Aideen Hayden (Labour) | Oireachtas source

It is admirable that Senator Darragh O'Brien went quietly to the Garda to give the evidence he has, although a cynic might say he should have gone to the fraud squad in the first place.

To give some good news, there has been a reduction in the number of calls to the Samaritans, which they say is because of increased hope in the country. It is worth noting that. We all feel for people who find themselves on the brink of despair and it is good to know we are turning the corner in that regard.

I welcome the announcement that the Taoiseach, Deputy Enda Kenny, and his British counterpart, David Cameron, will visit the Irish war graves in France. It is a particularly welcome announcement given that this year is the centenary of the 1913 Lock-out and next year is the centenary of the start of the war in 1914. Many of the people who went to the front in 1914, particularly people from Dublin, did so because they were living in extreme poverty. Many families were touched by the fact that their loved ones could never receive the acknowledgement they deserved for the role they played in the First World War. Some families changed their names so they would not be targeted when their soldiers returned from the front. The announcement is a very welcome development.