Where a person feels that materials published by television and radio broadcasters, newspapers, online platforms, and video-on-demand or streaming services contravene codes of practice in Ireland, for example, where concerns regarding the impartiality of news and current affairs coverage exist or where material is circulated that might cause harm or offence, a statutory complaint can be made directly to the broadcaster, the broadcaster's regulator or the Press Council. The Acts that underpin Coimisiún na Meán and p…

I thank the Minister of State. While the commission has remit over certain areas, currently, RTÉ online is not subject to any of that regulation. It is my understanding, but perhaps the Minister of State could clarify, that the Government is proposing reforms to the Act to make sure RTÉ online is captured. It is my understanding from my work on the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act previously that we do not even need to wait on amendments or legislation and that the Minister, through his powers, can expand the…

I second the amendment.

I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I will share time with my seconder, Senator Eileen Flynn. I will not be using all the time anyway.

I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach and welcome the Minister. I know this Bill came to the Minister's attention within the past week with respect to having time with the legislation but I think it is extremely straightforward. It is a simple, short Bill. I will give it some context in terms of where it comes from and what it is trying to achieve. First, for anyone who is unaware of the parole process - I know most of those present are aware of it - it applies to a person or persons who are serving life sentences and ha…

I thank everyone for their contributions. They will be helpful in teasing out what questions may come up for people. I am always grateful for the further exploration of a topic as it is coming up. I will try to answer some of them. Some of them I cannot answer just now. I considered approaching the Parole Board on this but I was also cautious around including the board in legislation that affects it. Now that it is on the Minister's table, it makes more sense to consult the board. I have consulted legal representat…

Unfortunately, I have to let the Minister of State go to vote in the Dáil.

I ask the Minister of State to briefly respond to Senator Cosgrove and then we will move on.

I hope that in the coming weeks we can arrange statements on the recent publication of the review of the operation of section 7A of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 1993. I was in the minority in this Chamber in 2017. Only a couple of us at that time spoke against the introduction of section 7A. It was promised at the time that there would be a review of the Act by 2020. Five years later, we finally see that review. I have gone through the review extensively in the weeks since its publication. There were 1,20…

When is it proposed to take Committee Stage?

Is that agreed? Agreed.

When thinking about why people make decisions on exemptions, even though they may not hold a particular moral position on a situation, and about the actions in relation to discretion or whether we should inspect planes when passing through Ireland, I was quite struck by the Taoiseach’s comments in the Dáil yesterday. In light of the arms embargo Bill and related Bills, those comments really made me think about why the Government may be finding ways to evade making decisions on carrying out inspections. In the Dáil …

The Senator can bring forward amendments on Report Stage.

On a point of order, we are discussing section 2 of the Bill.

We need to also point out that the Senator had the opportunity to table amendments for today. This is Committee Stage. He had a week, so he should not be disingenuous by standing up now and trying to frustrate this process. He had the chance to table Committee Stage amendments for today and he did not do so.

He is frustrating the process and it is clear for us all to see.

I want to speak about the weekend and the policing of the protest outside this building, which was really a vigil. Mother's Day is a celebration for some but for others it is quite a complex day, such as the women and children of Gaza. I refer to the fact that the world would show solidarity with them, that women would give up their day to come and spend time outside Leinster House and show solidarity with mothers who have lost their children and children who have lost their mothers, intentionally, in a purposeful …

The Minister of State is very welcome. It is not often that I have raised a local issue in the Chamber since I became a Senator in 2016, but this is an issue that is extremely close to my heart. Scoil An Chroí Ró Naofa Sóisir in Killinarden is facing serious financial trouble. The school opened in 1980 and now caters to three generations of the Killinarden community. Killinarden is an extremely tight community. We look after each other. What we do not have in financial and social capital, we have in human capital i…

I thank the Minister of State. This is a school I went to as a child. I spent all my primary years there. One of my teachers, Ms Bridget Clare, is here today for the debate. It is a very important school, and I urge the Minister of State to communicate to the Department the need for a year-on-year doubling of the capitation grant, and not just this interim investment. It helps and is welcome but there needs to be a long-term plan. The deputy principal in the junior side of the school teaches full time. There is no …

Is that agreed? Agreed.