I move amendment No. 16: In page 15, to delete lines 25 to 27.

I move amendment No. 17: In page 15, between lines 27 and 28, to insert the following: "(4) No fewer than three members of the Board shall be nominated for such appointment by researchers' representative groups.".

I move amendment No. 18: In page 15, between lines 30 and 31, to insert the following: "(5) The Minister, when making appointments to the Board, shall have regard to the objective that expertise in the Board shall come from a wide variety of academic disciplines and fields of research.".

I move amendment No. 21: In page 17, between lines 20 and 21 to insert the following: “(3) Such councils, as referred to in subsection (2)(b), shall be designated or dissolved with due regard for representation of the widest reasonable representation of academic disciplines, fields of research and innovation, or groupings thereof”.

I move amendment No. 22: In page 18, line 20, after “chairperson” to insert “and researchers’ representative groups”.

I move amendment No. 25: In page 21, between lines 11 and 12, to insert the following: “(v) researchers’ representative groups,”.

I move amendment No. 26: In page 22, between lines 8 and 9, to insert the following: “(f) specify the proposed allocation of total resources (both financial and persons) of the Agency between particular academic disciplines, fields of research or groupings thereof,". I will speak briefly to this. This is in the annual plan of the new research agency as well as the existing requirements that should be included in the plan such as performance targets, reporting arrangements, the allocation of resources and so on. I w…

To Deputy Sherlock's point, I respectfully disagree that this is not the place. I was not aware of IFUT's representations. I was aware of those of the Postgraduate Workers Association, but it is interesting IFUT is making that representation. It is in line with the earlier amendments, although that comment was more proper to the earlier group of amendments. When we look at the other objectives of the agency, the idea that conditions of employment, and the well-being and career opportunities of researchers, would no…

I am not opposing the legislation per se . I certainly hope what the Minister outlined is the case. I want it to be the case, but there are things to be done that he has decided not to include in this legislation. I would prefer that he did include them. I hope he will keep his commitment to researchers, and the people who engage in research, to resolve the issues that are very real issues for them. It is not right that so many researchers are living in poverty, and have such precarity in their lives that they ofte…

I move amendment No. 27: In page 22, line 15, after “tÚdarás” to insert “and researchers’ representative groups”.

I move amendment No. 30: In page 31, after line 39, to insert the following: “(3) The Agency will give due regard to employment conditions for researchers at any applicant body when considering their application, in accordance with section 9(1)(e). (4) The Agency will take measures to ensure that individuals carrying out research funded by the Agency are in receipt of any attendant employee rights, in line with the Salzburg Principles.”.

I wish to thank the officials as well.

Not agreed.

The shambles in RTÉ has rolled on for approximately nine months now. It is clearly the Government's responsibility. It has failed to put this mess to bed and to sort out the governance issues. The Minister needs to answer questions so we can get beyond this debacle. Let us remember that it is the public and the workers in RTÉ who have done nothing wrong who are having to stomach this debacle and the failure of the Government to address it.

The Taoiseach said earlier that with regard to children with special needs, he is open to ideas in addressing the deficiency in services, supports and resources. I will give him one instance where he could intervene. I met this morning with Sallynoggin Killiney Educate Together National School, a school in existence for two years. It has two mainstream classes and one autism class. It has very well-trained and enthusiastic staff who have delivered this autism class. It has 25 people looking to get into that autism …

NESC has done a lot of work on housing in recent years. This fact featured very strongly in its 50th anniversary meeting, which the Taoiseach referred to. I want to raise with the Taoiseach again an area that needs to be examined, namely, the significant and growing deficit in the delivery of three- and four-bedroom homes. I want to update our conversation on this. The Taoiseach said that there are figures to show that the big need is for one- and two-bedroom homes. Certainly there is a big need for one- and two-be…

Yes, but they are not counting the three- and four-bedroom homes.

An often undervalued and ignored group of workers in our health service are the housekeepers and cleaners without whom our hospitals would not be able to function. As we learned during the pandemic, the need for infection control means that this is a job whereby people have to have many skills, a great deal of training, etc., in order to get things right. I raised this matter with the Taoiseach previously. In the past couple of days, the housekeepers have engaged in a campaign with their union, the Independent Work…

The struggle for women's liberation and equality has made many advances, primarily as a result of the struggle of women themselves and social movements demanding equality and liberation. Despite the formal acknowledgment and recognition that oppression and all forms of gender-based discrimination women have suffered should end, they persist. That is why it is important to celebrate International Women's Day and to continue the fight for equality and liberation for women. There are many issues that could be raised i…

I wish to share time with Deputy Barry.