachán. This is an important debate that transcends party politics and Members should be having a rolling debate on it because this is not just about the airlines or airports but is about the workers and the connectivity of the island of Ireland. The option of testing does not just need to be explored but it needs to be expedited as a matter of urgency. There cannot be any more questions about testing. There must be testing in our airports. We have all concluded…

I thank the Cathaoirleach and the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, for being here and I congratulate her on her appointment. This is an important debate about, as the task force said, the protecting of public health but also the rebuilding of consumer confidence and regional and international connectivity. Cork and all of our airports operate in an open economy and we are an island nation. Our aviation sector, therefore, is critical. We need clarity on the task force recovery plan, on reform of the red and green…

I am being parochial, but it is important that Cork Airport would be added to the existing regional airports OPEX scheme because it has been excluded up to now. I agree with Senator Dooley that connectivity is critical. If one looks at the potential of Ryanair in terms of Cork Airport, 80% of the flights are gone. That is 100 jobs between pilots and cabin crew. This is an ongoing issue on which we need to have continual debates. This is about safe connectivity and about us being innovative and bold as we always hav…

This is too important to have it shoehorned.

I have asked for a debate-----

-----on transport. We need a bigger and wider debate.

The Cathaoirleach should chair proceedings properly.

On a point of order, Senator Craughwell named a former Member and the Secretary General of a Department who are not here to defend themselves. The Cathaoirleach should have called him out on that.

He is not entitled to name people who are not able to defend themselves.

Ask the Clerk of the Seanad.

I join with other speakers in asking the Minister for Transport to come to the House to have a debate on the decision by Bus Éireann regarding its intercity Expressway service, in particular, the route from Cork to Dublin. If we believe in the principle and the value of public service and public transport, we should debate and discuss this decision, not just in this House but also at the transport committee. We listened to the debate during the general election campaign about commuters, traffic and trying to end gr…

I join you, a Chathaoirligh, in commending the men and women of Óglaigh na hÉireann who have served with the United Nations. I particularly salute the brave soldiers who lost their lives in the line of duty. I ask the Deputy Leader to arrange a debate on the HSE's winter plan which was announced this week. There is an urgent need for a debate in the House on bed capacity, staffing and the availability of the flu vaccine and its accessibility. I welcome the €600 million allocated to the winter plan initiative. It wi…

I commend Senator Boyhan on his contribution. We should accept his bona fides and those of Senator McDowell. In the time I have got to know her, I have found the Minister of State to be one of the most honourable people in politics. The backdrop to this Bill relates to what she said about having the right tree in the right place. If we are serious about afforestation, let us listen to what the different groups and sectors are saying. Let us listen to what Fórsa said about representing the workers in the forestry se…

I second Senator Conway's amendment. I agree with Senator McDowell that it is important that the House would debate the regulations and that we also hold people to account. I join Senator Dooley in calling for a debate next week on the aviation sector. I raised this matter in the House prior to the summer recess and I do so again today conscious that Government is to announce a further suite of measures today. The report of the task force for aviation recovery has been published. We are at a critical juncture for t…

I second the proposal.

I dtús báire, déanaim fíorchomhghairdeas le mo chara, an Leas-Chathaoirleach nua, an Seanadóir Seosamh Ó Raghallaigh. I congratulate the Senator on his elevation. I hope his tenure is longer than mine. I wish him every success and pledge to him my full co-operation. We have had the pleasure of contesting two Seanad elections on the same panel and never once was there a cross word or any incursion from either of us. The Senator is a person whom many of us hold in high regard. His 35 years of dedication as a public r…

How does one follow that? I will not rant so Members should not worry. There is merit in Senator O'Sullivan's suggestion. We are in a parliamentary democracy and we represent the people who put us here, whether they are the electorate for the Lower House or councillors, among others, in the Seanad. The Parliament's groups have voting strengths according to the votes received. I raise the matter of proprietary directors not being included in the new wage subsidy scheme. I raised this issue yesterday in discussing a …