I do not think anybody for one second is saying that Covid is gone or that Covid is defeated. It is nothing I have had said to me and it is certainly not something that I think. However, I am struck today by one question, a very short and pointed question, and that is: why? Why is it that if, as the Minister himself said, these restrictions will be lifted on 22 October, the Minister is looking for this legislation to be extended? I see no proper justification in his opening statement for this legislation to be exte…

I wish to discuss with the Minister the terms of reference announced regarding the independent review following the radio documentary "Women of Honour" by Katie Hannon, which was broadcast on 11 September. What person or body will be responsible for establishing the review and what are the membership qualifications or criteria for same? I understand there has been significant movement in the 19 days since the documentary was broadcast.

I thank the Minister. I want to take this opportunity to put on the record of this House my utter revulsion at the experiences these women detailed, my admiration for their bravery and determination but also my anger that in 2021 these exceptional women were forced to tell their stories so very publicly on national radio for an appropriate mechanism to be discussed. Let us be very clear that what they spoke of was sexual abuse, discrimination and harassment. In the interests of fairness, it is important to read int…

It is absolutely critical that this review does not just focus on the failings of the Defence Forces as an institution but also looks at those individuals who obstructed any mechanism that was in place at the time, including those who deliberately prevented victims from coming forward to report or from feeling that they had gotten justice. What engagement has the Minister had with his legal advisers regarding the waiving of non-disclosure agreements that may exist and regarding settlements that have been reached wi…

The Minister has not answered my question-----

It was on non-disclosure agreements.

When the Minister talks about climate action and climate change, there is one core issue missing and that is climate justice. I speak in particular today about my constituents around Rochfortbridge, who are facing a bleak winter, and that was before the announcements earlier this week. They are worried about transport costs. The Minister speaks about transport but bus services are being cut. Our bus schedule that makes no sense. I am talking about the equivalent of a waterproof tea bag in that it makes no sense wha…

A constituent of mine, Patricia, recently applied for a passport for her four-year old daughter, which is a common undertaking for a parent. What should have been a routine task has been anything but that. Patricia and her wife went to court to be recognised as their daughter's legal parents. They waited for parental recognition of same-sex couples by the Oireachtas and they waited for section 21 to be signed into law. To be then told that she cannot apply for a passport because she is not the birth parent adds ins…

When?

I am delighted to introduce this important legislation, alongside my colleague, Deputy Mairéad Farrell. The Bill seeks to strengthen the FOI regime, which has been eroded in recent years, and to ensure that what we have, going forward, is fit for purpose. It is most timely, given recent events, and because it is International Access to Information Day. However, long before those events, freedom of information was under attack and legitimate concerns were being raised by those who should not have been encountering b…

There is a plethora of actions from this Government that I find truly jaw-dropping, but none more than the Government representatives' consistent appearances in this House and in the media promoting a delayed and postponed policy that so many experts have said simply will not work. This plan is good for big developers and investment funds but it is bad for working people looking to buy, for renters, or for those in need of social housing. It will push up house pries and rents while failing to deliver affordable hou…

Any opportunity presented to us to examine and plan for the future of our children should not only be welcomed but also grasped with both hands and acted upon. We have seen report after report outlining the challenges facing the younger members of our society but what we do not see is necessary corresponding action to address the concerns being raised. These concerns relate to the right to live free of hunger, to a stable home and to an adequate standard of living that allows for participation and developmental opp…

I commend my colleague, Deputy Ó Broin, on bringing this Bill forward this evening. It cuts through the layers of red tape and bureaucracy that get to the very core of the torment facing workers and families across this State. It is the provision of affordable housing. Without a shadow of a doubt and by a country mile, it is the main issue about which people come into my constituency offices. On the issue of housing, affordable housing is the dominant feature in each of them. A quick search on daft.ie today indicat…

I note what the Minister has said with some interest. There are legitimate and genuine concerns surrounding the current freedom of information regime, which are shared by journalists, researchers, citizens and victims of institutional abuse. Yet, instead of building on the 1997 introduction of FOI and ensuring that there would be a complete and robust mechanism to access information, what we have now is a flawed system that feeds directly into a lack of transparency and accountability. It is crystal clear that urge…

This Bill, which proposes to amend the CervicalCheck Tribunal Act 2019 to allow for more time to make a claim, will ring hollow with many of the women most affected by the failings of that programme because it does nothing to address the reasons the extension is needed. The Minister mentioned Covid and the cyberattack on the HSE but it is 19 days away from the deadline and here we are. The fact remains that driving licences were extended for longer as a result of Covid than the plans for an extension in this Bill. …

I echo Deputy O'Reilly's call for the Government to support the very important legislation she has introduced. It is vital. We know through research and study that sexual, domestic and gender-based violence has a negative impact physically, emotionally, financially and psychologically. We also know it is insidious and pervasive. Increasing numbers of organisations are raising concerns about the formation of unhealthy relationships in our younger population. As an elected representative and a mother, I am not trying…

What is the level of preparedness in the State to deal with the cybersecurity space in future conflict zones, be they domestically and internationally, given that increased connectivity means cybersecurity will be a key front in any future conflict zones?

I thank the Minister. An ever-increasing amount of activity is being conducted online. Certainly, conflicts and threats will also continue to grow in this arena. As Minister for Defence of a contributing country to UN peacekeeping and peace enforcing missions, is the Minister confident that training and resources are available in our Defence Forces to adapt to this new reality? I draw the attention, or perhaps the memory, of the Minister to the committee meeting we had on the Estimates. I put it to the Minister tha…

I am not sure I have complete confidence in waiting for the Commission on the Future of the Defence Forces to report on something like this before taking more concrete steps. This is a really serious issue. If there has ever been anything of a conflict zone with clearly defined borders it is gone. It has been consigned to history, as has conflict between two opposing sides. We now have zones where there are multiple players, whether street gangs or organised gangs controlling food and water distribution in areas of…

Despite words, commitments and supposed agreements, maternity restrictions remain in place. These are real women and real-time experiences, and a real solution is needed. Yesterday, I spoke with a lady who is having her second baby under these restrictions. Extenuating circumstances apply because this will be the last baby the couple in question will have. In the period since the first child was born, this woman has gone through the unendurable pain of losing twins to miscarriage. Again, she was alone because of ma…