Senator Martin Conway asked for a debate on tourism. The Senator is absolutely right that the tourism industry was one of the sectors that caused the rebound in 2011 and 2012. I hope it will be as fruitful again as the country rebounds after Covid. I will organise that debate as well as I can. Senator Boyhan just made the announcement that the closing date for nominations for the by-election is 11 February.

It is great and, obviously, a new Senator will bring added excitement. I wish everybody who participates in the election the best of luck. On Senator Maria Byrne's point, I acknowledge that the Taoiseach has acquiesced to the suggestions we made. Senators Gavan and Conway also raised the issue here recently. There is certainly something unusual going on in Limerick and it is necessary to discover what it is. The only way we can do that is to have the investigation. I welcome the Taoiseach's commitment to do that. H…

With him at the head of it, probably, and other Oireachtas Members. I am not sure how feasible it is-----

-----but I will certainly pass on the request to the Minister and let him respond directly. Senator Paddy Burke asked for a debate on credit unions in Ireland and the community banking model, as he has done before, to be fair to him. I will see if I can get that organised. Senator Cassells, in the way that only he can, spoke passionately about the importance of local print media. We can all see how passionate he is about it. We have been talking about the issue for ten years. To be fair to the Senator, he is right …

I know we need houses. I do not really have an explanation for the Senator, but as Senator Chambers and Senator Malcolm Byrne mentioned, we need a debate on the Defence Forces. I will see if I can organise it in the next few weeks. I was at a loss when that announcement was made this morning. In response to the issues raised by Senator Kyne, we will certainly have a debate on the issue of GPs. I know their world has changed significantly in the last 22 or 23 months. Their workload has increased by 40%, which is sig…

I offer my thanks to Senator Chambers and to our Minister for Justice for taking this Bill. From my own experience as a Minister, I know that too often people are of the opinion that the only people who can draft legislation are the very learned people we deal with in the Attorney General's office. No Department or section of the Oireachtas has a monopoly on wisdom, compassion or passion for particular problems the country has. Here we have two women, the leader of the Fianna Fáil group in the Seanad, Senator Lisa …

I thank the Minister of State and colleagues for their contributions. When the decision was made on this project, support for it was not unanimous and concerns were articulated by certain people. It is welcome and lovely to hear everyone now saying we should get on with it because everyone wants broadband all around the country. Covid has shown us how important high-speed connection is for all the new advantages and improvements in life we have. It is needed for the delivery of services. I acknowledge that and wish…

The Order of Business is No. a 1 on the Supplementary Order Paper, report of the Committee of Selection, to be taken on conclusion of the Order of Business, without debate; No. 1, motion regarding Fisheries (Commercial Fishing Licences) (Alteration of Duties and Fees) Order 2022, referral to committee, to be taken on conclusion of No. a 1 without debate; and No. 2, statements on climate and agriculture, to be taken at 5 p.m. and to conclude at 7 p.m., with the opening contribution of the Minister not to exceed ten …

To respond to Senator Higgins, a number of requests for debates were made last week and this week and some have been carried over from before Christmas. I will put together a list and send it to the relevant Ministers to remind them of the requests that have been made. I will add requests for debates on Yemen but also on Afghanistan. It is important we have a debate on events there, not just because of the serious famine conditions the population is living under but also because of the damage being done before our …

The Senator is dead right. If nothing else he has the passion to keep bringing something he cares about to this House and to everybody’s attention every week. I have no doubt, whether he is right or wrong, that his bona fides will be appreciated by the end of this. Senator Seery Kearney talked about the massive increases in remote working hubs she will see in Dublin 8, which is welcome. Again that forms part of the requirement for a debate on remote working. Senator Murphy talked about the active travel money annou…

I move: That the proposal that Seanad Éireann approves the following Order in draft: Fisheries (Commercial Fishing Licences) (Alteration of Duties and Fees) Order 2022, copies of which were laid before Seanad Éireann on 17th January, 2022, be referred to the Joint Committee on Environment and Climate Action, in accordance with Standing Order 71(2)(b), which, not later than 8th February, 2022, shall send a message to the Seanad in the manner prescribed in Standing Order 75, and Standing Order 77(2) shall accordingly…

I welcome colleagues back to the Chamber. It is my first Order of Business of the new year. I am looking forward to a robust and very productive number of months ahead of us. Today's Order Paper is actually quite short. The Order of Business is No. 1, Organisation of Working Time (Reproductive Health Related Leave) Bill 2021 – Committee Stage, to be taken at 1.30 p.m. and to adjourn at 2.30 p.m., if not previously concluded.

I thank colleagues for raising a wide variety of topics. Senator Martin is right. We are lucky that we do not have, or have not yet had, in this House or in the Dáil the kind of allegations that have been made against our UK colleagues, so we will thank our lucky stars if it remains that way. The Senator highlighted a specific concern that we had over a number of years with regard to the zoning responsibilities of our county council colleagues, and the Office of the Planning Regulator was a direct response to that.…

It is personal so it is probably easy for me to say that but I thank the Senators who raised that issue. Senator Mullen raised an important topic. I have said to him before that sometimes when one stands one can see people’s eyes rolling in this House because of the topic that one raised.

I 100% agree with the Senator. It is not that we agree on the final outcome but if we do not listen to people’s concerns and voices we can never learn. The respect that needs to be afforded this process and the absolute independence that is required should not be feared by anybody, including people who are pro-choice or pro-life. The spectrum of people who are in the middle of those two polarised positions is probably somewhere the rest of the country lies. If there are frailties in the laws that have been passed i…

I support this Bill in all its shape and form. We might not get to speak to all of the amendments or sections today, but I very much support the Bill. I say that against the backdrop of what the country has been speaking about for the past week, that is, the need for societal change in how we treat women in every aspect of their lives. I accept that in a small number of cases this relates to men as well. We talk about issues such as losing babies and women taking sick leave following such loss in the shadows, but w…

Next Tuesday at 2.30 p.m.

I thank the Minister, Deputy Foley, for coming to the Seanad to listen to my request that the same compassionate model be afforded to students who will undertake the leaving certificate this year as was given to students in 2021 and 2020. These students have been severely impacted by the Covid pandemic. There is no doubt that the continuous negative strain Covid has had on so many students is too significant to ignore. In the past week and a half, since we came back after Christmas, my office has been inundated wit…

I thank the Minister for setting out the timelines, and that she has accepted the recommendations for changes to date. As the Minister said, however, they were made last August and I believe what has happened to our young students in the past four to five months is unprecedented. My son comes home telling me he has literally sat and shivered throughout the whole day with hands numb because the schools are so cold. I do not say this to be critical, because obviously every decision we make as a State, and indeed the …

The Order of Business is No. 1, motion regarding the early signature of the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2021, to be taken without debate on the conclusion of the Order of Business; No. 2, Health and Criminal Justice (Covid-19) (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2021 – Second Stage, to be taken at 1 p.m. and to conclude no later than 3 p.m., with the time allocated to the opening remarks of the Minister not to exceed ten minutes, group spokespersons not to exceed eight minutes, all other Senators not to exc…