Next Tuesday.

I wish to respond to what Senator Mullen has said. Older people and vulnerable people should not be afraid about going into our hospitals. We have an excellent healthcare system in this country. I join with the Minister in thanking all healthcare professionals. When it comes to healthcare, they are the ones to whom we should be listening first. This is significant legislation. Unlike Senator Mullen, I believe the Minister deserves credit because we have been experiencing a revolution in women's healthcare. These ar…

It is a lonely Chamber, given the topic.

Like others, I welcome the Minister of State and wish him well in his new role. I commend my Green Party colleagues on bringing forward this motion. When we think about loneliness, any of those who have ever gone canvassing or knocking on doors will have encountered the case of the door you knock on and the person who wants to keep talking to you. It is not that they are supporting the other party and looking to hold you up but that you may be the only person who might have called to the door in the course of the d…

I thank the Minister of State for taking this matter. I acknowledge that the Minister of State, Deputy Ossian Smyth, has been providing a strong lead role, on behalf of the Government, in this area but I am concerned about how long it is taking to put the necessary measures in place to combat the problem of illegal dumping and littering. The Minister of State will be aware I introduced legislation to this House about three years ago with a view to ensuring local authorities could use CCTV, drones and other technolo…

The Minister of State talked about the length of time it has taken to get to this point. The response the Minister has provided to the Minister of State makes it very clear that this is the responsibility of local authorities and that legislation now gives them the power to take action in this space. I would encourage local authorities to act on this basis. Some are telling me that they are going to through a particular process, waiting for trials and so on. While they have to put in place all of the necessary safe…

The amateur theatre community in Ireland is very much alive and is going from strength to strength. I congratulate Kilrush Drama Group which won the all-Ireland confined drama finals in Mountmellick, County Laois, last weekend. The group is celebrating the 60th anniversary of its foundation. For a small drama group to have this success is an amazing achievement. To the the cast, the crew and all involved in Kilrush Drama Group, we send our congratulations. The all-Ireland open drama finals, which will be held in At…

While I have some sympathy in terms of the principle behind what Senator Clonan is talking about, it needs to be remembered that this agency is not just dealing with universities. It is also dealing with research more generally within the State. There are a number of amendments here where I would argue efforts are being made to amend the objects of the agency but which would actually be more appropriate to the functions or codes of practice that will be developed. Within other legislation in this space, there are v…

Yes, I am puzzled about some of the amendments. The bodies specifically named already have statutory functions in the context of in research and innovation. The Bill does provide in section 51 that there shall be engagement with any body that is involved in the promotion and undertaking of research and innovation. I do not see the link with some of the organisations. I do not doubt the work it does, but IFUT does not have a specific statutory remit to deal with research and innovation. I agree with many points made…

Tomorrow at 10.30 a.m.

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. I congratulate Deputy O’Donnell on his new role and I wish him the best of luck as the Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW. He has always been willing to come before this House and I am appreciative that he has come in for this Commencement matter. I raise the issue of the Coast Guard station at Courtown. My own relationship with it goes back approximately a decade when we were trying to identify potential sites. This is one of the old Rocket House stations. Up to tw…

Cuirim fáilte anseo roimh na scoláirí freisin. I thank the Minister of State for that response. There is nothing new in it bar the last paragraph, and we had heard rumours to that effect. While I appreciate it is at a commercially sensitive point, I ask the Minister of State for assurance that there will be a Plan B, should Plan A fall through on this site. I also ask that there be communication from the OPW to the Coast Guard in Courtown. They are looking for certainty that something is going to happen. I do not w…

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. I thank the Minister for being here for this very important debate. I thank the Fine Gael Senators for tabling it. The Minister will recall we had a lot of engagement privately, and in the Chamber, about the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act, which established what is rapidly becoming perhaps the most important and powerful regulator in the State, given its role in a broad range of media, particularly looking at new technology and what is happening there. It is very important that …

I am raising an issue with which the Minister of State will be familiar, namely the Rosslare rail line and the continued failure by Irish Rail to invest in the service. I appreciate the Minister of State is taking this on behalf of the Minister for Transport. The Minister of State will know only too well that the Rosslare rail line has suffered from a long period of under investment. The only positive change that has been made was the introduction of a later evening service recently, which does serve Gorey. If I ge…

I thank the Minister of State. I really am disappointed at the lack of ambition in the long-term development of the Rosslare rail line. There is no discussion here around a significant number of additional services going from Wicklow south. There is no discussion around new rolling stock being made available on the existing line. While it is a very beautiful train line - one of the most spectacular in the world - it is critical for commuters that there is a reliable and quick service and we do not have that at the …

I am sure the Leader and all Members of the House will join me in expressing solidarity with the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, over the disgraceful scenes outside his home last week. There are plenty of places where people can protest about any aspect of Government policy or any other issue, but doing so outside an individual's home is not appropriate. I hope the House will join me in expressing solidarity with the Minister and with any figure who experiences such horrific acts. The announcement at the weekend by the …

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. I congratulate the Minister on his appointment as this is the first time he has been in this Chamber in his new role. I-----

Yes. I encourage him to be as forthright and direct in his new role-----

-----as he was during his time as Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works. It is essential that this legislation align with the provisions within the HEA Act. Contrary to Senator Higgins's comments, we spent extensive time discussing that Act. There was a lot of pre-legislative scrutiny. The Minister at the time engaged a lot, as I am sure will be the hallmark of the new Minister's role in the Department. Given some of the regulatory functions which were given to the HEA in light of cer…

I agree to Senator Higgins's suggestion.