I second what Senator Dolan said about the threat of job losses at Aptar in Ballinasloe and the need for a jobs task force for towns under 10,000 people. Since we met last Tuesday, the statistics for abortions in the first year of its legalisation were published. Those figures show that 6,666 abortions took place here in 2019. To that figure must be added 375 abortions which took place in England and Wales for women who gave Irish addresses, giving a total of just over 7,041, or just over 7,000. It is clear now on …

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach nuathofa agus ba bhreá liom comhghairdeas a dhéanamh leis. Tá sé tuillte go maith aige. Is duine cumasach, Gaelach agus díograiseach é. Is cuimhin liom gur thóg sé ar ais muid ónár laethanta saoire uair amháin i mí Lúnasa chun ár gcuid dualgas a dhéanamh. I congratulate the Cathaoirleach. This is well earned and well deserved. You are a very hardworking Senator. I recall that you once brought us back in August from our summer holidays-----

-----but quite rightly I hasten to add. I believe it was a first at the time. I have absolutely no doubt that you will do a great job. I congratulate your family who are rightly proud of you today. I also welcome and congratulate the Leader of the Seanad, and I wish her well in her new role. I have no doubt that she will do an excellent job. She is a very talented politician. I am resisting the temptation, like others here, of reminding her of certain things she said about the Seanad during a referendum campaign so…

I have often been reminded at home that every saint has a past and every sinner has a future. I have no doubt that Senator Doherty will be one of the finest Members, and that she will remind people on a daily basis of the relevance and importance of this institution.

Indeed. Our country, as we are all aware, faces tremendous challenges, particularly in public health and our public finances. We all want to do our best to serve our country. We always seek to anyway, but at this time particularly it is important that we all bring our "A" game to our job as public representatives. I wish all fellow Senators well and congratulate those who are taking their seats for the first time. It is a very important and exciting time for them. It is happening in very unusual circumstances. I al…

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. Go n-éirí leis an Aire agus leis an Rialtas agus iad i mbun a ndualgais sna seachtaine agus míonna atá romhainn. This is a time when every dimension of our civic, civil and economic life is being subjected to a sustained, unprecedented and profound series of shocks. Our language and discourse, both public and private, is now dominated by idioms of virology and disease containment measures and our naturally fluent manner of interaction with each other is now shaped by a cautious and nece…

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