When is a peace plan not a peace plan? That is a question many people across the country are asking in relation to the Gaza peace plan, the deal that is being brokered and overseen by Trump but which leaves many of us very concerned. This peace plan does nothing to end any of the injustices and violence experienced by the Palestinian people. The Palestinians, who have suffered the most, are not involved in the plan. They do not even get one seat at the table. They have been sidelined while the occupying force of Is…

I lend my support to what Senators Ryan and Boyhan have said. I appreciate the Minister of State addressed the questions on the convention pieces last week. However, the challenge we have is that we have been hearing from organisations for persons with disabilities and disability rights organisations since last week and before that. They do not feel that this Bill is in fact addressing those convention pieces. We are trying to advocate for those people, who feel that this Bill has not addressed those concerns. I su…

I know the Minister of State wants us to move on, and I will let other Opposition Members speak for themselves, but I was not suggesting we should legislate to hold children for 72 hours. The fact is the legislation does not commit to not holding children in adult units for any period of time. I was supporting the idea of having a compromise within the legislation. By no means was I suggesting we should provide in any legislation for holding children for any period of time in an adult unit. It is important to corre…

I am proud to support Senator Cosgrove's Bill. Dignity and equity at work should not be something you age into. That young workers are paid less than their peers but expected to do the same work is simply labour exploitation. It is as simple as that. You can be working the same job with the same responsibility and effort but receive totally different pay because of your age. subminimum wages discriminate against young people. It really is that black and white. Instead of looking at ways the Government can support e…

I am sharing with Senator Cosgrove.

I thank the Minister. It can be hard to understand the devastation this crisis has caused to entire communities. I went to Malin Head earlier this year with Councillor Ali Farren to see the homes that were torn apart by defective concrete blocks in County Donegal. It really is a blight on the landscape. Every single home one looks at in the distance has been affected. It has had a heartbreaking impact for families and communities, and it has shamelessly been going on for far too long. I saw cracks widening, walls f…

As many Members will know, today marks the last day of the 16 days of activism campaign against gender-based violence. This campaign will end until next year, but we cannot allow ourselves to take our eyes off this issue for another year. Gender-based violence is a human rights crisis and a major public health concern globally. It is particularly high in places where there is conflict, war, severe instability and poverty. More than one-in-three women or girls experience gender-based violence globally. That is the r…

I thank Senator Boyhan for tabling the amendment. IHREC also published on its website concerns around this particular aspect. I want to add to Senator Boyhan's comments in that regard. Has the commission's advice on the CRPD and the Convention on the Rights of the Child been taken into account?

Could the Minister of State comment on whether she has met with IHREC? I believe it had concerns about the fact that the Bill does not align with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, in particular the piece about independent advocacy and about children being treated in adult units. Those were the two aspects about which IHREC raised concerns in terms of non-compliance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

I thank the Minister of State. I appreciate what she is saying in respect of the challenge around children in some very extreme circumstances being admitted to adult wards. I recognise that the Department met IHREC officials. However, we have heard from IHREC that when it comes to the question of beds on adult wards and statutory independent advocates for children, the Bill will not be in compliance with the UNCRC As it stands, the Bill will not be compliant which is from where a lot of our concerns stem. While we …

I also want to express my disappointment about another timed amendment. I appreciate there is always an excuse for the timed amendment but it has been systematic across Opposition legislation. This Bill is not simply an investment in our county councillors. It is really an investment in the quality, transparency and democratic integrity of local government. As we all know and has been said already, councillors carry a workload that is vast, complex and often heavily underestimated. Finding a balance between attendi…

I thank the Minister for coming in again. The social welfare payments in the Bill do not go far enough to support the most vulnerable in our society who are under severe pressure due to the cost-of-living crisis. We need to consider a proper radical reset of the social protection system so that it delivers for those who most need it. My contribution will focus on people living with disabilities because the Government's budget and the social protection Bill have been devastating setbacks for people with disabilities…

I wish to comment on the weaponisation of international sanction regimes designed to put pressure on those responsible for human rights abuses but instead being used against advocates for human rights. Francesca Albanese has again spoken in the media about the financial sanctions brought against her by the US and the crippling impact this is having on her. She has, in effect, been removed from the global banking system. In addition, the US has been openly attacking the International Criminal Court, ICC, by placing …

Relying on tax breaks for developers has been tested previously. It did not lead to the delivery of more housing. There was a demonstration today which, I am sure, some Senators saw. The Irish Wheelchair Association and other interest groups related to the disability rights sector are talking about people living with disabilities having additional costs of up to €30,000 per year, simply for living with a disability. We then see these tax breaks for developers. With all due respect, there is no evidence that this me…

I will just come back on one point. We are giving money to the unit, saying we cannot use it all in the Exchequer, that it needs to go to other social services. However, we are reducing our overall income take by these tax breaks. We would have more money in the Exchequer if we were not giving tax breaks. We have reduced by €1 billion the overall tax income with this budget than in previous budgets. I do not find that a credible point in this regard.

We need to get realistic about when the tax breaks will end. For building an apartment now in an urban area, including the town grants, VAT and everything added up, the breaks are about €230,000 to €260,000 per apartment. Is that enough? Will that be enough? Will we be coming next year and saying developers need more for the viability gap? At what stage is it enough to build? We can look at the profits of many of our developers - we can go into their accounts online and look at their annual profits, which is all pu…

I move recommendation No. 2: In page 99, between lines 5 and 6, to insert the following: “Report on tax expenditures for property developers 71. The Minister shall, within 6 months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before Seanad Éireann a report on the fiscal and housing-market effects of tax reliefs and incentives available to property developers, and on alternative approaches to achieving housing-supply objectives without such tax expenditures.”. This is a very simple amendment. It simply seeks that wit…

This recommendation is not about general housing supply. It is about specific tax breaks, so it is very different from general reports we might be getting on everything else. Being against the idea of having a discussion based on the facts of this tax break and an evaluation of its impact seems nonsensical. How can we review the legislation, evaluate matters and see if things are working effectively without a report? Does the Senator believe it is effective? I do not, but having this report would be a way to ascert…

I move recommendation No. 4: In page 99, between lines 13 and 14, to insert the following: “Report on VAT cut for hospitality and hairdressing services 72. The Minister shall, within 6 months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before Seanad Éireann a report on the consequences for employment, prices and Exchequer revenue arising from the reduction in the VAT rate applying to hospitality and hairdressing services.” I am withdrawing this recommendation.

I am still not clear on some issues. The Minister of State said that she is not a clinician but I am sure she has spoken with plenty of clinicians in reviewing the Bill. When it comes to the difference between 14 and 21 days I recognise what she said about the case-by-case basis, but maybe she could elaborate on that. I was not really clear on the justification for not having a limit of 14 days versus 21 days or for the case to be 15, 16 or 17 days. It would be helpful for me to understand the rationale behind that…