I thank the Cathaoirleach and Senators Craughwell and Joe O'Reilly for their kind words. I welcome the Minister to the Chamber. I am sure he will find cross-party support in this House for the Bill, as on the last occasion. It is rare that an issue unites all parties across the Oireachtas, but this is one of them. It is a testament to the strong and resilient Parliament we have and to the fact that Members of all parties and none ultimately have the best interests of the Irish people at heart. That is borne out whe…

Next Thursday.

The Order of Business is No. 1, motion regarding the arrangements for the sitting of the House on Monday, 30 November, Tuesday, 1 December, Wednesday, 2 December and Thursday, 3 December 2020, to be taken on conclusion of the Order of Business, without debate; No. 3, Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2020 - Committee and Remaining Stages, to be taken at 1 p.m.; No. 2, statements on reopening Ireland, Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, to be taken on conclusion of No. 3 and to conclude after two hours, …

Senator Kyne discussed Black Friday and the need to shop locally, and he was supported in his remarks by a number of Senators, including Senators Byrne and Currie and others. It is a really important message that we need to get out there, that every one of us should try to spend as many euro as possible locally. Last week I made the remark that we should not let Jeff Bezos win and we should keep away from Amazon as much as possible. We should be shopping on Irish websites and in Irish businesses, and whether it is …

I will come back to the Senator on that. Senator Fitzpatrick raised the issue of the two men who died on the streets of our capital city in recent days. On behalf of this side of the House and, I am sure, on behalf of the whole House, I extend our deepest sympathies to the families of both men. It is a shocking indictment on any country that people should be dying in the streets, and we need to address that urgently. I note it is almost six years to the day that Jonathan Corrie passed away very close to Government …

We cannot write on behalf of every Member of the House but I will certainly---

-----ask someone from the Leader's office to deal with it. The fact, however, that the regulator is coming before the committee to deal with that will give an opportunity to raise further questions and follow up on the explanations, if one wants to call them that, from the chief executive of Eir.

Of course, yes.

I will be guided by the Chair as to what is appropriate.

I anticipate that it is with regard to my comments around Cuba.

Go ahead.

Given that it is so close to Christmas.

We are dealing with recent comments by the chief executive of Eir, blaming the call centre in Sligo for what was, in my view, a problem that existed before that.

That is the Senator's view.

I move: That, notwithstanding anything in the Standing Orders relative to Public Business, the following arrangements shall apply in relation to the sittings of the Seanad on 30th November and 1st, 2nd and 3rd December, 2020: (1) The Seanad shall meet in the Dáil Chamber at 2 p.m. on Monday, 30th November, 2020 and the following arrangements shall apply: (a) Standing Orders 29 and 30 shall stand suspended; (b) there shall be no Order of Business; (c) the business to be taken shall be confined to the items set out i…

Last Friday, the UK's High Court issued a landmark ruling regarding gig economy workers. The ruling stated that the UK had failed to properly implement EU law, specifically certain parts of two EU health and safety directives which had not been transposed correctly. This meant that some self-employed workers did not enjoy the same legal protections as employees. As Members will know, the gig economy is characterised predominantly by workers with short-term or freelance contracts. Those workers are the van drivers, …

The Order of Business is No. 1, motion re appointment of chairperson of the Standards in Public Office Commission, to be taken on the conclusion of the Order of Business, without debate; No. 2, motion re appointment of ordinary member to the Standards in Public Office Commission, to be taken on the conclusion of No. 1, without debate; No. 3, motion re the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2020 - referral to committee, to be taken on the conclusion of No. 2, without debate; No. 4, statements on Traveller a…

I thank the Cathaoirleach and all the Members who contributed to the Order of Business. Senator Kyne welcomed the vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, which is a positive development. I agree with the Senator that we should take a sensible approach to the opening hours of our retail sector. They should, of course, be allowed to extend their hours. Some shops are considering a 24-7 operation when they are allowed to reopen and that will help with safety, so that people can shop at different times. It would allow those …

I move: That, pursuant to subsection (2A) (inserted by section 2 of the Standards in Public Office Act 2001 (No. 31 of 2001)), of section 21 of the Ethics in Public Office Act 1995 (No. 22 of 1995), Seanad Éireann recommends the appointment of Mr. Justice Garrett Sheehan, a former Judge of the High Court and the Court of Appeal, by the President on the advice of the Government to be the Chairperson of the Standards in Public Office Commission.”

I move: That, pursuant to subsection (2)( b )(v) (inserted by section 2 of the Standards in Public Office Act 2001 (No. 31 of 2001)), of section 21 of the Ethics in Public Office Act 1995 (No. 22 of 1995), Seanad Éireann approves the proposed appointment by the Government of Ms. Geraldine Feeney (being a former member of Seanad Éireann and not being a member of the European Parliament) to be an ordinary member of the Standards in Public Office Commission."