I thank all Senators for their contributions. Senator O'Loughlin spoke about the hospitality industry and the day of action that has been organised today by the Restaurants Association of Ireland and the Vintners Federation of Ireland, supported by Irish Small and Medium Employers. The Minister, Deputy Peter Burke, has committed to a review of the costs of doing business. Significant changes have been made over a number of years that have put pressures on businesses. The changes have not been made for nothing, howe…

I move: That Seanad Éireann approves the following Regulations in draft: Trade Marks (Madrid Protocol) (Amendment) Regulations 2024, a copy of which has been laid in draft form before Seanad Éireann on 16th September, 2024.

I move: That Seanad Éireann approves the following Order in draft: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (Designation of Sligo County Council) Order 2024, a copy of which has been laid in draft form before Seanad Éireann on 7th October, 2024.

I move: That Seanad Éireann approves the following Order in draft: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (Section 11) Order 2024, a copy of which has been laid in draft form before Seanad Éireann on 8th October, 2024.

I move: That, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, in relation to the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024, it be an instruction to the Committee of the whole Seanad that the Committee has the power to make amendments to the Bill which are not relevant to the subject matter of the Bill, for the purpose of providing for increased funding for the Land Development Agency in certain circumstances, and for that purpose to amend the National Treasury Management Agency (Amendment) Act 2014; and to change t…

I welcome the Minister of State and thank the Cathaoirleach for selecting this Commencement debate on the agri-climate rural environment scheme, ACRES. As the Minister of State will be fully aware, ACRES provides a very important injection of money for Irish farmers. It is a €1.5 billion flagship agri-environment scheme and a successor to a number of previous schemes, including REPS, GLAS and AEOS, which have been hugely successful in promoting good environmental practice among farmers. The uptake of all these sche…

I thank the Minister of State. That is an increase now, in fact, in the numbers that are required to repay. The number of those in an overpayment situation is now up to 8,673. There would obviously be a number of those in Galway within significant areas of commonage, special areas of conservation, SACs, and natural heritage areas, NHAs. Therefore, we would have been under the co-operation programme. It has left a bad taste in the mouth alongside what is a very good news story in terms of the injection of cash. Ther…

I welcome the €33 million package for cancer support in the recent budget announced by the Minister for Health, Deputy Donnelly. It includes €9.4 million for the continued implementation of the national cancer strategy, which we have discussed in the House, €10 million for oncology drugs, €2 million for the provision of care for women using post-mastectomy products and €1.9 million for the expansion of bowel screening for those aged between 58 and 70. There is also €5.5 million for community support centres. These …

The Minister of State is welcome. I join others in acknowledging the work of Senator Carrigy and all the members of the special committee for its publication of the interim report, initially, into the summer programme, and the final report. I also welcome Adam Harris from AsIAm and thank him for his work and I acknowledge the work of the Houses of the Oireachtas and all of us who participated in achievement of making these Houses autism-friendly and receiving the accreditation. I will pick up from where the previou…

The Order of Business is No. 1, motion regarding the appointment of the Chief Commissioner of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, to be taken on conclusion of the Order of Business without debate; and No. 2, Gambling Regulation Bill 2022 – Report and Final Stages, to be taken at 3.15 p.m. The proceedings thereon shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at 7.30 p.m. by the putting of one question from the Chair, which shall in relation to amendments, include only those set down or a…

I thank all Senators for their contributions. Senator O’Loughlin kicked off with a tribute, as did all Members, to Mary O’Rourke, who was, without doubt, a formidable lady in her own right, a formidable politician and somebody who will be iconic from the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s for anybody looking at a television programme or anyone with an interest in politics or current affairs. She was always there, ever-present, on our airwaves on “Today Tonight” or various other radio shows and the likes. We will pay a tribute …

I move: That Seanad Éireann: Expresses its deep sadness on the death of Mary O'Rourke; conveys its sincere condolences to her family and expresses its gratitude for her notable contribution as a Member of Seanad Éireann to Irish public life and for her dedicated service to the people of Ireland.

Next Tuesday.

I move: That Seanad Éireann, noting that the Government, on 19th September, 2024, agreed to nominate Liam Herrick for appointment by the President as Chief Commissioner of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, recommends, pursuant to section 13(1)(b) of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014 (No. 25 of 2014), that Liam Herrick be appointed by the President as Chief Commissioner of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission.

I move: "That, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, the sitting shall be suspended until 3.15 p.m. and that the Order of Business shall be proposed on the resumption of the sitting."

The Minister of State is very welcome. I welcome the announcements in budget 2025. We have certainly come a long way from my first years in these Houses in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014. It was a different world back then, but we put in place the foundation stone to allow for the budgets we see now and the necessary increase in spending to account for demographic changes. If you look at the projections provided in the budget brief, you will learn that our population has been growing at a rate faster than previously pro…

The total time allowed for statements is 90 minutes. I ask Members to confine themselves to three minutes each. There are four speakers remaining. Next is Senator O'Hara.

The Order of Business is No. 1, Gambling Regulation Bill 2022 - Committee Stage (resumed), to be taken at 11.45 a.m. and to adjourn at 2.45 p.m., if not previously concluded; and No. 2, Motor Insurance Insolvency and Compensation Bill 2024 - Second Stage, to be taken at 2.45 p.m., with the time allocated for the opening remarks of the Minister not to exceed ten minutes, group spokespersons not to exceed ten minutes and time can be shared, all other Senators not to exceed five minutes and the Minister to be given no…

I thank all Senators for their contributions on the Order of Business. Senator Fitzpatrick started off by raising Leinster House spending, and Senator Boyhan commented on that as well. Senator Boyhan was right in one regard - we all saw the bike shed being built, yet no one, including him, queried its cost. No one imagined what the costs would be and everybody assumed they would be reasonable. It is not wrong to request a bike shelter in Leinster House. Any place of employment should have or request a bike shelter.…

Amendment No. 95 cannot be moved. Government amendment No. 96: In page 46, between lines 23 and 24, to insert the following: “Review of operation of National Gambling Exclusion Register 49. The Authority shall, within a period of 3 years from the date of the establishment of the National Gambling Exclusion Register and in each 3 year period thereafter— (a) review the operation of the Register, including the number of persons who have excluded themselves from participating in relevant gambling activities by remote m…