I will start by agreeing with my colleagues. Senator Davitt spoke concerning the Passport Office while Senator Warfield spoke about reform of the licensing laws and a debate around studio space to support our creative industries. I want to refer to events in Australia with regard to Facebook recently. They raise important questions about how we ensure payment for quality journalism in future. This is an issue my colleague, Senator Cassells, has raised regularly. They also bring up the critical question of the relat…

Oscar Wilde defined a cynic as someone who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing. I think that can be applied to The Mirror's ill-informed clickbait coverage around local government last week. It is a frequent problem in national media that we do not see proper coverage of local government. RTÉ regularly has discussion programmes about local government without involving councillors. There is a need, and it is a challenge, for AILG and LAMA to explain more effectively the role of a local councillor.…

Like others, I thank Senator Hoey for bringing this Bill forward and allowing us to debate this issue. I also thank the Minister for coming to the House. One of the bigger questions we need to ask is why student nurses ended up in our healthcare system, essentially having to do the work of nurses and midwives. As students, they should not be expected to do this work. The challenge has been that we have had an underfunded and under-resourced health system for quite some time. One of the things that was overlooked in…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach Gníomhach. I welcome him to the Chair. I thank the Minister of State for coming into the House. I agree with his comments on the previous Commencement matter recognising the role of the ISSU. I also agree with the comments of Senator Fitzpatrick. I am jointly raising an issue with Senator Ward because, as legislators in a democracy, we should stand up for legislators in other democracies when they are faced with unfair threats. I wish the Minister of State a happy Chinese new…

I am aware the Government and the EU are raising continuous concerns, but this is something we will have to take very seriously. It is about a democracy being repressed. If the current policy continues, people may flee to Ireland. I ask that consideration be given to granting them the right to remain here, if they have to do so for political reasons. I ask the Minister of State to comment on this is in his response.

I echo the concerns expressed by Senator McDowell concerning an Irish citizen, Richard O'Halloran, in China. There is a need for a broader debate around the relationship of Ireland and the European Union with China. Speaking during a Commencement matter debate earlier, my colleague, Senator Fitzpatrick, rightly raised the need for urgency in reaching a decision on this year's leaving certificate. I echo her praise of the role of the Irish Second-Level Students Union in its advocacy on behalf of students. I follow w…

I move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to restrict the use of the terms "Óglaigh na hÉireann" and "Defence Forces" to the defence forces raised and maintained under the Defence Acts 1954 to 2015, and for that purpose to restrict the inclusion of those words in the names of certain other bodies by amending the Defence Act 1954, and to provide for related matters.

Next Tuesday.

It is good to see Senator McGreehan in the Chair. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy English. Like others, I pay tribute to Senator Currie, who is passionate about this issue. This is a timely and appropriate debate as the Government contemplates issues around remote working. I would like to comment on a couple of the contributions. Senator McDowell is right to state that we need to encourage the decentralisation of the public service. When he was Minister for Justice, one of the things that he committed to wa…

I thank the Minister of State for being here and for being a mental health champion. It is clear since the Minister of State has gone into the Department that she has a personal interest in this. I know it is an issue of concern to everybody in this House and right around the country and that the Minister of State is interested in solving the problems. I know her legacy will be to resolve many of the challenges we have been talking about. I particularly commend the Minister of State on some of the work she has been…

I will start by echoing Senator Flynn's concerns about the digital divide and access to laptops and tablets. In that regard, I welcome the Government's announcement today, because it is a concern I also share, of the €5.8 million fund to mitigate the impact of educational disadvantage, particularly in the context of the digital divide. The fund will be administered by the education and training boards. I know that, in the case of Donegal Education and Training Board, €283,000 will be provided. It is really importan…

I echo many of the comments that have been made by my colleagues. I was particularly struck by Senator Bacik's remark about how we can address problems with regression. This is a particular concern, and I hope a plan is put in place for children with special needs who have regressed. This is obviously based on speaking to their teachers and their families. We must put measures in place. I agree with Senator Seery Kearney about the importance of continuing to roll out ASD units. If the Minister of State, as one of h…

I thank the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, for coming to the House and acknowledge that she is personally invested in this issue. We have seen during the course of the pandemic that the arts, music and creative industries have in many ways helped us all through this period. They have fed our cultural soul. As we recover, the role of the arts and creative industries, and our artists and musicians, must be supported to help to rebuild our communities. The Minister will know that this sector has been among the har…

I thank the Minister. I can certainly assure her of my support. I believe she will receive cross-party support on the issue at the Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht. As I said, this is an opportunity to be innovative and a universal basic income is something new. It should not be seen as a handout. Its purpose is to allow artists to develop their careers during the intervening period. I am conscious of the series of reports about which the Minister spoke. It would be useful, …

Lá breithe sona don Cheannaire. I join the Cathaoirleach in marking Australia Day, and it is important in our new world to look at ways of furthering cultural, education and trade links with our friends in Australia. I will raise two matters. The first is the aftermath of Brexit, and it is welcome we are finally beginning to see Rosslare Europort blossoming to a far greater extent. It has been an underutilised jewel in Ireland's transport crown and the expansion there is very welcome. Much credit must go in particu…

I thank the Minister of State for coming before the House. I commend her on her work on trying to ensure that adult respite services remain open during this difficult period and also that day care services for children with special needs are open. I agree with the sentiments Senator Flynn expressed. It is important that we ensure that provision is made for those children and their families. I worry about the levels of regression that are happening. We must make sure that they remain a priority. I also agree with Se…

Like others, I thank the Acting Chairperson, Senator Boyhan, for his personal testimony in this House last week. It was an important contribution to the debate. It was an honour for me to hear it. I thank the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, for his time and personal commitment to this issue which is a challenging one. I know that the Minister and everybody within these Houses want to do the right thing. It is a dark chapter in our history that we should not forget and we should learn lessons from it. I agree with Senato…

I wish a Nollaig shona agus athbhliain faoi mhaise to everybody in this House and to the staff. Since I have come in here, many people have surprised me with how much they are committed to public service, but one thing I have been amazed by is the people who transcribe the words of our debates, and do it so quickly. They often make us sound a lot better than we are. Their work should also be acknowledged. Often in this House we complain and give out about certain things in society but sometimes we need to reflect o…

I welcome the Minister of State. Like others, I pay tribute to our Wexford colleague, Deputy Howlin, for his championing of this legislation, and to Senator Bacik and her Labour Party colleagues. It is a good sign that this has cross-party support. I echo the tributes paid to Nicole Fox Fenlon and her mother, Jackie. Not alone has Jackie Fox striven to ensure we get this legislation in, she has also spoken to schools and other organisations trying to get the message to young people about how important it is for peo…

I join the Cathaoirleach in thanking Senator Keoghan for her testimony and talking about the importance of love and kindness, particularly in these difficult times. I agree with the comments of Senator Hoey on an issue a number of Senators have raised previously, namely, the importance of having a debate on the rule of law in Hungary and Poland, particularly regarding decisions on European funding for those countries. If they do not respect the rule of law and minority rights, they should be called to account. I kn…