I welcome the Minister of State. There are many different tests that can be applied when assessing and measuring the impact, be it positive or adverse, of budgets. For the commentariat, an initial preliminary test is whether there is a banana skin in the budget. Perhaps this dates back to the budget introduced by the then Minister for Finance, John Bruton, in 1982 - which members may recall - whereby an 18% VAT increase was imposed in respect of footwear and clothing. An inadvertent and unintended consequence of th…

Every life is precious and justice must always reign supreme. Atrocities were perpetrated on both sides and by state forces but this should not mean the surviving victims cannot have answers to their questions or the comfort of knowing that those who bestowed deep sadness on them by destroying their families would be held to account. We cannot cancel evil or sweep it under the carpet just by saying it happened in both communities and everywhere. Evil is evil, murder is murder and wrong is wrong. The UK Secretary of…

No. Nationalist, but at times it is a bit of a kindergarten. The nationalist, republican house of the Twenty-six Counties is fractured at the moment. We should begin by healing the house of nationalism in the Republic of Ireland before we lecture the people in Northern Ireland. There is an awful lot more we could do here. There are people who have done terrible things in the name of a united Ireland, allegedly thinking this would bring it forward. One of those atrocities was cited by Senator Currie. Perhaps there w…

More than a year ago, in another Chamber, I commended the newly launched East Belfast GAA Club. The club's crest depicts the Harland and Wolff cranes, a sunrise, a red hand, a shamrock and a thistle. The club's logo is written in English, Irish and Ulster Scots and states, "Together". I did not know when I commended the club that its first president was the Irish language activist, Linda Ervine, who people regard as having impeccable loyalist, unionist and Protestant credentials. Linda Ervine MBE is proud to be the…

I was not in the Chamber yesterday for the Order of Business. I was not physically present but, as Senators do, I viewed it on the monitor in my office. The Cathaoirleach will be glad to hear I will not make any comment on the controversy of recent weeks in respect of the President of Ireland. Suffice it to say I admire the President. I will not say that yesterday the Cathaoirleach agreed to disagree but he had a different perspective to another Member of the House.

I will comment on that.

Yes and I have no doubt the Cathaoirleach correctly interpreted what he called a practice of the House. My problem is that in due course that practice should be appropriately reviewed. Yesterday, the Cathaoirleach said to a Member of the House, which celebrates freedom of speech, that we can praise the President all we wish but the practice of the House is not to criticise. I respect the decision of the Cathaoirleach. I am sure it is accurate. The Cathaoirleach has been rigorously fair in all his rulings.

I am not questioning that. I am saying to a grown up Seanad that if there is any long-looming shadow of the words of the former Minister, Paddy Donegan, in the 1970s it is time to put them to bed and have a mature debate. It is not comparing like with like. I say this as an admirer of the President. I would detract from my fundamental comments if I were to comment on the controversy. I would also run the risk of falling out with the Cathaoirleach on a ruling. I am just saying it is ironic that the current officehol…

Review, not change it.

I will make two points and try not to repeat those already made. I commend our Chair who chaired the committee most ably, inclusively and professionally. This was not about party politics. I hope communities, especially in the North, realise that this was a most sincere, professional attempt on our behalf to try to move things forward. Unionists have genuine concerns. From my contacts and from those of other public representatives, I do not see the amplification of those concerns. There is a great opportunity here.…

The timing of the Second Stage reading of this important legislation, which the Green Party is very pleased to support, is almost uncanny. Within the last 24 hours, as we probably all know, two women were jailed over human trafficking and organising prostitution. They became the first people convicted in Ireland of human trafficking for the prostitution ring they ran in the midlands. That followed a six-week jury trial over the summer. They were convicted by the jury and Judge Francis Comerford passed sentence yest…

On this day 20 years ago, 51-year-old journalist, Martin O'Hagan, lost his life in the most brutal of circumstances. While walking home with his wife, he was shot twice in the back. Martin Luther King Jr. said, "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." Among legislators, media participants, and laypeople, a silence pervades about this particular thing that matters. Today, it is compellingly appropriate to mark our appreciation, not just for one journalist, but for freedom of expres…

The worrying allegations in recent weeks have proved upsetting for many. I reside in a county with a very proud Defence Forces record. The vast majority of members of the Defence Forces, who work so hard, are upset about the besmirching of and damage done to the good name of the Defence Forces and everything they stand for. The allegations of sexual harassment, sexual assault and workplace bullying and discrimination in the Defence Forces are clearly intolerable, but what has compounded the issue are not the action…

I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach. Like other Members of the Upper House, I thank our guests for their generosity of time and making themselves available in what is an innovative exercise, which I believe will be here to stay. Do they believe the EU's voice is being heard and that it is doing sufficiently enough in the area of world peace? It was a triggering cornerstone for the very foundation of the Union. It should be a force for good. It is a peace project and at its heart should be humanitarian support. Very rec…

South Africa is facing some of its greatest challenges since apartheid ended. Ireland has strong links with South Africa. It is great to see the South African cricketers playing in Ireland now. I wish the British and Irish Lions rugby team well during its trip to South Africa. It is the “British and Irish Lions” and not just the “British Lions”. This is an example of how our two islands have come together under a sporting banner and displayed all that is good and positive in our celebration of commonalities. Having…

Due to the fluid and ever-changing nature of the challenge, it is impossible to have a perfect response. I welcome constructive criticism. I welcome and will defend the right of people to offer constructive criticism but I would ask people to beware of populism. Populism concocts enemies, misrepresents social problems for its own benefit and proposes slogans as solutions. Its effect is to divide communities. Like everywhere else in the world, in Ireland, we must be on our guard against populism. Populism seeks out …

This is a sweeping measure. It probably quite rightly belongs in the realm of draconian measures. In my humble opinion and following advice, however, it is absolutely necessary. I and the Green Party grouping in Seanad Éireann will, therefore, support this in the interests of safety for all. As the Minister said previously, no Minister enjoys or relishes introducing such measures but they have at their heart the public health considerations. In the context of the immediately preceding debate on indoor hospitality, …

The Bill, when enacted, will not just be part of the jigsaw, but a monumental part and a step in the right direction to tackle possibly the greatest challenge facing our country right now. Notwithstanding that and notwithstanding that I am a Senator from a Government party, there is a tradition in this House, when we have constructive criticism to make of a legislative provision, to ventilate that and share it with our fellow legislators. Otherwise, the House would be bland. It would be impossible to lump in all Se…

The decision to retain the 9% VAT rate will be most welcome among stakeholders and is a sign the Government is listening. I concur with the remarks of Senator Kyne that it will be a lifeline for them. While there may be grounds to extend it further, at least this extension gives sufficient space to have that discussion at a later date. It is a positive and essential move for a sector that has been almost devastated.

I read with some concern and alarm a report in yesterday's edition of The Irish Times that the Government intends to change the current judicial review court system in respect of planning applications. The speculation is - and I believe this idea was concocted before the formation of the current Government - that the intention is to deter people from objecting in planning related matters by placing a greater financial risk on their shoulders. There was not a word in the piece about seeking leave as the first step, …