An adjudication officer cannot adjudicate on the merits of an employee's request.

I ask the Minister to explain more as to why there is not a proper right for appeal.

I thank the Minister of State for taking this matter. I understand the Minister for Education is at the Cabinet. The issue I raise relates to the review of the after-hours use of school buildings. We understand the review is under way and this is most welcome. My questions are about the process of consultation on this review. Who will be consulted? Will the communities where these schools are located be given a say? When will the review be completed? When can we hope to have a stronger and more comprehensive set of…

I reiterate that we all share the view that the first priority has to the needs of the school population and community. This is not in doubt. Earlier this year, in response to a parliamentary question, the Minister said the review was to commence in the third quarter of this year. We now hear about a survey in the first quarter of 2023 but we do not hear when we will see completion of the review. We do not hear anything about public consultation on this. Surely the public and local communities will be given an oppo…

I second the recommendation.

I move recommendation No. 6: In page 242, between lines 17 and 18, to insert the following: “(31) The Minister shall within six months after the passing of this Act lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas on the operation of the Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme under this section, including— (a) information about the classes of business that are and are not eligible under the scheme, and (b) information about the classes of electricity customer that are not eligible under this scheme and to which …

I move: That Seanad Éireann: notes: - that there is a serious shortage of early years care and education places across this country, particularly for children under the age of one; - the enormous pressure that this shortage places on families and, in particular, on a mother’s return to the workplace and decisions about hours worked; - that parents face a wait of two years for early years and childcare places in some urban centres, while one in four children in Dublin’s northeast inner city cannot currently access a…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit. I thank the Minister of State for speaking about her views on what needs to be done and for relaying the Minister's comments. I thank everybody who has stayed on to contribute to the debate because it was a constructive one. There is a lot more that unites us than divides us in this Chamber, even if the amendment to the motion might suggest slightly differently. I communicated to the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, this morning that I wanted to conduct this debate this evening in a c…

I want to raise the issue of the closure of the Mater hospital long Covid clinic that is due to take place this month. The closure of this important clinic will deprive communities of the north inner city and across the north side of Dublin of a vital service for those who are unlucky to develop those enduring symptoms from Covid-19. Those symptoms can be debilitating both physically and mentally. It is important to say that under the stewardship of Professor Jack Lambert and other doctors in the Mater hospital, it…

I second the amendment.

Dáil Éireann passed the Finance Bill 2022 on 23 November 2022, which has been sent to Seanad Éireann for its recommendations.

I welcome the Minister of State to the House.

Every November we mark the gender pay gap in Ireland and across other European countries. The reality is that in Ireland, women workers on average earn almost a quarter less compared with their male counterparts. The latest available data is for 2020. We know that women, on average, earned 22% less on an annual basis. This is not the hourly basis that one often hears quoted; this is annual basis. Some 22% less is a shocking figure. That is in spite of significant growth in full-time female employment during the pan…

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I apologise in advance as I must leave this debate after making my contribution. We very much welcome the Personal Injuries Resolution Board Bill 2022. All in this House are extremely conscious of the unacceptable situation that pertains to the insurance sector in this country. There is a very real problem with unaffordable premiums, and insurance firms have failed to pass on reductions. We heard other speakers talk about the fact that although the judicial guidelines h…

On behalf of the Labour Party group, I express heartfelt sympathies to Bridget Doody and her family on the passing of her brother. I will speak about the announcement yesterday that the Government's living wage plan has been agreed and approved by the Cabinet. What is the point of launching a plan to improve wages and then doing nothing about it? The Government says it wants to see an increase in the national minimum wage to 60% of median earnings in the next four years. That is great. It is very much to be welcome…

I warmly welcome Second Stage of this Bill. I pay tribute to Senator Ardagh, Senator Buttimer and all those in the cross-party Oireachtas group on cancer. Today's Bill is about the right to be forgotten, specifically with regard to those who have endured a cancer diagnosis and treatment and have come through the other side. This Bill is about dragging our financial providers into an up-to-date situation. The medical treatment and care around cancer has gone through incredible improvements in this country and across…

I thank the Minister and call on Senator Buttimer who has six minutes.

Does Senator Flynn want to continue?

I thank Senator Flynn and call Senator McGahon.

Okay, I will ask Senator Higgins to speak.