Lillie's and Renards as well.

I welcome the Minister. We are all familiar with the horrific tragedy of the Stardust. On Valentines' Day 1981, 48 young people died and another 214 were injured as a result of a fire in the Stardust nightclub. The families of these victims have waited justice since then, more than 40 years, for justice. I am glad we are finally beginning that process but it should not have taken so long. Many were disappointed, to say the least, about the original inquest findings and many regarded them as inadequate. The new inqu…

Once again, I welcome the Minister to the House. She is a frequent visitor. It is always great to see her in the House. I thank her for her opening statement. It was comprehensive and full of candour but it was very depressing. In her opening remarks, the Minister said: On 5 April this year, the Court of Justice delivered its ruling. In essence, the court confirmed that general and indiscriminate retention of traffic and location data is permissible for the purposes of safeguarding national security only. Such rete…

I see some merit in the Labour Party's amendment No. 82. I note that it makes reference to section 46N, which relates to the rules that apply in these instances. This is an important area and one in which I have a particular interest. We all know we live in a constitutional democracy and there are statutory obligations as well as constitutional obligations. However, all signposts and roads lead in the one direction, that the broadcaster's overriding obligation is one of fairness, objectivity and impartiality. That …

Hear, hear.

The Minister of State is welcome to the Chamber. The points have been well covered by my fellow Senators. I note the Minister of State said that he would monitor the situation to ensure there is no unintended consequence of this initiative. It is not so much a question of whether to SLAPP or not to SLAPP; it is a question of what a SLAPP is and could it ever be used in a situation that may be inappropriate. On the balance of advantages versus disadvantages, I believe the motivation behind this directive is well int…

I thank the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach. I welcome the Minister of State to the Chamber and acknowledge his dedicated efforts. Jury trials are a cornerstone of our justice system. The UN Human Rights Committee has said one should only dispense with a jury trial in very exceptional circumstances. They are extraordinary courts for extraordinary times. Senator Ward said they are a necessary evil. I submit if they are such a necessary evil, that they be backed by the very latest evidence to justify the continuation of a ne…

There is currently no external oversight of policing services within the Defence Forces, and no independent complaints process exists for the investigation of alleged military police misconduct or negligence. In addition, regular independent review and assessment of the quality of policing services is not undertaken. This lack of structured oversight is in contrast to the numerous oversight and complaints mechanisms for other policing and investigative bodies in the State. This is an unsatisfactory position. The Mi…

I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I welcome the Minister of State, Senator Hackett to the House. It is always a pleasure. It is a different type of welcome for the Minister of State because she is very familiar with the Seanad but it always a pleasure seeing her in the House. It is good that Seanad Éireann has a Member who sits at the Cabinet table. Ireland is the envy of much of northern Europe where this bee used to be prevalent. Due to hybridisation, the pure Apis mellifera mellifera is now only…

I thank my colleagues for their kind words and for their support, bar none, for this legislative initiative. I deliberately set out to have, if one looks at the list at the back of the Bill document, a representative from each of the groupings in this House and there are others who are not on the list who ought to be on the list. I know that Senator Keogan is a supporter as is horticulturalist, Senator Murphy, who made a contribution earlier and I regret that he did not make the deadline for this short opening and …

The Public Gallery attendees may get the wrong impression that the Chamber is like this all of the time and it is not. That is why it is so incredibly amazing today. Last week we had the first member of the US Congress here to address the House in the 100-year history of the Seanad and I was struck by the bipartisan congressional delegation. In America, politics is so fragmented but they spoke with one unified voice on the protocol and the way forward for Northern Ireland and on protecting the Good Friday Agreement…

I would also like to single out Senator McGreehan as part of that collaborative approach. We brought a Commencement matter together on this issue. I also acknowledge the support of Senators Boylan and Seery Kearney. Senator Seery Kearney's modesty pervades her when it comes to beekeeping but she is a respected member of the Law Library and would know this area of law and the legalities of it sit easily with her. It is also good to have her support. The members of the Native Irish Honey Bee Society are the volunteer…

Next Tuesday.

The Irish Republic is proudly an independent sovereign state, having won its freedom after centuries of struggle and at great cost. We are also, however, proudly European, dating back not just to our accession to what is now known as the EU. For over 1,500 years Ireland has contributed enormously to the security and culture of western civilisation. The long title of a book by Thomas Cahill sums it up very well: How the Irish Saved Civilization: The Untold Story of Ireland's Heroic Role from the Fall of Rome to the …

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Feighan. I commend my colleagues in the Independent Group for tabling this motion. All debate on this matter has to be good. I also commend them on their tenor and tone and the constructive way they are approaching this debate. They are bringing it into the heart of the democratic system and they have every right to be heard. It is a good day for the journey as we strive towards energy security and independence to have these debates and to highlight issues. We do not have to …

Well, Monsignor Horan started Knock, so anything is possible. However, the scale of Ireland, as the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan said, does not suit what the Senators envisage for Ireland. As a member of the Green Party, I have attended many conferences over the years and I recall what Senator Mullen said, which is to keep all options open. Nobody has a monopoly on truth to dismiss disrespectfully other alternative options, but the motion, which the Senators put much thought into, is absent many of the other options…

I welcome the Minister of State. Sometimes, we forget that the primary success of the EU has been peace. Monday was Europe Day, when we celebrated the Schuman Declaration. The Schuman plan was to establish long-term peace in post-war Europe. It has been a considerable success, as Senator O'Reilly stated. Europe has grown in strength at a time of crisis, with what Bono called "one man's war" bringing Europe together like never before. Although it has been the Continent's darkest hour since the Second World War, it h…

The Minister is very welcome to the Chamber. I commend the Sinn Féin team of Senators on having tabled the motion. It will, of course, see full support from the Green Party-An Comhaontas Glas, and I am glad to see that the House is speaking with one voice and that no one will oppose it. Earlier today I had the pleasure of meeting a delegation which included Dr. Joanne Stuart, OBE, of the Northern Ireland Tourism Alliance. Its mission statement is "one voice for tourism". I got Dr. Stuart's business card. We are spe…

The outcome of tomorrow's election in Northern Ireland is an opportunity to deliver real, seismic change. It is the most important election not just in a generation but in the history of Northern Ireland. It is an opportunity for a new beginning. A few days ago, I attended a funeral in Northern Ireland for the late canon, Fr. Pat McHugh. He was a kind, decent pastoral priest who was full to the brim of compassion and passion. The funeral cortege made the short journey on foot from his home in Killynoogan to Pettigo…

On behalf of the Green Party-Comhaontas Glas, I note we would like to associate ourselves closely with the thoughtful remarks of condolence to the family and friends of the late Michael O'Kennedy, SC. He had a decorated career in politics and wore it so lightly. I had the privilege of sitting close to him in the Law Library, which was in and of itself a collegiate hotbed. The late Brian Lenihan sat close by, as did Henry Abbott, Willie Penrose and others. He was such a reserved gentleman and a committed European. I…