That is shameful.

That is shameful commentary in our national Parliament.

It is not different. That is shameful.

Hear, hear.

I understood that I would have six minutes.

That was not my understanding. I will move to the point as quickly as I can.

My apologies.

I will be as quick as I can. I echo what Senator Murphy said. I think the Minister's handling of the situation has been extraordinary. She has shown great dignity, respect and regard for everybody. It is a sobering reminder that the human beings who put algorithms in place are susceptible to errors. I seriously question the lack of a checking mechanism. What oversight was there of the pathway of the communication of the instructions mechanism of the contractor and what was going on in that regard? I echo Senator By…

I welcome the Minister of State to the Seanad and congratulate him on is appointment. I know that he will discharge his duties with great competence and professionalism. I found myself in the most unexpected position, as a new Senator, of completely concurring with the motion proposed by Senator Mullen. I feel very honoured to have had the opportunity to put my name to the motion, for which I am grateful. The motion has been sensitively crafted, addresses this serious matter and accurately reflects the appropriate …

I thank the Minister of State for taking the time to attend the House today. I wish to raise with her the disabled person's parking card, the primary medical certificate and the regulations governing the eligibility for them. Both of them come under the remit of her Department. When I addressed the House on this subject on Make Way Day, I spoke about the experiences of a constituent who is well known to me and the hardship experienced by that person. Much to my surprise, and perhaps horror, I have been contacted si…

I appreciate and hear that the Minister of State recognises the challenge. What we are really homing in on are the qualifying criteria for the primary medical certificate. I accept the need to confine the parking permit to people with genuine mobility issues. I get that link and the point was very well made. However, the parking permit is inextricably linked to the adaptation of cars for driving purposes and the grant aid for that. Consequently, if a person is missing one upper limb he or she still has to adapt a c…

I support the Government's decision to move the whole country to level 3 rather than level 5. I want to emphasise that the Tánaiste expressed his complete and absolute confidence in NPHET. We are all very grateful for the work it has done but its role is to advise Government. It is for the Government to take into account the broader considerations that are required in the best interests of the country. I very much welcome the announcement by the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy McEntee, that she is introdu…

I congratulate the Minister of State on the HSE's winter plan. It is a very ambitious plan which takes into account the very challenging and potentially competing demands of Covid and non-Covid healthcare. I am proud that our Government has circled in red additional supports for those in the increased risk category, the elderly, homeless people and those with chronic illnesses, and provided them with home supports. Well done. I am very proud of that. Much was done by the Government to support older adults with inte…

I want to highlight that today is Make Way Day and that we need to ensure our footpaths are clear for wheelchair users. I call on homeowners and the councils to cut back hedging, and call on people to stop illegally parking on footpaths and to make way and be considerate. I acknowledge that the councils, from what I have observed of Dublin City Council and South Dublin County Council, have been installing wands on footpaths to stop illegal parking. While their objective is in regard to social distancing, it does ha…

I welcome the Minister of State to the House and thank him for making time available to us. It is a great excitement for me to speak for the first time in the actual Seanad Chamber. I begin by congratulating the innovation. I am very happy that the Department includes in its name the further education element because it is instrumental. I founded a college of further education and vocational training and it is instrumental in people’s development in their workplace and, also, to be able to come back to have modular…

I want to begin by congratulating the Minister on the enormous success that school reopening has been for her and her Department. I thank the principals, parents, boards of management, teachers, SNAs, school staff, ancillary staff and students who have made this a great success. I want to address the Minister on the topic of the algorithm and the prejudice relating to schools with a large number of high achievers. The process of calculated grades was designed to ensure that the teacher's judgment was central to the…

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Bill and address the requirement to legislate to put these powers in the hands of An Garda Síochána. In this most unusual time, we must remember that the virus - not publicans, the gardaí, the public or even the Government - is the enemy. These legislative provisions are brought about to embellish the State's armoury in fighting the virus. I believe they are proportionate and temporary. We observed a bacchanalian scene at one pub which was circulated on social media. It was…

Today is World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. It will probably be a surprise to most people as they go about their normal lives that no matter where they are in the country, be it in a rural or urban setting, they are probably in close proximity to someone who has been or is experiencing being trafficked. Trafficking does not follow typical patterns or even a stereotype of victims. It is not all about sex trafficking or what occurs in brothels. Its participants are not people who are other to ourselves. We can…

I thank the Minister for making herself available at such short notice which, in itself, is a strong statement of how seriously she is taking this situation. I have heard her assurances in that regard and that she is closely monitoring the situation in Cahersiveen. I congratulate her on her forthright response and willingness to act. It has been, no doubt, a very difficult time for the residents in the Skellig Star Hotel and the concerns they have raised are particularly upsetting. The pandemic has been a time when…

I thank the Cathaoirleach. As I was saying, we were all facing an unknown and fearful enemy in the virus but most of us at least had the comfort of our own hall door to close and to feel secure behind. I can only imagine that the pandemic and the sudden, albeit necessary, relocation to emergency accommodation in the hotel has been difficult for the residents of the Skellig Star, given that they have already experienced trauma in their lives. That relocation, the experience of the pandemic, the outbreak of the virus…