Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I find so much of Senator Leyden's contribution disagreeable that I do not even know where to begin. I will leave it to the Leader to respond. It was dreadful to see the opposition to the site provided by the local authority - on behalf of the State - to the families who were horrifically bereaved at the weekend in Carrickmines. It was despicable to see people obstructing the provision of temporary accommodation to those families. The Government, notably through the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, made clear its view on the actions of those who blocked the provision of temporary accommodation for the unfortunate families concerned.

I thank the Leader for his indication regarding the cancellation of tomorrow's sitting and the State funeral of Garda Golden. I also welcome in respect of today's business that the House will take Second Stage of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill after the Order of Business. This long-awaited and welcome legislation made agonisingly slow progress through various stages of drafting under the previous Government. I welcome the fact that it will finally come before the House today in line with long-standing Labour Party policy and with the full agreement of the Joint Committee on the Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht.

I remind Senators that I introduced a Climate Protection Bill in 2007 in Private Members' time. The Seanad was the first House to debate climate protection legislation. It is welcome that climate legislation will be debated later today when we will be joined in the House by members of Friends of the Earth and others.

Yesterday's budget included some welcome announcements setting out the Government's prioritisation of education and child care. While I accept that the House debated the budget last night, I ask for a specific debate on child care. I do so in light of the welcome announcements to increase child benefit and introduce an additional year of the early childhood care and education scheme, which so many of us had sought, and the welcome measure on statutory paternity leave, which marks the first recognition that fathers have a role in the workplace. These are important and progressive steps for child care.

Last week, the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Joan Burton, launched a Labour Party report on child care which recommended not only that we take initiatives such as those taken yesterday but also additional measures to make child care more affordable for parents and professionalise the child care workforce. These are the two additional focuses which must be taken up in any debate on child care. I ask the Leader to arrange a debate on the issue in recognition of the major advances made in yesterday's budget for families, children and, in particular, working parents, and in view of the need to do more.

I very much welcome yesterday's news, which may have been overlooked because of the budget, that the Taoiseach made a commitment to sign and ratify the Istanbul convention, the Council of Europe's convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence. The Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality produced a report on domestic violence and sought the ratification of the Istanbul convention. The Government's commitment to do so is very welcome as it is very important in terms of the provision of supports for women who have suffered from domestic or other forms of gender-based violence. It will also bring Ireland up to speed in the context of its international obligations in that area.