As we prepare for Christmas, I must once again voice my serious concerns about the division we have created in our country in the past year. Perhaps one of the scariest things is that it almost seems normal now. We have already become used to being told we can do this and we cannot do that. Seeing the online discussions in the UK, which is planning its own Covid pass, and the legitimate disquiet, disappointment and hurt being expressed by individuals has brought it back up for me. I am sure many of us read about th…

Hear, hear.

Amendments Nos. 37 and 39 are related and may be discussed together by agreement.

Is Senator Higgins pressing the amendment?

Is the Senator withdrawing the amendment?

Amendment No. 43 in the name of Senator Higgins has been ruled out of order.

Amendments Nos. 45, 46 and 52 are related and may be discussed together by agreement.

As it is now 5 p.m. I am required to put the following question in accordance with the order of the Seanad of this day: "That amendment No. 45 is hereby negatived in Committee, that section 48 is hereby agreed to in Committee, in respect of each of the sections undisposed of, the section is hereby agreed to in Committee, Schedules 1 to 12, inclusive, are hereby agreed to in Committee, and the Title is hereby agreed to in Committee".

When is it proposed to take Report Stage?

Is that agreed? Agreed.

I welcome the Minister to the Chamber. You would have to laugh, if it were not so serious, at the phrase "extraordinary time-limited measures" contained in this Bill's explanatory memorandum. As each Bill was passed, that "time-limited nature" was stressed so heavily and yet each sunset clause extension was used in its entirety - every single one, for the full amount. When we were debating those, the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, stressed that this was the end of it, and once those dates came and went, new leg…

Of course, once July arrives the legislation will lapse and we will be free from restrictions - wink wink, nudge nudge. I hope the Minister realises there is no coming back from this. After this, no one will take a sunset clause seriously again; no one in this room or outside it. Once you throw this integral element of legislation under the bus, there is no pulling it back. Future Dáileanna and Seanaid and future generations, when presented with time-sensitive legislation by the government of their day, will be abl…

I asked the Minister something and he did not address it. Could he address it? It concerns people medically exempt from vaccination. It has been introduced in the UK. Will the Minister look at that in Ireland?

I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach. Mary is a very good secretary I am sure. I thank the Minister for looking after the local authority members in this country and giving them a living wage for the first time ever. When I was elected here I had very little knowledge of what the role would entail. I will have been here two years in March. I have been navigating my way through what is expected of a Senator with regard to legislation and it has been very difficult. I split the secretarial assistant role into two position…

I would also like to talk about the health committee and the Minister for Health commencing phase 1 of the review of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018. I find it slightly ironic that Senator Pauline O'Reilly talked about animal welfare straight after talking about abortion and had no thought for the welfare of the unborn. There are legitimate concerns that the Government's three-year review of the new abortion laws will be a missed opportunity. To date, the Minister for Health has met onl…

I object to the Order of Business and request that No. 4 on the Order Paper be taken with debate. That is the motion regarding the establishment of a special committee on gender equality. This summer, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth launched a consultation seeking the public's view on a review of the Equality Acts. The deadline for submissions is 5 p.m, tomorrow and everyone should make their voices heard. There is significant concern among parents as to the presence of harmfu…

Just that the issue is taken with debate.

I welcome the Tánaiste. The Government's reaction to the Omicron variant makes a mockery of the idea of living with Covid. It slapped restrictions into place based on zero data, when the ink on the newspapers reporting the variant’s mere existence was not even dry, and the panic machine swung into overdrive. Common sense and critical thinking have not made their way into decision-making either. Covid-19 certificates have been required for indoor dining since their inception. If additional restrictions are being rei…

I thank the Senator. She is welcome back. I am very sorry for the loss of her father, Austin.

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. First, I thank my colleagues on the administrative panel for bringing this motion before us. I also thank the Minister of State for delivering for city and county councillors throughout this country over the past year and half in government. I appreciate the lengths gone to to recognise the value they bring to local government, and we made their pay almost a living wage. We must be realistic. It is all very well saying we would love to see these recommendations realised…