I welcome the reporting yesterday of the construction of new homes for the first quarter of this year. Housing construction is up 20% on the same time last year, with a record high of almost 7,000 new homes being built. This is an incredibly positive and encouraging report for anyone who wants to buy their own home and anyone who cares about our citizens having a secure and affordable home. I also welcome the Government's decision this week to increase the grants for vacant and derelict homes. Since this Government…

Absolutely.

Four minutes and two minutes would be perfect.

I thank the Senators for bringing forward this motion, which I am delighted to support on behalf of the Fianna Fáil Party. When I read the motion, it immediately brought to mind the city of Rome. One of its nicknames is La Regina dell'Acqua . Basically, it is a city where water runs free. In fact, in the 19th century Rome was the very first city to introduce free water fountains with potable water. One would drink the same water from a nasoni on the streets in Rome that one would take out of a tap in an apartment o…

I thank Senator Murphy for that. I also thank the Minister of State for attending this morning. This matter speaks to a very important development in my constituency of Dublin Central, in the heart of our capital city and the birthplace of our Republic. Moore Street is one of the country's oldest trading streets. It is one of the oldest commercial streets where people and families have traded for decades. It is also an historic site, not just from a commercial and trading perspective, but also from a political and …

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit. I appreciate that this issue is not one of his portfolio responsibilities and I am grateful to him for giving of his time to address it. I acknowledge the importance he places on national monuments and the historic heritage of our capital city. I welcome that a multidisciplinary professional team, including architects and conservationists, is being appointed. It is encouraging to hear the work will commence and that it will be comprehensive, sensitive and ambitious. However, it …

Déanaim comhghairdeas leis an gCathaoirleach Gníomhach. On behalf of the Fianna Fáil group in the Seanad, I send our best wishes to all those in the Defence Forces who are involved in the evacuation of Irish citizens from Sudan. Our hearts and minds are with the people in Sudan. We hope for an early resolution to the unrest and the troubles there and most importantly we hope for a safe return of our Irish citizens. We commend the Defence Forces who are working with other European forces, led by the French, in this …

I will talk about the issue of the dangerous and criminal antisocial behaviour relating to stolen cars. Recent Garda numbers indicate that in the first three months of this year alone, more than 1,300 private cars and vehicles were stolen. That is a 21% increase on last year in just the first three months of this year. It is an upsetting thing for anyone to have any of their property stolen, tampered with or damaged, but it is also an incredibly dangerous activity that is undermining safety in our communities. Some…

I, like other speakers, wish to express a míle buíochas to Noel Murphy. I thank him for all his work, service and support. I wish him well and a long, happy and healthy retirement. He deserves all of that. I would like to welcome the commencement of works on phase 3 of the Royal Canal greenway in my own constituency in Dublin 7. From when I was first elected to the Dublin City Council, I supported the extension of the greenway and the improvement of pedestrian and cycle facilities. We already have a very high-quali…

I commend and congratulate everybody involved in the Five Lamps Arts Festival, which brings the north inner city to life from a cultural perspective. It celebrates everything that is great about Dublin's north inner city, our diversity and heritage, including everything from the built heritage through to the literary heritage and the natural heritage. I congratulate the organisers, volunteers and everybody who has performed in, contributed to and participated in the festival. I again raise the situation of Gaelscoi…

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire agus gabhaim buíochas leis as a bheith anseo inniu. This is a really important debate. None of us can turn on the radio or look at social media, television or newspapers without seeing or hearing a discussion about housing. Everybody is an expert. God love the Minister for being the man with the job. In case he did not get the newsflash, he is not doing it well enough. That is the consensus among the general public. This debate is most important for those who do not own a home, young peo…

I refer to climate change and climate action. Climate change is all around us and is happening all the time and everywhere. Last week, the sixth report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC, was issued and has been described as the final warning. We all need to think about the kind of legacy we want to leave to our children and grandchildren. If we want to leave them a liveable planet, the report is telling us that the time for action was yesterday, last week and last year. We are increasingly reac…

I seek an update from the Minister for Education on a date for the awarding of the tender for the construction of a new building for Gaelscoil Choláiste Mhuire, which is currently located in temporary facilities on Parnell Square East. Gaelscoil Choláiste Mhuire is an amazing small school, right in the heart of Dublin Central. It is at the top of O'Connell Street, just across the road from the Gate Hotel. It has been in that temporary accommodation for far too long, at nearly two decades and an eye-watering cost of…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach Gníomhach. I appreciate that this is not the Department of the Minister of State and I appreciate the work that he does in the Department of Justice. The Minister of State is correct in that I am a founding director of youth services and the justice youth diversion programme. I appreciate the support that the Minister of State and his Department is giving to the work of educators, youth service providers and youth workers not just in my own constituency of Dublin Central but …

Next Tuesday.

On behalf of the Fianna Fáil group, I condemn the barbaric gun attack on the unarmed, off-duty police officer who was volunteering to coach young people at Youth Sport in Killyclogher, Omagh last night. We send him best wishes for a full and speedy recovery and best wishes to his family, his colleagues and everyone who witnessed the attempted murder, but especially the young people of Killyclogher, of Omagh and the North generally. The attack took place in Youth Sport, which is a multisport facility, as I understan…

Comhghairdeas on bringing this piece of legislation to the House today on Second Stage. With my colleagues, I look forward to supporting the legislation. It is an important piece of work. It was my privilege, along with Senators Boyhan, Cummins, Seery Kearney and others, to do the pre-legislative scrutiny in the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage. It is important legislation. We learned that when you do great things, your legacy remains after you. In doing this, the Minister of Sta…

Next Tuesday.

I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House today. This morning I seek an update from the Minister for Health on the proposal to name the new national children's hospital after Dr. Kathleen Lynn. The campaign to name the national children's hospital after Dr. Kathleen Lynn has been led by the 1916 Relatives Association and has the support of my own party, Fianna Fáil, as well as of SIPTU and Fórsa. It also has the support of Dr. Kathleen Lynn's alma mater, Alexandra College, and other political parties, n…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit. I should have thanked everybody who is still working on the construction of the hospital. That was remiss of me. It is tremendous to see it coming out of the ground and everybody who has worked on it is to be congratulated and commended. It will absolutely transform not only the provision of care for the patients, the young people who are 25% of our population, as the Minister of State referenced, but it will also transform the work environment for everybody who works in the hos…