I wish to use the brief time I have to discuss the issue raised by Senator Sherlock in respect of parental leave. I know she asked for clarity from the Minister. I hope to be able to afford her clarity. It is absolutely the case that the legislation will be retrospective. Everyone who has had a child since November 2019 will be entitled to the five weeks' leave. In spite of the length of time the legislation may take, there is no question of anyone not receiving that to which they are entitled. Changes have to be m…

I am not sure I want to go on after Senator Moynihan's contribution. I thank the Senators and commend them on putting forward Bills on this matter, along with all the people who have done work for a long time on this. I also mention everybody who has been experiencing periods all their lives and knows first-hand these difficulties. I know many, like me, had to approach strangers for help in getting this essential service as teenagers because they did not have any pocket money. It is correct to say it should be like…

I thank the Minister of State and Senator O'Reilly. I believe there will be follow up on that issue.

Today, I would like to raise the issue of the redeployment of lactation consultants, which many of us will be aware of. What is really important to understand is that this is in the context of having only four community lactation consultants in the whole country. It is also in the context of some hospitals having part-time lactation consultants within the hospitals themselves. There is the figure of 18 hours in University Hospital Galway, UHG, in terms of lactation consultant. This is not elective treatment. This i…

Having read the accounts of women and men in this report and having spoken and listened to survivors, it never ceases to shock me that a State could treat its most vulnerable with such little humanity. We must now listen in a way that shows humility and is honest. We must represent the most vulnerable and continue to adjust our response and the actions that we take based on what we hear. I thank those who have laid bare their own personal stories and honour those who have been silent and silenced. No one could read…

I move: “That Seanad Eireann: acknowledges that: - our nation has taken a significant step forward by repealing the Eighth Amendment to Bunreacht na hÉireann, thereby enabling people in this State to access abortion care; - the Programme for Government commits to the rolling out on a phased basis of free contraceptive care, commencing with women and girls aged between 17 and 25; notes that: - a key recommendation of the Report of the Joint Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution is that free contracep…

I believe Senator Fitzpatrick wants to contribute.

I thank the Minister of State and all Senators. I was not entirely sure how today’s debate, for want of a better word, would go because there are people who have different views from some Senators who are not present in the House. It shows that across this Chamber there is predominant support for the rights of women. As was mentioned by my colleague, Senator Garvey, 40% of the Members of the House are women. If one looks across every other area of politics in Ireland, one does not find that. That is why I feel pass…

Tomorrow at 10.30 a.m. in the Dáil Chamber.

Dáil Éireann passed the Finance Bill 2020 on 3 December 2020, which is sent herewith to Seanad Éireann for its recommendations.

I welcome the Minister to the House.

I thank all Senators for their contributions today. This debate was adjourned two weeks ago and the fact that we had to extend the time shows the commitment of the Upper House to combatting domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. I do not believe I am being party political in saying that because that has been a genuine feeling across the House. Given the difference in gender representation between the Upper and Lower Houses, it is appropriate to mention that with 40% women in this House it is a topic that is ve…

I thank the Minister. It is clear that we will have many opportunities over the coming months to discuss this matter again and more fully. I thank the Minister for coming to the House today.

It is interesting that two of three previous speakers spoke about climate and environmental matters. It shows the importance of these matters to the House. It is something we can forget about but which we must put on the agenda, in some shape or form, every day. I would look for a way to include it in our business every week in the future. Last night, I attended a public meeting at which I was one of three panellists, along with Professor John Sweeney and Ms Sadhbh O'Neill. We were discussing the Climate Action and…

For Senator Doherty's information, there were a number of public hearings and now it is the finalisation of the report so we are meeting in private session.

I welcome the Minister to the Chamber. As one of my Government colleagues said, I am never out the Chamber these days but it is good to be here to welcome the amendment that the Minister is putting forward on behalf of the Green Party and through the Government. That shows how the Government is working together on these issues and I am delighted to see that the Minister is amenable to that. For clarity and for those who are not aware of the background to this, the 2000 Act had a provision that the planning authorit…

I am sure that people are quite anxious to hear the views of the Green Party today. Having listened to Senator Boylan, one could be forgiven for thinking that she was almost arguing against the greyhound industry when in fact her own party is in favour of the greyhound industry, as are the Labour Party, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. We are in a situation where we do not have the political will to ban an industry that the Green Party would like to see the end of. We have very different views on horse racing, and I will…

There is a crisis in contraceptive use in Ireland, as reported today by the Dublin Well Woman Centre. It is no coincidence that there is also a crisis when it comes to sex education in Ireland. Earlier this year, an NUIG report showed that 15% of women in third level education said they were dissatisfied with their sex education in secondary school. Faith religion has no place when it comes to sex education. It is about time for us, as a country, to recognise we have to move beyond that. The NUIG report also report…

I would like to share my time with Senator Garvey.

I welcome the Minister to the House and thank her for the work she has been undertaking along with my party colleague, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy O'Gorman. I also wish to congratulate the Labour Party, particularly Deputy Howlin and Senator Bacik, for its hard work over a long period in this area. I know they will all be speaking tomorrow and I look forward to it. Two years ago I attended a convention on the centenary of women being granted the right to vote in Ir…