I, too, welcome the children from the school and I hope they have an enjoyable day. I welcome the Minister back to the House. Like Senator McCormack, I compliment him on his commitment to attending this House. He is setting an example that I hope many of his colleagues will follow. Without doubt, the Minister has inherited a very busy portfolio and there are many issues on his desk that need immediate attention. I will discuss one that he mentioned in his previous contribution, namely, prison overcrowding. The late…

I thank the Minister for his comprehensive response. One thing I am very heartened by is the number of ideas he has to address this very serious issue. As he said, it is the most pressing issue on his desk currently. I am heartened by the manner in which he is tackling this and by the vigour, enthusiasm and sense of determination he is bringing to his portfolio. It is hugely impressive. I look forward to progress being made, not just with tagging. It is great to hear the supply of tagging equipment is going out to …

I move: That Seanad Éireann approves the following Order in draft: Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022 (Section 9(2)) (Amount of Financial Contribution) Order 2025, a copy of which was laid in draft form before Seanad Éireann on 14th May, 2025.

The Minister is very welcome back to the House for the second time today. We are delighted he has rejoined us in the House. At the outset, the people can feel rightly proud of this country's response to the illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia. The way people opened up their hearts and their houses to help the Ukrainians in their time of need is something we all can feel rightly proud of. It is even more noteworthy when many people opened up their own private dwellings to let people into rooms that might have been…

Last year, President Michael D. Higgins visited Monaghan town to lay a wreath to commemorate the victims of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings 50 years previously. It was a poignant moment for the relatives and friends of the 33 people who lost their lives in Monaghan and Dublin on that fatal day - the greatest loss of life on a single day during the entire Troubles. A year on, our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families again this week. It is said that to be forgotten is to die twice. That is a …

I thank the Minister of State for her comprehensive response to date. I know she has great feeling for the victims of the Monaghan and Dublin bombings and their ongoing journey in trying to find the truth of what happened on that fateful day. I know some of these people personally and all they strive for is the truth. Unfortunately, the British Government has been a constant roadblock in people's quest to do so. The Irish State has handed over documents to facilitate the work of this inquiry. I am disappointed we h…

I welcome the Minister back to the House this afternoon. On behalf of the Government, I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after “That” and substitute the following: - “Seanad Éireann resolves that Parole (Special Advocates) Bill 2024 be read a second time on this day six months, to allow for further consideration of issues arising in the Bill.”. I believe the Minister would like to make his contribution at this point. I will be better informed to make my contribution thereafter.

I again thank the Minister for his attendance. I echo the comments by my colleague Senator Kelleher regarding the untimely death of Garda Kevin Flatley. I am sure I speak for everyone in the Chamber in extending our deepest condolences to his dear wife, Úna, and his children, Aoife and Erin. Our thoughts and prayers are with them in these dark days. They will face many such days on the long, hard road ahead of them. I say to them and to Garda Flatley's extended family that we are truly appreciative of the work he d…

Tomorrow morning at 10.30.

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire go dtí an Teach. I welcome the Minister to the House and thank him for outlining in great detail and simple language what we are discussing this afternoon. The recast insolvency regulation has been with us for over 20 years. There have been various amendments made to it in the intervening years. It is important that companies that want to invest in the EU and globally know that, from an EU perspective, we are all singing from the same hymn sheet, if I can use that expression, as regards …

At 2.30 p.m. next Tuesday.

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit chuig an Teach. A High Court decision last October ruled that a Valuation Tribunal subjecting Vision Ireland charity shop in Virginia, County Cavan, to commercial rates was incorrect in law. The judgment represented the conclusion of a legal challenge that began back in 2019 by Vision Ireland, then NCBI, which now has more than 120 charity shops nationwide. While the judgment currently applies to a single Vision Ireland charity retail store location, the charity's lawyers argue it …

I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive response, although it might not be what I wanted to hear. While I appreciate the Minister of State may not want to say too much about the court case, the court did make a finding in that regard and I wonder what the knock-on effects will be for other charitable organisations. Without going into the legalities of it, fairness should come in here. Charity shops are paying commercial rates to the local authorities in question. The losers here are those who would bene…

I wish to share my time with Senator Comyn. We will take four minutes each. I welcome the Minister of State to the House this afternoon. I listened to his contribution with interest. It was very positive and very much to be welcomed. Community safety is in all of our interests and should be a top priority for us all. Anything that supports young people, particularly those who are in need of support, is something for which we all strive. The youth justice strategy is designed to address the challenge faced by many y…

Tomorrow at 9.30 a.m.

Ar dtús báire ba mhaith liom fáilte mhór a chur roimh an Aire Stáit go dtí an Teach an tráthnóna seo. I thank the Minister of State for taking time out of his busy schedule to be here. This is the first opportunity I have had to have a debate with him in the Seanad. I wish him every success in his role. I have no doubt he will bring his usual vigour and determination to that post and will be a great success in it. I raise the retirement age of 70 years for Bus Éireann drivers. This needs to be re-examined because i…

I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive response. I am heartened by it. I know he raised this himself in the previous term as a Dáil Member. I look forward to progress being made on the issue. As the Minister of State knows well, the heat will come on come September when we are all inundated with inquiries about school transport. Does the Minister of State have any idea as to when we might see progress on this important issue? It is a win-win for the families, the school kids and those people over 70 ye…

I thank the Minister of State.

The Bus Éireann school transport portal is open for applications and expires on Friday, the 25th of this month, so I encourage all families who intend to send their children to school via Bus Éireann school transport to make those applications before that date. Today, however, I wish to talk about the mandatory retirement age of 70 years that Bus Éireann insists on for drivers driving schoolchildren to school in the morning. This is discriminatory and an ageist policy that needs to be addressed and re-examined. We …

Ar dtús, ba mhaith liom fáilte mhór a chur roimh an Aire Stáit go dtí an Teach seo um thráthnóna. This is the first opportunity I have had since the Minister of State's elevation to high office and I would like to take this opportunity to wish her every success. I have no doubt that she will take her hard work ethic to her Department and that she will make a great success of it. I come here today for the second time inside a week to talk about the lack of ambulance cover in counties Monaghan and Cavan. There seems …