Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I hope it is the first of many occasions on which I will take the Order of Business. I agree with Senator Dolan that we should have a debate on the implementation of the convention.He is quite right. A commitment was given in this House by the Leader that such a debate would happen. I also agree with what he said about bringing in people with lived experience of disability because disability is a broad church. Everybody who experiences it has different stories and testimonies. In the spirit of the public consultation committee chaired by the Cathaoirleach, perhaps we could have that type of civil engagement with people with disabilities within that type of structure. I pay tribute to the ongoing work of Senator Dolan through his role as chief executive of the Disability Federation of Ireland and as a Member of Seanad Éireann. He is always discussing the issue. In many ways, he has very sensible and logical solutions. He is quite right when he contends that it should be an all-of-Government response and that all of us here in our roles as spokespeople should be factoring in our responsibilities and advocating for the ethos of the convention to be embodied and embedded in every element of work we do across Departments. Yesterday will be a day that will go down in history but I hope it will be for the right reasons. I look forward, as does Senator Dolan, to 2028 when, hopefully, we will be a country that not just talks about equality but can turn around and say we are a country of equals for all our citizens.

Senator Ó Ríordáin spoke about the eighth amendment and when he taught in Sheriff Street. I have no doubt that he was an inspiring teacher. As has been said, people will have the opportunity to vote on the eighth amendment when the referendum comes before us. Hopefully, people will make the right decision based on their conscience but they will have the vote and the opportunity to vote, which is important.

Senator Feighan also spoke about International Women's Day. He spoke about not taking potshots at An Garda Síochána. Yes, there are issues at senior management level but the vast majority of gardaí do a good job on a daily basis keeping us safe in our homes and ensuring that people can walk the streets in safe way. It is also worth noting that the Behaviour & Attitudes survey which is carried out each year about the public's view of An Garda Síochána shows that the figure of people who have absolute confidence in An Garda Síochána fluctuates between 75% and 86%. This should be noted and amplified. Many people have confidence in An Garda Síochána.

Senator Conway-Walsh spoke about the domestic violence legislation that passed through this House. I will speak to the Leader and ask him to make contact with his colleagues in the Lower House to see what the timeline is. I am sure he will get back to the Senator on that in due course.

Senator Davitt spoke about the situation with eircodes and security companies. What he said makes sense, which is that security companies should be required to have the eircodes of their customers. Eircodes are there for a reason. It is supposed to make things efficient. I cannot understand why they would not have them. We have seen significant advancements in regulating the security industry. Ten or 15 years ago, the security industry in this country was not properly regulated at all. Now that situation is totally different. There is proper Garda vetting and licences that clubs and various other facilities that use security must possess. Perhaps this is something the security industry regulator could look at because the proposition makes sense.

Senator Craughwell requested a debate on defence, the situation in the Air Corps and the fact that so many people are leaving. Yes, it is worrying and I am sure we can organise a debate here with the Minister of State with responsibility for defence in due course.

Senator Reilly spoke about the women who inspire him. I must agree with him that a lot of the time, the women who inspire us are those closest to us and those who we love and who help us achieve what we do achieve. I know Senator Reilly's son. He is a remarkable person. I also know Senator Reilly's wife who is also a remarkable person. They make up a remarkable family and can be very proud of what their son has achieved. I know their son will go on to achieve an awful lot more in the years to come. I am delighted that he is sharing his story with schoolchildren around the country because it is seeing and hearing living examples of people overcoming challenges and difficulties that creates role models for other people. He is right to raise every week the Bill about a national strategy for autism that was passed unanimously here. I will certainly talk to the Leader and see if he can establish what the situation with the Bill in Dáil Éireann is.

Senator Gavan spoke about the march on the eighth amendment that is taking place this evening. He is right to highlight it. If people believe in that, they should go to the march.

Senator Norris spoke about Mary McAleese and the lady from Nigeria. I heard the media reports where the former President described the Roman Catholic Church as an empire of misogyny. It is very hard to argue with her to some degree but I admire her for staying in the Catholic Church and trying to change it from within. She is doing good work in that regard. I suggest that Senator Norris submits the matter of the crèche in Sheriff Street as a Commencement matter to get some clarity on what the situation is.

My good friend, Senator McFadden, spoke about her sister Nicky, who was a good friend of mine. Nicky was one of the ladies who would inspire one just by speaking to her in terms of her kind personality and steely determination. I met Nicky for the first time in 2007 when she was standing in the Seanad elections. I instantly developed a bond and a friendship with her. She went on to win her seat in the Dáil in 2011. Those of us who were Members of the Houses at the time saw at first hand how she battled motor neurone disease. Senator McFadden is cut from the same cloth. We could highlight the issue she raised, namely, research and funding for research into motor neurone, at some stage in a future debate. I acknowledge the research into this area carried out by Professor Hardiman in Trinity College, which is very welcome.

Senator Ned O'Sullivan spoke about his journey and experience and what he learned from serving on the Joint Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution. He certainly articulated that very well. We all learn from the women in our lives and the women we work and interact with on a daily basis. The Senator's aunt, Kit Ahern, sounded like an amazing woman. As soon as he heard her name, Senator Norris had an affectionate response. It is not easy to impress Senator Norris so she must have been a formidable lady.