I thank the Minister of State for his response. He has to acknowledge that carers work many hours that are not accounted for. Many of the people who provide care at home for a loved one never apply for carer's allowance. They save the State so much money. This needs to be reviewed. People need to be asked to work with the Department by informing it of how many hours they provide care for. The payments sound great but when one works out how many hours people provide care for, it is below the minimum wage. I would li…

I thank the Minister of State.

My concern relates to section 20A(3)(a), which states that regulations made under this section shall not apply to an employer with fewer than 50 employees. Gender pay discrimination is a serious issue. As we know, the Bill aims to tackle the existence of pay discrimination but could this section permit employers with fewer than 50 employees to legally discriminate against employees on a gender basis? Are there plans to amend the section in order that employers are not allowed to engage in pay discrimination based o…

The development of the new national maternity hospital is an issue that we cannot ignore. While there is no doubt that the issue is complex, we must find a solution. The debate largely receives media attention in correlation to the religious association but we must recognise the commitments the religious order has made. The commitments in the national maternity hospital vision statement aim for an Ireland where all maternity services ensure that women and babies have access to safe and high-quality care in a settin…

Senator Seery Kearney raised the issue of hate crime and I happen to know personally the priest who fell victim to the abuse and the online abuse over the weekend. He is a Limerick man who is in charge of a church in Dublin. He has always been very inclusive and tried to work with people, including the most vulnerable in society. I therefore think it is time we had a debate on hate crime. I support Senators Casey and Buttimer on the hospitality industry. It is time businesses got the clarity they need. I had a numb…

I thank the Acting Chairperson. I thank the Minister for being here today for this very important debate. I get worried when I hear Senator Conway talk of Limerick and light rail and so on. I am thinking, "Is he moving to Limerick?" I certainly welcome his comments. I will speak a little about that too. In 2018, Ireland was ranked seventh worst out of 28 EU member states in terms of its total greenhouse gas, while our UK counterparts have been rated with the best performance. While Ireland may only contribute to 0.…

I rise to welcome two things relating to Limerick. Fáilte Ireland and the council had a joint collaboration yesterday, which was two years in the making, whereby Limerick city is now identified as a gateway city of the Wild Atlantic Way. While the Wild Atlantic Way has been a great success, urban tourism destinations like Limerick city were losing out. That it has now been included shows that Limerick has much on offer for tourism and culture. What has happened will encourage people to come and use Limerick city, u…

I welcome the Minister of State to the House to debate this important topic about aviation. Where I come from, in Limerick and in the mid-west region, aviation plays an important role. Airlines are very complex and need to be realistic with flexible plans in terms of reopening and getting back up and running. While passenger airlines are to the fore and will therefore be discussed a lot, I know that the leasing companies have been referred to. The Minister of State, Deputy Burke, was in Limerick this morning. We we…

I welcome the Minister. I also welcome the Bill, which is important. Having recently spoken to councillors who are in the middle of their development plans, they are finding many difficulties. It is very good that this extension is being offered. As has been pointed out, it is difficult to do everything online and have meaningful meetings online and get the true reflection of the members. Sometimes people can step outside a group setting or the council chamber to discuss issues to see whether they can be resolved t…

Thank you for accepting my Commencement matter, a Chathaoirligh. The Minister of State, Deputy Joe O'Brien, is very welcome. I raise the issue of the costs faced by the over-70s and ask the Government to consider increasing the help provided to them. In 2018, a €2.50 weekly increase was introduced to assist those aged over 70 with their telephone line costs. This works out at €130 a year, but the cost of renting a landline is €504 a year. That is a significant amount for somebody over 70 who is on a very low income…

I thank the Minister of State for his response. I am trying to highlight the fact that the cost of everything is increasing and we need to review the schemes in that context. People are finding it difficult to pay their bills, especially those on lower incomes. Many pensioners are solely reliant on the State pension of approximately €258 per week. I ask that the Department would review the allowances in the context of costs going up. Many people are cutting costs to try to cover other things and this needs to be lo…

I welcome the Minister of State. Many questions have been raised in welcoming this legislation. We are supporting what has come from Europe. This Bill is about protecting the consumer and business people. As a former business owner, I am aware of people who had their cards stolen and used or who have been scammed. There has been a major increase in people using their cards and it is all about the Internet. As a colleague said, the fraudsters are always two steps ahead of everyone else. The tighter we can make the l…

I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive explanation. I have been listening to the debate, including what Senator Cummins said. I agree with what Senator Conway said. Where I live there is a proposal for 800 houses of mainly affordable and social with a mix of some private as well. We need to have a mix. While the Government is determined to deliver as many houses possible, when authentic companies that can deliver offer proposals with a good mix, it is important to accept those. I know there has been mu…

Not acceptable.

Two important dates are approaching, namely, 2 June and 7 June, when the hospitality industry reopens. Hotels open tomorrow and outdoor facilities on 7 June. Close to 250,000 people are impacted in this regard. While there has been criticism regarding the expected cutting back of employment support payments from next September, it has not been highlighted that it is expected there will be increased supports to keep these businesses open and retain people in jobs. That is an important point. In that regard, I wish a…

I thank the Minister of State for being present. Having read the motion, I understand what Senators Craughwell and Boyhan are hoping to achieve, but I know from my own area the valid part played by the search and rescue service. I support the Minister of State in the context of the Government amendment because I believe it is about value for money. When we are looking at the value of people's lives, we cannot put restrictions on that. There is a tendering process under way. I understand that everything has been don…

Last week, I raised the issue of vaccines and vulnerable people and called on the Minister for Health to come to the House for a debate on it, although I am pleased to say those people have since received vaccines. Having said that, I am concerned about the increasing number of Covid-19 cases detected in Limerick and the fact that many young people are being treated in the hospital. My main concern is that, allegedly, a 60-bed unit opened there recently, but people are on trolleys awaiting beds and I have discovere…

I thank the Minister for being here this morning. The CAP reform negotiations that are currently under way were initiated in 2018 and Ireland had to make a submission by January 2020. I have met many young farmers in my own neck of the woods and have spoken to people from various sectors and there are two main issues at play. Farmers are opposed to any cuts and are concerned about convergence and redistribution. This is particularly the case for active farmers and I engaged with the Minister on this recently. Many …

It is good to hear that farm safety is being taken seriously and is included in the CAP. I was delighted to hear the Minister of State's acknowledgment that he is working with the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Feighan, on the issue of mental health. Stress has presented many mental health issues for farmers and I am glad the Minister of State acknowledged that. Falling incomes, higher costs, which affect every industry, and increased regulations are a cause of stress, and I welcome the fact …

I thank the Minister for attending. I commend my colleague, Senator Seery Kearney, and the Fine Gael group on bringing forward this motion. I have worked for many years as a volunteer with many youth groups and have also been involved in a secondary school. Only recently I attended a Zoom meeting with some students to speak about their experience during Covid. While some of them had the experience of being able to go to school, I also met with some third level students who certainly felt that the biggest loss was n…