Tá díomá orm nach bhfuil an tAire Stáit ag glacadh leis seo. Déanann sé ciall. Níl ann ach rud a chinnteodh go mbeadh níos mó eolais againn faoi conas mar atá rudaí ag dul agus go mbeadh monatóireacht níos fearr ar fáil. Tar éis cúig bliana, beidh leath an ama idir seo agus 2030 imithe. Is ceann de na fadhbanna é seo. Mar a dúirt mé, beidh sé cosúil leis an daonáireamh. Imeoidh cúig nó sé bliana agus ansin beidh orainn déileáil leis na rudaí a thiteann amach ó na figiúirí. Níl an tAire Stáit chun glacadh leis so tá…

Tairgim leasú Uimh. 27: I leathanach 27, línte 34 go 38 a scriosadh agus an méid seo a leanas a chur ina n-ionad: “(b) an dáta a shonrú faoina ndéanfar na seirbhísí go léir arna soláthar ag comhlacht poiblí nó ag aicme comhlachtaí poiblí do Limistéar Pleanála Teanga Gaeltachta a sholáthar trí mheán na Gaeilge agus féadfar dátaí éagsúla a shonrú i leith Limistéir Pleanála Teanga Ghaeltachta éagsúla, ach ní bheidh an dáta níos déanaí ná an 31 Nollaig 2030.”. Arís, is leasú é seo a bhfuilim sásta é a tháinig siar. Thá…

Mar gheall air sin, tá mé sásta an leasú a tharraingt siar.

Tairgim leasú Uimh. 34: I leathanach 43, idir línte 22 agus 23, an méid seo a leanas a chur isteach: “(e) déanfaidh sé córas achomhairc a sholáthar, trí chomhaontú leis an Aire, chun a cheadú don phobal agóid a dhéanamh i gcoinne Logainm oifigiúil, mar a cinneadh roimhe sin ag an gCoiste Logainmneacha, in Ordú Logainmneacha.” Uaireanta – níl mé ag rá go minic – bíonn conspóid faoi ainm a thagann amach ón gcoiste logainmneacha. Tá a fhios agam go ndéanann sé jab fíorthábhachtach ach bíonn conspóid uaireanta in áitea…

Ní raibh mé ag súil go mbeadh an Rialtas ag glacadh leis agus táim sásta é a tharraingt siar. Ag an am céanna, ó am go ham bíonn conspóid áitiúil faoi rudaí mar seo. Níor chuala mé é go minic go raibh mórán d’fhadhb leis an ainm oifigiúil Béarla ach ag an am céanna b’fhéidir go dtarlaíonn sé sin freisin. Cloisim faoi fhadhbanna maidir leis an ainm Gaeilge, i mbailte móra ach i mbailte beaga freisin. I mo cheantar féin tá ceantar darbh ainm Tullokyne i mBéarla. Sin an t-ainm a thuigeann daoine ón áit ach is Tulaigh …

Is iontach a fheiceáil go bhfuil Sinn Féin anois ar thaobh An Gharda Síochána. Tá dualgais ag Coimisinéir an Gharda Síochána maidir leis an teanga agus leis an obair a dhéanann an tseirbhís agus go mbeadh gardaí trasna na Gaeltachta uilig. Tá a fhios ag an Seanadóir go ndearna an comhchoiste obair ar an ábhar seo. Rinne an Coimisinéir Teanga obair air agus d’fhoilsigh sé tuarascáil agus chuir sé os comhair Chomhaltaí Thithe an Oireachtais í. Tá dualgas air mar atá leagtha amach sa straitéis 20 bliain don teanga. Tá…

Dé Máirt seo chugainn.

Ar 10.30 a.m. amárach.

I wish to join Senator O’Loughlin in recognising International Men’s Day. I had a Commencement matter debate on this issue yesterday. I welcome the fact that the Department of Health is renewing the men’s health strategy, which has been a huge success since 2009 in improving and giving recognition to men's health issues. It is important that we continue to promote and urge all men to get regular health checkups and to visit their GPs, as well as to encourage women and men to encourage their menfolk to get a checkup…

The Taoiseach is welcome to the Chamber. I have always admired him as a politician, particularly for his courageous stance on bringing in the smoking ban, which involved taking on a powerful lobby group. It was a significant success and has been emulated across Europe. I acknowledge the difficult decisions the Government continues to face in respect of Covid, particularly coming up to this special time of the year, which is very much celebrated in Ireland with returning loved ones over the Christmas period. Of cour…

