I second the amendment.

I second the amendment.

I second the amendment.

I second the amendment.

I second the amendment.

I second the amendment.

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy English. My apologies for not being here for his earlier contribution. I am speaking on behalf of my colleague, Senator Gavan, who has asked me to pass on his apologies for not being here. The Redundancy Payments (Amendment) Bill 2022 is a response to the decision taken at the beginning of the pandemic whereby section 12A of the Redundancy Payments Act 1967 was suspended. This was at a time when thousands of people suddenly found themselves out of work and when life as we kne…

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. Tá a fhios agam gur ábhar é seo ina bhfuil spéis aige. Tá a fhios aige gur ábhar é atáimse ag ardú le tréimhse mhaith anuas. I welcome the Minister of State. I am glad he is taking this Commencement matter because I know it will be of great interest to him personally. He will know and recall from his time in the Seanad that it is an issue I have been raising consistently. I last raised it as a Commencement matter with the then Minister of State with responsibility for the diaspora…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit as an fhreagra cuimsitheach. I thank the Minister of State for outlining some of the technical detail involved. I note the important fact that the Minister for Foreign Affairs will be sponsoring the legislation going through both Houses. It is important that we have a key person, an anchor that can be identified and with whom we can work. I appreciate that this is not the Minister of State's brief. I say this respectfully because the matter does not relate to his Department. The …

Yes.

I, too, wish to extend a word of welcome to the ambassador. She is very welcome to the Seanad. Earlier this week, we held the 61st plenary session of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly. I must say that it was a very worthwhile endeavour, as it usually is. It is the first in-person plenary we have been able to hold since the start of the pandemic. While it was a much shorter event this time around, it allowed us a great opportunity to engage between institutions and parliamentarians right across these islands …

Do not make that mistake, a Chathaoirligh.

Maith thú.

Roimh a chuirim fáilte roimh Linda, aithním go bhfuil uachtarán nuathofa Chonradh na Gaeilge, Paula Melvin, linn sa Ghailearaí, chomh maith le hard-stiúrthóir Chomhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, an iar-Sheanadóir Labhrás Ó Murchú. Tá fáilte roimh an bheirt acu agus na haíonna speisialta uilig atá linn inniu. Linda agus Brian, tá fáilte romhaibh. It is great to see a few more east Belfast people in the Chamber. They are very welcome. I have watched with great delight Linda’s work, as well as the work of Turas and those wh…

Maith thú.

Hear, hear.

Scundered. I think it might be Ulster Scots.

Maith thú.

Cáineann Sinn Féin gníomhaíochtaí na Rúise agus iad ag sárú teorainn na hÚcráine. I express Sinn Féin's condemnation for the actions of Russia in violating the national territorial integrity of Ukraine. We all stand united in the House, and that is very important, in condemning the latest invasion we have seen in the past 24 hours. We call for all of the necessary diplomatic and political response the State can bring to bear. As other colleagues have said, we have already seen the real humanitarian impact that will…

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit, an Teachta Chambers, go dtí an díospóireacht ar an rún seo faoi na tionóil shaoránach atá leagtha os ár gcomhair inniu. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers. I welcome the motion, as other colleagues have done. I will quickly refer to the issue of biodiversity. It is crucial, timely and important that this citizens' assembly would be held, and that the hard work, graft and effort of that citizens' assembly is not left on the shelf. I could go into a whole load of stati…