Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

With other colleagues, I want to join in expressing enormous sympathy to the families and individuals concerned in the tragedy in Berkeley, California, involving Irish students. News is only just coming out now but it is clearly an appalling tragedy. I thank and commend the Leader on having a minute's silence, which was a most appropriate way to show our deep commiseration with the families.

I want to raise the issue of the way in which the workers in Clerys have been treated and the sudden closure on Friday. Along with other colleagues, I was there outside Clerys earlier today to support the staff and concession holders of Clerys. It was a hugely dignified protest. I was delighted to meet some of the staff, particularly some of the many women who had been working there and who were let go so suddenly. They are clearly still very shocked about their treatment, and rightly so. It is very important that all of us, on a cross-party basis, should express our concern and outrage at the way in which the staff and concession holders have been treated and the way in which the closure was carried out. In doing so, we should be seeking to put pressure on the consortium that has taken over the store, which is in fact Irish-led, and whose actions have closed it down. I would absolutely support all who do that. I commend the Minister of State, Deputy Gerald Nash, who has been actively engaged on the issue since the announcement was made on Friday. I again express my commiserations to the staff in particular and to all of those who have lost out, because there are clearly plenty of other people who are also at a great loss as a result of this sudden closure. It really is obnoxious treatment of people, and that needs to be said.

I welcome the opening yesterday of registration for the free GP care scheme for children under six. I note the gpvisitcard.iewebsite was inundated with requests from parents seeking to register their children, so clearly it is going to be hugely popular, and rightly so. It is an enormous advance in health care in that it puts the focus on keeping children healthy and preventing illness in children. It is a major step forward towards a universal health care system. The Bill we are dealing with today at all Stages represents a further step forward. I welcome the opening of registration yesterday.

On a lighter note, I wish a happy Bloomsday to all, particularly to Senator Norris, who has done so much work for so long on the Joyce issue. I also congratulate Senator O'Keeffe on her work on Yeats 2015 because, just in the last few days, we have seen some very important events in Sligo to mark the opening of Yeats 2015.