Now.

Now.

I would like to say a couple of words. It is great that this Bill has been passed. I would like to thank Opposition Members for their contributions, their suggestions and their amendments to the Bill as it passed through these Houses. I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Mary Butler, for her attendance here today. It is a difficult time for all of us but we know that everybody in the Department of Health is under particular pressure, so we appreciate the Minister of State's work.

I welcome the Minister to the House to deal with this very important legislation. As my colleagues, Senators Gallagher and Ward, outlined, it is long overdue. I worked in the legal system for a number of years and faced many of the frustrations that the Bill seeks to address. It is very welcome, although it is a pity it has taken something like a global pandemic to bring about these changes. It is good and progressive that we are doing this now. The legal system needs to prepare itself for the second wave of the vi…

I raise a very important issue today. It is one I raised on a number of occasions in the previous Seanad, namely, period poverty. For those who do not know what period poverty is, it is being unable to access sanitary products due to financial constraints. It is a global public health issue and vulnerable women and girls in Ireland today are suffering from period poverty. They cannot manage their menstruation in a safe, dignified and healthy fashion and without stigma and shame attached to it. That poses a very rea…

I am sharing time with my colleague, Senator Fitzpatrick. I thank the Minister for bringing this welcome and progressive legislation to the House. I believe it deserves, and will have, broad support from the House. The Minister has a personal commitment to better access to public healthcare and this allows people to access healthcare at the point of entry with GPs throughout the country. It is very welcome. As a mother of two young children who has been fortunate to avail of free GP care since the day they were bor…

I raise the issue of the extended maternity leave campaign. I back the very sensible proposal made by my colleague, Senator Fitzpatrick, to refer the issue from this House to the Covid committee. It is a very important issue for thousands of families right across the country. Thousands of babies were born just before or during lockdown and maternity leave is running out for their parents. They are left in an awful situation where they cannot get childcare because the capacity in crèches has been drastically reduced…

I congratulate the Cathaoirleach on his great victory here today. Many of our colleagues have made reference to his political career but I would like to stretch back to before that political career and make reference to his reality television career. Some in the House may not know that the Cathaoirleach was in "Treasure Island" on RTÉ, which was the far more innocent precursor to "Love Island".

The Cathaoirleach came third on Treasure Island. Thankfully, he has become better at winning elections since then and has not come third since, only first. He came first today and is now sitting in the Chair. I wish him the very best of luck. He is deeply committed to public service and I know he will do an excellent job. I am very proud that he was the Fianna Fáil nominee today. I thank our colleagues across the House who supported him in attaining the position. I pay tribute to his family and his supporters. None…

I will be very brief because I know we have to get the legislation passed as urgently as possible. I welcome the Minister to the House and congratulate her on her appointment. This is very important legislation. The Minister outlined the very real threats posed by gangland activities and terrorist organisations working on this island. These are threats to our security - the security of the State, citizens in this State and democracy. When I was first elected in 2016, one of the first acts I had to perform was to pa…

I want to make a few comments briefly because I know we have urgent and important work to do here today. As was pointed out, hundreds of thousands of people are relying on us to do our work in as expedient a manner as possible. We hope the Minister will take on board some of our suggestions and some other amendments from other Members of the House. We want to work in a collaborative fashion and do the best job possible for the people of Ireland here today. It is worth making the following point again and again unti…

I move amendment No. 1: In page 6, lines 24 and 25, to delete “such day as the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government may by order appoint” and substitute “the 30th day of March 2020”. I will not labour the point but this amendment seeks to give clarity that the commencement date is 30 March. I hope the Minister will accept that.

I thank the Minister for that explanation. It does bring clarity and I wanted that clarity put on the record of the House. I will not be pressing the amendment.

I move amendment No. 5: In page 7, line 32, to delete “Health, and” and substitute the following: “Health, (b) subject to a vote of approval by both Houses of the Oireachtas, and”. I am keen to put our concerns relating to flexibility on the record of the House. Perhaps the Minister will explain if he going to take this.

It is a draconian measure, as the Minister has acknowledged. I know we are in an emergency situation but as we approach the three-month lapsing period I imagine we would have sufficient notice to facilitate both Houses being recalled at short notice to do the necessary work. I would be apprehensive about letting something like this go out of the legislation. I understand the time pressure we are under today and the urgency of this legislation, but to give such powers solely to the Executive is concerning. I call on…

I appreciate the Minister's explanation on that. I hope the Executive would act in good faith and only use the legislation in extreme emergencies, as the Minister has outlined, where a decision needs to be made in a matter of hours, not days. On that basis I withdraw the amendment.

I will speak to my own amendment, No. 14. It refers to tenants who are in licence agreements. These are primarily people who rent a room in a property owner's home under the rent-a-room scheme. They also needed to be protected from eviction during this period. I support the point Senator Ruane made with regard to access to rent supplement. In the past number of days, we have heard that supports will be afforded and beefed up. We need some answers today as to how people will be able to access these in a timely manne…

I was not sure whether the Minister intended to accept my amendment, No. 14, given that he spoke about people under the rent-a-room scheme being considered to be tenants for the duration of the period.

Many workers live in licensed accommodation within landlords' houses, which the amendment sought to address. I do not wish to delay the passage of the legislation, although I am disappointed that the Minister did not accept it.

I move amendment No. 31: In page 21, between lines 5 and 6, to insert the following: “Amendment of Nurses and Midwives Act 2011 15. The Nurses and Midwives Act 2011 is amended by the insertion of the following new section after section 107: “108. (1) A nurse or midwife resident in the State who has qualified or practised in Northern Ireland, Scotland, England or Wales may make an application to the Board to be registered in the register of nurses and midwives pursuant to this section. (2) Subject to subsections (3)…