I welcome the Taoiseach to the Chamber. One of the most powerful speeches I heard this morning was by Senator Ruane. I had tears rolling down my cheeks because I know first-hand about the children who suffer from poverty and I have dealt with them for the past 12 to 13 years of my life. How we treat the children of this nation is really important to me. How we are treating the refugees who are coming here is equally important to me. I witnessed some of the awful conditions in which Ukrainian refugees are living in …

Like Senator Gavan, I am asking for the Minister, Deputy Darragh O’Brien, to come to the House to discuss what is needed in the lifetime of this Government to address the housing crisis. When the Government came into power, it was known that approximately 47,000 houses had to be built every year for the next five years just to catch up with the housing deficit numbers at August 2020. At the time, the Government pledged to build 50,000 social housing units over five years. The Government’s Housing for All strategy e…

I too want to be associated with the sympathies for our friend and colleague, Councillor Damien O'Reilly. I would have known Damien from his time in Ógra Fhianna Fáil. He was part of the Mary Wallace team back in the day and he would have canvassed for me long ago, when I ran for the national executive of Fianna Fáil in 2007 and 2010 at the Ard Fheis. I would have known him and I would have soldiered alongside Damien for many years. He was a good friend and if you did not hear from Damien on the telephone twice per…

In my speech I wish to draw attention to the possible data protection issues that may arise because of this legislation. While technology brings new opportunities to deal with the crisis of law and order nationwide, it is important that we do so while respecting civil liberties and the right to privacy of citizens. Following much public consultation and increased criminal activity, I was involved in setting up the CCTV system in my area of Duleek and Donore. At the time it did include ANPR. The CCTV system has help…

I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach and Cathaoirleach for running this House so smoothly over the last six months. I thank Martin Groves and Bridget Doody in the Seanad Office, and the Library and Research Service and the Bills Office for helping me out this year with the Gradam an Uachtaráin Bill. Although the Government might want to see me go away with that Bill, I will probably try to get it into the House before Christmas. I thank Alan Ruane and his team of ushers, and Julie Lyons, John Walsh and the catering staf…

Yesterday saw the publication of the Government's quarter 2 Housing for All progress report for 2023. All those with ears to the ground will know it is not exactly a roaring success story. In the report, we conspicuously received no update on the figures with regard to completed new-build social housing or those detailing new-build affordable housing along with absolutely no mention of the knock-on effects of last year's missed targets. We are told that nearly one third of the Housing for All so-called priority act…

Well done.

Israel enforces a system of oppression and domination against the Palestinian people wherever it has control over their rights. This includes Palestinians living in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories as well as displaced refugees in other countries. Massive seizures of Palestinian land and property, unlawful killings, forcible transfers, drastic movement restrictions and the denial of nationality and citizenship to Palestinians are all components of a system that amounts to apartheid under internationa…

Hear, hear.

Two weeks ago, this Government introduced its Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services) (Safe Access Zones) Bill 2023 to the Dáil. When Senator Gavan brought forward his Safe Access to Termination of Pregnancy Services Bill 2021 two years ago, the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, outlined some of the legal concerns of which his Department advised him in relation to the legislation. Prime among these are the constitutional and human rights issues that could infringe upon such peaceful protest being prohibited, he…

In both cases, the person holding the sign is obviously seeking to influence people either to not have an abortion or to not eat meat. We do not want to make the same mistake as was made with the hate speech Bill, so we could do with the Minister coming in to the House to discuss this issue.

Shameful.

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I was quite happy to move the motion on the Order Paper to introduce the Bill last week and for Second Stage to be heard today. I thank Senator Clonan for bringing the Bill to the House and welcome his family to the Chamber. I am calling on the Government to withdraw the amendment. All I have heard are words, and everybody is fed up with words. I must say that over the last few weeks I have actually begun to believe that there is a change within certain parts of the Gov…

Hear, hear.

Hear, hear.

I also want to be associated with the sympathies to the family of Brendan Daly. The way Senator Dooley spoke about him here this morning was lovely. I thank the Senator for that and for sharing a little bit of Brendan Daly with those of us who may not have known him here this morning. I propose an amendment to the Order of Business that No. 13 on the Order Paper be taken before No. 1. This morning, I raise the findings and recommendations of a document from the Federation of Early Childhood Providers - voices from …

I move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to amend the Disability Act 2005 and the Equal Status Act 2000 and to provide for related matters.

Next Tuesday.

I am supporting Senator Mullen’s Bill which, I am sure we all agree, could not come at a better time. As the ongoing revelations of multiple barter accounts, under-the-table pay deals and a pile-up of undeclared expenditure, a picture of RTÉ emerges as an institution which very quickly returned to its Celtic tiger ways - an unassailable monolith of an institution that was above scrutiny and beyond accountability. As always, there were the “ins” and the “outs”. The “ins” were the D4 cabal who sat perched atop the py…

Hear, hear.