I thank the Minister of State for being in the Chamber. We need to talk about the National Asset Management Agency, NAMA, and, more specifically, what the agency is doing to fulfil its mandate to contribute to the economic and social development of Ireland. While the agency may be fulfilling its economic mandate, it has dropped the ball regarding its contribution to the social development of the State. We often hear about NAMA's duty to achieve the best financial return on the lands and properties it controls. In d…

As the Chair of the Committee of Public Accounts, in 2019 the Minister of State himself commented on the unacceptable delay in terms of what NAMA should be doing, yet, according to his presentation today, NAMA is doing all that it can. I am wondering what has changed since 2019. One of the key points is that NAMA states that it will not build the 10,000 units that it could, because they are not viable. I wonder according to whose analysis they are not viable. Could NAMA not work with agencies, such as Ó Cualann, wh…

Hear, hear.

I want to first mention Seán Binder.

As many Members will have read during the week, he is on trial in Lesbos for his humanitarian work. Seán was in the same year as me in college. He is 27 years of age. We spoke in the Chamber recently on legislation concerning the need to carve out humanitarian work and have it as an exemption rather than as a defence. This is the type of case that proves this point. Seán is now in Lesbos on trial for humanitarian work, for trying to take people out of crisis and away from war. I also wish to speak briefly on access…

I thank the Taoiseach for being here this afternoon. We need to name the date for the citizens' assembly on drugs. I am aware that the Taoiseach launched the CityWide Drugs Crisis Campaign event today. The rumour, if you talk to people in addiction industries, is that the relevant Ministry is in a pair of safe hands but we have to deal with unelected officials every time we try to deal with the Department. No decisions are being made regarding drugs by the Minister. When I think of safe hands, I think of all the pe…

I appreciate that. I will not use all the time available to me because, as a victim of sexual assault, I always struggle to speak about this topic. It struck me that the report found that less than 10% of victims report incidents of sexual assault or rape. As the mother of two daughters, I would like to be able to encourage my daughters, if something was to ever happen to them, to hold the person responsible accountable. To be honest, I do not think I would do so. When I see how people are treated and how victims, …

I thank the Minister of State for being here. I welcome the Bill, which represents a step forward towards a fairer and more caring judicial system that is built on the ideals of justice and rehabilitation, rather than simply punishment. I have spoken at length in the past of my strong beliefs that a culture of rehabilitation and education should be put firmly at the heart of our justice system because the way in which we treat our penal system is a reflection of us as a broader society. We should, therefore, work t…

I wish to call attention to the report on the Traveller community and homelessness that was finally released last week. The report makes for difficult reading. I wish I could say it comes as a surprise but we have seen too many reports like this before. My colleague in the Civil Engagement Group, Senator Flynn, has spoken passionately in this House about the unacceptable conditions our Traveller neighbours are still forced to live in. It is a deeply emotional subject for generations of Travellers who have lived in …

I will add it to my minute at the end, or else I will not get two minutes. I was getting a donation.

I thank the MEPs for joining us today. As they may be aware, next Monday marks equal pay day in Ireland, the day when women in Ireland effectively stop earning relative to men, given the current gender pay gap of 14.4%. Despite this ongoing inequality, Ireland remains perhaps the only country that has not yet signed up to the Council of European Municipalities and Regions, CEMR, European charter for equality of women and men in local life. The charter seeks to promote gender equality at local and regional levels ac…

I second the amendment.

I second the amendment.

I second the amendment.

I second the amendment.

I second the amendment.

I second the amendment.

I move amendment No. 7: In page 11, between lines 6 and 7, to insert the following: “Protection from prosecution 9. A person shall not be considered to have committed an offence under section 6 or 7 , where the person engaged in conduct alleged to constitute an offence under section 6 or 7 — (a) in order to provide, in the course of his or her work on behalf of a bona fide humanitarian organisation, assistance to a person seeking international protection in the State or equivalent status in another state if the pur…

I welcome back the Minister of State. I will be brief on these amendments. We covered them a lot on the previous Stage of the Bill. They go back to the recommendation IHREC made. We spoke a great deal in the last session about the journey of a smuggled person and people obviously do not take that journey very lightly. The Journal reported a number of weeks ago that on 18 July people were pulled from the Mediterranean Sea and that there were 57 other migrants on the same boat when it had left its port. These amendme…

I second the amendment.