I thank my friend and colleague, Senator Clonan, for letting me take the lead slot. I welcome the Minister of State. I also commend Senator O'Loughlin, former President Mary Robinson and the President of the European Court of Human Rights, Ms Justice Síofra O'Leary, on all the good work they are doing. It is not only our connection with Senator O'Loughlin in the Seanad. If I am not mistaken, Ms O'Leary's father was Captain of the Guard in the Oireachtas back in the day, which is another reason for us to be proud of…

Maybe it is only the other side that is not covering it.

Is Senator Ward going to shoehorn now?

It was a good shoehorn in fairness. It was a stiletto.

A Chathoirligh, I thank you for welcoming our friends from St. Columb’s. Later this morning they are going to visit the bust of John Hume, a former past pupil of the school, which was unveiled here just recently. I congratulate James Tourish in particular on being the winner of the life advocate awards. Those awards are about encouraging respect for human life at all stages. It is in that context that I raise today the issue of the Government's three-year review on abortion. The radical nature of what is being prop…

I move amendment No. 3: In page 5, between lines 23 and 24, to insert the following: "Amendment of Principal Act 7. The Principal Act is amended by the insertion of the following section after section 10: "Transparency relating to the finances of lobbying bodies 10A. (1) Where a person, whether a natural person, a body corporate or an unincorporated body of persons, is registered in accordance with the terms of this Act and is in receipt of funding from a State source or sources to the extent of at least 50 per cen…

I thank the Minister of State for his response. I will certainly consider it and no doubt Senator McDowell will also consider it. The reference to "in any year" really refers to the fact that if in any year an organisation received more than 50%, its returns for that year would need to reflect it. I do not think it is suggesting that it would need to go back to any historical year. I think it relates to the relationship between the year of making the return and the year on which that return reports. I could be wron…

On that basis, I will not press the amendment because I think Senator McDowell would like to consider it further, as would I.

He does not have to run for re-election.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach. Tá fáilte roimh an uachtarán agus léiríonn a fhreastal anseo linn inniu an méid atá bainte amach aige go pearsanta, an ról atá ag Cumann Lúthchleas Gael, cé chomh lárnach is atá an cumann sin anseo agus an grá atá ag formhór mhuintir na hÉireann dó. I was delighted to hear the president mention the connections with Galicia. When I finally got to the beautiful city of Santiago de Compostela this year, after 11 days trudging from the middle of France on the Camino, I shared th…

A lily-white Christmas.

The President did not need a teleprompter.

I move: "That Second Stage be taken today."

I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time."

I would be grateful if I could share my time with Senator McDowell. We will have three minutes each.

Yes. Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. As I have said here before, education should never be measured just in terms of grades or CAO points, nor should it be geared towards preparing young people to be economic units, ready for employment by multinationals, at least not primarily. Education should be about allowing children to become fully rounded human beings. A vital part of that is allowing children to socialise with their peers and to have adequate time for sport and recreation. Our happiest memories from scho…

I am grateful to the Minister of State for her reply and for her support and that of the Government for the Bill. She summarised admirably the importance of play. I never realised during my days in the schoolyard how much I was learning about social interactions, dealing with my fears and all those issues. It is all absolutely true. The reference the Minister of State made at the end of her response to "overbearing caution" and the need to avoid it is right on point. I am very grateful to all colleagues who spoke i…

Next Tuesday.

In 1979 the people voted to amend the Constitution to provide that the pool of universities that would elect six Members of Seanad Éireann could be widened to include other institutions of higher education in the State. I know Senator Malcolm Byrne also has an interest in this issue. Nothing happened, as often occurs in Irish politics. On 31 March the Supreme Court effectively forced the hand of the Government and the Oireachtas by ruling that the current basis for elections is unconstitutional, because of the excl…

I second the amendment.