I mentioned two things to the Minister of State. She said we are talking about children but we are talking about adults as well. I mentioned the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. I also mentioned the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. This series of amendments, the fifth group, are mostly in the Minister of State's name. They are her amendments. She brought them to the House for our approval after consideration and debate. I asked the Minister of State to clarify and to give us absolu…

I will come back to the Minister of State to ensure we are clear and all on the one page on something. We are discussing the fifth group of amendments. I have called them all out. They are all in the Minister of State's name. I am very aware of my amendment No. 36a. The Minister of State is also very aware of it and I thank her for reminding me. Of course, she will be dealing with that. I will be pushing the case and she will be responding with her own view and considered opinion, which I respect. However, we are n…

That is the Minister of State's view. I am asking her to comment now. This is when we have them. We vote on amendments separately. I will not anticipate what she might say later on. She can say it all again five times if she wants to. I respect that. She is the Minister of State. I am putting it to her on the record of the House that she is either unwilling or unable, or does not know what the situation is. I have asked her two simple questions. I will ask them again so there is no ambiguity about the questioning a…

Yes, okay. Yes, I know you have. Everyone has.

Well, of course. You are here ten years. Let us not get personal and ridiculous. I am in this House to scrutinise the legislation. You are the Minister of State putting this through. You are putting through 300 amendments to the Bill. You have told us already that you have spent four years on it. You have vast experience in this area. I am not doubting any of that, but they are your amendments and not mine. I have the right to scrutinise and ask you questions. I am asking you finally once more. Either you do not kn…

Well then let me finish and you can respond.

I ask the Minister of State to answer the question. Can she provide an answer to the two questions I have asked? Are we fully compliant with regard to these particular amendments? That is all I am asking.

I will reply to the Minister of State on a few things she said. I had indicated to speak back on it. I did not suggest she was incompetent at any point. I want to be clear on that. I have a lot of respect for her. She has her knowledge. I put that on the record genuinely because I am sincere about that. I do not doubt her ability. I have every confidence in her ability. She has been at this for years. I simply asked her a question and in calmness I ask it again. I am not going to repeat it all again. I asked about …

Hold on. We are getting places. I started by asking whether the Minister of State could give me reassurances that these amendments are fully compliant with the conventions. She is happy to stand over them and say "Yes". I am happy with that. Let us keep the language simple.

Sorry, but I am still standing. That is all I am asking. Can we just move on? It took a long time to get that simple response. The amendments are compliant. I am happy if the understanding is they are fully compliant with the two UN conventions. Will the Minister of State just say that?

Of course you are.

I thank the Minister of State.

This matter relates to the right to special advocates, particularly for 16- and 17-year-olds who are children. There are various terms regarding consent in respect of medical issues, which the Minister of State has already explained and which I and everyone else here knows. The Minister of State indicated that advocacy is a central plank of the reforms in the Bill, and there is this particular group. The Ombudsman for Children and other agencies have strongly advocated that every person accessing mental health serv…

I agree with Senator Black but that may be coming along in a later amendment and so I am going to take a lesson from the Minister of State and sit down, shut up, be patient and take it when it comes. Point taken.

I welcome Senator Fitzpatrick as acting Acting Leader of the Seanad. It is an honour for her and I know she will do a good job. I want to follow on from what Senator Conway was talking about in respect of the Government publishing the accelerating infrastructure report and action plan. I welcome that. We all know that we need to put infrastructure in place. The Acting Leader served for a long time on the housing committee. I was with her on the committee. An issue that was constantly raised at the committee was tha…

I want to raise two issues. The IFA and the Irish Farmers' Journal have to be commended on a very extensive report the Leader may have heard and read about in the media in the past few days. The report is about the investigation into Brazil and its beef. I will not quote extensively from it. There are very serious concerns about meat, the Mercosur deal and access to the market, but I can say it was a very extensive fact-finding mission. It raises very serious concerns about a level playing pitch and about what the …

I join with others on remarking on today. What a momentous day for the people of Ukraine, President Zelenskyy and his wife, and, indeed, the Irish Government and this Parliament. These days do not happen without a lot of hard work. I thank the Ceann Comhairle's team in the Dáil and Cathaoirleach's team here. I was not In the Chamber but I heard the speeches and took time off to tune in. It was important to do that and to see the number of people there. I also pay tribute to the Clerk of the Seanad and his staff. It…

I thank the Minister of State. At the outset, I wish her well with this legislation. She has said here that it has taken her four years. I accept that but many people have struggled will mental health issues for many years of their lives. The Minister of State and I know a lot about it, and many of those present do. I welcome the mental health advocates in the Gallery. I also welcome the Minister of State's staff. I hope we can work in a spirit of co-operation and understanding and that we will not have the situati…

I thank the Minister of State for that clarification. I was referring to the written briefing material in the context of being helpful. The Minister of State wants to engage. She is saying that some of these amendments have come from other entities and individuals, including the Ombudsman for Children, mental health advocates and stakeholders within the sector, which is great. Information in that regard is very helpful to know. Like many other Members, I would be much more supportive of and keen to back amendments …

I welcome what the Minister of State said in response to Senators' opening remarks, but I want to be clear that I meant no criticism of her. I know she has spent four years on this. That was her opening gambit when she came in here today, and I respect and acknowledge it. However, this is a bicameral Parliament. We are in Seanad Éireann, which is a revising Chamber. Every time the former Taoiseach and Deputy Leo Varadkar came in here, he said that he was conscious that ours is a bicameral Parliament and that this H…