I thank the Minister of State and Senators Crowe, Ahearn, Craughwell, Wall and Gavan for all their contributions this evening and for their support for the Bill. Senator Gavan touched on a wide range of issues regarding low pay and the living standards of workers in this country. This Bill is a drop in the ocean in terms of what needs to be done but it is an important one for what we estimate to be a few thousand workers. I am heartened by the support for the Bill. Support is one thing and enacting it, or something…

Next Tuesday.

I wish to propose an amendment to the Order of Business. I must apologise that I did not provide advance notice. I seek leave to introduce No. 17 on the Order Paper, the National Minimum Wage (Payment of Interns) Bill 2022. I propose that this be taken before No. 1, if at all possible. Our Bill is effectively to ensure that all work is paid and that there is a level playing field for all workers, and young workers in particular, regardless of their background at the start of their working lives. In quite a number o…

I move: That leave be given to introduce the National Minimum Wage (Payment of Interns) Bill 2022.

Next Tuesday.

I welcome the Minister of State. I thank Senators Keogan and Mullen for the motion. As others have said, it is very timely. It is important that we talk through all of the options for our energy security. As others have also said, the existing energy crisis shines a light on our dependence on other countries. When we had fuel crises 1968 and 1973, nuclear energy was very much on the agenda for the Government of the day. Thankfully, it was taken off the agenda. This is the context in which we are having the debate a…

Go raibh maith agat, a Leas-Chathaoirligh. I welcome the Minister of State and thank her for coming to the House. A year, a week and a day ago, the Minister for Health announced that there would be 24 new lactation consultants appointed in 2022. My simple question to the Minister of State is: where are they? I must credit the wonderful campaigning group, Bainne Beatha, for alerting us to the date last week. When the announcement by the Minister was made last year, we very much welcomed it, but from talking to campa…

I thank the Minister of State. Maybe I am of a simple mind but either the 24 posts have been recruited and filled or they have not. The Minister of State is saying 14.5 of the 24 posts have been allocated to community services but that is a budgetary allocation. Either the people are providing the service or they are not. Will the Minister of State take back to the Department that we need to see clarity? At this time on a Wednesday morning, are new, qualified lactation consultants providing support to breastfeeding…

That is the pre-2020 situation.

We learned last week about the killing of Al Jazeera journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh. The scenes from her funeral, including the attack on that funeral by the Israeli defence forces, are ones that few of us will ever forget. The killing and subsequent behaviour of the Israeli state must be called out and wholly condemned. It was a callous attack on media freedom and the right to mourn. I call for statements in this House condemning the Israeli Government for those actions.

It is the first time in three years that summer festivals will be taking place. That is brilliant and badly needed for the music and arts sector. I want to refer to research recently undertaken by a group called FairPlé, which examined 16 folk and trad festivals dating back to 2018. Only a quarter of the performances at those festivals were by women performers, and that does not even cover those who were working in the background. I appeal to festival organisers and to those attending to really demand and do better…

I have just come from the front gates of Leinster House where a considerable number of former Debenhams workers have gathered in advance of the debate on a Bill being put before the Dáil today. It is two years, one month and one day since they lost their jobs in such a shameful way. Last month, I stated in this Chamber that we had a lot of honeyed words back in the spring and summer of 2020 and that we have yet to see any substantive action from the Government. There have been many promises with regard to the emplo…

No, I will come in when we are discussing amendment No. 83.

Can I speak on amendment No. 83 now?

I thank the Minister for yet another outing on these amendments. Amendment No. 83 proposes to insert a provision in the Bill whereby the commission will not co-operate with self-regulatory systems or any other non-statutory mechanism that is not part of the legislative framework. The key issue is that either we are serious about regulation or we are not. Self-regulation has been shown not to work. If we are serious about the commission being a truly independent body then it is about ensuring that it does not involv…

I support what Senator Higgins said. I hear also what the Minister and Senator Malcolm Byrne said but we need to reinforce the point that there is a significant distinction between co-operating with and giving assistance to. I agree with Senator Higgins's question on whether the Minister would be open to a change of that particular language. Obviously, the language in the two amendments is much more black and white, but giving assistance to the establishment of a group is a fairly significant step for a commission.…

There is a question with regard to the resources of the commission and providing assistance, both in the preparation of standards and, in particular, in the establishment of a person or a group. We would like to hear from the Minister whether she is willing to accept any change in language that we bring forward on Report Stage.

I move amendment No. 83: In page 40, between lines 4 and 5, to insert the following: "(1A) Subsection (1) does not apply to standards or self-regulatory systems relating to the regulation of commercial communications.".

Will this debate adjourn at 7.30 p.m.?

I shall speak to my amendment No. 123. I welcome section 46N(5) as it refers to making provision to prohibit advertising "in respect of the general public health interests of children, in particular those foods or beverages which contain fat, trans-fatty acids, salts or sugars". Our amendment No. 123 seeks to ensure that we talk about all children and not just those who have digital access. I am conscious that I may not have enough time to respond to everything that was said by Senator Lombard. I wish to state that…