Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

That was a slightly grudging good luck wish from Senator O'Brien.

I condemn the dreadful suicide bomb attack in Turkey yesterday, apparently by a member of ISIS, in which 30 young socialist activists were killed while they were trying to plan the rebuilding of the city of Kobane which had previously been overrun by ISIS militants. Following the dreadful attack in Tunisia, it is yet another attack that conveys to us the real threat of ISIS and that type of extremist terrorism. There is a big debate taking place in Britain about ISIS and how to counteract that threat within Europe. We should also have that debate in this House when we return.

On a brighter note on our last day, I welcome three recent initiatives of the Government. The first is the Bill on victims' rights which was announced last week and which we will debate in the autumn. It will provide for some welcome developments. For the first time it will place victims' rights in the criminal justice system on a statutory footing, which is hugely important. Among other things it will enable victims of crime to track the sentences of offenders in the particular case in which they have been involved. That is very welcome.

I also welcome the announcement by the Minister for Justice and Equality that Ireland will take in 600 migrants from Syria and Eritrea. I hope their asylum claims will be processed very swiftly so they can be welcomed to our shores.

Finally, although it is not a Government initiative, I welcome the recommendation that the minimum wage be increased. I hope it will be taken on board in the budget in the autumn. It is hugely important to see that recommendation being put forward by the independent body established by the Government. It follows the positive and important reforms in our industrial relations system which the Minister of State at the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Nash, has been promoting, particularly the legislation on collective bargaining. I welcome that.

To conclude, I wish all colleagues a restful and restorative break. I will not moderate or qualify it.