There are grey areas that could eventually lead to a constitutional crisis, if left unaddressed. Third, the President could make more use of his powers to convene and address the Houses of the Oireachtas. The Constitution makes clear provision for this. It would be a proper forum for an open exchange of views and topics which are of concern to the President.

At present, it would seem that a President - in practice, at least - can comment on the record of endeavours of the Government, but these comments may not be debated in Parliament or publicly challenged by the Government or the Opposition. I offer these thoughts and suggestions in a positive spirit. Our Constitution, with necessary amendments, has stood us in good stead since 1937. It is an important document. We have seen how close and vulnerable even the most powerful democracies are to subversion and anarchy. We…

Hear, hear.

I join with others in honouring the memory of Councillor Noel Collins. I knew him a long time. He was one of the last of that generation of hard-working councillors who did all their work with a pencil and notebook and delivered a great service to their constituents. He was a very hard man to canvass because he was never at home. He was always out working for the people. Ar dheis Dé go raibh sé. I join with Senator Keogan in expressing my horror at the shootings in the Catholic church in Nigeria. It was one of the …

I support the previous speaker's comments on Traveller mental health. There is a very interesting public discourse taking place on Molesworth Street. I have experience of this issue from my time in local government and I fully support it. By the way, I did not see any poster. I raise with the Leader the leaving and junior certificate examinations because we are now in the exam season. I hope the plans made by the State Examinations Commission, SEC, will bear fruit because regardless of how much of the evaluation pr…

I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Martin Heydon.

I give a belated welcome to the establishment of the Shannon Estuary task force, which was put together in recent weeks. We in Kerry were somewhat disappointed that there is only one Kerry person on it. After all, it was set up to somewhat alleviate the disappointment we suffered when liquefied natural gas, LNG, was parked in the programme for Government. Thankfully, that programme is up and running and very much alive again in the current circumstances. Having said that, we welcome it greatly. We have a very good …

I did not come into the Chamber to speak about the Middle East but in terms of balance it is important to point out that the most recent bout of violence in Israel started when 11 innocent Israeli citizens were slaughtered by Palestinian terrorists. I did not hear too many shouting about it. It has become an everyday occurrence in Israel for innocent men, women and children to be stabbed at random by Palestinians. I do not hear anyone shouting about that. Certainly the funeral scenes were appalling and shocking. Th…

I thank Members for elevating me for the day.

Dáil Éireann passed the Regulation of Providers of Building Works and Building Control (Amendment) Bill 2022, changed from the Regulation of Providers of Building Works Bill 2022, on 23 March 2022, to which the agreement of Seanad Éireann is desired.

The Joint Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science has completed its consideration of the Technological Universities Act 2018 (Section 36) (Appointed Day) (No. 2) Order 2022.

I have received notice from Senator Mark Wall that, on the motion for the Commencement of the House today, he proposes to raise the following matter: The need for the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the review of the housing adaptation and housing aid grants available through each local authority. I have also received notice from Senator Sharon Keogan of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Social Protection to make a statement on increasing the fuel allowa…

I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Noonan.

The Senator has gone well over time.

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Brophy, to the House.

I welcome the Government's statement this afternoon. I particularly welcome the Government's decision not to adopt or utilise the term "apartheid" in relation to Israel, a position it shares with a great number of western democracies. Last week, Yoseph Haddad offered an entirely different perspective on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to what we have been hearing in the Houses over the past decades and what we have heard again this afternoon. Mr. Haddad is an Arab Israeli. Growing up in a mixed community of Arabs,…

Senator Dolan did well raising such a timely motion.

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, to the House.

I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Fleming.

I also welcome Senator Dolan's family here. It is lovely to see the great pride she has in them and I am sure that it is reciprocated because they can be very proud of Senator Dolan and the wonderful work that she is doing here in the Seanad. I welcome the announcement by the Cabinet that the long-awaited task force on the Shannon Estuary is about to commence and that advertisements will go out seeking indications of interest in becoming a member of its board. If this Government goes full term, as I believe it will…