I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to reply to this very pressing issue for Duleek boys and girls national schools, both of which were built in 2015. From the outside, one might mistakenly think that this looks like a state-of-the-art school but, unfortunately, one does not have to look too closely to see the faults left behind by JJ Rhatigan. There are several outstanding issues, but the most pressing is the condition of the roof. JJ Rhatigan contracted two experts to assess the roof and both ag…

I welcome the Minister, Deputy Foley's, commitment and the fact that the Department is going to work with the school. Hopefully, I will not be back in the House in September to raise issues that remain outstanding. At the weekend, there was an announcement by Bishop Tom Deenihan of changes that will be made in many parishes in County Meath. Duleek will be losing Fr. John Conlon to St. Mary's in Drogheda. He has been instrumental in improving primary educational campuses in Duleek, Bellewstown, Cushinstown and Mount…

We have not even opened the school-----

I am delighted that the Leader has allowed us this opportunity to make statements on the future of banking as it gives me an opportunity to talk about an extremely important area of finance which has not received nearly enough attention in this country. I thank the Department for acting so swiftly to support borrowers since the Covid-19 pandemic started, with payment breaks for businesses and homeowners. I welcome the scrutiny that our banking sector will face with a regulatory and supervisory framework put in plac…

I lend my voice to the outcry against the mass purchasing of newly built housing units. The news headlines this past week have been salt in the wounds of many in this country whose hope of owning their own home is fast fading. The complexities of the housing market do not often lend themselves to easy fixes. Surely this makes it all the more important to seize the opportunities we see to put a quick stop to bad practice. In this vein, the recent comments from the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage …

I congratulate the Minister for Justice, Deputy Helen McEntee, and her husband Paul, on the birth of their baby, Michael Shane. As the Seanad has not yet done so, I congratulate the Minister on the birth of her son. I welcome the Minister of State to the Seanad and thank him for taking the time to listen to our statements on these important topics of public concern. I thank the Leader, Senator Doherty, for organising this debate and acknowledging the need for debate on the topic, which I broached on the Order of Bu…

I warmly welcome the Tánaiste to the Seanad. It is a privilege to hold political office as a Senator and to be able to address him on matters of great public importance. I commend him on the calm and assured leadership he displayed last year when the pandemic reached our shores. In a time of grave uncertainty, he communicated with the nation in a very clear and composed way, which gave people a measure of reassurance. The main themes of my statement today are recovery and reform. People have suffered greatly on acc…

I thank Senator McDowell.

I understand Brussels wants to see the introduction of vaccine passports or green digital certificates for travel across the EU by the end of June. The Irish Council for Civil Liberties has expressed its opposition to the use of vaccine passports in Ireland as a condition for travel and for assessing goods and services. It has called for the Minister for Foreign Affairs to consider human rights implications before supporting the introduction of vaccine passports across the EU. The council's executive director Liam …

I warmly welcome the Minister. As she will be aware, one of the many repercussions of the lockdown policies has been the dramatic increase in the incidence of domestic violence, with vulnerable women and children bearing the brunt of it. In light of this, I will put a few issues and questions to the Minister for her consideration. I have heard reports that the family law system further endangers women and children experiencing domestic violence. Abusive parents can be granted unsupervised access to children. Victim…

I thank the Minister and extend every good wish to her and her husband, Paul. I wish them a safe and healthy birth of their child. I thank Dr. Evelyn Parsons in Ballinasloe for highlighting this issue to me. She was instrumental in my decision to raise the matter today. Local authorities are very much involved in sourcing funds for women who are suffering to move out of dangerous situations in the home. Housing officers in County Meath have looked after a number of families and women who were experiencing domestic …

I am very grateful for the opportunity to make a few comments on the final Stages of this Bill, which was drafted and introduced in the Seanad by my Independent colleague, Senator McDowell. I acknowledge his diligence, expertise and sterling work on the Bill. He engaged with the Minister for Justice and her Department to ensure that this matter was addressed as quickly as possible. I welcome the passing of the Children (Amendment) Bill 2020 by both Houses of the Oireachtas. It is important legislation that should h…

I welcome the Minister to the House. It is always good to have the opportunity to address him in person. I acknowledge his job is no easy task at the best of times, not to mention during the circumstances pertaining since he took office. He inherited the responsibility for a health service that had, for years, suffered from a lack of capacity in key areas such as ICU. I note that the Tánaiste and his Government ignored pleas to expand capacity in these areas, a failure the nation has been paying a heavy price for o…

Tell me what I said that was wrong.

It is censorship.

On a point of order, I have been referred to by two Senators this afternoon.

Two Senators referred to me.

I am glad the Government is actually cognisant that we have an emergency.

We appreciate that.

I warmly welcome the Minister of State to the Seanad. I addressed the Minister for Health earlier on the Covid-19 vaccination programme. I commented on the state of progress with the vaccination programme and made fair comments about well-publicised flaws and delays in it, as well as speaking about the state of the nation in lockdown. I spoke about the effects of the policy of the Government and NPHET on the people of Ireland: the vulnerable, those with disabilities, children missing education, people struggling fi…