No, I am not letting the Senator in now.

The Leader of the Seanad is also a signatory to this motion. This is the same person who received illegal payments totalling over €17,500 as part of Fine Gael's-----

Yes.

That is the ruling.

That was the ruling, a Chathaoirligh.

I will come to that in the course of my contribution.

I take the advice of the Cathaoirleach. I note that I will be careful and compliant with his guidance. This was part of Fine Gael's creation of additional super junior Minister positions. So when the media started to ask questions about this, Paschal Donohoe's special adviser told his departmental press office, it is reported, to sit tight on this for now. This is the same Senator who after the liquidation of her Enhanced Solutions Limited company owed the Revenue Commissioners €60,000 and owed the State-owned bank…

I adhere to the advice and guidance of the Cathaoirleach. I respect it but I think everything that I have just read into the record is on the public record already. This motion is not serious and that is the crux of things. It is a PR stunt and even the most ardent Fine Gael loyalist will see that is the case. The sheer arrogance and notions of the proposers that Sinn Féin would be told by them what to do in relation to a settled, legally compliant matter really does beggar belief. If I am being entirely honest wit…

A point of order, A Chathaoirligh.

I do not think you can refuse me a point of order, A Chathaoirligh.

You might direct me. Just to keep the record accurate, I would like it if you could inform the House that, under the current restrictions, Sinn Féin is only allowed one seat in this Chamber for debates and that is why there is one Senator here.

May I clarify the situation, a Chathaoirligh. My understanding was, and I was informed, that tellers would not be instructed from either side regarding this vote. It was on that basis that I agreed not to appoint tellers because the voice vote was sufficient. However, if tellers were appointed for one side of the vote that is not what I was informed. I do not want to be problematic. I entered into that in good faith. That was not my understanding.

I wanted to make that point for the purposes of the record. I have a further point I wish to make which I think is important for the purposes of the record. During the course of the debate Senator Ward advised the----

I think it is important for the purposes of the record.

The record might need to be corrected. That is why this is a point of order.

I nominate myself and Senator Gavan as tellers.

I will make a quick point on Senator Pauline O'Reilly's contribution. The milk bank in the North was featured in a recent segment on the news. It has been impacted by the Covid restrictions and is seeking donations. It is encouraging mothers who can contribute to do so. The importance of this service is that it provides for babies who are sometimes very ill and very vulnerable in hospital. Given that the Senator mentioned the issue, I thought I would take the opportunity to reinforce the call the milk bank has made…

I cannot endorse enough Senator Wall's suggestion in respect of the changing-place facilities. We opened one in Belfast City Hall in January last year. For families caring for people with profound disabilities, just the knowledge that such a facility is there for them affords them an opportunity as families to do things together, to plan their day and to plan recreation and important family time together. It is an important issue to raise in the House but, more important again, it is one we should all take on in ou…

I move amendment No. 1: To delete “9th day of June, 2021” and substitute “9th day of February, 2021”.

I welcome the Minister of State and this debate. Talking is a good thing. Reviewing is a good thing. Engaging in the parliamentary process is a good thing and that is the purpose of this amendment. It is to bring what are essentially emergency powers back to the Oireachtas in order for these institutions to have the opportunity merely to review, reassess and provide the Government, as well as both Houses, with a punctuation point at which to look at these powers again. Senator Bacik got to the nub of the issue when…