Hear, hear. Well said.

I second the amendment.

I second the amendment.

Yes.

I am very happy to second the Bill and co-sign it. Exposure to pornographic content at a young age can have detrimental effects on a child's development and mental health. Various studies have shown the negative impact of early exposure to pornography on children. The American Academy of Pediatrics noted that exposure to sexual content can lead to risky sexual behaviour and desensitisation to violence. Research from the University of Montreal found it is associated with negative attitudes towards women and violence…

I call for a debate in the new term to discuss the UK's Cass review on gender identity services for children and young people in Ireland. Dr. Hilary Cass was asked by the UK National Health Service, NHS, to chair an independent review and make recommendations on how to improve services for young people experiencing issues with their gender identity and ensure that the best models for safe and effective services were commissioned. Having taken four years to complete, the Cass review is the most thorough scientific r…

The Minister is just about to leave but I wanted to congratulate him on becoming leader of his party. I am not sure how long his tenure will be but I wish him well.

Figures released by the Minister's Department on 11 June showed that, at the end of April this year, 5,644 who had been granted a status such as refugee status or subsidiary protection status or who had been given leave to remain still remained in IPAS accommodation. When these people are granted their status, they are permitted to avail of rent allowance or the housing assistance payment in a similar way to the 60,000 Irish people currently on the social housing list. However, these 5,644 remain in the IPAS accomm…

The civic engagement team of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth held a meeting regarding the Thornton Hall site on 29 May as the Government had proposed its use as a refugee and asylum seeker accommodation centre. The national lead on civic engagement, Eibhlin Byrne, briefed me along with other Members of the Oireachtas from the north Dublin and east Meath region at this meeting in May. At the time of our meeting, the Garda was completely unaware of the proposed repurposing of T…

I am disappointed by the Minister of State's answer for two reasons. First, much of what she said has been lifted word for word from the March press release, which leads me to my second point, namely, she has completely ignored the specifics of my Commencement matter. I asked the Minister to give an update on the Thornton Hall site, which is being considered for use for refugee and asylum seeker accommodation, for details of the lease the Department holds, its duration and the overall size of the site being leased.…

Hear, hear.

I too want to be associated with the expressions of sympathy for Senator John O'Mahony. My sympathies go to his family. It is lovely to hear colleagues around the Chamber talk so lovingly about him. I second the amendment to the Order of Business proposed by Senator Craughwell. I call for a debate regarding recent failures of Tusla and proposed solutions for reforming this State agency. The Irish Times reported last Thursday that Tusla failed to notify the courts that it had not allocated designated social workers …

I move amendment No. 3: In page 17, after line 8, to insert the following: “ Report on the Minor Ailment Scheme 14 . Within 12 months of the passing of this Act the Minister shall commission a report on how a pharmacy-based minor ailment scheme can be introduced in Ireland. It shall include details regarding how Irish Medicines Board Act 1995, the Pharmacy Act 2007, Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013 can be amended.”. The purpose of the proposed amendment as an additional section in the Bill is t…

I commend the Minister as well. This minor ailments scheme, which is now to be called common conditions, is something I have been talking about since I entered the Seanad. It is a game-changer when it comes to community healthcare. I commend the Minister on pushing this forward.

I wish to object to the Order of Business, namely, the proposal that No. 1 be concluded rather than adjourned. To take Committee and all Remaining Stages of the Bill today is an insult to the House, given that it is such important legislation. I also want to raise the issue of crime.

I am proposing an amendment to the Order of Business.

I move: "That No. 1 be adjourned and not concluded."

Prison numbers in our country at this time have hit 5,000. Many of our 14 prisons are overcrowded. We talk about crime here every day, including judges making the wrong decision in respect of crime, but perhaps they make those decisions because there is nowhere to send people. We need places to send people. At this time, there are 469 people without bed spaces in prisons. Limerick's female prison is the most overcrowded prison in the country. We had a site to build a super prison in Thornton Hall. In May, it was an…

Yes.

I thank the Minister for explaining this section to me but it certainly does not give me any great comfort. Yes, I did put out a tweet on my amendment, which was voted down today. It was one which was put down in good faith because I do not believe that the AHRRA will do due diligence in respect of safeguarding potential children born through surrogacy. It states: "...shall not approve under section 53 a surrogacy agreement unless it is satisfied, based on the information available...". The Minister said that this …