It was with great regret that Ryanair announced yesterday that it would close its bases in Shannon and Cork for the winter. The decision was not a surprise because Ryanair is a private company that must make commercial decisions. Next Tuesday, at Cabinet, the Minister for Transport will make a proposal to provide funding for Shannon and Cork airports and other airports. I sincerely hope that the funding package will be significant. I hope that it will facilitate capital investment in the airport and help the airpor…

I thank Senator Craughwell for sharing time. I thank the Minister, not necessarily for yesterday's budget, but for the budgets of the past four years. Were it not for the way in which the economy and the country's finances were managed over that period, we would not really have been in a position to have the budget that was unveiled yesterday to respond to the Covid crisis. It was a necessary budget and an appropriate response. I have often discussed tourism-related issues with the Minister over the years and am ve…

Hear, hear.

I speak today on behalf of the people of the mid-west including those in Limerick, Tipperary and, particularly, Clare. Clare is a county which I know well. It has a population of approximately 110,000 people. The problem is that, for the last number of years, the accident and emergency department at University Hospital Limerick in Dooradoyle has been constantly overcrowded, particularly during the winter months. Last year was one of the worst years for crowding at the hospital's accident and emergency department. A…

It is extremely welcome news that the Minister of State has confirmed to me in the House today that the new 60-bed modular unit will be open in University Hospital Limerick on Monday, 9 November. That is a specific date and commitment from the Minister of State and the Government. This is extremely welcome and will come as great news for the people of County Clare, who I represent, and also the people of Limerick and north Tipperary. This project has been going on for a long time and the difficulties and challenges…

The Minister of State is becoming a regular visitor to Seanad Éireann. If she keeps arriving with the good news that we got this morning, she will be a very welcome one. I listened as she outlined the ambitious winter plan. As the Acting Chairman knows, we have debated winter plans down the years where there was not a significant spend. However, the mindset around healthcare has been recalibrated so that healthcare is not at the top of our political priorities. This time last year, we were discussing Brexit, which …

I move: That, pursuant to subsection 2° of section 2 of Article 25 of the Constitution, Seanad Éireann concurs with the Government in a request to the President to sign the Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2020 on a date which is earlier than the fifth day after the date on which the Bill shall have been presented to him.

I also welcome Deputy Naughton to the House on her first official visit as Minister of State. I recall when she became a Senator in 2013. Her rise has been spectacular but it has been grounded in humility. It is the result of a sharp intellect and hard work. I wish her all the best. I know she will do a phenomenal job. She has taken on a critical role at a very difficult time. I listened to what Senator Dooley had to say and I find myself in agreement with most of his analysis. I welcome the initiative in which he …

The Leas-Chathaoirleach is a good timekeeper. Clare County Council built the cliffs from 400,000 or 500,000 visitors per year to almost 2 million in 2019. That type of expertise will help to inform those of us in the region. Whatever new structure is put in place in Shannon, the input must be balanced and professional and have the linkages that we need. I wish the Minister of State all the best in what is a challenging, difficult but potentially very rewarding portfolio.

Well said.

I will make two very quick points. I understand there is to be a statement from the Minister for Education and Skills this afternoon on the problems with the grading system for the leaving certificate. It is an evolving story but a very serious one. We may need to have an emergency debate on that issue tomorrow. Today, 30 September, would have been the 28th birthday of Laura Brennan had she lived, but as Members know she died in March of last year of cervical cancer. She dedicated the last 18 months of her life to …

I welcome the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, to the House. It is only fair to say that he has the most difficult and challenging job in the Government at the moment. He is doing a very good job. As a recently appointed Minister, he is not just in the deep end, he is probably in the Forty Foot, but he is swimming very effectively. All we can do in this House is to lend him our support and try to support him in any way we can. The Bill that my long-time friend and good colleague, Senator Norris, has introduced is one tha…

However, when one is in government, sometimes one must try to prepare today to do things tomorrow. That is what the Minister wishes to do. He is in no way against the principle of what Senator Norris is trying to achieve or the ethos of the Bill. The Bill is framed on people's experiences. The best legislation that comes before the House is legislation that is framed on the life experience of citizens. I commend Senator Norris for that. Today is 30 September. If Laura Brennan was still alive, she would be 28 years …

On this occasion, as a wonderful parliamentarian, Senator Norris will see the logic of our amendment on behalf of the Minister.

The Senator will understand that we are better off getting this right rather than having to come back and retrofit the legislation, which none of us wants to do. It would be an astute move on the Senator's part to accept the Government amendment.

Hear, hear.

Hear, hear.

I welcome to the House my good friend and colleague for many years, the Minister of State, Deputy Feighan, and I congratulate him on being elevated to a very important position. I know he will give it 100% commitment as he did to everything he has done over the years. I had submitted this particular Commencement matter for consideration last Wednesday week but that Seanad was abandoned that day. It had been accepted and I have been submitting it since. Luckily enough, it was accepted today. The reason I tabled it i…

I thank the Minister of State for his reply but it clearly states that the commitment was contingent on savings being achieved at the Department of Health. We all know that not alone have no savings been achieved but the Department's budget has been substantially increased. It also says the matter is being actively considered. Is the commitment there to implement the measures contained in the Act passed last July? There is no commitment to a timeline. If it is being actively considered, when will such consideration…

I echo Senator Cassells's views on vaping. It is something we need to deal with in this country as a matter of urgency. It is getting completely out of hand. I want to talk about the business and events industry in this country. I am sure we all remember this time last year and this time in recent years when the events industry in this country helped create the economy, particularly in Dublin. This time last year, a person could not get a hotel room in Dublin. They were all taken up, primarily by business conferenc…