I thank the Minister for her response. I respectfully ask the Department officials to expedite the review as much as possible. It is important that it is comprehensive. I look forward to the outcome but there is a sense of urgency with it because we need to get our house in order for next year. Some operators tell me there are issues with regard to solutions. There is a particular issue with the buses and another issue getting people to drive them. I could be working for a private operator taking schoolchildren to …

At 10.30 a.m. tomorrow.

Now.

Now.

I welcome the Minister of State and thank him for taking the time to be here. It has been widely accepted for some time that older people are happier, and live longer, in their own homes. Home care packages are essential in supporting older people to continue to live within their communities. As we know, however, the home care sector is beset by a staffing crisis. Close to 5,000 people are waiting to be provided with a carer in their home. In the constituency where I live, Cavan-Monaghan, more than 250 people are w…

I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive response. I commend our carers the length and breadth of the country on the work they do. We are deeply indebted to them. I acknowledge the huge effort being put into resolving this issue by the Minister of State, Deputy Butler. I recognise that. I welcome the fact that the advisory group will conclude its work and publish its recommendations in September, which is only a few months away. Now that the hours have been allocated, it is vitally important that we recr…

Hear, hear.

I also extend a very warm welcome to our visitors. I hope they enjoy their day. It gives me great pleasure to extend a very special birthday wish to a very special individual, namely, Councillor Ian McGarvey from Ramelton in County Donegal, who turns 92 tomorrow. He truly is a remarkable man indeed. He was first elected to Donegal County Council aged 73 years. He went on to serve as mayor of Donegal at 82 and in 2018, aged 88, he was mayor of Letterkenny. In the 2016 general election, he was the oldest ever candida…

At the outset, I wish to welcome the Minister to the House and to thank him for his presence here. I thank the Minister and his officials for the huge amount of effort that they have made to try to come up with a satisfactory resolution to the nightmare for the people affected by mica in County Donegal and other counties. I would like to pay tribute to those families who have been living through a nightmare for the past ten years or more, and who are desperately looking for something very simple to enable them to g…

I ask the Minister to update us on where we are with that. Where is the State on that journey as it attempts to make those responsible accountable for their actions? Another question has been raised with me several times. If I were to order a lorryload of blocks tomorrow morning, could I be 100% satisfied that those blocks would not be defective and there would be no issues with them? Would I have any comeback if there were issues? I would like that question answered today. I compliment the Minister on the scheme. …

I too welcome the Minister to the House. From a Fianna Fáil perspective, we welcome and support this emergency provisions Bill which deals with the domestic response to the Ukrainian crisis and provides for matters relating to the Stardust inquest. I acknowledge Senator Boylan for her work on the Stardust inquest, as the Minister did in his statement. This Bill will make provision for the empanelling and summoning of a jury for that inquest. It is only right and proper that the Stardust inquest is finally dealt wit…

I move: That Seanad Éireann resolves that sections 2 to 4, 6 to 12, 14 and 17 of the Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998 (No. 39 of 1998) shall continue in operation for the period beginning on 30th June, 2022 and ending on 29th June, 2023.

The Minister of State is very welcome back to the House. I, on behalf of the Fianna Fáil Senators, support these motions that provide for the continuance of certain provisions under the Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998 and also the continuance in operation of section 8 of the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009. I thank the Minister of State for outlining in great detail his case for the continuance of these measures. We fully agree with the continuance in operation of the Offences against the Stat…

I move: That Seanad Éireann resolves that section 8 of the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009 (No. 32 of 2009) shall continue in operation for the period beginning on 30th June, 2022 and ending on 29th June, 2023.

I concur with the comments made by the Leas-Chathaoirleach and the previous speaker. Today marks the first world newborn screening day. To mark the occasion I wish to draw attention to the delay in adding spinal muscular atrophy to the newborn heel-prick test. Each year in this country six babies are born with the condition, which is known as SMA. The degenerative condition means that most affected children will never walk. Left untreated, 95% of children with the severest form do not live beyond 24 months. We can …

I raise the issue of the crisis in the home care sector. I would welcome if it would be possible for the Leader to arrange a debate on this subject. It is widely accepted that older people live longer and happier lives when they are in their own homes and communities. Home care packages are essential to facilitate this. I understand that more than 5,000 people are waiting on a carer to call to their homes. In my area of Cavan-Monaghan, 60 people are waiting on a carer and more than 300 people are waiting on additio…

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 take part in the adoption and application of the following proposed measure: Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on combatting violence against women and domestic …

I welcome the Minister back to the House and congratulate her on her recent personal news. I wish her and her family good health and happiness for the future. On behalf of the Fianna Fáil group, I support this motion. As the Minister said, it is good to see that we are not being led by the EU on this. We are doing it ourselves and leading the way with legislation in this important area. That is good to see. Any additional measures that can be taken to protect women have to be taken. Unfortunately, it is a women's i…

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit go dtí an Teach seo inniu. I am again calling for the extension of opening hours and indeed opening days for the minor injury unit at Monaghan Hospital. Including Monaghan, there are ten minor injury units located throughout the country. Minor injuries are unlikely to lead to hospital admission. A super service is provided in Monaghan. I have experience of it myself. People can walk in or their GP can refer them and there is no charge if the patient attending has a medical card or …

I thank the Minister of State for the response. I welcome the positive response from the Minister for Health in that he is willing to engage with the RCSI Hospitals Group and the HSE with a view to extending the opening hours and the days of opening in terms of the minor injuries unit. I compliment the staff at the hospital on the fantastic service they provide in this area and throughout the hospital. I also compliment management on its information campaign that has resulted in an increase in the number of people …