I welcome the Minister of State to the House.

I thank the Senator and call the Minister of State, Deputy Martin Heydon.

I thank the Senator. The Minister of State has one minute to respond.

The next matter, in the name of Senator Clonan, relates to the need for the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to make a statement on the role of the commissioned officers of the Defence Forces during the trials and sentencing hearings of soldiers accused of criminal offences. I will add a general comment. Decisions or judgments of the court cannot be the subject of review or discussion in this House as the House is not a judicial body. I know the Senator will be fully aware of that.

I thank the Minister of State and Senator Clonan.

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Butler.

I thank the Senator. He covered more than the Commencement Matter he raised but it was particularly interesting.

I welcome the Minister for agriculture and his guests to the Seanad.

I thank the Senator and the Minister of State, Deputy Heydon. We really appreciate the Minister of State giving of his time here this afternoon for Commencement matters. It is appreciated by the House.

Hear, hear.

Before I call the Minister of State, I would like to welcome our guests today from North Dublin Muslim School and their teachers. You are all very welcome. You have come to the Seanad at a point where we are doing our Commencement matters. This is where individual Senators submit items of interest or topics that they have a particular interest in and a Minister comes in and responds. The Senator has four minutes to speak and the Minister has four minutes to respond. They then each get one minute for a further reply…

No homework tonight.

The Minister of State is welcome. I thank him for taking this Commencement matter. I received correspondence from the Department of Health last night to suggest that no Minister or Minister of State was available and I understand that. I thank the Minister of State for stepping in at the last minute. I will address the issue of surgical hubs. For those who do not know, they are located on the sites of Mount Carmel Community Hospital in south Dublin, Swords Business Park in north Dublin, Merlin Park University Hospi…

I acknowledge that very significant progress has been made on these sites. It is slow and unpredicted issues always crop up but they are all under way at some level, whether it is the finalisation of planning, the tendering process, contract documents and so on. We are realistically talking about 2025 or 2026, as the Minister of State said, for three hubs at least. It is very significant progress. I thank him for the detail and information that is in his response, which I value and appreciate. I wish the Department…

It is great to see some of the candidates who contested the European Parliament elections here. I thank them. It is not easy to compete in elections. I also thank the 949 people elected to our local councils. Anyone who puts their name forward to compete in an election is to be admired. It is not an easy task. I congratulate all the participants. I offer thanks to those who did not succeed. In the past few days, I had the difficult task to contact about 19 - only 19 - Independents who stood to be re-elected and did…

It is one of many sources.

First, our former President, former Senator and Chair of the Elders is extremely welcome to Seanad Éireann. She touched on many broad issues, including just transition; social, racial and environmental justice, indigenous climate action, community and local resilience and adaptation, natural climate solutions, and, of course, climate education and engagement. Her opening speech commenced with a reference to the global situation. When I heard that, I hoped that she would touch on the local situation because I intend…

I thank the Cathaoirleach for selecting this Commencement matter. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Higgins, to the Seanad. I think this may be her first Commencement matter in the House so she is very welcome. We collaborated and worked well together on the Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage. I wish the Minister of State well. It is an exciting and challenging time for any Minister. I know she will do it well and I hope she enjoys the fruitful time she will have in that Department. I w…

I thank the Minister of State for her very positive response. The key lies in rolling out the strategy. The horses owned, bred and trained in Ireland are the envy of the world. We can never take that position for granted. We always need to improve it. The sector recognises that we need to work on welfare issues. We need to work on the welfare of the jockeys and all the people in the bloodstock industry. We need to have a favourable economic and tax regime that supports this unique industry for Ireland. Let us never…

I formally second Senator McDowell's amendment to the Order of Business today. It relates to the Health (Scoliosis Treatment Services) Bill 2024. The Bill, which will not be outlined today, seeks to impose on the Health Service Executive certain special duties and powers in relation to the establishment of a specialised treatment service for the inpatient and outpatient treatment of children and adults of spinal scoliosis who are resident in the State and to confer certain duties and powers on the Minister for Heal…