I welcome the Minister. I thank the Cathaoirleach's office for selecting this matter for debate this morning. Friday, 19 November is International Men's Day so this is an opportune time to consider issues concerning men's health. Men's Health Forum is an all-island network of individuals and organisations that have identified key concerns related to men's health and understanding these issues. There is a strong reason to keep a focus on men's health. Men and women continue to have different life expectancy rates, a…

I thank the Minister for her response on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Butler. I welcome the fact that the advisory group is working on the delivery of a new plan. It is important that we continue to focus on men's health. As the Minister pointed out, tremendous work has been done by men's sheds, which have played a major role in providing a social outlet for men across rural and urban areas. The Irish Men's Sheds Association is being considered internationally as a model that brings men together. I welco…

Following on from the previous speaker, we should invite the Minister for Health, Deputy Donnelly, to the House to discuss the decisions taken at Cabinet yesterday. There is a sense of frustration in the country. The Government makes its decision based on best advice but it would be timely to have a debate on yesterday's decisions, the huge success of the vaccination programme and the need to progress the booster roll-out. I will touch on the issue of rural housing, which has a special place in the hearts of many r…

I move: That Seanad Éireann, pursuant to section 4(2)(f)(v) of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission Acts 2003 – 2018, hereby authorises the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission to defend proceedings initiated against Seanad Éireann and to instruct legal counsel in that regard in the matter of Gerard Hutch v. the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Minister for Justice, Dáil Éireann, Seanad Éireann, Ireland and the Attorney General (High Court: 2021/898/JR).

The Order of Business is No. 1, statements on Forestry Licensing, to be taken at 1 p.m. and to conclude at 3 p.m. if not previously concluded, with the time allocated to the opening remarks of the Minister not to exceed ten minutes, group spokespersons not to exceed eight minutes, all other Senators not to exceed five minutes and the Minister to be given not less than ten minutes to reply to the debate; No. 2, statements to mark Science Week, to be taken at 3 p.m. and to conclude at 4.30 p.m. if not previously conc…

I thank all Senators for their contributions on a wide range of topics. Senator O'Loughlin raised the issue of ticket pricing for the Ireland-Portugal match. We all wish the boys in green well this evening. Senator Seery Kearney raised the issue of gambling in advance of that match, which is being proposed in an article in the Irish Sun . That is despicable. It is that type of leading article that brings people back into gambling. I agree with Senator Seery Kearney on that point. Senator O'Loughlin also spoke about…

It can hit people in their 80s and 90s but it can also hit people, as Senator Seery Kearney said, at the age of 33. Strokes can hit people quite suddenly. I will ask for an update on the strategy. Senator McGreehan also talked about Drogheda town and access issues there. I do not know the exact ins and outs of the situation to which she referred but clearly more cognisance must be taken of people with disabilities, including those who are visually impaired, by those engaging in roadworks. They must ensure that safe…

I too wish to be associated, on my behalf and that of the Fine Gael group, with the remarks on the sad passing of Austin Currie. I offer condolences to his wife, Annita, who herself suffered greatly at the hands of loyalist paramilitaries, and to our colleague, Senator Emer Currie. Austin was a man of peace and decency who, with John Hume, Gerry Fitt, Seamus Mallon and others, kick-started the civil rights movement in Derry and across the North. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis. There was an exciting and at times …

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit, an Teachta Chambers, agus roimh an stiúrthóir Gaeilge sa Roinn, Dr. Aodhán Mac Cormaic. Tar éis próiseas fada sa Dáil agus sa roghchoiste, cuirim fáilte roimh an Dara Céim den Bhille seo sa Seanad inniu. Mar iarAire Stáit ar a raibh freagracht as an nGaeilge agus as an nGaeltacht, fuair mé cead ón Rialtas an Bille a fhoilsiú in 2019. Chuir muid tús leis an Dara Céim sa Dáil roimh dheireadh na bliana 2019, mar a luaigh an tAire Stáit ina óráid. Níor éirigh linn an Dara Céim a chrío…

I thank the Cathaoirleach's office for choosing this Commencement matter. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan. The census was due to be held this year but, of course, it has been postponed because of Covid-19. It is now due to be held on 3 April 2022. In April of this year, the Central Statistics Office estimated the population at 5.01 million. This means that the population has risen above 5 million for the first time since the 1851 census, when the comparable population was 5.11 million, or more than 6…