I thank the Cathaoirleach and I also welcome the ladies, who are from mighty hurling country in Thurles. I first wish to comment on and welcome the housing announcement yesterday by the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, and the Government. This represents a €1 billion increase in funding to build more social, affordable and sustainable homes and to enable more people to own their own home. There is a significant reduction in the levy charges of €12,000, an increase in the vacant homes and derelict home grants, as w…

My colleague Senator Fitzpatrick has outlined our position. I have a couple of queries. I commend Senator Garvey and her colleagues on bringing the motion forward. I think all Members across the House welcome it. We need to expand the scheme as quickly as possible. I am familiar with the area around Milltown, County Galway. The reaction to this measure from people there has been overwhelmingly positive. Regarding the further expansion of the pilot programme being planned for 2023 and 2024, I understand that Uisce É…

I thank the Cathaoirleach. This morning I raise the issue in this House on the sentences being handed down by our courts. In the past week we have had two shocking examples. In the first case a man, who took part in a savage attack on a young woman which resulted in her being blinded in one eye, was given a four and a half year sentence. I realise the disappointment which was felt across the country in respect of that sentence.

The main point I am making is that the sentences need to be at a certain level and that has not been happening in cases over the past number of months and years. It is important, as Members of the Seanad Éireann and of the Oireachtas, that we send out the right message that overall, the decisions that are being highlighted are having a significant impact across society. I certainly feel that this is something upon which we should bring the Minister for Justice to the House, in order to have an open discussion on ho…

I welcome the details of the groundbreaking new scheme announced by the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, this morning. There was information previously in the budget but not the finer details of the scheme, which will provide free schoolbooks in primary schools and special schools. More than 558,000 pupils are enrolled in approximately 3,230 primary schools, including over 130 special schools, which will benefit from the new scheme. This initiative will provide not only free schoolbooks but also workbooks and …

I welcome the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, to the Chamber. The Remuneration Information and Pay Transparency Bill will level the playing field for jobseekers. As my colleague Senator Ardagh outlined, it can make a significant difference in helping to close the gender pay gap. Even more broadly, however, it will level the playing field for all employees, regardless of gender. The Bill puts the responsibility on companies to set a pay mark, rather than the current system where it is prospective employees who often have…

I welcome the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, to the House and thank her for her strong voice on the 9% VAT rate campaign, which was vital to the hospitality sector, not alone in Galway but across the country. I have got very positive feedback on that over the past 24 to 48 hours. I welcome this topic. It is one which, it goes without saying, is vital to hundreds of thousands of workers across the country, thousands of SMEs and, indeed, the Irish economy as a whole. I have worked in this sector for over 20 years…

Like all Members, I join the Acting Leader in offering my support to the people of Türkiye and Syria following the devastating earthquake. Galway, the city in particular, has considerable Turkish and Syrian communities which are reeling from this tragedy. I welcome the announcement of financial aid by the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and the ongoing support his Department is providing. I have raised the sentencing being handed down by judges a number of times. I have given many examples of extraordinar…

On that point, the issue of scrambling bikes and quads is not significant in Galway but is in Dublin. I understand from talking to my colleagues in Dublin, particularly Deputy McAuliffe, that it is a matter of gardaí having access after the event. Naturally, they would have information that an event took place, so it is a matter of them being able to search a storage area or garage. A working group was set up when Deputy McAuliffe was mayor of the city and, as the Chair will be aware, the matter was included in the…

I raise the VAT rate for the tourism and hospitality sector, which, as Senators are aware, is currently at a special rate of 9%. This special rate is due to expire on 28 February, with the rate returning to 13.5% from 1 March. Given the challenges facing these sectors as a result of spiralling costs, we must reconsider and announce the retention of the 9% VAT rate for the year ahead. The Government has always said it would keep the situation under review and that it was not firmly committed to any schedule. As I am…

I wish the Cathaoirleach well in his term over the coming months and years. I also wish the Leader, Senator Chambers, well. There is no better lady for the job. This afternoon, with my colleague Senator Ardagh, I will bring the Remuneration Information and Pay Transparency Bill 2023 before the House. As Senator Ardagh outlined, the purpose of the Bill is twofold. The main aim is to significantly reduce the gender pay gap. We are all familiar with that issue, which is discussed week in and week out. The Bill seeks t…

I am pleased to have the opportunity to contribute to the fantastic tributes made by my colleagues. Terry and I came from different parties. Unfortunately, I did not have the pleasure of serving with him in the Seanad. We had mutual friends, such as Brian Walsh in Galway and Deputy Carey from the Banner. He visited our city on many occasions. I was lucky enough to have been elected to this House in 2020 and regret that I did not have the opportunity to serve with Terry because he is fondly remembered here. Speaking…

I thank Senator Ardagh for sharing the time and I welcome the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, to the Chamber. I want to follow on from my colleague, Senator Ardagh, and discuss section 12 of the Bill, which provides for an ex gratia scheme for community employment scheme supervisors and assistant supervisors, as all Members of this House will be familiar with. I appreciate that this represents considerable progress for thousands of people, which is welcome and positive, and I am thankful for that. It has been a long-st…

I thank the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach. I also thank the office of the Cathaoirleach for choosing this very important matter and I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, to the House. I raise with the Minister of State social housing schemes in Galway and Galway city and acknowledge that there is a considerable amount of work going on in respect of them. Significant social housing is being built in Galway city, especially in the Knocknacarra and the Galway city west area. It is also important to point out that …

I have needed ten minutes to raise this with the Minister of State and the senior Minister, Deputy O'Brien. I do not want to be giving out too much but, with respect, what I got from this answer is that there will be 85 affordable houses built in the lifetime of this Government. We are talking about 17 affordable houses for all of Galway, with a population of 200,000 people. We are moving on to 2026, 2027 and 2028, which is just too far. I do not see the urgency with the executives in either Galway City Council or …

Now.

Now.

I welcome the Minister of State and thank him for his continued work. Like many Senators, I welcome this legislation. As all Senators appreciate, and as the Minister of State alluded to, our SMEs are the backbone of the economy. There are 270,000 SMEs, accounting for 66.5% of all people employed in businesses. SMEs generate 44% of the total turnover in the business economy and 37% of gross value added is attributed to them. They are the majority of businesses in every county. They are our neighbours, family members…

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Browne, for coming to the Chamber this morning. Before I commence, I acknowledge that this an issue on which my colleague, Senator Gallagher, has been working for some time in seeking to progress with the Criminal Justice (Public Order) (Amendment) Bill 2019. To give a bit of context, I raise this Commencement matter following recent attacks on gardaí, of which the Minister of State is well aware, most notably in Ballyfermot last weekend. I do so also in the context of previous…

I thank the Minister of State for his detailed response. Maximum sentences are fine but what we need minimum sentences also. All I can talk about is Galway city. What is frustrating people in Galway city and county is the large percentage of cases where someone found guilty serves no time at all. Even though they have been found guilty, they are walking out the door and that is outraging people. It is outraging families across the city and across the county. Maximum sentences do not really matter if they are not be…