Further to the Senator's request, as Acting Chair, I wish to put on record that amendment No. 3 in his name would create a new definition of "maternity hospital" in the Bill, which has the potential to expand the scope of eligibility for payment under the scheme. Amendments Nos. 11, 19, 21, 23, 25, 29 to 32, inclusive, and 59 to 70, inclusive, are consequential on that amendment. They must be ruled out of order, in accordance with Standing Order 41, because they have the potential to impose a charge on the Excheque…

Amendments Nos. 76 to 79, inclusive, are out of order as they are a potential charge on the Exchequer.

I wish to raise an issue that is becoming a bit of a bugbear for me. We are all aware that nationally up to one third of our wild bees are threatened with extinction. The Plantlife organisation in the UK has started to promote a No Mow May policy and strategy to try to get people not to mow their grass in May. I welcome that the National Biodiversity Data Centre, along with An Post, is sending out 2.3 million postcards to Irish residents addressing the same idea, namely, that people might just not mow their grass d…

I thank the Senator for the legal advice.

The Minister for Justice, Deputy Harris, is welcome to the Chamber. Senator Ahearn has four minutes.

When is it proposed to take Committee Stage?

Is that agreed? Agreed.

When is it proposed to sit again?

Before the Minister of State commences, I welcome the delegation who are here in an official capacity from the Institute of Higher Studies of the Ministry of the Interior of France. You are very welcome. It is appropriate that we are discussing an educational issue and that we have the Minister of State at the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science with us. You are very welcome and I hope your trip is fruitful. I call the Minister of State, Deputy Collins.

I ask the Deputy Leader if we could get the Minister for Transport to come to the House sometime soon for a debate on the entire transport system in Ireland, particularly provincial and rural bus and train services. The main emphasis of the debate should be on the payment methods on our bus services. Frequency and regularity aside, in the year 2023 in what is practically a cashless society people cannot pay on a bus using contactless payment. Dublin is probably one of the only cities left in the world where the Lea…

When is it proposed to take Committee Stage?

Is that agreed? Agreed.

I wish to be associated with welcoming the young members of Dáil na nÓg and the perhaps older members of the farm representative bodies in the sheep sector. I thank the Minister for attending this welcome debate. I was one of those who led the call for it. I hope that, on the back of it, we can see some developments in the sector, which has a long history. As the Minister rightly stated, it is the second largest sector in Irish agriculture. While people might argue for bacon and cabbage, Irish lamb stew is Ireland'…

Amendments Nos. 22 to 26, inclusive, are related and may be discussed together. Is that agreed? Agreed.

I note this debate adjourns at 4.30 p.m., if not previously concluded.

Does the Minister of State have anything further to add before we proceed?

Amendments Nos. 28 and 29 are related and may be discussed together by agreement. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Amendments Nos. 30 and 31 are related and may be discussed together, by agreement.

Amendment No. 32 is ruled out of order. It does not arise out of committee proceedings.

Amendments Nos. 34 and 35 have been declared out of order as they do not arise out of Committee proceedings.