I am sure Micheál Martin would have no problem with that.

I thank the Leader.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach. There is mention in the Order of Business of war crimes and genocide within Europe. It is very timely we discuss that in the context of the events in Ukraine. This week we were all treated to a graphic courtesy of Russia-1, Moscow's state television, in which we were shown an infographic purporting to show a submarine nuclear drone that would have the power to generate a tsunami or tidal wave to destroy both Ireland and our neighbours in Britain. As the Kremlin spokesperson …

I thank Senators Doherty, Pauline O'Reilly and Chambers and commend them on the Bill. As we know, there is a serious level of underreporting of gender-based violence, sexual assault and rape. A high threshold, or momentum, is required to report it. I am mindful of my experience as an officer in the Defence Forces investigating the experiences of my female colleagues, through which I found that the sexual violence within our armed forces was systemic and systematic to the extent that one in four of our serving perso…

My daughter, Liadain, would have been 19 now. I thought of her last Thursday on count night. I remember feeling her kicks and movements before she was born and the final moments when she went still. She was stillborn as a result of a cord accident at birth, which is very unusual but it can happen. Let me be clear about this, I took my precious little daughter and put her in a little box given to me by the midwives in the Coombe hospital. I laid her in the box and put a little towel over her and then I walked throug…

Thank you. I will be brief. I thank the Minister for the clear opening statement. My understanding is that, notwithstanding events in Ukraine, the greatest threat to the security of the State is the proliferation of organised crime gangs and the terrorist networks with which they operate hand in hand. They operate globally and they are very sophisticated in their activities. Anything that assists us to respond to that as a republic and EU member state is very much to be welcomed. I am grateful for the opportunity t…

I thank the Cathaoirleach. I was not aware that I would have an opportunity to speak. I welcome the sentiment contained in the Bill and I thank the Minister for setting out his concerns clearly in this regard. We live in an era of disinformation and propaganda. In 2014, we saw the Russians elide their activities in Donbas by referring to their own troops as "little green men". Nomenclature is very important. I was a member of Óglaigh na hÉireann and am very proud of my service. It is very important in an era of fak…

I thank the Minister of State for setting out the Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill and for informing us of the significant amendments that are to follow. It being my debut in the House, I cannot comment in detail on the proposed amendments and the discussion that will follow. Anything that ameliorates and fast-tracks our response to the housing crisis is very welcome. I come from the university sector. I have been there for the past 20 years. I teach classes of postgraduate students, the most wonde…

I will have to do my research. I thank the Cathaoirleach for giving me the opportunity to speak. I thank the Minister of State for setting out everything so clearly.

I thank the Cathaoirleach. First, I wish to thank my cousin, Senator Norris, and remind him that we had a secret pact never to mention General Sir John Maxwell. We said we would claim one another, but would not claim him.

The Senator has left me with the smoking gun. I thank Senators for their very kind welcome. We are exceptionally honoured and humbled to be here. I am very grateful for the extraordinary community of Trinity College Dublin graduates. I am privileged to be a member of that community. I grew up in Finglas, went to the Christian Brothers and was very fortunate to go to Trinity College Dublin. The ethical and intellectual formation I got in my studies there and the debates during that wonderful time in the 1980s when I…

Granny came to live with us when she retired. I was born in 1966. Granny, my nana, kind of spoiled me. She used to call me "an gamhain breac", the speckled calf, because of my freckles. She was the only adult I knew who would allow me to drink as I wished, including seeing how much lemonade I could drink before I felt sick. What a granny. I grew up in a matriarchal household with my grandmother, my mum and my three sisters. Therefore, I knew that women had played a very active role in the liberation of the State an…

One of the wonderful features of that election contest was that I made so many new friends, and I count Senator Ruane among them. In many ways, she reminds me of my grandmother, because she has the same pioneering spirit. I admire the work she is doing in respect of the drug task force in Tallaght and her new blog. I admire all the work she does. Aideen and I have four kids. Eoghan, who is busy - allegedly - studying for his assignments in Dublin Business School, was my campaign manager in this election cycle, alon…

-----so I think that helped us to connect. Eoghan was diagnosed with a neuromuscular disease at 18 months old. He had a normal delivery and hit all his developmental milestones, but then at 18 months we had this awful moment where he was diagnosed with a rare neuromuscular disease called Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease. Eoghan is a wheelchair user and partially sighted. Like all families with a member with additional needs, we went through the looking glass and into this parallel republic, where it is necessary to fig…