I thank the Minister for coming to the Chamber. Domestic violence statistics in Ireland are shocking. Some 14% of women experience physical violence in the home and in relationships and 6% of women experience sexual violence in the home, including sexual assault and rape. Almost one in three or 31% experience psychological, coercive control in the home setting. I know more information is becoming available about domestic violence among the LGBTQI community, where there are aggravating and complicating factors. It i…

Hear, hear,

Hear, hear.

I thank the Minister of State for coming in. I am not going to comment on the judgment that was delivered in a recent high-profile case. Instead, I will address the question of the role of commissioned officers. Under Defence Forces regulation A7, paragraphs 55 to 58, they are required to attend court in an observer role but they are not required to disclose any information concerning the accused soldier unless required by the court to do so. These are administrative instructions that come from the Defence Acts and…

In the context of the commitment to zero tolerance for violence against women, as a matter of priority, the Tánaiste and the Secretary General of the Department of Defence should immediately amend these paragraphs of the Defence Forces regulation, DFR, A7, in that membership of the Defence Forces, in cases of violence against women, should not be a mitigating factor. It should be an aggravating factor in sentencing and in consideration of offences of that nature. I again commend Natasha O'Brien on her courage and t…

I wish to quote Ms Justice Ann Power from the opening statement of the tribunal of inquiry into the Defence Forces, which covers issues of discrimination, harassment, bullying, sexual harassment, sexual assault and rape of male and female members of Óglaigh na hÉireann. It is a culture that promotes class discrimination, promotes discrimination on the basis of sex and sexual orientation and has shockingly high levels of sexual assault and rape. She made a powerful quote: Honour is a cardinal [virtue] in the Defence…

I want to begin by wishing the Minister, Deputy Ryan, well after his decision not to run for re-election. I wish everybody who ran in the recent local and European elections well, those who were elected and who failed to be elected. It is such an important part of our democracy. One of the things the Minister spoke about yesterday was about some of the ill feeling and negativity that has crept into the online space. It is very reassuring to hear so many public representatives say that was not the case among the rea…

I thank the Minister of State for attending. I will make a few comments and will echo many of the points of view articulated by my colleagues on both sides of the House. I hope that when we consider amendments on Committee Stage, given that there is cross-party consensus, the Minister of State might take on board some of our concerns. I began a personal journey as a young officer in 1996 when I came back from overseas. That journey began with PhD research, asking my female colleagues about their experience of servi…

I am praising and not criticising her but her appointment compromises the perception of independence. If the Minister of State is not for changing on this point, I would strongly support, as a counterweight, allowing the representative associations, PDFORRA and RACO, similar representation on the external oversight body. Before I was elected, I gave evidence as an expert witness in a case taken by a member of PDFORRA against the Attorney General and the Minister for Defence. That member was given an order not to at…

I am not. I am just saying that I do not think it would harm the legislation if that section 2A(1)(g)(i) was just deleted. I think it would go a long way towards remedying the effect. I welcome the legislation. I also want to put on the record that I think the bona fides and integrity of the Tánaiste and his predecessor, the Minister, Deputy Coveney, have gone a very long way to remedying some of the problems that confront the Defence Forces. I wish them and their successors every success in bringing our Defence Fo…

I second Senator Craughwell's amendment to the Order of Business. I raise the issue of the advance of the Israel Defense Forces into the Al-Mawasi humanitarian zone in Rafah. We in this House have warned about the apocalyptic implications for civilians of Israeli troops operating in tented areas of humanitarian zones in Rafah. Some 14,500 children have now been killed by the Israel Defense Forces. I am glad the children who were in the Gallery have left. It is important to note that the manner in which these childr…

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Richmond, for coming in, in place of the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. My Commencement matter seeks a statement on the uniformity of supports for students at third level who have additional needs and disabled students, with particular regard to the National College of Art and Design, NCAD. I am raising this as a Commencement matter but I have raised it on the Order of Business. This is a matter that has been covered both by the nat…

I thank the Minister of State for the manner in which he addressed the concerns I raised. I will quote a letter sent from the Minister in relation to this matter, which echoes the concerns the Minister of State draws. He stated: As you may be aware, higher education institutions are autonomous bodies and I am, therefore, not in a position to intervene on matters pertaining to individual students or relating to academic or assessment matters. It behoves the Minister and us, as public representatives, to show moral l…

Hear, hear.

I also welcome our guests from Western Australia. They must be surprised that we enter the water with the temperatures we have here, but we do in great numbers. I want to raise again the issue of the waiting list for scoliosis surgery and all the multiple issues with Children's Health Ireland. I am very disturbed to read in the newspapers and online accounts of more small boys and girls, who are really suffering because of the extent of their spinal curvature. Their parents are putting up pictures of them because t…

I second the amendment.

I move amendment No. 2: In page 9, between lines 19 and 20, to insert the following: “(4) In this Act, nothing should violate and instead seek to uphold the principles of parity of esteem (between disciples) and of academic freedom cited in Impact 2030, Ireland’s Research and Innovation Strategy and European standards of good practice.”.

I thank the Minister of State and his officials. I am not confident that my amendment will be accepted, but I would like to put on the record that the principle of parity of esteem should form part of the Bill. There is a typo in the amendment. It should not state "between disciples"; rather it should state "between disciplines". Having been an academic for 22 years and a researcher before I was elected to Seanad Éireann, I know there is a hierarchy of knowledge in the Irish third level environment. That is reinfor…

At no point do any of the amendments refer to ring-fencing funding or setting aside a pot of money. I want to clarify that. The amendments, as written, notwithstanding the typo in No. 2, make no reference to ring-fencing funding. The recurring phrase in the amendments is "to insert the following"; at no point do they say "to replace" or "to remove". None of the amendments undermine any provisions around parity of esteem contained in the draft document. I accept everything Senators Byrne and Dolan have said, very el…

I second the amendment.