I wish to comment on this from the outside and as someone who sits on the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, and his colleague, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, have been working hand in glove with one another and working closely. I have no doubt that when it comes to heritage matters, the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, will comment and be in charge of those areas given his depth of knowledge …

Next Friday.

I thank my colleague for sharing time. I am delighted to get the opportunity to speak on what is a very important topic. In doing so, it is important to pause and reflect on the significant advances that have been implemented in recent years to support families that have been fortunate enough to have children. On top of the 26 weeks paid maternity leave, we now have two weeks paid paternity leave, introduced in 2016, which can be taken at any time in the first six months after the birth, or placement in the case of…

I welcome the Minister and thank him for initiating in this House what is some of the most important legislation that will be debated during this Twenty-sixth Seanad. Despite what some would have us believe, the Government takes the housing crisis extraordinarily seriously. Rather than talk about grand plans, ideology and misplaced analysis that the State should be the only player in the delivery of social and affordable homes, the Government is taking action and is willing to deliver social, affordable and private…

No.

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Brophy, for taking this Commencement matter. I congratulate him on his role. I have not to date had the opportunity to do so in the House, which says much about our curtailed schedule. I will not take my full time. This straightforward issue has been brought to my attention and warrants a second look by the Department. I am referring to the new household means assessment policy for local authority housing which was circulated to councils throughout the country and came into for…

I thank the Minister of State. While I appreciate his response, I still feel there is a fundamental flaw in the system. Income that is received for maintenance payments is factored into the consideration of assessable income for the individual that receives it yet, on the other hand, it is not taken into account in policy terms for the person who pays it out. While I appreciate what the Minister of State said in regard to couples, the issue I am raising is particularly associated with separated couples where mainte…

I wish to raise a very serious matter that has far-reaching consequences for farm families right across Waterford, the south east and further afield, namely, the decision of An Taisce to further appeal a decision of the High Court in respect of a decision of Kilkenny County Council and An Bord Pleanála to grant planning permission for a €140 million continental cheese plant at the Port of Waterford, in Belview. I had hoped common sense would prevail on this matter and that the project could proceed without any furt…

I, too, welcome the Minister to the House. As a fellow teacher until I was elected to the House last year, I compliment her and her colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, on the work they have done in the past 11 months in the Department in what have been the most challenging of times. The decision made on 17 February was most welcome and timely. It gave certainty to students, families, and the wider school community at a time when they were looking for it. I commend the Minister on that. The hybrid opti…

I echo the comments of my colleague from Wexford on the technological university of the south east. I also welcome the Tánaiste's engagement with us on this very important topic of business and post-Covid recovery. Yesterday was undoubtedly a very exciting day. The sense of optimism that circulated the entire country awaiting the news on the reopening plan was palpable. It has probably gone a little bit further than what many expected, which was a good surprise. It is now up to us, as a collective, to ensure the re…

Continuing the third level theme, in less than half and hour I am going to be joining Oireachtas Members from the south east in meeting the Minister, Deputy Harris, about the application from Waterford Institute of Technology, WIT, and the Institute of Technology Carlow to become a technological university for the south east. I expect positive news that the application is being submitted. In that context, it is important to state that the application has been endorsed by the presidents of both institutes, by the ch…

The breaches of data protection laws which have been reported in the media and confirmed by the Sinn Féin Party leader yesterday are extremely alarming. They raise fundamental questions about how secure the democratic system in this country is from outside interference. Some might dismiss this because they want the story to disappear but in the context of the electoral reform Bill it is critical that we examine these questions and put safeguards in place. There is something really dodgy about all of this. It seems …

Does the Cathaoirleach have an issue with me?

I will always exercise caution and I would appreciate if the Cathaoirleach would add on the time that he has just taken there.

There is a reason this voter system was located in London and not in Dublin and why it was transferred to Frankfurt and not to Ireland.

This is relevant to an item on the Order of Business.

I thank the Cathaoirleach and I would appreciate if he might add on the time from the interruption. Is it because Sinn Fein wants to keep this voter system at arms length from the Data Protection Commissioner, DPC, or because the secret database is a well-financed Sinn Féin asset and was not declared by the party in its Standards In Public Office Commission, SIPO, returns? This seems to me like Cambridge Analytica meets Ardoyne, via Serbia, Frankfurt, Manhattan and London. I suspect even Edward Snowden would find i…

I would like to use my time to welcome the update I received from the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Humphreys, over the weekend on community employment, CE, supervisors. I know the Leader knows the issue only too well from her previous role as Minister for Social Protection. It is a hugely significant step that we are finally seeing progress on this matter. It was a big issue, of course, in the general election last year, and I know everyone on all sides of the House will welcome the progress that has been…

I welcome the Minister of State and commend my Green Party colleagues on tabling a comprehensive Private Members' motion for consideration. The motion is consistent with the comprehensive water policy commitments set out in the Programme for Government: Our Shared Future. The Senators have rightly included the detail of all of those in the motion. Strong progress is being made in delivering on that broad range of water policy commitments. Over the coming years, we will develop, enhance and improve our water service…

I will make one very brief point and ask a question regarding long-term illnesses such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, COPD, diabetes and cystic fibrosis. I understand some of those cohorts have been split in two, which has resulted in some confusion. A person from counties Kilkenny or Wexford might attend a consultant in counties Kildare or Dublin. Where will a person who falls into this cohort be vaccinated? Is that patient administered in his or her own county or will he or she be contacted by his or h…