I want to raise an issue I am concerned about. As spokesperson on enterprise, trade and employment I am all about accessing EU funding for the SME sector to support it in any way we can. I am also all about Ireland never waning on its neutral stance when it comes to being involved in war. I have deep concerns on the vague wording used about an event happening this weekend. An event entitled EU Funding for Irish Defence and Security, Enterprise and R&D - Maximising the Opportunities, is happening this weekend. The M…

I do not envy the Minister his job. He seems to be grasping a lot of nettles these days. It is important that he be brought before the House. I thank Senator Ruane for discussing this because children are probably the most vulnerable in society and it is good to get an update from the Minister. I thank him for some work he did on extra funding for support for the victims of domestic violence and their children. Of course, it is never enough and there are issues with accommodation, but the extra funding has definite…

Hear, hear.

I have friends who have moved back from Berlin.

Senator Warfield was being anecdotal.

Were copies of the list of amendments not available to view all day?

That is the Cathaoirleach’s job.

Fearaim fáilte roimh an Taoiseach isteach sa Teach. Is onóir mhór dom an deis seo a bheith agam labhairt leis, fiú amháin más dhá nóiméad atá agam chuige sin. Ar an gcéad dul síos, tá dúshlán mór romhainn inniu leis an Covid-19 seo mar ní muidne faoi deara é. Sometimes it seems we are blamed for Covid. None of us invented or created it. From the very get go we have been trying to figure out how the hell we deal with it. What I see is sad. We have a great nation and a great people and throughout the pandemic we have…

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire go dtí an Teach. I do not envy him his job as Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

He is still here anyway, which is good. I welcome the Bill, which makes good on the programme for Government promise. We committed to legislating for tenancies of indefinite tenure and giving tenants greater legal security. I was a tenant for many years and I did not realise the latent fear I lived with until I finally got my own home. I remember being afraid to put a screw in the wall and hang shelves because I thought I might need to move and I would get into trouble. That is something many renters need to live w…

Today I want to raise a serious issue with the House, which may be something we could look to discuss further. This week is national clean air week. It was developed by Green-Schools, an NGO I worked with for 14 years. We have huge issues with air pollution. People seem to think it is just an urban issue, maybe in Delhi and places, but it is an issue in every single town and village in this country outside school gates. It is a huge issue and we have run campaigns on engine idling within Green-Schools Travel for ma…

I wish to express my delight with the funding announced yesterday by the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, for communities to get funding for climate action projects. There is a commitment to €30 million over the next 18 months and another €30 million 18 months later. To break it down, it gives an opportunity for community groups or individuals who want to work with community groups to look for funding under five themes: home energy, travel, food and waste, shopping and recycling, and local climate and environmental act…

On a point of information, there is not a particular fund for polytunnels, but many schools have got funding for them through the community environment action fund, which was formerly local agenda 21, or biodiversity grants under local community development.

Fáilte isteach, a Aire, agus failte ar ais ó COP26. I found a beautiful poem to remind us about the importance of trees. I will read a few lines from it. A lovely bard and wandering minstrel in Clare made this known to me many moons ago. I think that I shall never see A poem lovely as a tree. A tree whose hungry mouth is prest Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast; A tree that looks at God all day, And lifts her leafy arms to pray; A tree that may in Summer wear A nest of robins in her hair; Upon whose bosom sno…

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Niall Collins, to the House. It is great that we have Science Week and that we have a discussion around STEM. I have a degree in maths, physics and computers and I have always been one of the few women in the room, whether it was doing honours maths or studying maths and physics in college. I still have huge concerns around that gender inequality and we are still failing in that. I did not get my degree today or yesterday but my son is studying energy engineering and there is…

As a north Clare woman, I have been inundated with calls on this matter. The Minister of State understands the enormity of the issue. I acknowledge completely that she, the Minister, Deputy Ryan, and their Department have offered support at every level. There was no shortage of funding for training or mediation. It has not worked to date, unfortunately. This is a serious conflict-resolution issue in respect of which we need to bring in experts on conflict resolution. We have to find a way. The individuals concerned…

I thank the Minister of State for coming in to take the Commencement matters. We appreciate her time.

This Commencement matter is in the names of Senators Casey and O'Loughlin. How do the Senators propose to share their time?

The Senators are taking two minutes each.

I thank the Senators and the Minister of State.