Next Tuesday.

In his opening statement, the Minister of State said there were a lot of nursing homes and care homes that did great work, and I agree with him. We cannot tar every single nursing home with the same brush because there are really hardworking people out there doing good work. However, last week, the Oireachtas health committee was presented with a deeply unsettling picture of how the State treated its older people and how little we had learned from the shame of the Leas Cross scandal 20 years ago. We were told that …

I welcome the Minister, Deputy Donohoe.

Last year, more than 100,000 children missed out on the basic dental health screenings they were entitled to. These screenings are meant to happen in second, fourth and sixth classes, which are critical development stages. Delaying them means missing signs of disease, delaying intervention and preventing suffering. At the same time, the number of dentists serving medical card holders has drastically been slashed. When it comes to children with additional needs, the system is even more broken. The HSE does not colle…

I am here today to raise a matter that speaks to bodily autonomy, trauma-informed care and basic respect for women who have gone through far too much. I refer to the case of Sarah, a woman who underwent a radical hysterectomy in 2019. Her uterus, cervix, ovaries, Fallopian tubes and surrounding tissue were all removed. She has been medically confirmed not by one but by three different doctors as no longer requiring cervical screening. These include the surgeon who carried out her operation in London, her gynaecolog…

I thank the Minister of State. I would love the Minister for Health to come to me directly on this issue. This case highlights that the person in question has had three different medical professionals saying she does not need to be there and can opt out because there is no need for it. It is causing her trauma. As the Minister of State said, regarding tissue perhaps being left over, etc., this person has none of that. Everything has been removed. It is very traumatising for her every time to have to prove she has a…

It is frankly embarrassing that we are having a discussion again about workers who make our democracy visible and audible to the public and yet are treated as second-class citizens in the very building where they serve. These skilled professionals are paid half the industry rate with no pension, no healthcare and no job security. They get their shifts at short notice and are often left without an income during recess. Some are on social welfare between sittings. It is a two-tiered system which we would not tolerate…

I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Seanad Éireann" and substitute the following: “: - resolves that sections 2 and 4, 6 to 12, 14 and 17 of the Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998 (No. 39 of 1998) shall continue in operation for the period beginning on 30th June, 2025 and ending on 29th June 2026; and - calls on the Minister for Justice to bring forward legislation to give effect to the recommendations of the Independent Review Group without further delay.”.

It is almost 90 years since the Offences Against the State Act was first introduced in 1939. It was born out of a context that no longer reflects the Ireland we live in today. It was a time of constitutional transition and genuine national emergency. The Ireland of 2025 is not the Ireland of 1939 and we cannot continue to pretend otherwise, yet here we are again, for the 26th consecutive year since the Good Friday Agreement, renewing emergency legislation that should have been dismantled and replaced long ago. We w…

I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Seanad Éireann" and substitute the following: “: - resolves that section 8 of the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009 (No. 32 of 2009) shall continue in operation for the period beginning on 30th June, 2025 and ending on 29th June, 2026; and - calls on the Minister for Justice to bring forward legislation to give effect to the recommendations of the Independent Review Group without further delay.”.

I also support Senator Stephenson's amendment on supports for survivors of institutional abuse. There are moments in this Chamber when we are called, not just to legislate, but to listen to those whose lives have been shaped by decisions made in rooms like this. Last week, I spoke about a woman from my constituency. I will not repeat her story today. The point is not her pain, but the lesson we take from it. In its current form, the Bill does not go half as far as it needs to. What the woman's story and countless s…

I will raise an issue I raised previously in the House: greater investment in youth work and youth services. Over the years, I have had the privilege of working with youth workers on the ground. I have seen the impact they can have in offering guidance, support and a safe place for young people to just be themselves. They are not just community leaders They are often a lifeline for young people who are facing isolation, mental health struggles or risky situations. Despite their dedication, they are being asked to d…

Yes.

I thank the Cathaoirleach. Community is the bedrock of Irish society. It sustains us, strengthens us and gives meaning to our lives. In times of crisis and calm, it is our communities, and the people who hold them together, who provide the care, connection and resilience that this State often fails to deliver. Yet, the very sector that sustains us, the community and voluntary sector, is chronically underfunded, undervalued and underappreciated. This Government is happy to rely on community groups to fill in the gap…

I join colleagues in what they said about Senator Boyhan's contribution. I thank him for giving it. You can never beat lived experience. I am here to speak in support of those whose lives have been shaped and often devastated by Ireland's legacy of institutional abuse. I do so not from a place of abstract policy but grounded in the lived reality of someone in the constituency in which I live. She is an eldest daughter, now a woman of immense strength, whose story I carry with me today. From as early as the age of s…

I thank the Minister of State for attending. We have mentioned that words matter. We would like to support Senator Flynn and the Civil Engagement Group on the Bill. It is timely and very much needed. This is more about semantics and the truth. It is calling out these crimes for exactly what they are. It is centring the experience around the victim and not framing it for the perpetrator. The Bill is about protecting children. It is about reframing the public understanding of abuse, reinforcing that these crimes are …

Across towns and villages, especially in rural Ireland, we see beautiful one-off homes falling into ruin because of probate delays, family disputes and sometimes the absence of a will. These homes are idle for years while people are crying out for a place to live. We must introduce a statutory time limit after which, if a home remains unused or unoccupied, there should be a process for others to take it at their own expense and risk. This would help address the housing need and tackle dereliction in one stroke. It …

It is lovely to see the Minister again today. As she will know, breast cancer affects a great many women across Ireland. There is an urgent need to improve how we detect, support and treat those who are affected. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Ireland and yet, according to Breast Cancer Ireland, only 19% of women who do not regularly check their breasts say they would recognise a symptom of breast cancer. That is quite alarming and tells us that we are not doing enough to educate and empower…

I speak in opposition to the Government motion to opt in to the European Council decision authorising negotiations for the readmission agreement between the European Union and Kazakhstan. We fully support a fair, efficient and humane migration system. We believe that where a person is not entitled to be in the State, return mechanisms need to be robust, lawful and enforceable, but we also believe in sovereignty, transparency and accountability. Unfortunately, the motion falls short on all three counts. First, Irela…

I am here to speak of a heartbreaking and unjust case. It is the case of Melanie, a woman whose husband died from cancer. Despite doing everything right, she has been locked out of accessing IVF through the public system. Before her husband, Dylan, died or even began chemotherapy, they froze his samples, following medical advice, to preserve a chance of starting a family. Dylan gave full written consent that Melanie could use those samples in the event of his death. Tragically, Dylan passed away earlier this year a…