Senator Byrne spoke about the very welcome ban by the European Union, which brought the leaders of all of the European countries together to agree this. Two thirds of imports of Russian oil are being banned. Senator Malcolm Byrne is right that it is shipped oil and not piped oil. We have not gone the full way there yet but this acknowledges that some countries in the EU are more affected than others by this. As always in the EU it is about consensus and bringing everyone along the same pathway. I acknowledge the Se…

I must learn a bit more about it. He has requested at debate around technology and the digital euro which is coming down the line. It is unlikely we will get a chance to have this debate before recess with the amount of legislation coming through the House. Certainly when we get into the autumn session it would be a good debate to schedule. We will make this request. I commend Wexford County Council for launching its second age-friendly strategy with the Minister of State, Deputy Butler. It is very welcome to see. …

It is not doing people a favour to give them a passport. It is very unfortunate this has happened. All public representatives are trying our best to assist people. The Passport Office has increased its staffing by 50% but it is still not enough. The blockage seems to be where paperwork is involved. It is not digital applications. If people are sending post in any form, for example, for children's first passports, there is a significant blockage. We have requested the Department and the Passport Office to try to imp…

I understand that the industry has experienced a difficult couple of years but hotels and many other hospitality businesses were heavily subsidised by the Government with direct payments to staff, which kept open the doors of these businesses. There must be a two-way street and people must acknowledge that significant supports were provided during these difficult years.

That is a huge amount of money. Most people in the industry would acknowledge how good that funding was and it is the reason they could keep staff on the payroll and open their doors as quickly as they could. However, that is not reflected in some of the prices that some establishments are charging.

Senator Sherlock spoke about Dublin Airport and staff shortages in the HSE. The latter is an ongoing problem. We have found it very difficult to recruit staff at all levels of the health service and recruitment takes an inordinate amount of time. Many posts have been provided for by the Government and there is funding to pay staff yet we struggle to entice staff to work in the health service. Clearly, the problem is not just due to salaries and we must work on conditions such as long hours. Recently junior doctors …

I move: That notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, it be an instruction to the Committee of the whole Seanad, in relation to the Regulation of Providers of Building Works and Building Control (Amendment) Bill 2022, that the Committee has the power to make amendments to the Bill for the purpose of: (i) amending the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act 2009, in relation to partially exempting eligible rental income from assessment, reviewing the effect of such provisions with the possibility of increasing the exem…

I agree with the Order of Business as set out by the Acting Leader. This morning, she and I have both come from the gates of Leinster House on Kildare Street, where we joined fellow Senators, Deputies, activists and the National Women's Council of Ireland to celebrate the anniversary of the referendum to repeal the eighth amendment, which took place this day four years ago. Many of us were involved in that campaign. I feel I got involved at the 11th hour because the campaign began 35 years before that date and many…

My Commencement matter is on when the Sacred Heart Hospital in Castlebar will see day services reopen and resume for citizens in County Mayo. This hospital holds a special place in the hearts of the people of Castlebar and Mayo and has been providing services, including inpatient stay, rehabilitation and day services, for decades in the county town. Almost all families in Mayo have had cause at some stage or other to use the facilities at this hospital. In 2019 we were delighted to officially open what was a new fa…

I thank the Minister of State for his reply. Some of what he said is very welcome. It is great that €6.5 million has been allocated to CHOs across the State to get these day services up and running and that €925,000 was provided to the Alzheimer Society of Ireland. However, it still begs the question as to why a new facility that was opened in 2019 is not being reopened. We have all of this money being put into getting day centres back up and running - some 80% have reopened and 40 more are due to reopen - so why i…

I agree with the Order of Business as outlined by the Leader. I want to raise a number of issues, the first of which is the national retrofitting scheme that was announced by the Government last February. It would be welcome to have an opportunity to have this conversation with the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan, and the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, when we get a chance. As it stands there are only five designated one-stop shop…

Congressman Neal is most welcome to the Seanad. On behalf of Fianna Fáil, I extend a céad míle fáilte to him on the momentous occasion of his significant address to the House at a time when we need his support. As Congressman Neal will be aware, his address will have been watched and viewed by many, not just on this island but further afield. In 2016, when the Brexit referendum took place, and we all assumed it would go a different way, I am sure we recall how we felt when the result of that vote finally came throu…

The Order of Business is No. 1, Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022 - Committee Stage, to be taken at 1 p.m. and to adjourn at 5 p.m. if not previously concluded; and No. 2, Private Members' business, Quality in Public Procurement (Contract Preparation and Award Criteria) Bill 2021 – Order for Committee Stage and Committee Stage, to be taken at 5.15 p.m. and to adjourn after two hours if not previously concluded.

I did not know who the Leas-Chathaoirleach was talking to. I really was not ready to stand up just yet.

I did and I lay in bed looking at the ceiling for an hour. I thank all Members for their contributions this morning. Senator Malcolm Byrne kicked off by welcoming the three-year strategy announced by the Minister, Deputy Harris, on research and innovation. He then spoke about the difficulties in Irish amateur boxing. It might be worthwhile to have a debate on sport in the House, but perhaps a Commencement matter on that issue would be worthwhile at the outset. The Senator then spoke about Finland and Sweden's decis…

I concur with the Order of Business as outlined by the Acting Leader. I acknowledge the decision by Cabinet today to proceed with the new national maternity hospital. It has been a difficult couple of weeks in terms of there being strong views on both sides. However, it is my strong belief it is the right decision to proceed without any further delay, given we have had nine years of delay already. I hope developments over the past couple of weeks, given the Minister has been at the Committee on Health and we have h…

The Minister and I met recently to discuss my views on the Government's childcare policy. A lot of good things are happening. I have spoken to a number of providers, predominantly across County Mayo where I engaged with all providers in the county. Most of them are saying that it is good to finally see a commitment to core funding for childcare and an acknowledgement that it is an important service. As I said to the Minister previously, many providers that provide nothing more than the ECCE are not entirely happy w…

I welcome the Minister of State. I appreciate the opportunity to get an update on these really important projects. Last year, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, announced an allocation of a whopping €11 million for Castlebar for two key projects. One is the redevelopment of what we call the historic town core of Castlebar, including an upgrading of the old post office, the mall area and Daly's Hotel. It is really the centrepiece of Castlebar and it is very important, wi…

I thank the Minister of State for a very comprehensive reply. I will touch again on the stage the projects are at. I acknowledge the Minister of State's comments in that the primary responsibility for advancing this work lies with Mayo County Council. We all accept that and there is absolutely no difficulty there. Now the council has submitted a preliminary business case, what is the next stage? When does the Minister of State envisage his Department will have evaluated that business case? When will his Department …

The Order of Business is No. 1, statements to mark Europe Day 2022, to be taken at 12.45 p.m. and to conclude at 2.15 p.m., with the opening contribution of the Minister not to exceed eight minutes, all Senators not to exceed six minutes, and the Minister to be given not less than seven minutes to reply to the debate; No. 2, the Garda Síochána (Compensation) Bill 2021 - Committee and Remaining Stages, to be taken at 2.30 p.m.; No. 3, motion re proposed approval by Seanad Éireann of a Council decision to provide for…