Hear, hear. Well said.

I share in the thanks that have been extended to the Cathaoirleach, the Leas-Chathaoirleach, Mr. Martin Groves, Clerk of the Seanad, Ms Bridget Doody, the deputy clerk, and the entire parliamentary community for the work they do on our behalf. As others have said, it is a mammoth task and is getting more difficult and challenging all the time. We appreciate that and hope people get a break over the summer. When we come back in September, the likelihood is that it will be for a short period. I would like a specific …

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, to the House. We look forward to having her at the EU scrutiny committee next Wednesday afternoon. I tabled this Commencement matter out of sheer frustration. In 2022, when war broke out in Ukraine, County Clare, more than any other county, made people from Ukraine feel welcome. Over time, some of those people were accommodated privately, others went back to Ukraine or to other countries and others moved to Dublin. A significant number stayed in County Clare…

Yet again, the Minister of State continues to be the only one who brings in the replies in a format I can read. I do appreciate it. I must always acknowledge this fact because she is the only one who has ever done it in my 13 years here in the House. That reply is really what I would have expected from the Department of integration. Clearly, everything is made up on the hoof. What is done is done now in terms of the people from Kilbaha and Shannon. They have reoriented and recalibrated their lives and they are gett…

The transfers in Kilkee and Shannon were made during the school year.

That is okay. I thank the Minister of State.

I welcome Senator Nikki Bradley to Seanad Éireann. As somebody with a disability who has been a proud member of this House for the past 13 years, I am no longer a lone voice. I commend and congratulate the Senator. What better champion could we have than somebody like her? I met the Senator for the first time about a year ago when Fine Gael launched a document on diversity and inclusion here in Leinster House. I commend an Taoiseach, Deputy Harris, because the first thing he did on becoming Taoiseach was to establi…

I welcome the Minister of State. I want to put on record that she is probably one of the most progressive Ministers in the Government. She listens to people, she understands where they are coming from and she reacts. This legislation exactly embodies her approach to politics. Everything has unintended consequences and we sometimes have to deal with those unintended consequences. Everybody who has loved ones in facilities, whether nursing homes or facilities to look after people with disabilities, expects a certain …

Now.

Now.

Now.

I propose that the House suspend until 4 p.m.

I thank the Minister of State. We know she is busy and we appreciate her taking the time to come to the Seanad, as always.

I thank the Minister of State for giving his time today. I thank Senator Gallagher for raising this very important Commencement matter.

I too would like to be associated with the very generous comments of the Cathaoirleach and Senator O'Loughlin on the passing of our dear friend and colleague, John O'Mahony. It came as a shock to all of us that he passed away so quickly. The last I heard of John was when he paid tribute to that great person, Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh. I first met John before I was elected to the House, when he became a TD in 2007. He has always been a shining light and guiding force to all of us. He was steadfast in his views and op…

Senator Clifford-Lee could have been a Deputy for that area, if she had wanted to.

The Minister is very welcome to the House for the debate on this very important miscellaneous Bill. I was listening very attentively to Senator Boyhan and the overprescribing of what could be described as some over-the-counter medications could be a problem, and certainly a cost one. It is definitely an issue when it comes to people's health. It is funny how people feel a certain reliance on taking tablets unnecessarily. Certainly, the word needs to be got out to GPs to be careful. In most cases they know their pat…

I too welcome the councillors, congratulate them on their re-election and indeed welcome their guests. I fully agree with my good friend and colleague, Senator McDowell. It is regrettable that a Bill of this nature has to be brought forward. A group of people have been let down by the State. Commitments were made to them - I have no doubt they were made in good faith - but circumstances, bureaucracy, challenges and all sorts of things meant it did not happen. There was a pandemic, which lessons need to be learned f…

I wish to raise a very important issue that affects the community in Miltown Malbay. For the past two weekends, there has been no water. We all know that the international Willie Clancy festival is starting there this weekend, and it goes on for a week. It is one of the major international music festivals in the country. Tens of thousands of people will visit Miltown Malbay for the week, and the community have no confidence that the same problems will not arise again. Irish Water must urgently address this issue to…

Before I begin, I acknowledge our good friend and colleague, Deputy Fergus O'Dowd. I echo what the Cathaoirleach said about his immense contribution to public life in this country, which will have an indelible legacy. I welcome his guests. I congratulate wholeheartedly our new Deputy Leader. I have no doubt he will bring his vast experience as a Dáil Deputy, Government Chief Whip, Minister and genuinely decent, kind, sincere person to the job of Deputy Leader. In the last number of months of this House, we need sol…