I place on record my appreciation to the Leader for allocating cross-party time next Thursday for the Safe Access to Termination of Pregnancy Services Bill 2021. It is another example of how this House can work constructively and positively on important issues. I know it is a Thursday afternoon but I appeal to Members, again on a cross-party basis, to ensure we have an important Committee Stage on that Bill. There are going to be amendments proposed by us in response to the Minister's concerns because we want to ma…

Well said.

I want to begin by supporting every word our colleague, Senator Black, said regarding Palestine, an issue raised by Senator Ó Donnghaile yesterday. I have visited Palestine and seen first-hand the horrors of apartheid. Let me be clear, it is an apartheid state. Many fine Jewish activists also acknowledged that, including organisations like B'Tselem. We know what we need to do, and Senator Black has called it out. When we have a seat at the UN, it would be wonderful if we took action and supported the occupied terri…

The Minister is welcome to the House. This has been a constructive debate and I would not describe it as a waste of time. All of us, on a cross-party basis, have faced challenges relating to this issue. It is difficult because there is, at times, a sense of powerlessness, or there has been, as to whether we can help to get someone sorted with a passport. It is also important to recognise the challenges the Passport Office has faced. I salute all of the staff of the Passport Office. I cannot imagine how difficult th…

It probably will not.

We can agree on that.

I second Senator Flynn's amendment. I am very proud to do so on behalf of the Sinn Féin party. I welcome the Acting Leader. I very much acknowledge her work as part of the Irish delegation to the Council of Europe. She has led that team in a way that means it is fitting she is Acting Leader today. I wish everyone a happy St. Brigid's Day. The Brigid I would follow would be more the pagan Brigid.

However, once we are happy with the day, it is all good. It will be a very welcome addition to our bank holidays next year. Do not be looking at me like that, Senator Mullen. I am only having a laugh, all right.

I know there was not. The issue I want to raise relates to the leaving certificate. There were voices on all sides of this Chamber last week appealing to the Government, particularly the Minister for Education, to work towards a hybrid model. We made those calls because all Members have had contact from students and parents who are really concerned. The idea of moving to a traditional leaving certificate during the year that could never be described as traditional, is just fundamentally unfair. Last week I made the…

The Tánaiste is very welcome. It is nice to see him and it is nice to see the Bill. I welcome it on behalf of Sinn Féin. Some of us have been on a long campaign journey in respect of this issue. Today is an important day on that journey and I wish to acknowledge in particular my colleagues in the trade union movement, the One Galway movement, SIPTU, Mandate and Unite who have campaigned tirelessly on this issue for many years. I, along with my Sinn Féin colleagues, was very proud to present a Bill on this very issu…

Well said.

I wish to raise two issues. The first is that while many are concerned about the ongoing international difficulties and challenges concerning Russia, Ukraine and the build up of forces across the NATO region and the east, I really hope our Government is playing a constructive role in trying to de-escalate the tension. The more arms and munitions that are being ferried by both sides, the more likely it is that there will be a conflict. We have a seat at the United Nations that I really hope we are using constructive…

Of course I would object to it. Absolutely.

I believe Ireland should be a neutral country. I am proud to support our neutrality.

I want to finish this week on a positive note. The Leader may recall the distressing story of a Pakistani national facing homelessness at Christmas. I wrote to Kilkenny County Council on the back of it. The man in question had undergone a horrific experience of human trafficking. He was living in a stable and was being treated by a vet for three years. It is a horrific story. Kilkenny County Council did write back and responded very positively to me. It took the initiative, working with Migrant Rights Centre Irelan…

Well said.

Really.

Hear, hear.

The actual figure of patients without a bed in University Hospital Limerick, UHL, this morning is 111. It was 97 yesterday. I appreciate the Deputy Leader's support for an independent investigation but we need action today. We need the Minister for Health, Deputy Donnelly, to act. We have been talking about this for six years and each year it gets worse. Fine Gael has been in power for 11 years and Fianna Fáil, effectively, for six years and still it goes on and gets worse, and still, we wait for intervention. It i…

Well said.