I thank the Minister of State and echo what Senator Maria Byrne said. In her absence I told the House that I chaired yesterday's Commencement Matter debate and she had raised issues relating to Limerick. I acknowledged that and I thanked her earlier in the debate. I also acknowledge the considerable work Senator Conway has done on it. The motion has cross-party support. This is about being united. Senator Buttimer summed it up very nicely when he talked about unity across the House on this important issue and I agr…

It was an excellent job. There was an energy there. I had no doubt even then that this would go somewhere. Members across all parties in this House are not unified too often. We are politicians with different perspectives. However, we are united as one on this message and tonight's debate has demonstrated that well. I also thank Robert Dunne, the research and communications officer in our team. He did considerable work and engaged with many Members. I know that many organisations are linked into tonight's meeting. …

I welcome the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to the House.

I welcome the Minister.

I thank the Senator. Just before I call the Minister, I have been to Limerick and have seen it and I look at Covent Garden in London and see the potential, so I thank him for this very detailed response.

I thank the Minister for that comprehensive response and thank the Senator for raising the issue.

I welcome the pupils and teachers in the Visitors Gallery to the Seanad. I do not know what school they are from. We are now dealing with Commencement matters, which are matters raised very briefly by Senators in the House. A relevant Minister comes in to respond and the sessions are very tight. The guests are very welcome and I hope they enjoy their day. I hope we inspire one or two of them to enter politics.

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Feighan, back to the Chamber.

I welcome the Minister of State and his officials. I can recognise some of the logic in what Senator Higgins is saying but she might have made a proposal within her own argument. The Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage is, and has always been, for as long as I have been around, a very active and progressive committee, and perhaps, as she suggested, it is something the joint committee could look at. It has a work programme, as every committee has, and it could be a matter for it at any time if …

Yes, I am taking it because he is not here.

I welcome the Minister of State and his officials to the House. I acknowledge, as previous speakers have done, that there was great collaborative work on the Bill by the joint committee. I thank all those who were actively involved and participated in it. I welcome this Bill on the whole. I look forward to the debate, because there are a number of issues to tease out. I will not repeat what other people have said. On the maintenance of the electoral registers, I am a strong advocate for local democracy and for loca…

I am very happy to second the Planning and Development (Built Heritage Protection) Bill 2022 in my name and those of Senators Norris, McDowell, Craughwell, Keogan, Mullen and Clonan. We do so because we think this is really important legislation. I thank the Cathaoirleach for the role he played as chairman of the portraits and arts committee here in respect of the hanging, dare I say it, of the portrait of Senator Norris today in the House. It was a very moving and special moment. I know the important role the Cath…

We could have done with them last night.

I thank the Minister of State. We have had a good and positive debate. It is a start. It is a conversation. One of the things I like about our engagement here today is that everyone across the House got involved. I thank the Members who came to the House today to participate and gave up their time for this important legislation. I thank the Minister of State for his understanding. I said at the outset that this Bill is not perfect and is not our full recommendation. It is about getting a conversation going and enga…

Next Tuesday.

I welcome the Minister of State again. It seems to be that he is always here answering and responding to me but I am delighted he is here. I understand that the Minister cannot be here and I wish him well. This Commencement matter relates to nodes and in preparation for this commentary on nodes I decided to look at a number of county development plans this morning. Strange as it might seem and not knowing that the Minister of State was coming in, I pulled Kilkenny County Council so it is appropriate that the Minist…

I thank the Minister of State for his response, which was grand, but I asked for the details of the funds. The final paragraph of the reply, which was prepared on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Burke, states " I am satisfied … through a range of schemes, there are potential sources of funding”. That is not an answer to my question. He is satisfied but I need to be satisfied, as do we all. I asked this question because rural councillors throughout the country have said there have been promises of fina…

I thank the Minister of State.

I second the amendment.

I wish to conclude with a few remarks. I thank the Minister and acknowledge that since he became Minister he engaged extensively with the people whose births were illegally registered. That is important and should be acknowledged. In early May, he offered in this House a very sincere apology on behalf of the Government, which I wish to acknowledge. I said then that it was not for me to accept an apology on behalf of anybody else but on behalf of myself, I accept that apology because it was sincere. I acknowledge th…