I thank Senator Keogan. On behalf of colleagues and everyone in the House, I warmly congratulate her on the wonderful initiative this morning, which was hugely successful. Ambassadors from all over the world attended, which has never been known to happen previously. It was a wonderful, very well organised event for a hugely important cause. Out of evil and bad, good can sometimes come and this event was an example of that. There is great unity among peoples now, forged for the wrong reasons. The people who met here…

I call on Senator McGahon.

Senator McGahon, without interruption.

No interruptions, thank you.

I must interrupt at this point to welcome to the Visitors Gallery Ms Mary McDonagh and her fellow senior executives from Ifac, which is a friend of the farming community and an integral part of rural Ireland. It provides an enormously professional service to our farmers and a support to our rural communities and, by extension, our small urban societies around the country. They are an appropriate delegation in the present context. They are accompanied by our distinguished and esteemed colleague, Senator Ahearn. I we…

Senator Boyhan will follow Senator Hackett.

Senator Boyhan was only indicating to me in case I missed him. Senator Hackett may proceed.

I thank Senator Boyhan for the inspirational-----

It is my pleasure now to call on the Leader to respond to the comments on the Order of Business.

I welcome the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy O'Gorman. He is a very good participant in debates in this House. I also welcome his colleagues. These statements are important. International Women's Day has happily and thankfully become a major part of our annual calendar. It gives important and overdue recognition of women and, in some respects, compensates for years of the position being otherwise. It is a recognition of the importance of gender equality in all facets of l…

I thank the Minister for his contribution and for initiating this important Bill. I want to briefly interrupt the debate to welcome to our Visitors Gallery Deputy James Lawless and, very appropriately, two women friends for International Women's Day. They are very welcome, as is Deputy Lawless.

Cuirim fáilte roimh gach duine go dtí na ráitis maidir le Seachtain na Gaeilge. Is cúis áthais dom mo chomharsa, an tAire, a fháiltiú isteach sa Teach. Tabharfaidh mé cuireadh di labhairt faoin ábhar ar feadh 15 nóiméad.

Gabhaim míle buíochas leis an Aire as ucht an ráitis dhearfaí, dhúshlánaí agus eolasaí sin.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Seanadóir. Glaoim anois ar an Seanadóir Ó Broin agus tá sé ag iarraidh a chuid ama a roinnt leis an Seanadóir Ó Murchú.

An bhfuil sé sin aontaithe? Tá sé. Ar aghaidh mar sin leis an Seanadóir.

Tá sé sin láncheart.

Tá sé sin iontach. Tá fáilte roimh an mbeirt acu. Tá na ráitis seo an-tábhachtach agus táimid lán-dáiríre faoin ábhar seo.

Táim buíoch den Seanadóir as a chomhoibriú mar tá an Seanadóir Mullen ag fanacht go foighneach. Tá cúig nóiméad fágtha dó.

Táim buíoch den Seanadóir as a chomhoibriú. Tá am gairid againn. Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire agus an Aire Stáit arís. De réir riar an Tí, tá cúig nóiméad acu. Is féidir iad a roinnt, más mian leo.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit as an ráiteas sin agus na freagraí cuimsitheacha. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire, an Teachta Martin, a chuir tús leis an díospóireacht agus leis na ráitis. Is é sin deireadh leis na ráitis faoi Sheachtain na Gaeilge agus gabhaim buíochas leis na Comhaltaí go léir as a gcuid comhoibrithe maidir le ham agus a leithéid.