Before I became a Member of the Seanad a couple of months ago, I thought that I had a bumpy ride when I got on the Cú Chulainn roller coaster at Tayto Park. I have had a bumpier ride since I came in here a few weeks ago. The cervical cancer crisis overseen by the previous Government continues. It has been compounded by the recent tragic death of Ruth Morrissey. Cervical checks are due to restart soon but breast and bowel cancer screening will not resume until September. The people of Ireland did not stop getting si…

I thank the Minister of State for coming to the Seanad to explain the Bill. Many of the Bills that have come before us this week have been completely rushed. I will support several of the amendments that have been tabled. Earlier this week, Senator Fitzpatrick spoke about the number of people who have died in our city of Dublin. People are dying in many cities throughout the country, whether in hostel accommodation or on the streets. This should not happen. It is probably one of the reasons Fine Gael lost the gener…

The Minister of State did not do that.

The Minister of State did not name me.

I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach for allowing me in.

I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach. I only raised the issue about the declaration and the communication around that for people who do not have the ability to understand the forms on which the Government is asking them to declare. I asked about how the Government was going to improve its communication around that and the Minister of State did not answer.

It would give me some comfort if the Minister of State could answer that because I need to give similar comfort to the people I represent. The 949 councillors around the country who are required to fill in these forms and assist people in making declarations also need to know what the Government is going to do for them and how this message will be communicated to the most vulnerable people in our country, those who cannot read and write, and the 500,000 people to whom this is going to apply. I would appreciate it i…

I understand that and thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach.

I hope the junior Senator from County Meath will be allocated the same amount of grace. Some Senators will be aware that the largest religious minority in Iran is the Baha'i faith. Many people across the country know members of the Baha'i faith who live in their community. Senators may be aware that members of the Baha'i faith who live in Iran are severely persecuted simply because of their religion. The UN and most human rights experts agree that the persecution of Baha'i people in Iran is one of the most obvious …

I will just need a minute. I am certainly not here to tear down the Financial Provisions (Covid-19) (No. 2) Bill 2020. I welcome the measures the Government has taken and I wish only to add something constructive that perhaps should have been included. Section 8 amends the help to buy scheme, but it applies to only new homes. I would like that to apply to second-hand homes. That is my only criticism of this Bill. The Government has failed to address this. People might want to buy a second-hand home rather than a ne…

I congratulate the Minister on her appointment and wish her well in her portfolio. I also commend the Leader of the House, Senator Doherty, on her role within the Minister's Department during the early days of the pandemic, when there was not yet a new Government. Her leadership was very welcome at that time. The pandemic unemployment payment is given to people who have lost their sources of income due to the economic shutdown caused by the public health measures put in place by the previous Government due to the C…

I support this section as well but I highlight the matter of people under 18 in apprenticeships. They could not access any payment during the pandemic. I do not know if this is something the Minister can examine. Some of these kids leave school at 16, perhaps with a junior certificate, and they get an apprenticeship. I know a number of young people in my area who were successful in getting apprenticeships with my help. They are in their second year of that but they could not get anything because they are under 18. …

What about the people under 18 who are apprentices? They could not access any money. They were not seeking the full pandemic unemployment payment but is there anything to encourage these young people to keep working and engaged with working society?

I know that.

I thank the Minister. I appreciate that.

I welcome the Minister to the Chamber. I wish her well in her new role as Minister with responsibility for media, arts, tourism, culture, sport and the Gaeltacht. However, it is a cause of great concern and disappointment not only to me, but to those in the tourism industry, which in normal times contributes in excess of €9 billion to the economy and employs more than 250,000 people, that tourism sits amid six other important portfolios. Two weeks ago in the House, I suggested pre-flight Covid testing. The Dublin A…

Minister-----

I wanted to-----

Does the Senator not have 30 seconds?

That is disgraceful.