I, too, welcome Cara Hunter to the Gallery. Yesterday, she spoke profoundly on RTÉ radio in respect of her experience of online abuse during an election campaign. In these Houses last week we launched a report in respect of the abuse of referees, match officials and others involved in sport. Yesterday, Ursula Jacob who, as Members will be aware, is an All-Ireland camogie medal winner for Wexford, a commentator and a person with great experience of sport, became the latest person in the public eye to have to speak o…

We all are very much aware of ongoing brutality of Putin's war on Ukraine. The fact the European Union has stood so strongly together in introducing a range of sanctions is something to be welcomed. However, it is a matter of concern there a significant number of companies continue to do business in Russia and indeed with Putin's regime. The Yale School of Management has conducted an extensive examination of the companies that are interacting with Russia. It is fortunate that any of them based in Ireland have all b…

There is a little bit of déjà vu on this issue because the Minister of State and I discussed it in the Chamber in detail on several occasions, most famously during the Commencement debate in May 2021. It is the case that what is proposed here is quite reasonable. I am minded, on the basis of the commitment I received from the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, that this will be a priority of the new electoral commission and put on the record of the House. I am quite happy that the Government is committed to addressi…

I welcome the Minister and thank him and his officials for the work that has gone into this comprehensive legislation. In a previous role, I was familiar with some of the background work involved. The Bill aims to replace the Higher Education Authority Act 1971. The HEA was established three years prior to that. The Minister referred to how our higher education system had transformed considerably over the half century since. Approximately one in ten of those aged between 18 and 20 years of age used to go on to high…

I am always happy to see the Minister of State in the House but I am disappointed because I tabled this matter for the Department of Justice and it was transferred to the Department of Health. In December last, I tabled the exact same Commencement matter. Before I list chronologically some of the delays and problems around this, I will refer to the Minister of State's response to my Commencement matter on 9 December 2021. This is around the question of international students' health insurance. The Minister of State…

I seek the guidance of the Acting Chairperson. Is it possible for me to withdraw my Commencement matter? With all due respect to the Minister of State, and I am not criticising him personally, his reply is the exact same as the one he gave me last December. I know that because I compared the contents of the two replies and they are almost word for word. I am not satisfied with the response and for this reason, I seek to withdraw my Commencement matter and direct it to the Minister for Justice. Is that possible? Off…

On a point of order, normally one cannot resubmit a Commencement matter. As today's Commencement matter was answered by the Department of Health, can I submit the same Commencement matter but insist that the Minister for Justice answers?

I thank the Acting Chairperson.

Like the Cathaoirleach and the Leader, I am glad to welcome the ambassador of Slovenia to the House. His country is one of Europe's hidden tourism gems.

I have had the joy of visiting Ljubljana, Bled, the caves at Postojna and Škocjan and some of the other areas. It really is a beautiful country and I encourage Members to travel there if they get the opportunity. I wish Slovenians a very happy national day. I raise the proposal by the British Government to introduce a new bill of rights. My concern is that, as the Leader will be aware, as part of the Good Friday Agreement, the British Government incorporated the European Convention of Human Rights into the domestic…

I know this is an issue that the Minister is deeply committed to addressing as well. He will be aware that within the programme for Government there is a very clear commitment to provide for therapeutic services, particularly for children in the care of Tusla. The Government is developing its plans about expanding and developing the child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS, and it is increasing the number of medical and other interventions for young people and, indeed, support for their families. I commen…

I thank the Minister for his comprehensive response. In particular I welcome the clear commitment that from the third quarter of this year, all children and young people newly admitted to care will have a multidisciplinary assessment and care plan completed. It is not only important that a care plan is completed but also that it is implemented and that the supports are put in place. Coming out of the Covid pandemic period, we do not know what its full impact will be and how that may manifest itself in certain areas…

The State agriculture research agency, Teagasc, recently reported that among farm families in Wexford, Wicklow and Carlow, the average age of a farmer is now 56.6 years. This is slightly younger than the national average, but it points to the continuing challenge of the ageing profile of those within our farm communities. I have raised on a number of occasions in this House the question of incentives for young farmers and the need to encourage more people into agriculture and food production. I hope we have a full …

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. I welcome this Bill which will establish a much-needed electoral commission. I also support the lowering of the voting age to 16 and we can do that as part of this legislation for the local and European elections in 2024. The leadership shown by young people, particularly in the Irish Second-Level Students Union, on the leaving certificate and the question of climate change shows that they can have meaningful impact on our civic life. The evidence from other countries, particularl…

The last county to become a county in Ireland was Wicklow in 1606. The reason was that the British were trying to design it as a shire but three families, the O'Tooles, the O'Kavanaghs and the O'Byrnes all rebelled to delay the process. Therefore, if we are to design it around the original county boundaries it should perhaps be around the O’Byrne lands which stretched from Wicklow into Wexford and part of Carlow.

In a modern context we need to look at what makes sense from a geographical point of view and that may not necessarily be around the county boundaries.

Yesterday, I attended Mental Health Reform’s online publication of a report, My LGBTI+ Voice Matters. It is an extensive piece of research which looks at the experiences of the gay, lesbian and trans community within our mental health services. One statistic that certainly stands out is that 19% of those who access mental health services in Ireland identify as lesbian, gay or trans, so one in five of our mental health service users identify as LGBT. The report makes a number of recommendations around improving ment…

I thought that was standard attire for Dún Laoghaire.

The Leas-Chathaoirleach will be aware of the reported decision of the UK Government to unilaterally change parts of the Northern Ireland protocol that was agreed between the UK and the European Union. The Taoiseach and the Minister for Foreign Affairs have been clear that this has been a breach of good faith as well as a breach of international law and that it undermines the trust that is necessary to do business. The EU position has been clear and the role played by Maroš Šefčovič has been quite noble. It has alwa…

Hear, hear.