Is that agreed? Agreed.

When is it proposed to sit again?

Is that agreed? Agreed.

I welcome the Deputy Leader. I also welcome the official opening today in County Mayo of the new 25 km stretch of the N5 from Westport to Castlebar. It is part of a €250 million investment and, as I said, it runs from Westport to east of Castlebar, with 20 km of dual carriageway and 5 km of single carriageway. I acknowledge the work of the former Minister, my colleague, Deputy Michael Ring, in advocating for and pushing for that road. We all believe in balanced regional development and this is the perfect example o…

I am here in place of a colleague, Senator Tim Lombard, who sends his apologies. I commend the Minister on, as others said, driving the agenda to establish this office. The programme for Government referenced an ombudsman, which Senator Boyhan touched on. Perhaps the Minister will explain the difference he sees between an ombudsman and a regulator, or perhaps it is just a name, but I know that was the original intent. What issues arose in terms of the establishment? I commend the members of the Oireachtas Joint Com…

I welcome the Minister to the Chamber, as always, and I thank him for his visit to Moycullen, County Galway, last Friday, where he opened the Moycullen primary care centre. It is the first of its type in Connemara, and I hope it is the first of many to come. It is only when you see the team photograph outside the building that you appreciate the amount of people working there and in conjunction with other facilities in the area and the range of services they will be putting on for local people in the Moycullen comm…

I also welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Calleary, to the House. As the Minister will be aware, and I am sure it is the same in his own county, there is a huge need for investment in local wastewater infrastructure in Galway and in many counties around the country. Indeed, from analysis done by a former senior engineer in Galway County Council, Connacht has a greater need than many other areas in the context of previous investment. In some ways, that is not surprising. It presents an opportunity to focus invest…

I thank the Minister of State for the reply. I welcome the fact the decision on funding will be made by the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, shortly. The local authorities will be relieved to see progress on that. I also welcome the fact there is an independent panel. I note that my colleague Councillor PJ Murphy is hugely interested in the progress of these applications in Craughwell and in Clarinbridge. Will the Minister of State convey the view that with the level of surpluses we have at the moment, local authorities s…

Cuirim fáilte roimh chinneadh an Rialtais inniu polasaí do na hoileáin a cheadú agus tá súil agam go mbeidh an tAire, an Teachta Humphreys, á lainseáil an tseachtain seo chugainn. I welcome today's decision by the Government to agree on the islands policy. It is something I launched back in November on Sherkin Island with the Minister, Deputy Coveney, and Senator Lombard, as well as the President and others. This has been somewhat protracted because of the delays that went with it, which impacted the public consult…

I welcome the motion. I spoke on it before but not in support, for a number of reasons. I am familiar with many hospitals: University Hospital Galway and Merlin Park in my area; Castlebar and University Hospital Limerick. None of them is named after men. If we had a history of naming all hospitals after men one could say we should change tack and name a hospital after a woman. However, that is not what this is about.

Dr. Kathleen Lynn was a formidable woman, from what I read about her. She should be honoured for her republicanism. Somebody said here she is not a household name. I put the blame for that on those who belong to her party. I certainly will not take any blame for it. I was lucky enough to be part of a Government and party who built the children’s hospital with taxpayers' money. We got dog’s abuse for everything and at every step. It was said the siting of it should be on the Mater site or Blanchardstown. The Indepen…

Issues arose about the cost. Looking at inflationary pressures since then, if we decided to start building it now it would be multiples.

We are all rushing to open it. I appreciate that. It would be multiples of the cost now. It is right Dr. Lynn be honoured in some fashion but I am not sure naming the children's hospital is the most appropriate way. I note there is nobody here from the Department of Health, which is unusual. Who ultimately will decide on this? The motion has been passed already. Senator Keogan put it down. It was already passed by the House, albeit without debate. Who ultimately decides? Is it the Cabinet, the Minister or the House…

It was. Is it the board of the children's hospital? Maybe the Minister does not know. Is it a recommendation that goes to Cabinet? I am not sure. Before someone says there are precedents, there was the Jack Lynch Tunnel, when Fianna Fáil were in power and at their height. It has happened for previous taoisigh. I do not know of any taoiseach for a number of years who had a hospital or anything else named after him. I am worried about the precedent this sets. After whom will projects be named? I know it goes on in No…

The Order of Business is No. 1, motion regarding the Orders of Reference of the Joint Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community, to be taken without debate on the conclusion of the Order of Business; No. 2, Civil Defence Bill 2023 - Second Stage, to be taken at 11.45 a.m. and to adjourn not later than 1.15 p.m., if not previously concluded, with the time allocated for the opening remarks of the Minister not to exceed ten minutes, for group spokespersons not to exceed eight minutes, and for all other…

I thank all Senators for their comments, questions and statements here this morning. Senator Malcolm Byrne started off with the issue of section 39 organisations. It is a long-running saga and section 39 workers have valid issues and claims regarding their pay and not being treated in the same way as those within the HSE, particularly with regard to health and mental health. I will certainly request that a debate on the matter be facilitated. The Senator also raised the matter of the cost of the cyberattack, statin…

I am not sure which of the two Ministers has the most responsibility and is most appropriate to address these concerns.

It is a concern. We have gone full circle here. In the 1950s and 1960s, there were grants to drain land, clear scrub and improve matters. We have now gone full circle and it is difficult. Rewetting is a matter of particular concern because if one landowner were to close off drains for rewetting, it would have a knock-on effect on waters upstream. This cannot be done piecemeal. It has to be done as part of a plan. There needs to be an initial focus on State-owned land. I was at a presentation in Recess in Connemara …

I move: That, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders— (1) Seanad Éireann hereby appoints a Committee (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Committee’), to be joined with a Committee to be appointed by Dáil Éireann, to form the Joint Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community; (2) the Joint Committee shall aim for consensus, based on human rights principles, on policy directions in respect of the following key issues affecting the Traveller Community: ( a ) Travellers’ experience of the justice system…

I welcome these proposals. There has been much discussion at the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission, which is a cross-party and independent body acting on behalf of both Houses of the Oireachtas. There was some discussion on the role of the Members of this House because we do not have allowances towards constituency offices yet. Many of us have offices and staff, who are at the front line where incidents occur. The security measures are partly for the Member and partly for the staff. I welcome the initiative and t…