Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Anyone who watched the recent "Prime Time Investigates" documentary on the ambulance service would have great concerns about inefficiencies in our ambulance service nationally and would be convinced of the need to ensure the best service is available to patients across the country. That is hugely important. Whatever is the best mechanism for delivering that service is the important point. I do not think there is any imminent threat, as Senator O'Brien has suggested, to the current structure of the Dublin service. That was made clear recently by the HSE.

I wish to refer to the state visit of President Michael D. Higgins to Britain. I found it extremely moving, as I am sure my colleagues did, to watch the reports of the speeches given by both the Queen of England and our President and to see real steps being made in fostering warmer relations between the two islands. President Michael D. Higgins paid his respects at the memorial to Lord Louis Mountbatten and the Queen acknowledged in her speech later the discrimination suffered by Irish people in Britain in the past. She also indicated the willingness of the British royal family to participate in the 1916 commemorations. We are seeing major steps forward in terms of the resolution of conflict in the North.

I also welcome the fact that today we will be having the Committee Stage debate on the Employment Equality (Amendment) (No.2) Bill which I introduced this time last year on behalf of the Labour Party Senator's group as a Private Members' Bill. I thank the Leader for ensuring that we are seeing Private Members' Bills, such as the Building Control (Carbon Monoxide Detection) Bill from Senator Fergal Quinn yesterday, being brought forward and receiving Government support. The only issue is that this can often take too long. It has been a year since the Second Stage debate on the Bill. We will have the Committee Stage debate today and I very much hope that we can conclude that debate before Easter and move on very swiftly thereafter to Report Stage of this important Bill which seeks to end any potential discrimination against LGBT teachers, in particular, in religious-run schools. It also seeks to end any discrimination against employees generally in religious-run hospitals and educational institutions. It is a very important Bill which has been widely welcomed by various stakeholders in the teaching professions in particular. I know the Departments of Education and Skills and Justice and Defence have also been very supportive of the legislation. I look forward to a good debate on the Bill on Committee Stage today.