She was three minutes over her time.

I thank the Minister of State and my colleagues for their comments. I nearly thought twice about coming into this Chamber to talk about poverty. Thankfully, I always have Senator Flynn. She urges Senator Clonan on in the same way to remember who we are, why we are here, and that we are advocates, first and foremost, before anything else. I am starting to be worn out by coming in because I feel that, even if I stayed here for 50 years, I would be having the same conversations and the same contributions back, which w…

I thank the Minister for coming to the House and, in particular, I thank Fianna Fáil for tabling the motion. I am always apprehensive when I come to the Chamber to speak on motions, especially on issues that are nuanced and complex, about making sure I hit the right tone. We need to consider what solidarity actually looks like, what liberation means and the type of impact we can have. The online conversations on this issue in recent weeks and the actions of various types of groups and opportunistic activists that c…

I wish to move an amendment to the Order of Business, to provide that No. 15 be taken ahead of No. 1.

The Senator probably does not need to second it until we come back in. I am looking for a debate on combating poverty. I know we have had lots of discussions about the cost-of-living crisis but there is a risk of us merging the two concepts. The cost-of-living crisis will affect many communities across different social classes, employments and professions but poverty has been a consistent cause of suffering for many communities for generations. Even though I care very much about the cost of living, I am also very m…

I move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to amend the Institutional Burials Act 2022 to enable the Director of Authorised Intervention to engage in cases where precise burial places cannot be identified but where inappropriate burials are likely to have taken place in an institutional setting, to provide for cases where persons who consider that they are related to persons thought to be buried on principal burial land indicate that an excavation of the land is their preference, and to provi…

Next Tuesday.

I rise today to speak about two things. Community safety and police safety keep coming up and I want to talk about something positive that is happening in Tallaght west. As we look at measures that can advance communities in a positive way, it is also important to highlight projects and interventions that are working well and that we can empower, resource and become much more aware of. There is a new programme in west Tallaght that is in its very early stages. It began its detached street work in the past six to ei…

I welcome the Minister back to the Chamber. I will speak briefly on this only because I have been reminded of the importance of being able to give consent at 16 years of age in respect of mental health issues. I recently supported a woman whose child was diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum and had generalised anxiety. It reminded me of a similar case I came across years ago when I was in the addiction sector because the situations were similar. Sometimes giving the child consent does not only empower the pers…

I could say lots about the budget and I will do so when we have statements this evening. The things that I will speak about are not unlinked in context to budget decisions and conversations. I read an article dated 25 September that stated Fine Gael limits conversation or debate on joyriding in which the Chair of the Joint Committee on Justice was quoted. It was a private committee meeting but the Chair did not hide behind it. He was literally quoted and delved into a private committee meeting on what was meant to …

I welcome the Minister of State to the Chamber. Budget 2023 comes at a time of great anxiety for many people across the country. The cost-of-living crisis has been extensively discussed already but I wish to give the context that, for many people, there has been a cost-of-living crisis for years, if not forever. During recessions and after recessions, during booms and after booms, before the Ukraine war and during it, people have experienced significant deprivation and poverty. Last year, my colleagues in the Civil…

I welcome the comments of Senators Flynn and Ardagh. I am always apprehensive about speaking on these issues because some people would like to think that we are condoning behaviour when we are not. People can call out behaviour as wrong. What happened in Cherry Orchard is wrong. How we challenge that is a whole different story. How we speak about and understand it is much more nuanced than one will ever see online or often even in this Chamber. Some of the commentary I saw online stated that there are no repercussi…

I welcome the Minister to the Chamber. I rise today in support of the motion which will see the establishment of the office of authorised intervention that will oversee the excavation, recovery, analysis, identification where possible, and appropriate reinterment of the infant remains located at the site of the former mother and baby institution in Tuam, County Galway. This is a development which has been far too long in the making and comes as a great relief to the many survivors and relatives who have campaigned …

We have tabled a couple of amendments to this section. I will make a few comments specifically on amendment No. 94, which seeks to amend section 66(1) by proposing that the chief executive officer would impose on a designated institution of higher education a requirement to take a remedial or other measure or measures in accordance with this section, if he or she makes a determination that they must have approval from the board. My concerns in tabling this amendment are that when we make unilateral decisions, we ca…

I thank the Minister for his engagement on this. Some of my fears have been put to rest by the fact that we can potentially look at the appeals mechanism and the powers within that to ensure that there will be an impact assessment on how a financial decision will be made against a college and on whom it will or will not impact. I ask the Minister if, during the ongoing work, we can continue to have conversations in order that the intention behind these amendments will be reflected in those appeals processes.

I second the amendment.

I second the amendment.

I second the amendment.

I second the amendment.

I second the amendment.