I apologise in advance that I will have to leave before the end because I want to go out to support the keepers of native Irish bees who are outside. I hope everybody will support Senator Martin's Bill today. I welcome the relaunch of the Raise the Roof campaign. We have been in lockdown for two years now but that does not mean that the housing crisis has gone away. In fact, it has only got worse. As Fr. Peter McVerry has said, the crisis is worse today than it has been at any time in the past 40 years. We seem to …

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. I commend members of the Native Irish Honey Bee Society who are here today, and the scientists, on their work on this Bill and for not accepting the excuses or lack of interest from departmental officials. Through their persistence and dogged research, they have produced incontrovertible evidence that the native Irish honeybee is not only alive and kicking but is doing better than the non-native imports. It is better in terms of bee health, hive health through the collection of pr…

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton. This is not the first time I have raised this issue of the Energy Charter Treaty and the modernisation process, Ireland's position is on that treaty and when Ireland will cut its losses and walk away from it. The Energy Charter Treaty was ratified in the 1990s by Ireland with no debate and it has been lingering around like a bad smell ever since. It is an international treaty that protects fossil fuel companies from any risk to their profits or future profits. The i…

It is deeply disappointing to hear the Minister of State say that Ireland supports this treaty and that it has worked well or in any way protects energy security. The only thing this treaty protects is the profits of fossil fuel companies. They are looking at ways to bail themselves out before the transition to a decarbonised future. The ISDS is not part of the modernisation process and no matter what conclusions are made next month, it will not address the biggest issue with this treaty. Ireland is looking at intr…

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. As the Minister did, I will start by commenting on the national maternity hospital because I would like to put on the record how disappointed we are at the deal that went through the Cabinet a couple of week ago. Nobody was denying the need for a maternity hospital. Concerns were raised by a wide group of people who were legitimate in raising those concerns and diligent in their attention to the details involved. Those concerns were not addressed. They related to the difference between …

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. I am raising the issue of rodenticide poisoning of raptors, particularly barn owls. Our bird populations are collapsing due to habitat loss but also as a result of deliberate and accidental poisoning. There is no need to tell the Minister of State that our native birds of prey are key indicator species of the health of our ecosystems and they are a critical part of our natural heritage. The recording and addressing persecution and threats to our raptors, RAPTOR, protocol, which wa…

I thank the Minister of State for his response. I welcome the confirmation that the protocol will continue and that the service level agreement is being updated. I ask him to confirm a timeline for the completion of that process. I ask him to confirm also whether testing will be expanded so that we can have a complete picture of the current state of the raptor population and thus address the issue of poisoning. I ask him to touch on my idea of the Government arranging a public awareness campaign that informs people…

This morning I wish to raise two outstanding pieces of legislation. As Senator Chambers pointed out, it is now four years after that momentous day when we repealed the eighth amendment of the Constitution, but we know that there is still a lack of provision, which affects in particular people living in rural areas, people with disabilities, the working class, migrants and people living in direct provision. The three-day waiting period is also an issue. Quite frankly, it is paternalistic nonsense. I am concerned tha…

I also welcome this debate on energy. The Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, has eloquently outlined why nuclear energy is not appropriate to Ireland, even if one agrees with the technology as a runner. Ireland is not a suitable country for nuclear energy. I support our ambition of reaching 80% renewable energy by 2030. It makes sense for Ireland. We have a huge resource, particularly in offshore wind and green hydrogen, and that is the route we should take. Today, I will outline some of my concerns about the intricacies…

I seek the Government's position ahead of next week's European Council meeting. I would like to hear very clearly from the Minister of State, who is here on behalf of the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, what the Government proposes to do to regulate exotic pets. Ireland has a completely lax system when it comes to exotic animals. I often raise concerns about the treatment of dogs and horses. At least in the case of dogs, we have microchipping and licensing laws, albeit that they are poorly enforced. There are no such…

I thank the Minister of State for his response. I wonder whether it is the proposal I have in my hand, which is the Cypriot proposal, that he is awaiting. It is available. If he is worried about unintended consequences, they would come with a negative list because a negative list has to be exhaustive. A positive list clearly sets out what is permitted to be kept. We know venomous snakes are being bred in Ireland. There are public health impacts related to exotic species. I am aware a sable in the country was found …

I raise the damning State of the Climate report, released today by the World Meteorological Organisation. It clearly outlined that four critical climate indicators broke records. Greenhouse gas concentrations, ocean heat, ocean acidification and global sea levels are worsening. We know that extreme weather has wreaked a heavy toll on human lives and led to billions of dollars in damages. I raise this not only because it is a warning to all of us as legislators, but because yesterday we were due to hear the results …

I propose an amendment to the Order of Business: "That No. 17 be taken before No. 1." No. 17 is the Animal Health and Welfare (Dogs) Bill 2022. This is legislation on which I have worked closely with the Dublin Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, DSPCA. Many people are familiar with the images of puppies seized at ports or on the border or from illegal puppy farms. All too often people offer to take the poor mites in, but most people are not aware that animals seized under the Animal Health and Welfare Ac…

Hear, hear.

I move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to facilitate the rehoming of seized dogs in certain circumstances and to amend the licensing of dogs and for those purposes to amend the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 and Control of Dogs Act 1986 and to provide for related matters.

Next Tuesday.

I am delighted to second the Private Members' motion on behalf the Sinn Féin group. The rationale for Sinn Féin bringing this PMB has been outlined by Senator Ó Donnghaile. The island of Ireland is once again an afterthought in the minds of the right-wing, anti-immigration Tory Party. Brexit was driven by anti-immigration, little Englander politics and the people of the North and the impact it would have on the Good Friday Agreement were not given a second thought. The people living in the Six Counties overwhelming…

Hear, hear.

I wish to raise a number of concerns regarding the Stardust inquest. Tomorrow there is a preliminary hearing into the inquest. It is being held at Store Street coroner's court. The families have been invited to attend. However, Store Street is the venue where the original inquest was held. It holds many bad memories for the families. The backyard of the court is where their loved ones' bodies were examined. The coroner's court was where the families sat through the original inquest which Professor Phil Scraton refe…

I wish to raise the continued use of non-established industrial grade employment contracts within the OPW. It does not just affect the OPW but I am specifically concerned with reports I have heard about worker morale in the OPW. These contracts continue to be used despite the fact that the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has acknowledged that it is an issue. SIPTU has repeatedly raised its concerns at the national joint industrial council for State employees about the use of non-established grades. Skil…