Now.

I move: That, pursuant to subsection 2° of section 2 of Article 25 of the Constitution, Seanad Éireann concurs with the Government in a request to the President to sign the Residential Tenancies and Valuation Bill 2020 on a date which is earlier than the fifth day after the date on which the Bill shall have been presented to him.”

At 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday, 16 September 2020.

Last week, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Eamon Ryan, stated that urban transport could be transformed in six months under the stimulus plan. I certainly hope that is the case. The funding of €115 million for active travel, public transport and infrastructure is very welcome and much needed. It follows on from the allocation of €200 million under Project Ireland 2040 for BusConnects in Galway city and other cities. Although the focus on major cities is important, many of them have public tran…

I welcome the Minister of State and the Bill, which gives effect to many of the measures published in the July stimulus initiative. The stimulus involves a €7.4 billion investment in our economy and society and is vital to our efforts to combat the unprecedented pervasive impact of Covid-19. It is only possible because the previous Government's management of the economy means the State is seen as worthy of lending by investors. It is important to make that point because not everyone appreciates it. If we had pursue…

The Order of Business is No. 1, motion regarding exempted development regulations concerning Dublin Airport, to be taken without debate on the conclusion of the Order of Business; No. 2, motion regarding restoration of Bills to the Order Paper, to be taken without debate on the conclusion of No. 1; No. 3, motion regarding the appointment of ordinary members of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission, to be taken without debate on the conclusion of No. 2; and No. 3 a on the supplementary Order Paper, Social Welfare …

I thank Senators for the issues they have raised. Senators Higgins, Fitzpatrick and Ruane referred to the deaths of five people in homeless services in Dublin over the past week. Our sympathies go to those individuals and their families and the people who loved them. I understand two individuals died in a facility in the north of the city last week, one individual who had been accessing homeless services died in hospice care, one individual died in a facility on the south of the city on Friday, and one man died in …

I move: That Seanad Éireann approves the following Regulations in draft: Planning and Development Act 2000 (Exempted Development) (No. 3) Regulations 2020, a copy of which has been laid in draft form before Seanad Éireann on 22nd July 2020.

I move: That, in pursuance of Standing Order No. 169 of the Standing Orders relative to Public Business, the Bills which lapsed by reason of the Seanad General Election, March 2020, and are set out in the Schedule to this motion, shall be restored to the Order Paper at the stage specified in the Schedule below: SCHEDULE

I move: That Seanad Éireann, in accordance with section 8(3) (b) of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission Acts 2003 to 2018, appoints the ordinary members of the Commission as follows: Senators Paddy Burke, Ned O’Sullivan and Mark Wall.

I thank the Cathaoirleach. I welcome the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, to the Chamber. For me, like others, one of the most important aspects of the Bill, that has been somewhat lost - although it has been highlighted here in recent contributions - is the provision to award credited PRSI contributions to people in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment. That is hugely important. Each of us, as public representatives, has tried to help people over the years navigate the myriad of the social welfare system and it…

Now.

Now.

At 10.30 a.m. tomorrow.

I refer to next year's leaving certificate. Those students doing the leaving certificate in 2021 have not been in a classroom since March. We face an uncertain autumn in terms of the reopening plan and the possibility of second, third or fourth waves of Covid-19, as has been said. Over the coming weeks and months we will need an outline of plans to ensure that those students move as seamlessly as possible to the new exam in 2021. It is never too early to start thinking about that. What provisions are being made for…

I welcome the Minister to the Chamber. I congratulate him on his role and wish him the best. I welcome the opportunity to contribute on this Bill, which will achieve two objectives, the first of which is the expansion of GP care without charge to children and young people. The Bill contains provisions to extend and expand this important benefit to children under eight years of age, under ten years of age and under 13 years of age on a phased basis. Second, the Bill will fulfil an important budget commitment to incr…

I wish to discuss the code of best practice and guide for greenway projects. I invite the new Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, to come to the Seanad to debate this very important issue. Following the publication of the strategy for the future development of national and regional greenways, a group was established in the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport to develop a code of best practice. Progress on greenways has been frustratingly slow in many places. The Connemara greenway, in particular from Galway city to…

The Minister of State is welcome to the Chamber. I welcome the publication of this legislation and the opportunity to say a few words on it. As the Tánaiste has highlighted, this scheme will be the largest credit guarantee scheme for businesses in the history of the State. That is not by accident. The impact Covid-19 continues to have on businesses of all types and sizes in Ireland is unprecedented. It demands an unprecedented response from the Government and for all of us in the Houses to do everything we can to p…

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

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. Déanaim comhghairdeas leis as ucht a róil nua. I welcome the Minister of State and congratulate him on being appointed Minister of State in this very important Department. As spokesperson on public expenditure and reform and Gaeltacht affairs, I am pleased to take part in the debate on the first legislation from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to come before the Twenty-sixth Seanad. The Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill is short and technical but its conse…