We have dealt with many of the issues that were raised. The October European Council adopted certain conclusions on strengthening and protecting the digital ecosystem, including through reinforced international partnerships and close collaboration with trusted partner countries and international organisations on digital innovation and governance. Leaders stressed the need to address the risks related to hybrid threats and cybersecurity, as well as reducing strategic dependencies. This includes the need to diversify…

Ba mhaith liom mo thacaíocht a thabhairt don Tánaiste, don Aire gnóthaí eachtracha agus Aire Cosanta, an Teachta Simon Harris, inniu. Ba mhaith liom vótáil ar son agus tacú le rún an Rialtais. There is a bit of a misnomer going around that the Government has manufactured this debate today. In fact, this has been standard practice for quite some time that the Government would table motions of confidence in itself. There are at least five examples when Labour was in government when motions such as this were put forwa…

For any Government to continue in office, any motion of confidence must be dealt with very quickly. Ireland and Europe stand at a very critical juncture. War is taking place on our Continent. As Minister of State in the Departments of Defence and Foreign Affairs and Trade, I am proud to work with the Tánaiste in making Ireland more secure and in securing our European future in delivering record budgets for our defence and security and in preparing for our Presidency of the Council of the European Union. We are work…

To clarify, do I also have a closing speaking slot?

Ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil leis an Seanad os rud é gur chur na Baill an t-ábhar tábhachtach seo ar an gclár ar maidin, the Global Sumud Flotilla, an Loingeas Domhanda Sumud. Is cabhlach de 50 long é an flotilla cúnamh daonnúil a thabhairt go Gaza. The global flotilla wants to deliver humanitarian aid - we all do - and establish an open and sustained humanitarian corridor to Gaza. We all have been looking closely at reports on the interception of the flotilla by the Israeli navy. We have confirmation tha…

I did not mention that.

We absolutely condemn this and we have called for the immediate release of everybody who has been taken by Israel. We have never said anything else. We could not be clearer about that, just like Minister Albares, who was quoted earlier. We have worked very closely with Spain and other countries for the past couple of years on these issues. I completely echo the sentiments of Senators across the House. I welcome the family members in the Gallery. I will be happy to engage with them after this debate. The depth of fe…

We are keeping in contact with our Spanish colleagues. We have a very close connection with them but the idea that an Irish ship would go to the location is simply not tenable, neither practically nor under the law. It never was possible and would not happen. In fairness, our Spanish colleagues have been keeping in very close contact with us. For quite some time, Ireland has been seeking the suspension of the association agreement with Israel, which is what the Senator is asking for in light of the fact that agreem…

It has been almost two years since the heinous terror attacks carried out by Hamas and other terrorist groups against Israel and Israeli people on 7 October 2023. The horror of these attacks remains imprinted in our minds. Murder, rape and general savagery was video recorded. Ireland has consistently and unequivocally condemned these attacks. They were absolutely disgraceful. As we approach this tragic milestone of two years, we think especially of the hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza, and their families who de…

I thank Senator Joe O’Reilly for submitting this Commencement matter which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Deputy Peter Burke. Ireland’s long-standing voluntarist system has served us well over the decades, helping to contribute to industrial peace and stability. It has also enhanced Ireland’s attractiveness as a major investment location and led to a co-operative environment for resolving disputes. The programme for Government sets out a commitment to publish an action…

I will certainly say that to the Minister, Deputy Burke. It has been the clear and consistent policy of successive Governments to promote collective bargaining through both legislation and the development of an institutional framework that supports a voluntary system of industrial relations. It is therefore hugely important that we continue to protect the measures that were put in place to support collective bargaining within a voluntary industrial relations framework that has served us well to date. The Minister b…

RSV is a common virus that causes respiratory infections. The risk of severe infection is highest in very young infants. RSV is a seasonal virus with outbreaks typically occurring in the winter months, with the highest numbers of infections usually reported in December and January. Each winter in Ireland, one in two babies will get RSV and many will need medical care from their doctor or the emergency department of a children’s hospital. Four out of 100 babies are hospitalised due to RSV, with some babies needing s…

I thank the Senator. Vaccination is one of the most cost-effective and successful public health interventions that exist. It is quite discouraging to see so many people sceptical about vaccines. There is never scepticism about a new curative drug and instead people say, "Please, we need this drug as soon as possible." With a vaccine, people are hesitant and say they do not know what is wrong with that. When you look at the statistics, it is incredible how many lives have been saved. Cervical cancer, for example, wi…

I thank Senator Nelson Murray for raising this issue. It is a matter that has been brought to the attention of the Department on a number of occasions. The main financial support available to students is SUSI. Reckonable income includes all sources of household income, including income from a student’s employment. However, holiday earnings is income that a student can earn outside their term time that can be deducted from their total family income assessment, up to a certain limit. This is designed to support stude…

As the Minister has said, there are competing demands. I know the Senator and other colleagues were looking for the student contribution to be reduced again this year as well. The Minister has a certain amount of money and he is trying to balance all of the competing demands. They are all worthy. Nobody could be against any of them, but the simple fact is that it is a financial calculation. It would work for students, but it would come at significant cost. If the Senator has ideas about where the cost could come fr…

I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "notes that: — the Government is acutely aware of the recent energy price increases and the impact it has on households and businesses; — the Government acknowledges the latest data for June shows that 13 per cent of households are in arrears on their electricity bills and 25 per cent on their gas bills, and supporting these households must remain a priority; — the previous Government introduced a suite of measures over r…

I thank Deputy Currie for raising this important issue, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Burke. As the Deputy is aware, there has been a significant long-term shift in attitudes to remote and flexible working among both employers and workers throughout the country since the pandemic in particular. Acceptance of remote and flexible working is high and the evidence suggests that they are here to stay. The most recent data from the Central Statistics Office shows that in the second quarter of this y…

The Minister has mentioned the upcoming Working in Ireland survey, which the Department has funded. About 5,000 people, north and south of the Border, have been surveyed. The Minister understands the survey has been completed and we can expect the research output in the coming months. We anticipate that there will be a lot of information on a range of labour market issues in this area, and this will be a useful input into the debate on where policy needs to focus. Certainly, the Minister will come back to the Deput…

The Government does support Waterford Airport. I assure the Deputies that the Government is committed to working with all stakeholders to see the Waterford Airport project to lengthen and widen the runway progress. In line with this commitment and the requirements under the Government’s infrastructure guidelines, Waterford Airport was invited earlier this summer to submit a preliminary business case to the Department of Transport. As the Deputies will be aware, the infrastructure guidelines set out the value-for-mo…

If the Government broke the public spending code, or the infrastructure guidelines in this case, or decided to spend money without doing a proper analysis and proper business case, you guys would rightly be down at the public accounts committee castigating the Government. The Government is committed to working with all stakeholders to progress this project when the business case is received and reviewed. We recognise we are an island nation. We have a dispersed population and an open economy. We need good connectiv…