Well said.

Hear, hear.

That is true.

I move amendment No. 5: In page 25, line 2, to delete “€465.98”, where it firstly occurs, and substitute “€359.00”. The Minister is very welcome. The purpose of amendments Nos. 5 to 8, inclusive, is to provide further relief and support to hard-pressed households during this cost-of-living crisis. Sinn Féin recognises that the Government cannot shield everyone from every price increase. However, we are fully aware that the Government can and should do more to support low- and middle-income households which, without…

As we are clearly not going on these issues, I will press the amendment.

I move amendment No. 6: In page 25, line 2, to delete “€405.38”, where it firstly occurs, and substitute “€330.00”.

I move amendment No. 7: In page 25, line 2, to delete “€103.83” and substitute “€0.00”.

I move amendment No. 8: In page 25, line 2, to delete “€138.17” and substitute “€93.52”.

Hear, hear.

I want to highlight the horrific murder of Shireen Abu Akleh last night in the West Bank. She was an Al Jazeera journalist aged 51 years. She was shot down by Israeli forces. I know there are many people in this Chamber who feel passionately about Palestine. We need to figure out what else we can do as a country about this. I will have the privilege of chairing a session with Amnesty International in the audiovisual room today at 1.30 p.m. It will highlight its report on why Israel is an apartheid state. Crucially,…

Well said.

I wish to share time with my colleague, Senator Warfield.

I welcome our guests and express my appreciation to the Minister for taking the time in this important week to listen to the debate on this motion. It is heartening to see the Seanad united on this issue. I will reflect on the broader impact of the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 before dealing with the Border issue. The Act does five things: it allows, as others have said, asylum seekers to be sent to Rwanda; it allows the British Home Secretary to strip citizens of their citizenship without warning; it allows as…

The Minister is very welcome. I welcome the opportunity to speak on this legislation, which I hope deals with the last item of Covid legislation we will need as we emerge from the pandemic. It is important that we remain on our guard in respect of this, because we know the virus is still in our community and we cannot accurately predict the mutation of the virus in the time ahead, but we can hope that the worst of it is over. The Bill mainly provides for the Covid-19 financial measures that were put in place follow…

I welcome the Cathaoirleach's remembering the tragic victims in Cork 100 years ago. I remind colleagues that today also represents the 41st anniversary of the death of Bobby Sands, a great man. It is important to remember him today, particularly as our brothers and sisters in the North go to vote in a crucial election. The Limerick Shannon metropolitan area strategy plan was published last week. It is hard to put into words the amount of frustration that people have expressed to me on this issue. The northern distr…

Go on.

I support Senator Kyne's call for a debate on cost-of-living issues. We may not agree on some issues but there is one on which we may share common ground. While we may not agree on what should happen with the carbon tax rise - I do not believe it should go ahead in the next month or two - in the budget before last I raised the issue that the fuel allowance goes to too few people. I will give a clear example. A minimum wage worker in this country does not qualify for the fuel allowance. This means that working famil…

With the Chair's indulgence, I want to welcome the people in the Chamber who have come from all across Ireland today in the hope and expectation that this Bill will complete its passage through the Seanad. I will be very brief as well because, like Senator O’Reilly, I am concerned there will be a major attempt to filibuster today. I simply want to say that the amendment proposed by Senators Keogan and Mullen is arrant nonsense, exactly for the reasons pointed out by Senators Moynihan and O'Reilly. This Bill is abso…

Well said.

I will make two brief points. The first relates to counselling. The key point about counselling is that professional and therapeutic counselling is entered into by the distressed person. That person makes a choice. One cannot have counsellors walking the street looking for sad people and saying "Hey, do you want some help with that?" That is not how counselling works. I am conscious of the fact that an anti-choice Deputy has suggested that what has been going on has been counselling, which is nonsense of course. It…