Very soon.

On the theme of International Women's Day, I wish it a success and join with others in the comments they have made. As I was sitting here thinking about it, I was reminded of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly, BIPA. We met in Stormont, unlike so many others who cannot meet there. We met in the Chamber there on Sunday and Monday. On Monday, three women bounced into the Chamber from the Women's Coalition. What an energy. What an enthusiasm. It was palpable. Earlier, we had been talking about many issues and pe…

I welcome the Minister of State to the House and thank him for coming to deal with this Private Members' business. I thank Sinn Féin for what I believe is a very constructive but important motion. It gives us all in this House an opportunity to debate the issue. I want to start by acknowledging the significance of the European Union and the President of the European Commission, Ms Ursula von der Leyen, a great friend of Ireland. I am referring to one of the great benefits of being in the club – call it what you lik…

I welcome the Minister. I grasped his brief overview very quickly. I took the time today to read the record of the Dáil and that is exactly as I understood it. I wish to acknowledge the enormous work the Minister has personally committed to driving this legislation. The Minister also mentioned and acknowledged in his speech to the Dáil the importance of his team in the Department, which I picked up very quickly in the transcript. I also thank the officials. It is a really important Bill. It is complex but it is nec…

I thank Senator Mullen.

I thank Senator Mullen. Before I call the Minister of State, I would like to welcome the people from Youthreach in Balbriggan. I hope they enjoy their day in the Oireachtas. I congratulate the Minister of State, Deputy Burke, on his new and more challenging appointment.

Before I call Senator Craughwell, I welcome the students from Ardee who are in the Gallery. They are very welcome and I hope they have a good day in Leinster House.

It is all subtle intelligence.

I thank Senator Craughwell for sharing his personal experience. It is very valuable.

That illustrates it. Thank you for sharing your own valuable experience.

I thank the Minister of State Deputy Burke and Senator Craughwell.

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Burke. That concludes the first five Commencement matters, which he was scheduled to take. I thank him for the giving of his time to come here to deal with what was a number of varied topics, which we appreciate.

The Minister of State, Deputy Calleary, is welcome.

I welcome the officials from the British Embassy who are in the Gallery. They are always very welcome to the House. The first issue I raise concerns an editorial in The Irish Times today referring to GSK plc, the successor to Wellcome, and the vaccine trials performed on children in this State. I raise this issue mindful that we will soon see the introduction of a scheme of redress for former residents of mother and baby homes. I raise it also in the context of the legislation that has been passed in the Dáil precl…

I move amendment No. 1: In page 17, line 18, to delete "Historic and Archaeological Heritage Act 2023" and substitute "Historic and Archaeological Heritage, and Monuments Act 2023". I welcome the Minister of State. I acknowledge the presence of Senator Seery Kearney, who is a member of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage, where we discussed the Bill at great length. There are a lot of amendments and I will speak briefly on each one. I will set out the rationale for each amendmen…

I note the Minister of State's response and given the amount of work we have to do here I will put the amendment.

I move amendment No. 2: In page 19, to delete lines 13 and 14 and substitute the following: “ “archaeological heritage” shall include structures, constructions, groups of buildings, developed sites, moveable objects, monuments of other kinds as well as their context, whether situated on land or under water;” The rationale of the amendment is that the definition of our archaeological heritage that exists in the Bill is quite lacking. It defines archaeological heritage as "relevant things of archaeological interest a…

My understanding is that the Minister of State is telling the House that all of this is covered in the Valletta Convention. The alternative response I would have is for the Minister of State to come back with a Government amendment. The Minister of State does not believe a Government amendment is required. I thank the Minister of State.

I move amendment No. 3: In page 19, between lines 14 and 15, to insert the following: “ “archaeological interest” means objects, sites, structures and other items associated with historic and cultural heritage;”. The rationale behind this amendment is that the term "archaeological interest" appears frequently in the Bill but there is no clear definition of what this means. The term appears far more often than the word "Valletta", which only appears three times in the Bill. Article 5 of the Valletta Convention does …

I move amendment No. 4: In page 26, line 27, after “artistic,” to insert “cultural,”. The term "archaeological interest" appears frequently in the Bill but there is no clear definition of what this means. It is very obvious what the amendment is seeking to do so I await the Minister of State's response.