I join other Senators in thanking the Chair, the Seanad Office, all the staff of the Communications Unit, particularly Mr. Mark Mulqueen and Ms Verona Ní Bhroinn, and all others involved in organising the events of today. It was a fabulous achievement. We were asked to film a little bit afterwards and to give a sound bite, and I was particularly happy to be able to say both Ms Mary Robinson and Senator Norris have been two remarkable Senators. Ms Robinson was an Independent Senator, just as Senator Norris is today.…

I welcome the Minister to the House and I thank him for setting out the ten sections in this Bill and the rationale behind the legislation. I recognise this comes as a Government response to the rising costs of energy. Unfortunately, some would say it is not enough, while others would say it is not specifically targeted. Indeed, I find myself wondering why I am getting a payment when I am well paid, have a good job and do not need it. I do not wish to be flippant about this, but I do want to be honest. Frankly, I d…

It will not be a problem for him.

Yesterday we had a very interesting engagement in this House with three Galway Senators all sitting along the same bench, which was interesting in itself, as was the dynamic of the debate. The issue was engagement. Senator Pauline O'Reilly talked about Galway and the bypass road. What provoked me to think more about it was that I saw "Oireachtas Report" last night and An Taoiseach engaging in the Dáil Chamber on people's record of objections. We need to clarify this once and for all. In today's edition of The Irish…

Hear, hear.

I welcome Senator O'Loughlin as today's Acting Leader. I followed some of today's debate from my office. It was interesting to hear the take of three Government Senators, all from Galway, in regard to the Galway ring road. It shows there is always a tension and a dynamic at play in government, which we are beginning to see played out on the floor of the Seanad. I respect the Senators are from three different parties. Senator Crowe made the most valid point when he spoke about what had been signed up to, published a…

When is it proposed to take Committee Stage?

Is that agreed? Agreed.

I second the motion.

I thank the Acting Chair. I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I thank my colleague and friend Senator McDowell, in particular, for leading off this Private Members' business on behalf of the Seanad Independent Group. At many times in this House, I have used the analogy that we need to shine a light in a dark place. If ever there was a time to do this, it is today. As politicians elected, it is great to say, in a democracy, we have to be defenders of human rights, dignity and respect for people. We are was…

I note the Minister of State, Deputy Burke, is staying with us for the next Commencement matter.

I welcome the Minister of State and her officials to the House. As she said, the programme for Government includes a commitment to end fur farming. The tripartite Government agreed to a prohibition and I welcome it. Indeed, it should have been outlawed a long time ago. I want to acknowledge the focus of the Green Party on this, among other items that I do not have time to discuss today. Clearly, the experience of being in government previously has taught the Green Party some lessons, one of which is to get out of t…

Hear, hear.

I welcome Senator Pauline O'Reilly to the Leader's chair. I had intended raising another issue but in light of Senator O'Loughlin's Commencement matter I want to focus a little bit more on that issue as it is critically important. It goes to the very heart of communication in government and how a Government, especially a coalition one, and in this case a tripartite coalition Government, communicates with people and with the citizens. The matter is of course Cathal Brugha Barracks in Rathmines. The Senator teased ou…

I wish to raise just one issue, which is on the Irish Thalidomide Association. I raised this issue twice in January. One of the most important functions and powers we have as Senators is to shine a light in a dark place. I have said this very often, and I use this analogy because I believe it to be true. The association has been in touch with me, and in touch with all Oireachtas Members. I have seen the correspondence flowing backwards and forwards. Some Members have responded and some have chosen not to do so, whi…

I welcome the Minister. I thank Fine Gael for bringing forward this Private Members’ business. There is nothing unusual in this, nothing exciting about it, and it is very obvious. Clearly, I took some time to look through the parliamentary questions. The Minister has answered a hell of a lot of parliamentary questions in the Dáil in regard to all of this, and all of these things are replicated here. He has done a great deal of work and received many queries about it. Why are Deputies and Senators spending so much e…

I am very impressed.

I welcome Senator O'Loughlin to the Chair. It is befitting today, St. Brigid's Day, and I wish everyone well in the celebrations. I had the pleasure yesterday to be in Kildare at an eve of St. Brigid's event. It was a fantastic event and the people in the heart of County Kildare, which is Kildare town, were bowled over. It was also great to see how they have reinvigorated and redefined that public realm and space in the heart of Kildare town. I congratulate all those people, including public representatives here, w…

I thank the Minister of State for coming here directly. He is very conscious and proud of the National Parks and Wildlife Service, NPWS, as am I, and I thank him for taking time out of his busy schedule to deal with this matter. I want to put a few points about the National Parks and Wildlife Service on the public record. I believe that it is always important to set the scene for the people looking in at these proceedings because when we are in here, we sometimes talk in a bubble. The role of the National Parks and…

I will be brief. I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive response, which I will consider later. What jumps off the page, and what I want to congratulate the Minister of State on, is the 64% increase in funding for the NPWS since he became Minister of State, and his absolute commitment to keep the NPWS focused. I am also particularly interested to learn today, because it is news to me, of the establishment of the wildlife crime unit, a cohort of new conservation rangers and the recruitment of ecological …