Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

All Senators will wish to join me in expressing sincere condolences and sympathy to Gillian and Ronan Treacy, the parents of the little boy, Ciarán, who was killed in a dreadful incident last year. It is worth speaking a little about the case, which involved an individual who had been driving while drunk and who was sentenced yesterday at Portlaoise Circuit Court. I commend Judge Keenan Johnson on his strong words, in a general sense, in condemning any tolerance of drink-driving. While driving drunk is already a criminal offence and the subject of strong moral disapproval, we have seen from the publicity surrounding this case a real strengthening of the culture of zero tolerance for drink-driving. If anything positive can come out of this awful case, it is that.

In calling for a debate on housing and rent certainty, I commend Senator Hayden on the strong and robust comments she made on this matter on "Morning Ireland".