I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House and for her comprehensive statement. I join Senator Bacik in welcoming the Minister of State's statement on the publication of the senior counsel's report. Like so many other people, I was horrified by what I learned from the "RTÉ Investigates" programme but we must keep reminding ourselves that at the heart of all of this are families with some of the most vulnerable in this State. These families are trying to vindicate their children's constitutional and essen…

I too want to express my horror at what we learned in the "RTÉ Investigates" programme last night. It is important to remember that at the heart of all this are families with children, some of whom are the most vulnerable children in our State, and those families' quest to try to vindicate their children's essential constitutional right to an appropriate education in this country. Yet, last night, we heard an account whereby the Department of Health chose to spend valuable resources, time and money on an intelligen…

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, for coming to the House and for making herself available for this important question. As the Minister of State knows only too well, the HSE is currently rolling out its reconfiguration of disability services for children and it hopes to complete the centralisation of services July of this year. I understand that when there are waiting lists as long as 25,000, and indeed a family in my area has been waiting for four and a half years for access to therapies, the HSE has…

I thank the Minister of State for her response and I understand that she understands the seriousness of the issue. Any of us who have dealt with families and children with a disability who are waiting know the distress involved. I understand what the HSE is doing across the country but not for the schools where there is already a good service in place and this had caused the greatest distress to me. There is already a good service in place and the HSE is seeking to remove that. So we are robbing Peter to pay Paul a…

It is great to have the Minister in the Chamber today. It is difficult to convey the enormity of the challenge of trying to close the gender pay gap in this country. Senator Bacik spoke about the hourly wage gap but we all relate to weekly or monthly earnings and the average weekly earnings for women in this country are 25.05% less than the average weekly earnings of men. That is because of the gap in hourly pay but also because more women are trapped in part-time employment. Some 11% of men were in part-time emplo…

I wish my fellow Senators and all those who are watching a happy International Women's Day. I second the proposed amendment to the Order of Business that the Quality in Public Procurement (Contract Preparation and Award Criteria) Bill 2021 be introduced. Most of us, as public representatives, are familiar with the appalling waiting list for speech and language therapy services, the absence and huge under-supply of child psychologists in our public health system and the long waiting list for early intervention asses…

It is good to see the Minister in the Chamber. In the short time available to me, I want to address the profound impact that the pandemic has had on women workers in particular and on their position in the world of work. We already know that between the end of 2019 and the end of 2020, approximately 13,600 women left the labour force. These are women who had to retire early, who were forced to leave their work because of caring responsibilities or who have lost their job and are not seeking work any longer. I think…

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire agus roimh an Aire Stáit. Tá áthas an domhain orm nach bhfuil ceiliúradh amháin againn inniu ach dhá cheiliúradh - Seachtain na Gaeilge agus Lá Idirnáisiúnta na mBan. Tá áthas orm, mar urlabhraí na Gaeilge Pháirtí an Lucht Oibre, go bhfuilim anseo chun páirt a ghlacadh sa díospóireacht inniu. Is ceiliúradh an-tábhachtach é Seachtain na Gaeilge chun comhrá a bheith againn maidir leis an teanga agus an cultúr agus chun buíochas a ghabháil leis na mílte daoine trasna na tíre atá ag obair ch…

I welcome the Minister of State. While we would have loved to have the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, with us, he will convey our message to his Green Party ministerial colleague. As the Minister of State knows, it is almost a year since the arts, culture and live entertainment sectors had to shut down operations. A series of good and positive initiatives have been designed by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to assist them, but this matter relates to the €50 million live ent…

As I said earlier, I appreciate that much good work has been done in the Department, but I came to the debate to learn something new. Many others have asked about the €50 million fund and, unfortunately, we have not heard any new information. With the greatest respect, I have heard the Minister, Deputy Martin, speak about the lessons that have been learned. The Minister of State mentioned the pay platforms. However, we do not have any additional certainty or clarity for those who hope to apply. It is a very simple …

When it comes to our communities, whether they are urban, rural, inner city or remote, there is not a single issue that animates such a large number of people or drives them more crazy than that of illegal dumping. Many of us have previously served as councillors and the housing shortage and illegal dumping are probably two of the most frustrating and intractable issues that we have had to confront on a daily and weekly basis. I am really delighted and very proud that my Labour Party colleague, Senator Wall, has br…

When is it proposed to take Committee Stage?

Is that agreed? Agreed.

Last September, a Bill to introduce the right to paid sick leave in this country was introduced in the Dáil. That Labour Party Bill on sick pay came after a summer with a series of outbreaks of Covid-19 in meat plants and other workplaces across the country. It came after workers told us that, in many instances, they could not afford to be out sick without pay. It came after Patricia King of Congress, Greg Ennis of SIPTU and many across the union movement pleaded for a system of paid sick leave in this country. Our…

I wish to second the amendment to the Order of Business proposed by my colleague, Senator Wall. Illegal dumping may not seem the most important issue but for those of us living in communities in counties Dublin and Kildare and right across the country, it is an enormous issue and causes a huge amount of frustration to many. I, too, raise the issue of Ulster Bank. I express my solidarity with the 2,800 staff who still face a hugely uncertain future. The bank also has more than 1 million customers, a large number of …

I second the proposal.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach. It is good to have the Minister in the Chamber for this very important Bill and I am delighted to be seconding it. I take a very simple approach to the issue of student nurses. At the heart of this Bill is the fundamental question of what constitutes work. If we define work as a contribution by a person to the operation or functioning of a service or a facility, or the production of a good, then that gives us some insight into the situation of student nurses at this point. B…

It is good to see Senator Warfield in the Chair. I am sure that the Minister of State is in no doubt as to the frustration among councillors regarding their pay and conditions and that he does not need reminding of the clear and unambiguous commitment in the programme for Government on the implementation of the Moorhead report within one year of the Government's formation. We find ourselves just under 18 weeks out from the first anniversary of that formation but we still have zero inkling as to what the Government …

I thank the Minister of State. I also understand the pressures as I worked full-time while I was a councillor. There is a four-page response, for which I thank the Minister of State. Two pages of it are dedicated to what is being done on the non-pay recommendations. One paragraph is on pay. This is the issue agitating and distressing councillors the most. This paragraph notes a report is with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform for his consideration and will be brought thereafter to the Government. Is th…

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