Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I will raise two issues, the first of which is child poverty. There have been a number of requests made this morning and I agree that the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs should be invited to come to the House to discuss the issue of mother and baby homes. In the past few weeks I have found the noise in the Houses on the issue of water charges distressing. One sees images of Deputies and Senators with scraps of paper surrounded by other parliamentary colleagues and there have been discussions of the threat of an election and the possibility that the issue will cause the collapse of the Government. An incredible amount of energy has gone into discussing the issue. It would be refreshing if the issue of child poverty created the same amount of heat, excitement and enthusiasm in all political parties represented in the House. It would be refreshing to witness a politician in the Houses with a scrap of paper discussing how the issue of child poverty could be adequately addressed and tackled and to have those surrounding that individual saying it is something on which we could go to the country. It is of fundamental importance to the survival of the Republic. Anybody who believes in the real meaning of the word "republic" would take the issue of child poverty that seriously. However, the issue which generates that effect is water charges. It is the issue that has got people excited. On the issue of child poverty, I want to make a practical suggestion that the Minister be invited to come to the House to discuss her vision for the ongoing area based childhood, ABC, programme which encompasses a number of initiatives, including in my constituency the preparing for life scheme in Darndale. There are 15 such schemes across the country. I would like to have the Minister's input on how she believes the schemes that tackle child poverty and empower parents can be enhanced in the coming years.

Like other Senators, I raise the issue of Chechnya and LGBT rights. This was the first country in the world to openly vote in favour of marriage equality. We have a number of things of which we can be proud in this country in promoting LGBT rights across the political spectrum. Most recently, my colleague, Senator Gerald Nash, has been attempting to push that agenda further in this Chamber. We are a beacon of light for the world when it comes to LGBT rights. It is important when the Vice President of America wants to roll back on LGBT rights that we stand firmly in opposition. In Chechnya there are reports that camps and detention centres are being established and that young LGBT males, in particular, are being rounded up and sent to them. It is important we take a stand against this. I respectfully ask that the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade be asked to come to the Chamber to discuss the issue in order that we can have a proper conversation with him about how he can discuss the issue with the Russian ambassador to this country because we are a beacon of light when it comes to dealing with certain issues. This is a country which has a proud recent record of promoting LGBT rights. It is something on which we should not be behind the door when speaking about how we can play our role in the international fight for LGBT equality.