Senators Kyne, Murphy, Conway and Joe O'Reilly all spoke about the difficulties facing the sheep sector. I guarantee that the Minister is listening because he will come to the House for a debate on the matter on 19 April. I am pleased to be able to inform Members about that. He is one of the most responsive Ministers I have come across in my 12 or 13 years in this House. Senators Joe O'Reilly and Dolan spoke about the expansion of the hot school meals programme. It put a little smile on my face as I started the pil…

It was incredibly difficult to get even the smallest amount of money to start what I knew would be an incredibly successful-----

Well, I am incredibly pleased, not only for Deputy Humphreys, but for the children that will benefit from that announcement. Senators Clonan and Craughwell both spoke about the Women of Honour. Not only am I genuinely pleased for the four women but for all the women they represent about the recognition and acknowledgement they got yesterday. I totally agree with the Senators. One of the most worrying things I saw in yesterday's headlines was that the Chief of Staff stated that neither he nor the Ministers knew how …

I move: That Seanad Éireann approves the following Order in draft: Employment Equality Act 1998 (Section 12) (Reservation of Vocational Training Places) Order 2022, a copy of which has been laid in draft form before Seanad Éireann on 26th October, 2022.

The ambassador is very welcome. The Order of Business is No. 1, motion regarding the proposed approval by Seanad Éireann of the National Archives Act 1986 (Section 1(2)(d)) Order 2023, to be taken on the conclusion of the Order of Business, without debate; No. 2, motion regarding the proposed approval by Seanad Éireann of Regulation (EU) 2021/2303 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 December 2021 on the European Union Agency for Asylum and repealing Regulation (EU) No 439/2010, back from committee, …

I thank the Cathaoirleach. Senator Dolan is looking for a debate with the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth on childcare places and investment in infrastructure. Senator Flynn is looking for a debate, probably with the Minister of State with responsibility for local government, on ensuring consistency in the provision of play equipment in all playgrounds in every county in the country to include all our children with all of their needs. I will try to organise that debate. Senator Wi…

I move: That Seanad Éireann approves the following Order in draft: National Archives Act 1986 (Section 1(2)(d)) Order 2023, a copy of which has been laid in draft form before Seanad Éireann on 31 January, 2023.”

I move: That Seanad Éireann approves the exercise by the State of the option or discretion under Protocol No. 21 on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland in respect of the area of freedom, security and justice annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, to accept the following measure: Regulation (EU) 2021/2303 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 December 2021 on the European Union Agency for Asylum and repealing Regulation (EU) No 439…

The Order of Business is No. 1, motion regarding the Employment Equality Act 1998 (Section 12) (Reservation of Vocational Training Places) Order 2022, referral to committee, to be taken on the conclusion of the Order of Business, without debate; No. 2, motion regarding the proposed approval by Seanad Éireann of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022 (Section 4 (2))(Scheme Termination Date) Order 2023, back from committee, to be taken on the conclusion of No. 1, without debate; No. 3, motion regarding the…

How many minutes do I have?

I thank the Cathaoirleach. I will try to include everybody. Senators Conway, Dolan and Crowe began today by very much welcoming the €50 million announced yesterday by the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, for the free schoolbooks programme for all our primary school children from September 2023. Senators mentioned this scheme was first initiated by the former Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Joe McHugh. I was at the Cabinet table when he did it and I cannot express the resistance there was to this init…

Even if there were issues that needed to be ironed out, still standing here two years later not having sorted them out is not something we should be proud of in any State-supported agency.

I very much thank the Senator for raising this issue. Senator Boyhan asked for a debate with the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Ryan, particularly on inland fisheries. He will be here next Tuesday night, 29 March, at 7 p.m. Senator Joe O'Reilly spoke about the Windsor agreement and was very much looking for an acceptance plea aimed at those in Northern Ireland who are still withholding their support for the agreement. The Senator was also looking for a debate on integration and unity s…

I move: That the proposal that Seanad Éireann approves the following Order in draft: Employment Equality Act 1998 (Section 12) (Reservation of Vocational Training Places) Order 2022, a copy of which has been laid in draft form before Seanad Éireann on 26th October, 2022, be referred to the Joint Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, in accordance with Standing Order 71(2)( b ), which, not later than 30th March, 2023, shall send a message to the Seanad in the manner …

I move: That Seanad Éireann approves the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022 (Section 4(2)) (Scheme Termination Date) Order 2023, a copy of which was laid in draft form before Seanad Éireann on 7th February, 2023.

I move: That, in accordance with the recommendation of the Committee on Parliamentary Privileges and Oversight pursuant to Standing Order 98(2)( b ), the Orders of Reference of the Seanad Public Consultation Committee, as agreed by Order of the Seanad of 7th December, 2021, be amended in paragraph (2), by the deletion of 'including the Cathaoirleach who, ex officio , shall be Chairperson of the Committee and the Leas-Chathaoirleach who, ex officio , shall be vice-Chairperson of the Committee' and the substitution t…

I wish all my colleagues and the Leader a happy International Women's Day. Personally, I have enjoyed the support of my male colleagues not just in this House but in the other House and on committees. We work in a wonderful environment but we clearly have a long way to go. Today, I ask the Leader for her support and that of colleagues again for an issue I have raised here previously. We passed a motion on the matter last November. In what is one of the most cynical moves we have seen, the board of management of St.…

I am sharing time with my colleague, Senator Maria Byrne. International Women's Day, for me, is about celebrating the social, economic, cultural, sporting or political achievements of women. Today is an opportunity for us to highlight anything women do, and do well. We are all very busy for the other 364 days of the year. We do not get time to be talking about ourselves. It is about a collective journey towards gender equality. The only way we can get there is by recognising that we need to have equity as well as g…

I welcome the ambassador to the Chamber. The Order of Business is No. 129(10), motion regarding one year since the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation, to be taken on conclusion of the Order of Business without debate; No. 1, motion regarding the early signature of the Oil Emergency Contingency and Transfer of Renewable Transport Fuels Functions Bill 2023, to be taken on conclusion of No. 129(10) without debate; No. 2, statements on the rail network, to be taken at 11.45 a.m. and to conclude at 1.15 p.m.,…

I thank colleagues for a very wide-ranging series of requests this morning. A number of colleagues have raised this so at the outset, I state - I assume on all of our behalf - that the Seanad stands absolutely united in the condemnation of the completely unexpected atrocity of the shooting of Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell last night and the attempt of some people to drag the current generation back to a time we all really genuinely thought we had long since passed.