I will comment briefly on amendment No. 3. Nobody disagrees with the importance of public consultation, but significant periods are set out statutorily in the legislation for that. To select periods, such as the first two weeks in August, as the periods in which consultation is not allowed is not appropriate. While the first two weeks in August might not suit certain people, they might suit other people. Who is to say that the third and fourth weeks in August are not more appropriate, or that the first week in Sept…

Everyone's views are important, be they from any of the bodies that are suggested, or not, by Senator Higgins, or from individuals. I come from a coastal county, namely, Waterford, and this is relevant for everyone who lives along our coastline and anybody who lives in Ireland. The Minister of State is correct to point out that many of these bodies have been engaged extensively throughout this process. We have done a huge body of work at the joint committee on this matter and many of these issues have been teased o…

It is important to say that any periods of time we are adding to this process have implications. We all say we are in favour of meeting our targets in terms of wind energy, for example. However, this amendment, as is the case with many of the proposed amendments, will add time to the process. We must be realistic with the public and tell them that will have a tangible impact on our ability to meet our targets. If that is what is being proposed, I think we need to be honest and say that is what is being proposed. I …

Senator Boyhan is far more experienced at legislation than I am but he also knows that amendments must be taken in their entirety.

He cannot take little bits of it to suit the agenda of the day. I am sure the Minister of State will reply on that. I wanted to make one other point regarding the Senator's original comments. He said he was aware this legislation would be challenged in the courts. That is very disappointing if that is the case. Senator Boyhan is aware that before we as Oireachtas Members pass legislation, there are already bodies and people lining up to challenge the legislation in the court. That is a disappointing situation if th…

I did not suggest that they did not.

I will be as brief as possible. I agree with many of the comments of my colleagues. I was a member of a local authority from 2009 and while I never served on a harbour board, my father did. He worked in Bell Lines shipping company and had a very good, in-depth knowledge of the area. Indeed, he had an all-encompassing view and served on the Waterford Harbour board and Waterford Harbour Commissioners. There is a distinction between appointing a person to the board because he or she is a councillor and allowing people…

Next Friday.

I welcome the Minister to the House and I fully support the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund. Both industries are exceptionally important to my own county of Waterford. I grew up next to Kilcohan Park greyhound track. It provides many jobs to those involved in the industry and it indirectly employs at race meets every single week young people who go to school and live in the locality. The same can be said for the Tramore races and the many fantastic trainers we have in Waterford, not least Henry de Bromhead who has …

It is not an understatement that the live theatre and events sector is in disarray since last Friday's announcement by Government to cut the capacity to 50%. I do not envy the Minister or her Cabinet colleagues who have faced unprecedented decisions over the past 18 months, but I have to question the logic that sees public transport being able to operate at 100%, while safe venues, such as theatres, can only operate at 50%, despite the use of masks and vaccination certificates, as Senator Byrne said. Broadway will …

I reiterate the money has to get to where it is needed most, which is the smaller local and semi-professional groups. The scheme mentioned by the Minister of State in his reply stipulates that a group must have a turnover of €300,000 in two of the past three years and must have a minimum production value of €150,000. That will not cater for the very people who need to be supported. I cannot emphasise enough the importance of this issue to local groups right across the nation. They need support and they need it now.

This morning, I tabled a Commencement matter with Senator Malcolm Byrne in respect of the live entertainment and theatre sector, the 50% capacity constraint that has been placed on venues and the challenges it is causing for local groups and not-for-profit organisations that are in the middle of organising productions, concerts and pantomimes. I gave the examples of Waterford Panto Society, which had a sold-out run of 26 shows at the Theatre Royal, and the producers of A Christmas Carol at Garter Lane Arts Centre. …

I thank the Acting Chairman. I join with Members in welcoming the Minister to the House and thank him for bringing forward a once-in-a-generation piece of legislation. It is a very comprehensive and complex Bill that runs to 259 pages. It is only right and proper that we acknowledge all of the officials in the Minister’s Department who have worked exceptionally hard on it, not only over the past number of months but in the previous number of years to get us to the point we are at now. I am a member of the Joint Com…

Yes.

I propose that Senator Carrigy and I both speak for two and a half minutes. I join with colleagues in welcoming the Tánaiste to the House. Exceptional times call for exceptional measures. There is no question that this Government and its predecessor, which the Tánaiste led, have put unprecedented supports in place since the onset of this pandemic. Schemes like the temporary wage subsidy scheme, the employment wage subsidy scheme, the Covid restrictions support scheme, rates waivers, restart grants, the pandemic une…

I wish to follow on from the theme of the contribution of my colleague, Senator McGahon, namely, Covid. I raised with the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, in the Seanad last night the issue of the cohort of 230,000 people who received the Johnson & Johnson Janssen vaccine, of which I am one and I know Senator McGahon is one. It is generally our age cohort that received that single-dose vaccine. The research now shows that we have limited if any protection from Covid-19 as a result of the waning immunity provided …

Law and order and justice are values which my party holds very dear. They are values I share. I am proud that since 2011 we have had a 54% increase in Garda numbers in my own county of Waterford, with a similar, if not greater, increase in civilian staff numbers. We have also seen huge increases in terms of the Garda fleet and the development of specific units within An Garda Síochána. All of those gardaí and civilian personnel have to go somewhere and for that reason we need continued investment in our Garda stati…

That is fine. I thank the Cathaoirleach. I am in the cohort who received the single-dose Janssen vaccine, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. I welcome the Minister. He spoke about Ireland being the country in Europe with the fifth lowest mortality rate in respect of Covid. That is phenomenal and it is due to our high vaccination rate. He noted 42 additional ICU beds have opened this year. HSE recruitment, which he mentioned, has been sorely lagging, that is, there is a time lag between when the hiring process begins an…

Are we getting supplementary questions?

I welcome the Minister to the House. Obviously the national development plan is exceptionally important for my own city of Waterford. The ambition in Project Ireland 2040 to drive population growth within the south-east region and to have balanced regional development and interconnectivity between the regions is of critical importance. I heard Senator Malcolm Byrne speak about Rosslare port and an essential part of that is the N24 link between Limerick, the mid-west region, the south-east region and onwards to Ross…