I am happy to second the Bill proposed by my colleague, Senator McGreehan, who has regularly raised this issue. I thank the Minister for her leadership. She has worked with the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, to try to address this. It is critical, especially in light of recent events, most notably the death of Nicole Morey, that we take action quickly in this regard. I was particularly concerned and I raised this issue following the appalling attack on the nine-year-old boy, Alejandro Mizsan, in Enniscorthy in May 2…

Senator Flynn has the floor.

As no other Senators are offering, I invite the Minister to respond.

I invite Senator Erin McGreehan to conclude the debate. She has five minutes.

When is it proposed to take Committee Stage?

Is that agreed? Agreed.

When is it proposed to sit again?

Is that agreed? Agreed.

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. I raise the question of the ongoing protests in Georgia. As the Minister of State will know, Ireland has very friendly relations with Georgia but we have seen in recent months, in particular in recent weeks, growing protests on the streets of Georgia against the transparency of foreign influence Bill that the Georgian Dream party is trying to introduce, but also against the increasing crackdown on any form of dissent within that country. The fear among many of those who are oppose…

I am grateful to the Minister of State and the Minister for Foreign Affairs for setting out clearly Ireland's continuing support for democratic values in Georgia and making it clear to the Georgian Government that membership of the European Union will be dependent on ensuring that democracy, human rights and the rule of law are respected. I encourage the Minister for Foreign Affairs to continue with this line. If necessary, the EU should take action, including sanctions, against some of those who are engaging in de…

As this is the last Order of Business before the local and European elections next week, I am sure the Acting Leader will join with me in wishing the best to all candidates in both the local and European elections. It takes a certain amount of courage, bravery and even foolhardiness to put your name forward. I want to wish every candidate the very best of luck but also to say a particular thanks to those whose names are not on the ballot paper, those who go out and put up the posters, knock on the doors, drive peop…

Fáiltím roimh an Aire Stáit. I thank the Minister of State very much for taking this matter on behalf of the Minister. I raise the case of Gaelscoil an Inbhir Mhóir in Arklow in County Wicklow. The school has 279 students. It was established in 1998. It operates now, for the most part, out of a series of prefabs dotted around a soccer pitch. We have a school here that has been in place for more than a quarter of a century. In 2017-18, in discussions between the Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board, the …

I thank the Minister of State very much. I do not doubt the investment in schools right across the country. However, I am aware of many other school projects which started after that relating to the Gaelscoil in question. Planning permission was obtained and the sanction was granted for the development of this project, but it has been leapfrogged by projects relating to other schools. The building work relating to those schools has either been or is in the process of being completed. Why is the process relating to …

The Order of Business is No. 1, Employment Permits Bill 2022 - Report and Final Stages, to be taken at 3.15 p.m. and to adjourn at 5 p.m. if not previously concluded; and No. 2, Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024 – Second Stage, to be taken at 5 p.m. and to conclude at 7 p.m. if not previously concluded, with the time allocated to the opening remarks of the Minister not to exceed ten minutes, group spokespersons not to exceed ten minutes, all other Senators not to exceed five minutes, and the M…

I thank all Senators for their contributions. There were a number of requests for statements on various issues, which I will bring back to the relevant Departments. Senators Dooley and Hoey raised the question of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and the horrific scenes we are currently witnessing in Rafah. They welcomed the decision of Ireland, along with Norway and Spain, to recognise the State of Palestine today. As Senator Dooley said, the recognition of the State of Palestine in no way condones the horri…

In making her budget submissions to the Minister, I might ask the Senator to quite clearly define what she means by a durable relationship. In the context of something like tax, we should provide certainty on that. I thought that there was a relative degree of certainty as to what a durable relationship meant but, given that Senator Keogan has now-----

-----raised the need-----

-----for capital gains tax in the context of durable relationships, providing a definition could certainly be helpful. Senators McGreehan and Boyhan raised the issue of victims of thalidomide, as both have done in the House previously. They have both been very strong advocates on behalf of the Irish Thalidomide Association. I agree that this has gone on for far too long. What the House could do is invite statements on the issue of thalidomide at some stage. I certainly echo and agree with their calls on that issue.…

I can request that we have a debate. Senator Craughwell knows that I agree with him on the defence issues he raised. Whenever there are elections, there will always be questions as to who gets coverage and who does not, and inevitably some people will be aggrieved. There is the difficulty of trying to give coverage to everybody. We all have our own views as to who should or should not have coverage. Whether people agree with it or not, RTÉ set out the grounds on which it would invite people onto any of its broadcas…

It needs to be much more discursive and evidence based. As the Senator said, there is very clear evidence that we are seeing climate change and a biodiversity challenge. It is important that all of us within society are equipped with the tools to be able to respond to that. It should be done very much on an evidence base. I am quite certain, and it is quite welcome, that the education committee is discussing this and that the voices of young people and students are heard within that debate.