It is powerful when we work together on a cross-party basis in this Chamber. When we have issues on which we all agree, there should be no need for discord or disunity. This is no reflection on anyone but I can speak from experience when I say that when we laypeople, even though we are legislators, create and draft Bills, we never think they are going to be perfect. We always expect them to be enhanced and changed by the contributions of everybody here and all of the experts and officials in our Departments. That i…

I move: That Seanad Éireann demands the immediate publication by the Board of St John Ambulance Ireland of the review conducted by Dr. Geoffrey Shannon into allegations of sexual abuse at St John Ambulance Ireland. I thank all of the Senators who put their names to this motion. I thank the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy Roderic O'Gorman, for coming because he was instrumental to the report we are speaking about. This is a very simple call or it should be a very simple cal…

I thank the Minister for his support, not just today, but since his appointment a number of years ago. In particular, I thank him for his preparations for what he knows will be required once the report is published. I thank him for agreeing with our call for publication to happen swiftly. It is important that the supports he is planning be put in place immediately, but I must be honest with him. This is probably not politically correct of me to say, but I am getting used to challenging some of the agencies of the S…

Yes. It is nonsense and it disregards the years, if not decades in some cases, victims spend dealing with the fallout of the actions of those perpetrators. We need to examine this matter. I do not know how the Cabinet can do so, given that there is supposed to be independence, but we need to reflect on the fact that this is not just about justice being delayed, but about justice being denied because of some man's age, disregarding everything he has done in his life. We need a public inquiry, and not just into the a…

Hear, hear.

Next Tuesday at 2.30 p.m.

I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach for accommodating me. I wish to raise the situation relating to Panda exiting the energy market in recent weeks. It had some 60,000 customers. The customers who get their gas and electricity from Panda got a letter giving them less than ten days' notice to choose a new suppliers. The company did a deal with the regulator whereby the 60,000 people would be divided between two suppliers. If a customer did not arrange a new supplier within the ten days, his or her details would be hande…

I wish to put on the record of the House my feelings at the passing of Vicky Phelan. Over the past number of years we have seen a woman of courage and determination. Her strength and dignity through her illness and her fight for the rest of the women of this country has been something to behold. Through her tireless efforts she has ensured that the women of Ireland who were involved in the 221 scandal but indeed every woman going forward will be protected. I wish to extend our deepest sympathies to her husband, her…

I thank Senator Dooley. We proposed on a number of occasions that we have a rolling debate on climate change here last year and probably even more recently. It is an incredibly important topic for us to talk about but every conversation and topic we have every week is urgent and important and it seems to consistently be put back until we have an emergency. However the Senator is right, it is time for us to have a practical debate on measures that we all know could advance our reducing emissions. The Taoiseach’s spe…

I move: That the proposal that Seanad Éireann approves the following Regulations in draft: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2022, copies of which were laid in draft form before Seanad Éireann on the 13th October, 2022, be referred to the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine in accordance with Standing Order 71(2)( b ), which, not later than 23rd November, 2022, shall send a message to the Seanad in the manner prescribed in Standing Order 75, and Standing Order 77(2) shall accordingly apply…

I welcome the group to the Gallery and it is lovely to see smiling faces. The Order of Business is No.1, motion regarding the Planning and Development (Exempted Development) (No. 4) Regulations 2022, referral to committee, to be taken on conclusion of the Order of Business, without debate.

I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach and my colleagues for their contributions. It is lovely to see a large multinational being ethically responsible to their own communities; we all know we rely on them for jobs, investment and corporation tax, among others. The most impressive thing Senator Maria Byrne said this morning was about employees going out and working in the communities. That is wonderful. It is inspirational. I congratulate Regeneron, particularly their management and all of their staff for what they are do…

I also will accept the amendment to the Order of Business.

I move: That the proposal that Seanad Éireann approves the following Regulations in draft: Planning and Development (Exempted Development) (No. 4) Regulations 2022, a copy of which has been laid in draft form before Seanad Éireann on 2nd November, 2022, be referred to the Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage, in accordance with Standing Order 71(2)(b), which, not later than 17th November, 2022, shall send a message to the Seanad in the manner prescribed in Standing Order 75, and Standing Order …

Before I answer, can I ask something on a point of order? I am not disagreeing that it is the Standing Orders but how are Members supposed to accept an amendment to the Order of Business to introduce a Bill when they have no idea what the Bill is?

I have a request on the grouping.

I am asking for something before I say it is not agreed. The proposed groupings are amendments Nos. 1 and 2; 3 and 4; 5 to 7, inclusive, - all of which are fine; and 9 to 15, inclusive. Grouping amendments Nos. 9 to 15, inclusive, does not sit right and I propose that they be grouped as amendments Nos. 9 and 10,-----

Yes.

If the answer to the question Senator Craughwell has asked is in the affirmative, I would like to know why the change is being made. Why is it being made now on Report Stage given that we have been talking about this Bill for nearly two years? Why at such a late stage would we make such a drastic realignment of regulatory authority by the IAA of our search and rescue services?

If they were relevant in 1993, how were they relevant when the Bill was originally drafted a number of years ago? Based on what it was proposed to do, how are we valuing this transfer of property? I call it "property", but it is probably not just property. Will the valuable transfers from one agency to the other not be captured in the Bill at all now? Are we just not valuing the transfer of what we are moving from one agency to the other?