Senators Cosgrove and Noonan propose to share time. Is that agreed? Agreed.

The Minister of State is okay for another while.

I thank the Minister of State. That concludes our statements on food promotion and new markets.

When is it proposed to sit again?

Is that agreed? Agreed.

I welcome the Minister of State to what is a very important debate on insurance. Fianna Fáil welcomes this debate on insurance and will be supporting the motion. In Government, we are committed to tackling insurance costs to reform and ensure fair competition in all sectors. Since 2020, we have delivered a series of reforms under the action plan for insurance reform. While insurance premiums in some sectors, such as motor insurance, have fallen since 2020, more needs to be done to secure larger reductions in premiu…

I welcome the Minister to the Seanad Chamber. He has always made himself available to the House. I welcome the opportunity to discuss Ireland's economic outlook. We are at a critical juncture for our economy and global trade. It is essential that we approach these challenges from a position of strength and resilience. Over the past few years, Ireland has demonstrated remarkable resilience in overcoming various economic challenges. Since 2020, over 600,000 jobs have been created, bringing the total number of people …

Regarding the two previous contributions, the legislation quite clearly details exactly the number of ATMs that are required as a percentage of population. Part of the review process which will happen after the next census will be to establish the use of cash in society. The issues raised by the Senators are clearly dealt with in the legislation in respect of the availability of ATMs. The legislation gives the Department the power to go after the banks if this is not working. All of that is dealt with comprehensive…

Now.

Now.

I welcome the Minister of State to the House and today, as we celebrate Europe Day, we reflect on Ireland's significant role within the European Union and the profound impact our membership has had on our nation. Europe Day is particularly special for Fianna Fáil. It was our party, in Government, that led Ireland into Europe in 1973, marking the culmination of a decade-long campaign. Over the past 52 years, Ireland has made remarkable progress and has significantly contributed to the development of a modern Europea…

I welcome the Minister of State to the House and wish him the best of luck with his brief. This important Bill comes from the 2022 retail banking review and aims to ensure everyone in the country can easily access cash which is an essential part of daily life. The Bill aims to ensure everyone can access cash easily, makes changes to cash infrastructure fairly and transparently and includes cash-in-transit providers and independent ATM operators under the Central Bank of Ireland regulation. The Minister for Finance …

Next Tuesday.

I move: That Seanad Éireann approves the Final Draft Revised National Planning Framework, as approved by the Government on 8th April 2025; a copy of which was laid before Seanad Éireann on 22nd April 2025 together with the Strategic Environmental Assessment Environmental Report, the Post-Consultation Natura Impact Statement, the Post-Consultation Strategic Flood Risk Assessment Report, and the Appropriate Assessment Determination.

I welcome the Minister of State and wish him the best of luck in his role. Hopefully, he will bring the energy he brought to the Senate when we had housing debates to his current position. Fianna Fáil supports this motion to approve the revised NPF. This framework is set to create the conditions necessary for accelerated housing delivery across Ireland. This approval follows a thorough revision process of the NPF that has been ongoing since June 2023. This milestone decision sets a clear direction for Ireland's gro…

Senator Duffy touched on the issue I will raise. The headline of an article in yesterday's Irish Independent , written by Fionnán Sheahan, stated that targeted zoning of land by councillors for large-scale housing will be overruled. According to the article, a Government source stated that "Local councillors and TDs can often be to the forefront in objecting to the building of houses or rezoning of land as they side with "Nimby" objectors." It gets worse. The article continues: "You can't be limited by what a local…

I also welcome the Minister today and wish him well in his new role in public expenditure and reform. The purpose of today's Bill has already been outlined. It is to increase the number of Ministers of State up to 23. Anybody who lives in a modern, complex society must understand that the challenges increase daily and there is a need to split roles and responsibilities. This is what the Taoiseach has outlined. It is a very strong programme for Government that needs to be implemented. To implement that successfully,…

I welcome the Minister. The debate will follow in the normal pattern. The Minister will have six minutes, group spokespersons will have seven minutes each and all other Senators will have three minutes each.

Sixty minutes for all Stages.

When is it proposed to take Committee Stage?