I propose to share my time with my colleague, Senator O'Loughlin. We will take two and a half minutes each. Cuirim fáilte ar ais go dtí an Teach seo roimh an Aire. We in Fianna Fáil fully support this motion. Along with others, we have consistently called for action to be taken in this area. I compliment my colleague, Senator O'Loughlin, who has been very proactive in this particular area and who has introduced legislation that would go a long way towards dealing with this particular problem. It is saddening and wo…

At 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday, 22 March.

I thank the Minister of State for his engagement with this debate, which I among others called for some time back. I am delighted he has taken time to be here this afternoon. I listened attentively to his contribution. I acknowledge the commitment he has shown in tackling this issue and the level of engagement he has undertaken since he came into office. There is no doubt he has listened. As Senator Gavan outlined, the proof of the pudding will be in the eating, but I hope the lengths to which the Minister of State…

I welcome the Minister of State to the Chamber. The plight of undocumented Irish people living in America has been ongoing for many years. Many of them feel isolated and, indeed, forgotten. Many of them have been unable to come home for years. They have missed out on significant family events and milestones such as births, deaths and weddings. Their main fear is not about returning to Ireland but of not being allowed back into the USA, where many have worked for decades. The pandemic has added another barrier for p…

I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive response. As I outlined, it is heartbreaking to hear the stories, as I am sure he has, of the undocumented people living in the US. Someone who went to the US 30 years ago at the age of 20 will be 50 today yet there is still no sign of progress on this issue. I reiterate that this is a unique opportunity for the Irish Government to make inroads on this issue and to put it to bed once and for all. We have a friend in the White House in the form of President Biden a…

I welcome the Minister to the House. I welcome, in particular, the families of the Stardust tragedy. I sympathise with them on their terrible loss and, indeed, with the fact that they have had to journey on a long road, and one that has gone on for 41 years. They are still seeking answers. That is too long. I can only speak on behalf of myself and my party. I certainly will do all I can, and I am sure the Minister will as well, to ensure that the families get what they are entitled to, which is closure. I preface t…

Tomorrow at 10.30 a.m.

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy James Browne, to the House. I also welcome our guests, John, Celine and Jason, who have been promoting this legislation for a long time. They come from Senator Casey's neck of the woods. They are very welcome and I thank them for their work. Given the passage of time, I would like to briefly outline the story behind this legislation. I pay tribute to my former colleague in the Seanad, Dr. Keith Swanick, who, as the Cathaoirleach will know, along with Senators Wilson, Paul Dal…

I thank all my colleagues for their very positive contributions. Meetings with the Department in the coming weeks are planned where we hope to progress a couple of issues outlined by the Department. Hopefully, we can overcome those difficulties. It makes sense. The quicker we get it done, the better so I look forward to coming back to the House when those issues have been ironed out so that this issue can be progressed and we can pass the Bill on to our colleagues in the Lower House.

Next Tuesday at 2.30 p.m.

I welcome the Minister of State. I thank her for taking time from her busy schedule to be here. I would like to discuss the Bóthar Oirialla group home in Carrickmacross. I hope that with the arrival of the Minister of State to the House, she will have some good news for us regarding the opening of the facility, which will provide a home and cater for up to five people in the Carrickmacross area who have physical and sensory disabilities. The building has been lying idle for many years and families have been waiting…

Absolutely. I thank the Minister of State most sincerely for giving us this excellent news. People have waited years to hear that sentence and I am delighted, as the Minister of State has mentioned, that the facility will open in March. On behalf of the community in Monaghan and particularly in Carrickmacross, I thank the Minister of State for her work and sense of urgency in securing the initial funding but also for driving this on so that today we have a date for the official opening, which is the end of March. I…

I thank the Minister of State.

I welcome the Acting Leader into the hot seat. I am sure she is well fit to handle it. I would be grateful if the Acting Leader could facilitate a meeting with the Minister of State, Deputy Fleming, who might come into the House to have a discussion on credit unions in this country. Unfortunately, there are many examples throughout the length and breadth of this country where some of our banks have packed up their suitcases and turned their backs on those who served them for many a long year. In many instances, thi…

I thank the Minister of State for the clarity he brought to the issues raised here this afternoon. I hope it will bring comfort to those concerned. On a broader point, when the Minister for Justice was in the House, I raised my concerns about the centralisation of services, and in this case, within An Garda Síochána. My experience of services being centralised is not positive. I have fears about my neck of the woods, counties Cavan and Monaghan, in particular. Monaghan now loses its divisional headquarters as it is…

Next Tuesday.

The Minister of State is very welcome back to the House. I begin by congratulating and commending Senator Flynn on bringing forward this very sensible legislation. It is her first Private Member's Bill and I compliment her on it. It is commonsense legislation and I am delighted the Government is not opposing it. I understand it has been flagged that there may be legal challenges going forward, as there are with many pieces of legislation. The Minister of State has outlined there will be consultation with the Attorn…

I also acknowledge and ask the Minister to pass on my appreciation for the hard work of staff in the Passport Office. There are two ways of looking at this - glass half full or glass half empty. The Minister outlined in great detail the positives, of which there are many, particularly online renewal. The turnaround time inside 48 hours is hugely impressive. This compares favourably with any other country. Unfortunately, where we seem to be falling down a bit is in the area of first-time applications. I note that in…

The Minister is very welcome back to the House this afternoon to address this issue. I commend her on outlining in detail the contents of the Bill, which, as she said, is mainly technical in nature. I note the Commissioner's comments on the Bill. He said: These changes will see us deliver a more responsive, more efficient and better service to local communities. It will mean increased numbers of gardaí working on the frontline, better investigations of crimes against the vulnerable such as sexual crime, and communi…

I commend my colleague, Senator Chambers, on her work on this issue, the depth of research she conducted and her steely determination to see this through. She knew there were two women who were wronged and was determined to see that through. I acknowledge her determination and that of the two ladies concerned who went through the system and then came forward in an effort to protect other women who may have been through the same process. We have to acknowledge their bravery in coming forward with an unselfish view t…