Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Senator Kelleher raised the important issue of dementia and the 55,000 people in our country who suffer from the condition. I commend her on the work she is doing and on the work she did prior to becoming a Member of the House. Tomorrow is an important day and I urge Members to attend the briefing. The Government, with Atlantic Philanthropies, has committed €275 million to the national dementia strategy. It is important that there is cross-party and Independent support on the issue of dementia because, as Senator Kelleher said, it is a challenge that must be overcome.

Senator Bacik spoke about the separation of powers. It is important that we do not allow anything to undermine the independence of the Judiciary and that we preserve the separation of powers between the Government, the Legislature and the Judiciary. However, it is important to recognise that the programme for Government is committed to significant reform in the appointment of judges. The Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Fitzgerald, is working on a Bill to make the appointments process more transparent and fair. I understand that the Bill is due before the House in the near future. It is important that we do not undermine the Judiciary and that we maintain the separation of powers, which is a constitutional requirement in any case.

Senator O'Reilly raised the issue of emergency departments, waiting lists and the carer's allowance. I will be happy to invite the Minister to the House to discuss these matters. Senator Gallagher raised the important issue of the school minor works scheme. The Minister announced those details last week and I think there is more to come in the context of the summer works scheme. I would be happy if the Minister were to come to the House to discuss this important matter.

Senator Norris spoke about President-elect Trump. Similarly, Senator Warfield mentioned the Taoiseach's tweet and the possibility that Vice President-elect Pence will visit Ireland. As a member of the LGBT community and as a politician, I want to say we have a duty to work with every administration that is elected in every jurisdiction across the world. We may not agree with their policies and we may not support them, but we have a duty to work with them.

I would also like to say that as a member of the LGBT community, I have been filled with a sense of darkness, sorrow and pain since the election of Mr. Trump and Mr. Pence. Nothing that Vice President-elect Pence has said or done in his role as Governor of Indiana has been inspirational from the perspective of equality, justice and the upholding of the rights of people in the LGBT community. I hope the members of Congress in America will use the system of checks and balances to prevent the regression of the rights of LGBT people across the United States of America. I really am very upset by this.

I am being polite when I say that what Mr. Pence has said and done in his role as Governor of Indiana has been anything but positive. Members of all parliaments who are interested in human rights must uphold the human rights of all citizens, particularly people who are gay, lesbian and transgender. I will very much stand on that platform when I join the Taoiseach in welcoming Mr. Pence to Ireland so that I can invite him to talk to Senator Warfield, to me, to the Ministers, Deputies Zappone and Varadkar, and to Senator Norris.