What is wrong with Bullock Harbour?

I am glad to hear that.

I second the motion. I am reluctant to intervene in such a contribution because it is not merely passionate but also educational to hear a first-hand account of some of the realities for young people in Ireland, in particular disabled young people. Senator Clonan's commitment to those with disability is not simply personal; it is ideological. I admire him greatly for what he has done, the stances he has taken and the voice he is for those who are disabled in Ireland. Their's is a bleak situation. I was reminded by …

Well done.

I will reserve what I have to say about the budget until later. In the past couple of weeks, I was honoured to have been invited to go to County Sligo to commemorate the six men who were executed on top of Benbulben by the Free State Army on 20 September 1922, one of whom was my uncle Brian. While I was looking at all the documentation that surrounds the event, I was conscious of one thing, namely, that when I did a documentary on the subject, I did not want to be one-sided. There were, of course, many Free State s…

In difficult circumstances, the Government has, on balance, done a good job with the resources it has. It is not simply a matter of a little for everyone; rather it is a matter of taking a look at the crisis we are in and making sure it does not derail the economy and plunge households and enterprises into a catastrophic crisis from which they may never recover. I agree with the point made by Senator Casey on decoupling the provision of food and accommodation. I know that is easier said than done because a hotel bi…

He has gone very yellow.

Hear, hear.

I welcome the Minister to the House. I fully accept the anxiety expressed by Senator McGreehan about the short-term consequences for many people in this country, particularly for small businesses, arising out of the massive increase in energy prices. These increases are right across the board, from shopkeepers and hoteliers whose electricity bills have shot up to restaurants, small traders and small manufacturing businesses. They are extremely vulnerable. I know the Government is proposing to bring in a suite of me…

He has addressed the issue.

I strongly support what Senator Mullen said. In a very enlightened way this recognises the idea of student unions and their participation in the life of universities. Just as governing bodies and recognised institutions must respect academic freedom, so also must student unions. It is wrong that any students should face intellectual boycotts, defunding of their societies or whatever because of pressure from a student union seeking to force some of its number to conform to particular ideological goals. From that poi…

I am not going to get involved in Senator Gavan's ideological left-right dispute but I will make one point about whomever is producing teachers in this country. We need more of them and we need to keep them. We cannot have them going abroad in their droves, as they are at the moment. Many schools right across Ireland cannot fill vital teaching roles at present due to the absence of decent candidates.

I want to say the following on today's proposed Order of Business. Yesterday, the Seanad Independent Group and others on this side of the House protested against the unnecessary use of the guillotine during a parliamentary debate. Today, we want to register once again our protest regarding what is proposed in next week's draft schedule of business. The first item for discussion today is a motion which effectively imposes the guillotine right across next week and it is to be done without debate. The only opportunity…

I second Senator Mullen's proposed amendment in respect of No. 2. I will be moving my own amendment, that No. 3 be amended by the deletion of the second paragraph and the substitution of the following: "to be taken at the conclusion of No. 2 and that the proceedings thereon shall, if not previously concluded, be adjourned after four hours." That leaves the same amount of time for discussion today, but it means that the guillotine will not come down. I formally protest the manner in which these three guillotines hav…

Hypocrisy.

That is because they were forced to do the amendments to meet the guillotine.

He said the exact opposite here last week.

Yes.

This is a subject which is very close to my heart. When Members rise on the business of the House, they have some small amount of time, some three to six minutes or thereabouts, to express themselves on the issue. It is well worthwhile to elaborate on what Senator Higgins has just said. The history of this is as follows, and let it be stitched into the record of this House. At a time when his leadership of the Fine Gael Party was under strong pressure, the then leader of the party, Enda Kenny, fearing a heave, deci…

I strongly support the amendment before the House and the number of amendments that Senator Higgins and others have tabled in order to bring this back on the agenda. I do not accept for a minute the establishment of this commission is a reason for doing nothing on Seanad reform. Both could easily have proceeded in tandem. The Bill we tendered made provision for functions to be given to an electoral commission. I wanted to get all those things off my chest. I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach for indulging me a little. …