I thank the Minister of State for urging the Minister, Deputy Foley, in that regard. It is much appreciated.

Yesterday's Order of Business was a special occasion. It was fitting, appropriate and a dignified occasion. I commend the Cathaoirleach, the Leader and all Senators on making it a very special moment for any Senator to be present for. I hope and do not doubt that Senator Norris appreciated it. Yesterday reminded us all of the importance of public service and that public service to the people and to your communities matters and of how one individual, in 26 years of unbroken continuous service, could make such a big …

Yes.

As was stated, in the past so-called non-marital families, especially single mothers, were discriminated against and made feel like they were not a full part of society. In this House, which is reflective of society, we have had a number of passionate contributions. We heard from Senator Ruane today, who feels in her experiences she was treated like a second-class citizen. We heard from Senator Garvey yesterday. It is difficult to completely forget about the past but we have to look to the future. Thankfully, this …

I welcome former Senator O'Donovan and his visitors to the Gallery. It is a good day to be here because they will see our Chamber in action. Yesterday, we were all on the one page paying tribute to a Member who gave 36 continuous years of unbroken service. As an Independent, Senator Norris made a huge impact. Today, we agree to disagree and that is part of democracy. The visitors, who may be going back to County Cork this evening, are witnessing that at first hand today. It is good for democracy to see the workings…

And be asked the question. I respectfully agree to disagree.

I will read into the record of the House the view of One Family Ireland, the national organisation for one-parent families and people sharing parenting or separating. It has come out for a "Yes" vote. I respect its view because it is on the front line. I do not question that there are some ulterior motives behind what they say. They should give guidance and be respected because they are experts who are stakeholders in this area. It has said: The Family Referendum presents a unique opportunity to end the exclusion o…

I seek leave of the House to take No. 14 on today's Order Paper before No. 1, so I can introduce my cross-party Bill entitled Domestic Violence (Amendment) Bill 2024. Currently, a person who is charged with breaching a domestic violence protective order of any kind can only be prosecuted in a summary fashion and the accused always faces a lighter bail regime. Domestic violence is often all about vulnerability. Victims of domestic violence will be heartened to learn that as one of his final parliamentary procedural …

I move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to amend section 33 of the Domestic Violence Act 2018 for the purpose of providing for an indictable offence under that section, to amend the Schedule to the Bail Act 1997 so as to include a reference to an offence under the said section 33, and to provide for related matters.

Next Tuesday.

Yesterday, a new planning and environmental court was officially launched in a bid to speed up complex judicial review cases. A UN worldwide report, commissioned in 2016, concerning the adjudication of environmental disputes, concluded that the establishment of environmental courts and tribunals is a key step in improving the adjudication of environmental disputes. The Citizens' Assembly on Biodiversity Loss held that the State has comprehensively failed to adequately fund, implement and, most importantly, enforce …

As always, the Minister is very welcome to the Chamber. This Bill is the first legislation on e-cigarettes. Will the Minister confirm whether the Bill, which a Seanad colleague has suggested represents light-touch regulation, goes further than required by the EU? The Bill requires annual licensing, bans sales to minors and sales at events for children and introduces additional restrictions on advertising. It is positive that it goes further than EU requirements. My Seanad colleague, Senator Mullen, said that there …

At a time when it appears increasing numbers of younger people are disengaged, apathetic or, worse, alienated from society, sometimes distracted by addictive social media feeds and misled down dark roads of substance abuse and social alienation, it behoves the political leadership of this country to sit up and endeavour to take appropriate action. What action is appropriate? The response must be multidisciplinary and co-ordinated. Apart from the ongoing need to invest in education at all levels, there is a strong a…

I would respond to that by pointing out that a young person can work full-time at 15, change their name when they are 16, drive a car, join the Army with parental consent and do many other things but they cannot vote. Allowing 16-year-olds to vote make sense. Interestingly, lowering the voter eligibility age to 16 is part of the manifesto of Keir Starmer of the Labour Party, which is expected to come to power in Britain next year. It has often been said over recent years that the current generation of young people …

The Minister of State is very welcome to the Chamber. In opening the debate, the Tánaiste referred to parity of esteem. That is, of course, from the two governments who affirmed the importance of the principle of just and equal treatment for the identity, ethos and aspirations of both communities. As a guarantor of the agreement, one cannot say today that there is fairness, proportionality and reasonableness. I appreciate that the Government, as a guarantor of the agreement, has to act in a measured and constructiv…

We can all agree on the seemingly obvious point that one should not execute people or children to advance a political aim. Slaughter is slaughter, no matter the flag or cause, and be it visited by any group or people on any other group or people in any name. It poisons the room of the peacemaker. My heart went out to the innocent Israelis attending a concert who were cut down and murdered in such a horrendous way. In condemning such barbaric acts, however, sooner or later we must take the next steps. The next step …

The Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, is, as always, very welcome to the Chamber. It is unfortunate the Minister of State with direct responsibility in the matter I am raising, Deputy O'Donovan, is unavoidably absent. I appreciate the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, stepping in for him this morning. I know he will relay back to his colleague our deliberations and discussion. It is well documented that 235 acres of the Castletown lands in Celbridge, County Kildare, were sold on the open market earlier this year. T…

I thank the Minister of State. It has been said on many occasions that we acknowledge the very many millions of euro invested by the OPW to secure as much of the lands as it has done to date. The proposal to create a carpark in the meadow, which immediately adjoins the River Liffey, was off the wall and might not have been in compliance with planning laws. Thankfully, the proposal has been abandoned. The proposal to allow general access up the avenue for all vehicles is not in keeping with the integrity of the buil…

As I said in this House last week and at a meeting of the Committee on European Union Affairs, it was disappointing that some people could not bring themselves to condemn barbaric slaughter. Apart from being disappointing, however, it was also reflective of how broken politics and geopolitics are. There should have been an instantaneous condemnation. I commend the Government, the Tánaiste and the Taoiseach on getting out early and unequivocally in condemning the slaughter of innocent people. If we want a way forwar…

The Green Party will support the Bill because it brings us a step in the right direction. It protects us from what are often more subtle threats which influence or could or have control over strategic assets by hostile foreign actors. It will also help to guard against the interlinked threat of cutting-edge technology being exported from Ireland and getting into the wrong hands. One of the criteria that will be considered when reviewing transactions is whether it is an opportunity to undertake espionage. Will the M…