I thank the Minister of State for his response. As I outlined in my contribution, and as the Minister of State has accepted, flooding can be very traumatic for all involved. Unfortunately, the flooding problem in Donaghmoyne village has gone on for a long number of years. The local authority is investigating the pipe infrastructure in the general area but local engineers say that funding will be required to do a more substantial job in order to alleviate the problem. I understand from the Minister of State's contri…

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire ar ais go dtí an Teach. The Minister is welcome to the House. I thank her for outlining in good detail the bones and framework of this important legislation, the Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023. From my party's perspective, we very much welcome and support the Bill, which, as the Minister outlined, provides a new framework for policing, security and community safety. When enacted, it will repeal and replace the current legislation, the Garda Síochána Act 2005, in its en…

I wish to give credit to and commend the Institute of Professional Auctioneers and Valuers, IPAV, under the stewardship of Mr. Pat Davitt, on the work it has done in providing a seller's legal pack for property buyers. The aim of the seller's pack is to speed up the process and make it more cost-effective in property transactions. Everybody knows that the conveyancing process can unfortunately take between two and six months and can be very frustrating and stressful for people trying to buy a home. With that in min…

I move: “That Seanad Éireann: recognises that: - protecting citizens is a founding duty of the State and policing has a defining role in that basic function; - incidents of violence, crime and anti-social behaviour in our capital city and large urban areas such as Galway and Athlone are increasingly worrying for the public; - high-profile incidents of violence, crime and anti-social behaviour in our capital reflect badly on our country as a whole; - crime and anti-social behaviour is an issue and a concern in every…

I welcome the Minister of State back to the Chamber. In her absence, I thank the Minister for making herself available for the vast majority of the debate. I also thank all my colleagues who contributed, in one way or another, to the debate. Unfortunately, Senator Lombard is no longer with us, but he raised several issues concerning the defence portfolio and lack of investment, etc. I have a suggestion. I hope he will attend the meeting of the Fine Gael parliamentary party this evening because a few other people at…

I would like to request that the Minister for Health come into the Chamber at the earliest possible opportunity to discuss ambulance response times. Last Saturday in Castleblayney in County Monaghan an under-12 soccer match took place between the local club and a club from Monaghan town. Unfortunately, an 11 year-old child fractured his leg in two places during the game. It was a horrific experience for him, and indeed for everyone there and thankfully, both his parents were present at the game. An ambulance was ca…

I welcome the Minister back to the House. On behalf of the Fianna Fáil group, I very much welcome and support the legislation. As she outlined, it provides for the use of body-worn cameras for gardaí, the expanded use of automatic number plate recognition and provisions relating to the use of CCTV footage and the recording of telephone calls. Any measure we can introduce that helps the Garda in its role is to be we welcomed, while at the same time striking a balance with the goal of protecting the public in respect…

Next Tuesday.

In my capacity as Government Whip, I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach, Cathaoirleach, Leader and Deputy Leader for their courtesy throughout the year. I thank Martin Groves, Bridget Doody and Orla Murray sincerely for their assistance throughout the year. I thank all Members for their assistance and co-operation in trying to get business done throughout the year. I wish them a happy and relaxing summer as far as possible. On a more serious note, I ask the Deputy Leader to invite the Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamo…

I welcome the Minister of the State to the House to discuss the issue of Drumlin House and the need for the expansion of services there. We all know about the importance of support services for people with disabilities and their families. Places like Drumlin House are totally committed to providing training and support for people to meet their needs and be the best that they can be. I would like to pay tribute to Breege O’Reilly, the manager, who the Minister of State met when she kindly visited there upon my reque…

That is great news, and I know that when the Minister of State was down there, she was very impressed with it. She said that she took away learnings from that visit and that she would be back with positive news. I am delighted with the news she has given to us this afternoon. She has kept her word, and there is no surprise there when it comes to that. She is totally dedicated to her post and I compliment her on the work that she is doing. I am delighted for the people in Drumlin House and for the service users that…

I again raise my concerns about the 5% levy on concrete due to come into effect on 1 September. The levy on ready-mixed concrete and concrete blocks could have serious adverse consequences for the agricultural sector, home builders and the construction sector, as it is inevitable it will be passed on to the consumer. Consequently, Irish manufacturers will become uncompetitive in the export market. Northern Irish manufacturers will have a distinct advantage and potentially displace Irish manufacturers, which would l…

The Minister of State is very welcome to the Chamber this morning. I thank her for taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Health. I am seeking an update on primary care centres in Monaghan, Castleblayney, Clones and Ballybay. What stages are they at? As the Minister of State will know, Sláintecare reform is about transforming how we deliver healthcare in this country and building towards equal access to services for every citizen based on patient need rather than ability to pay. In putting people at the c…

I thank the Minister of State for her positive response to my query. That is great news regarding Clones and Monaghan town. It is to be hoped both those facilities will be up and running by the end of August or so, and that is a huge plus to the people of those areas. Also regarding Castleblayney, the planning application has been lodged there and that is a positive development. I am not sure what the updated position is regarding Ballybay and perhaps the Minister of State might have that information this morning. …

I would like to use my time to pay tribute to the GAA family in County Monaghan. As many Members will know, Monaghan is a small county with a population of 60,000-odd, and there are only something like 33 GAA clubs in the county. However, that does not stop them achieving great things on the field. Last Sunday, they qualified for the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship semi-final, where they will meet Dublin. I pay tribute to their manager, Vinny Corey, and the entire panel involved in that. This Sunday, Monag…

In speaking to this amendment, I will echo a good deal of what Senator Ward outlined in his contribution. As the Minister will know, I had a Private Members' Bill regarding assaults on emergency workers. It covered a broader range of workers than just gardaí. I am delighted the Minister's Department has now moved on that. I thank the Minister's officials with whom I was in contact - I see Dan here this afternoon - for all of their help and assistance in that regard. We need to send a very strong message to anybody …

Next Tuesday.

At 9.30 a.m. tomorrow.

At 10.30 a.m. tomorrow.

Now.