I am a little bit confused. What is the recommendation from the Attorney General? Was there a conflict of interest? Will the Minister of State clarify that for the information of the House?

I will never apologise for mentioning Limerick. I became a Senator in 2016 and I was proud then, and remain proud, of where I come from.

On Sunday, Limerick will play Kilkenny in the all-Ireland senior hurling final. The Limerick hurlers are led by Declan Hannon and I wish him and the rest of the Limerick hurlers all the best. Limerick seeks to win three all-Ireland finals in a row and we are proud of that tradition. Today, WP Engine moved to its new offices located on Henry Street in Limerick city. I wish Mr. Paul Ryan and his staff all the best in their new endeavour. WP Engine announced that there will be 20 new jobs created, which will add to th…

I congratulate Keith Earls, the captain of a very successful Irish rugby team who played against the New Zealand Maoris this morning. Ireland played to its full potential in having two wins in a row last Saturday and this morning. I congratulate Keith and all involved in the team. It was announced yesterday that FileCloud is opening its research and development centre and European headquarters in Limerick with the creation of 50 jobs. It is good news to see another American company coming to the mid-west and openin…

I thank the Minister of State for appearing before the House to discuss this important issue. As she will be aware, I am involved in a special school, which she has visited with me in the past. In April, I held an online meeting on this area and I thank her for contribution and commitment to the area of special needs. A number of issues were raised that evening and she subsequently resolved them, and I thank her publicly for that because it shows her commitment and dedication to the area. Behind every child there i…

I thank the Minister for coming before the House to discuss this all-important topic. I thank him and the Department for their work on the Bill, as well as for the inclusion of Limerick within its provisions. I recall when I got involved with the people in Limerick who were affected by pyrite in their foundations. At the time, they met the Pyrite Resolution Board. Some people who were affected by mica came to the same meeting and it had to be explained to them that while they were similarly affected, this was a dif…

I agree with the sentiments expressed by Senator O'Loughlin with regard to the passing of the late councillor, Mr. Jerry O'Dea, from Limerick. It is a very sad occasion. He was buried on the day on which he was due to become mayor of the city and county. I pass on my respects to his family and the family of Councillor James Tobin. I too attended the briefing today by the Alzheimer Society of Ireland. I support its call with regard to extended funding. As a member of the all-party Oireachtas group on dementia, I am …

I welcome the news from the Minister for Rural and Community Development about the significant changes that have been made in the Tús and community employment, CE, schemes. These schemes have been beneficial for so many people and communities. I also welcome the mayor, Councillor Joe Kelly, and his wife to the House. I raised a few weeks ago the fact that Caherconlish in Limerick was losing its post office due to the retirement of Kitty Hickey. I wish her well in her retirement. There was welcome news this morning …

Amendment No. 7 is out of order.

Amendments Nos. 9 to 13, inclusive, are related. Amendments Nos. 10 and 11 are physical alternatives to amendment No. 9. Amendment No. 13 is a physical alternative to amendment No. 12. The amendments may be discussed together, by agreement. Is that agreed? Agreed.

As amendment No. 9 has been agreed, amendments Nos. 10 and 11 cannot be moved.

As amendment No. 12 has been agreed, amendment No. 13 cannot be moved.

Amendments Nos. 14 to 18, inclusive, are related. Amendment No. 15 is a physical alternative to amendment No. 14. The amendments may be discussed together, by agreement. Is that agreed? Agreed.

I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to discuss this all-important issue. There is overwhelming support for the general thrust of the Bill. It is about bringing in sick pay for employees who never had the option of it to date. While there is goodwill, I too support the call from the Local Jobs Alliance, about which my colleagues, Senators Currie and Seery Kearney have spoken, and ask the Minister of State to consider its suggestion. I know we could bring forward an amendment on Report Stage if we t…

I thank the Minister for coming to the House today to discuss this important Bill. I have a keen interest in it. I served in the previous education committee when this legislation was mooted. I also served on the governing bodies of both a former institute of technology and the University of Limerick, so I have had a great interest in this area. I welcome the fact that the Minister is amending the Housing Finance Agency Act 1981 to allow educational institutions to take out loans and build their own student accommo…

I welcome the intervention, at long last, from the Minister for Health on University Hospital Limerick. I welcome the fact that he met senior officials in the HSE yesterday and that he has put together a crisis management unit that is to go to the hospital and work with senior people in the HSE and in the hospital. There also needs to be some independent people brought into this because it needs an independent eye. This is going on for far too long. I sound like a broken record and I am sure the Leader is sick of l…

I was at the briefing we had this morning where we met representatives of the Coach Tourism and Transport Council. This issue has been raised already. The 20% discount in fares has created inequality. Senator Cummins mentioned the Expressway buses. The private transport operators now find themselves in competition with public transport in some areas. They are losing customers because of the cheaper fares available on public transport. While competition is always healthy, it is not the coach tour operators that woul…

Now.

I will be brief because we had a Commencement debate yesterday on issues concerning UHL. I compliment the Senators who tabled the motion. It is something I firmly believe in. I have had a number of Commencement debates on this subject over the past few years, especially on the shortage in UHL. While I acknowledge that two nurses were taken on in the past two years, there is still a shortage of 11. I was involved in MS Ireland for a number of years as a volunteer and still have an association with it. From speaking …

I thank the Minister of State for coming back to the Chamber to discuss this all-important issue. I would like him to make a statement regarding the recent HIQA report on University Hospital Limerick. It is a damaging, concerning, disappointing and shocking report. I have been raising the issue of UHL in this House, as well as with the Minister for Health, for a long time. I raise issues every week. While there are positive things that happen there, this report is damaging. It is important that the Minister acknowl…