On a point of information, everyone keeps talking about the amendment and saying they are bound by conventions. Nobody has actually told us the rules of the conventions by which they are bound. If the Government Senators want to stand over their amendment, will they all speak to what it is they are bound by?

I wish to discuss Facebook, which we know recently changed its name to Meta and announced that it would be focusing its energies on developing its virtual reality, the metaverse. Mr. Mark Zuckerberg outlined how the metaverse technology will involve inhabiting virtual spaces, using wearable sensors to track one's body and wearable headsets and other sensors, which can map one's home and the space around it. Around the same time, Facebook also announced it was shutting down its facial recognition system and deleting…

I begin by thanking Senator Flynn and congratulating her on her first Private Member's Bill. What an important one it is. There is the topic we are discussing itself, but even the conversation on language and its importance matters. I congratulate the Senator's office as well for all the hard work done in respect of the essential piece of legislation before us. The Bill is based on the Luxembourg best-practice guidelines on terminology and semantics for child protection. The framework was written to promote the use…

I do not know why the Cathaoirleach was looking over there for me.

First, I would like to note the reports from the Minister, Deputy O’Gorman’s Department this morning in relation to the recent debate in this Chamber on care and those who have experienced the care system. In addition, I tabled a Commencement matter specifically on the issue that was announced this morning, where the Department and the Minister have launched the largest ever research and data collection project on those who have experienced care, which is a direct suggestion from the Ryan report in 2009. I am glad …

I thank Senator Malcolm Byrne for his work on this legislation. I get nervous when phrases such as "surveillance technology" are used. I could come in here and speak about the scourge of illegal dumping. We can point to it and speak about its impact on communities, where it is, what it is and what it costs to pick it up. We always fail to speak about the mechanisms we will use to address it. The mechanism in the Bill is to introduce a technology. I know how the Senator has come at this with regard to some aspects o…

I echo what Senator Hoey said about the health committee meeting. I had to turn off the camera at one stage as I thought I was going to have a panic attack. I thought I had been hurled through time, given everything I have stood for in this Chamber over the last six years and hoped that people were listening to me. I felt very disheartened and sad. I thought: "What is the point in me constantly speaking about this issue?" when I listened to the Minister of State, who is now two years into the role. I believe my 14-…

I thank Minister of State, Deputy Feighan, for being in the Chamber today. I purposely requested the Minister for Health because we are at a point of escalation in relation to the issue I speak to today. If I were in a position to do so, I probably would have called for the Taoiseach to come in to address the issue. He has spoken about it in the Dáil. What is happening right now with the north inner city drugs task force represents what I and many who are on the ground and involved in drugs task forces believe to b…

I asked them for permission.

By blocking the appointment of a strong community nominee as chair, the professional integrity and reputation of both the outgoing and incoming chairs have been questioned and undermined. Unfounded allegations around governance issues are being made without producing, as I said, any shred of evidence whatsoever. Both are known to us all as people of the highest standing in their fields and highly respected across many sectors involved in our NDS. We should be thrilled that people of this calibre are willing to take…

I thank the Minister of State for his comments. I have just pulled up the handbook to check a particular point. If that overreach by an official in relation to the election of the chair had not happened we would not be in the position of saying the task force cannot operate at all. Task forces should be free to appoint their chair without interference by the Department, provided the chair: ... is not directly connected with any of the projects being funded by the Task Force. ... [and there is] complete transparency…

I, too, will not be speaking again on the Order of Business this week so I wish everyone, both Members and Oireachtas staff, a very happy Christmas. Christmas is a time I really enjoy. I love being at home with my family but it comes sometimes with a huge amount of guilt when I look around at my community and the hardships that people face. I can see the steady flow of loan sharks' cars coming in and out and what it takes for people to actually try to give their children what they want. As a lone parent trying to p…

I move amendment No. 1: In page 9, line 5, after "of" to insert "financial and non-financial" I welcome the Bill and the aim behind it to put a stop to, or draw more attention to, crimes that are of a more privileged financial nature. It is essential that these crimes are properly investigated and prosecuted in Ireland. I want to take this opportunity to voice my support for the establishment of the corporate enforcement authority. With this support in mind, the amendments I have tabled seek to strengthen the remit…

I move amendment No. 3: In page 26, to delete lines 23 to 37. The purpose of this amendment is to remove the possibility that the authority might anonymise published details of certain individual cases in respect of "the relevant sanction imposed on the relevant director [where] such publication would be disproportionate" or where "the Authority is of the opinion that the publication of those particulars in accordance with subsection (1) would jeopardise the stability of financial markets or an ongoing criminal inv…

We have created legislation that gives an authority administrative powers. I find it confusing then, and this aspect will not be within the remit of the Minister of State, that when we seek to advance other policies where administrative decisions could be made, such as, for example, in drug decriminalisation, we are told we live in a country that operates under common law and not civil law and that there are no administrative powers. Therefore, I am wondering how we can create administrative powers to allow for, an…

I will see if the Minister of State responds first.

Without this information being asked for explicitly, there is also no reason for it to be included, if the Minister of State understands what I mean. There is no reason for the new authority not to include this information, but if there is no requirement to do so, then there is also no reason for the new authority to include these details in the report. Perhaps between now and Report Stage, we could discuss what requirements there may be or what we can expect to see in a report.

I withdraw the amendment.

I second the motion. I thank the Minister of State. I also thank Senator Higgins, who has shown great leadership and come from a place of being a global citizen and of caring deeply about everybody around the world, not just ourselves. It will be hard for anybody in this House to match her knowledge, experience and passion. We should all listen carefully to what she is saying about this. We will hear much debate about the TRIPS waiver, many statistics and arguments, and references to complex trade agreements. In th…

I thank colleagues for coming to Tallaght to play-----