I do not disagree with Senator McGreehan on most issues but I cannot stress enough that for someone to take a child that does not belong to them without parental consent - someone who is not acting in loco parentis and is without any legal status - and then to arrange and facilitate the adoption of that child is not the end of game or a process but is simply illegal. Children have constitutional rights and it is clear that it is illegal. I have been at several briefings and have sat with colleagues from all parties…

I thank the Minister because he set it out very well, and that is the great thing about debating these issues. I am a lot clearer following his explanation, and I want to acknowledge that. People in opposition are not always perceived to be supportive of Government, and I am in this case. The Minister has set out clearly some of the issues. However, Senator Higgins has made a point for inserting the term "or illegal" as part of it as opposed to "incorrect", because for many people it was illegal. The Minister has c…

I will focus on two issues and speak to amendments Nos. 23 and 24, which are extensive and cover many areas. I will focus on a recurring theme in both amendments, that of the details applicable in terms of vaccines. Amendment No. 23 reads: “the relevant person’s medical records from birth until the time of placement, including x-rays, tests, vaccines”. Amendment No. 24 reads: “records of any vaccine trials in which the relevant person was a research subject”. This is an area I know quite a lot about. We know, and i…

Yes.

I thank the Minister for many of the clarifications around that. Amendment No. 24 refers to "records of any vaccine trials in which the relevant person was a research subject". Senator Seery Kearney touched on it as well. I was not necessarily touching on medical vaccines or ones given by consent. I am talking about research, as does that amendment. The House should remember we now know children in State care aged up to seven years were being involved in research and we know something of the adverse reactions some …

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Ossian Smyth, to the Seanad Chamber. This Commencement matter relates to the burning of green waste and, in particular, the derogation he is aware the Minister signed in January or February. I am a member of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine. This issue has exercised that committee but it has also exercised farmers across the country. As the Minister of State is aware, traditionally many farmers clear out dykes and ditches and cut debris, bran…

As I said, I am a member of the Oireachtas joint committee. It was my understanding from the paper briefing I have that a group would be established. We have now heard it will be a study. There is a very subtle difference between a focused named group of people and a study. There is some ambiguity about that. The Minister of State might ask the Department to come back to us on that. If a group is being established, who will be represented on it? Will the Irish Farmers Association, the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers …

I thank the Minister of State.

I welcome the Minister of State to the House and thank Senator Pauline O'Reilly and the Green Party Senators for using their Private Members' time to initiate this debate because it is important and people go very slowly. Despite what people might say, there is huge resistance to controlling posters. I am in favour of the substantial controlling of public posters. The product used in making them is a concern, as is the amount of them used. Larger political parties have an advantage over the smaller parties and Inde…

I did not say that.

This is great.

They thought that too.

I thank the Minister for his opening statement and for coming to the House. I thank the Leader and her office for organising this engagement. Many Members requested a debate or statements on childcare and I thank the Leader for facilitating these statements on childcare provision. It is important that we are increasingly learning of the importance of early experiences, development and learning and how critical that is to the ongoing development of children into young adults. Of course, society itself benefits from …

They are from the kingdom.

I join the Cathaoirleach in welcoming the students from Kerry. He stated that he would like them to be writers. I would like some of them to be politicians. I do not think he advocated that. There is plenty of opportunity in the future for them.

Earlier, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine announced a €45 million emergency package under the Brexit adjustment reserve, BAR, fund, which is really good news. This is the second BAR announcement in recent times. The impact of these packages is critical, particularly in the context of capital and diversification in the fishing and marine industries. That is clearly critical not only in parts of Cork and in Donegal but also around the coast. Dún Laoghaire Harbour, which I live beside, received fundin…

I really want to mention the late Mr. Alan Gillis. I am sure everyone knows him but for those who do not, Alan Gillis was the former president of the IFA. He was someone I knew well. I told this story during an interview yesterday with the Wicklow People . When I was first elected to the Seanad, I received a letter from Alan wishing me well. He said he was not going to give me advice and then proceeded to write 12 foolscap pages of a book on how we could have progressive agriculture in Ireland and how we needed to …

He had vision and wisdom.

We are now waiting for the arrival of the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Burke. I propose that we suspend proceedings until the conclusion of the division in the Dáil. Is that agreed? Agreed.

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Burke, to the House. He is always worth waiting for.