Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim fáilte ar ais roimh chuile dhuine. Tá súil agam go raibh briseadh maith ag daoine.

Aontaím go huile is go hiomlán leis an Seanadóir Colette Kelleher faoin méid a bhí le rá aici maidir le cóiríocht don Lucht Siúil. I concur with Senator Colette Kelleher wholeheartedly on her well-spoken comments on the Traveller accommodation issue.

We previously called for several debates on matters including rural affairs, Gaeilge and the Gaeltacht, diaspora affairs, etc. Will the Leader outline if those debates will be scheduled for in this session?

We certainly need to have a debate on the future of Irish Water. There has been too much toing and froing over the summer from certain political parties which seem to be very confused on the issue. Clarification as to where they stand would be important. The Houses also need to debate the future of the provision of water in rural and urban areas and where is Irish Water going and what are the plans for it. It seems that the overwhelming majority of Members elected to these Houses are against water charges. I know the Dáil will have its debate but this House should have its own on the future of paying for water. Such a debate could be had in a reasonable manner, with Members putting forward arguments. When one saw so many people again taking to the streets in recent marches against water charges, one knew the matter had not gone away and neither had the campaign. I would welcome a debate on this issue.

Senator Murnane O'Connor referred to local government funding. I want to raise the particular issue of the future of libraries. There seems to be an ongoing pilot scheme around self-service libraries, a development which concerns many librarians and people who use libraries. It is seen really as a precursor to cutbacks in library services and staff. Issues are being raised around health and safety when people use the facilities, abuse of the facilities, etc. A debate on the future of libraries would be useful.