Good afternoon, Members. Athbhliain faoi mhaise daoibh go léir. I welcome the students from Gorey Community School, who are in the Public Gallery this afternoon. You are very welcome to Leinster House. I hope you have a very enjoyable visit to the Houses of the Oireachtas.

Dáil Éireann passed the Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023, changed from the Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023, on 13 December 2023, to which the agreement of Seanad Éireann is desired. Please note that this message supersedes the message sent on 13 December 2023, which included the incorrect Title of the Bill. Dáil Éireann passed the Thirty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution (The Family) Bill 2023 on 17 January 2024, to which the agreement of Seanad Éireann is…

The Joint Committee on Environment and Climate Action has completed its consideration of the report on the examination of the recommendations of the Citizens' Assembly on Biodiversity Loss, copies of which were laid before Seanad Éireann on 14 December 2023. The Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage has completed its consideration of the report of the Dublin Citizens' Assembly, as referred by order of the Seanad dated 27 June 2023, and laid its report thereon before the Houses on 18 December 202…

I have received notice from the following Senators that they propose to raise the following matters:Senator Erin McGreehan - The need for the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to make a statement on the delivery of financial and other supports to north Louth farming families for damage caused by the flooding in October 2023. Senator Fintan Warfield - The need for the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to make a statement on the establishment of a digital legal deposit for Ir…

I welcome the Minister of State, Senator Hackett, to the House.

I call the Minister of State.

Let the Minister of State respond.

Allow the Minister of State to continue without interruption.

The Minister of State is replying, Senator McGreehan.

I have received notification in writing from Senator Niall Ó Donnghaile of his resignation as a Member of Seanad Éireann. Consequently, a casual vacancy has occurred in the membership of Seanad Éireann. On my own behalf and that of Members I thank Senator Ó Donnghaile for his service and wish him well in the next chapter in his life and his career.

Members will also be aware of the passing of the late Senator Thomas Hussey, who was a Member of this House from 1981 to 1992, having also served in Dáil Éireann from 1969 to 1981. There will be further contributions on Senator Hussey's death tomorrow when the Leader will propose a motion expressing the sympathies of the House to his family. I now call on the Acting Leader, Senator Lorraine Clifford-Lee, to announce the business of the day.

I thank the Acting Leader. I now call on the father of the House, Senator David Norris.

Before I call Senators in the Order of Business, as Cathaoirleach, I thank you, Senator Norris, for your contribution and wish you a long and healthy retirement. Your passion has not diminished, as we can see from your final contribution. As Senators will know, Senator Norris was first elected in 1987 as an Independent Senator for the University of Dublin, and he has been successfully re-elected at every Seanad election since then. I thank Brian Murray for the wonderful job he has done. I do not know how he managed…

I acknowledge the presence in the Public Gallery of the former Leader and our colleague and friend, Maurice Cummins. He is very welcome.

That is a first on the Seanad floor. Not to be consumed in the Seanad Chamber, let me add.

The Senator requires a seconder. Given that he mentioned that Senator Norris was a signatory to the Bill, in a departure from our usual procedure, I will ask Senator Norris to formally second the Bill.

The Senator might wish to amend his remarks. Two hours have been allocated, not 90 minutes. I am sure the Leader, who sets the business, will outline that later but to clarify it is not 90 minutes.

I thank Members for their contributions. It is a mark of the esteem in which we all hold Senator Norris that the Order of Business has been exclusively about his contribution to public life. We thank him for that contribution and wish him many years of retirement. The old adage is that political careers end in failure. The Senator's is ending in anything but failure. We wish him well. I again thank Senator Ó Donnghaile for his courtesy and his participation as a Member of the House. As other Senators said, he was a…

We hope you did not kill men or women.

You are going well.