I ask the Leader for a debate on radon gas. Overnight, the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, published a report with shocking figures. It says that there are 17,000 houses at risk from radon gas. It talks about the link, in particular, to various cancers but, in particular, to lung cancer. Radon gas is a serious public health issue around this country and it needs to be addressed. I have suggested today at another group meeting that we should look at a building energy rating-type certification for every propert…

I thank the Cathaoirleach and his office, the Clerk and his team and all involved in the very successful visit yesterday by Congressman Richard Neal. By all accounts, it was an amazing and historic day. It was a great privilege to be here and to share in the exchange. Based on the media coverage last night, it resonated with a lot of people. I know it was a personal choice of the Cathaoirleach's and something he wanted to see happen. I also thank the administration here in Leinster House that dealt with all the sec…

The Minister of State will have another opportunity to come back in again later, if he would not mind. We will take some Senators now, as I am conscious of time. The Minister of State will have time at the end to complete his statement and he might want to hear the questions now. Is the Minister of State happy with that?

We should not name individual companies-----

It is a matter of due process.

Senator, will you stick to the Bill, please?

I welcome our guests from Ardgillan Community College in Balbriggan to the House. I hope they enjoy their day and I am delighted they are listening to our exchange on this legislation. I thank them for coming. To clarify for Members, we are governed by the Order of Business, which was agreed by the House this morning. It sets out the speaking roster and the times. It was clearly indicated that the Minister of State would have ten minutes, but he will have more than ten minutes to wrap up. That is what the Members a…

That is a matter for you on the Order of Business. I call Senator Wilson.

I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House and agreeing to take this Commencement matter. The topic concerns solar panels on farm buildings and structures. I am conscious that the Minister of State is a rural Deputy for Wexford so he will be very familiar with the issues and challenges in respect of solar panels for agriculture. This is a wonderful time for strawberries in Wexford so I can see the synergies and the potential for solar panels for soft fruit crops, particularly in the sunny south-east of W…

I thank the Minister of State. He has given us a bit of clarity, which is great. I understand that the public consultation is nearly due for completion. I thank the Minister of State for the confirmation that the regulations will be laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas for affirmation. That will give us an opportunity. Measures like these usually come in without debate but it is open to us to seek a debate. I put the House on notice that I will seek some sort of engagement in the House on this matter. As I sai…

I spent most of yesterday in the Scottish Parliament as part of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly, BIPA. I was over there for a day or two. What a wonderful place Edinburgh is and what a wonderful place is their Parliament. If ever the Cathaoirleach can make it to Scotland and Edinburgh, he should certainly go to the Scottish Parliament. Its design and everything about the Parliament is amazing. I would urge everyone to go. One thing that struck me was the democratisation of the building itself. The public h…

Yesterday, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform launched an update of Project Ireland 2040 and the national development plan. It was really an update of the tracker with the interactive maps and profiles of the various projects across the country. I would recommend that everyone look at it. They can click on a town, local authority area or a region. It is very impressive. I acknowledge the work of the Government on Project Ireland 2040 and the national development plan. It is very beneficial for all of us…

I propose an amendment to the Order to Business, that No. 18, Planning and Development (Built Heritage Protection) Bill 2022 - First Stage, which is being introduced on behalf of my friend and good colleague, Senator Norris, be taken before No. 1. I understand my colleague Senator Keogan will be seconding it. Today, I ask for a debate on the 2021 annual report of the Ombudsman for Children. Yesterday the Ombudsman for Children, Dr. Niall Muldoon, talked about how his office was frustrated by the lack of places avai…

It is.

I move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to amend and extend the Planning and Development Acts 2000 to 2021 to improve the level of protection afforded to Ireland's built heritage, to prescribe the role of architectural conservation officers, to strengthen the protection afforded by architectural conservation area designation, to increase the enforcement mechanisms and penalties for breaches of planning legislation resulting in damage to built heritage and to provide for related matters.

Next Tuesday.

I will be brief. We have a lot of work ahead of us this afternoon. I will follow on from Senator Higgins's point, especially in respect of amendments Nos. 56 and 57. In the context of all this, we have to remember there is perhaps not as much information held as we might like to think or wish for. I will share some experiences. As I said to the Minister the other day, I am one of seven children, all from the same mother and father. I can tell him I have been on this road, as have others. It is important we do not a…

I want to come back to the point Senator Seery Kearney made. I agree with her and she has articulated her point well. I was just touching on some examples but I agree with her that it is about managing that expectation and being responsible. In time, when this process starts to unravel, we will eventually know the institutions that kept forensic records. I could tell the Senator 20 of them off the top of my head that could tell you they bought a raincoat for a child in 1956. Some of them kept amazing records and th…

I thank Senators Warfield, Boylan, Gavan and Ó Donnghaile for amendment No. 14. The amendment is extensive and cuts to the very core of many of the issues with this legislation. I do not know how we can justify calling it "incorrect" rather than "illegal". I will share an experience. I met a family last weekend. There were six children, all of whom were illegally adopted from the institution the Minister has spoken about at great length. It is one of the institutions about which we have the most information. Two of…

I will pick up on some of the comments that have been made in the debate across the House. We can have "incorrect" and we can have "illegal". I think that is a good proposition. I do not think the terms are mutually exclusive. I think that is important. We need to be careful here. We are legislators and we are dealing with this Bill, but there are many hundreds of people listening in, looking in and reading the transcripts of what we are saying here today. I am conscious of that. This is particularly the case for a…