Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Hold on. It was €3 billion. Eir said yesterday - and the Senator can make all the faces she wants - that it was going to be €1 billion. How did that change? Why did Eir withdraw from the tender process? These are the questions it should be asked. We all want to have broadband. Eir referred to a separate company. It was part of the process that every applicant would have to have a separate independent company. It spoke about collecting €1 billion for the poles and the fibre optics - €900 million and then €100 million. It has added more confusion to a project that we all need to see rolled out. I would be happy for the Minister to come back to the House to debate the matter.

Senators Ardagh and Maria Byrne raised the issue of cycling. It is national bike week and it is wonderful that we dedicate a week to cycling and the promotion of cycling. We should all welcome the funding of €40 million for ten greenway projects announced by the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Ross, and the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Griffin. Senator Byrne raised the issues of safety, illegal parking in bus and cycle lanes, and the illegal use of cycle lanes, which need to be teased out further. The local authorities need to work with the National Transport Authority, NTA, and An Garda Síochána to deal with the matter.We have evolved in terms of cycling in our cities and urban areas. I hope we can see some crossover and joined-up thinking there and I would be happy for the Minister to come to the House regarding the matter.

I join Senator Ardagh in welcoming the Minister for Health's remarks and actions around medical cannabis.

Senators Boyhan and Conway-Walsh raised the important issue of hate crimes. Like Senator Boyhan, I commend both the ICCL and its executive director, Liam Herrick, on the report it published yesterday. Senator Boyhan is right that we must all call out hate crimes for what they are, and we cannot be soft on that issue in any way. It is unacceptable. I commit to raising the issue, with Senator Boyhan, at the OSCE parliamentary assembly in Luxembourg next week, and I will speak to him further about that. The Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Flanagan, is reviewing the Prohibition of Incitement to Hatred Act 1989, and Mr. Justice Desmond Marrinan has been appointed to examine hate crimes in the North, so I will be happy to come back to this issue in due course.

Senator Conway-Walsh also raised the issue of pyrite. I do not have an answer for her on that issue, but perhaps she will submit a Commencement matter as a matter of urgency as she might get a quicker answer that way. We have a number of items of legislative business to deal with next week, rather than statements, but we will have climate change statements next Thursday.

Senator Ó Ríordáin and a number of other Senators, including Senators Feighan and Conway, raised the deaths of Oscar Ramirez and his daughter Valeria. Those of us who have seen the images and read the reports cannot but be disturbed at the harrowing images we saw. They failed in their attempt to get to safety in a promised land. This is a place we were once told was a land of opportunity, which is now being denied to people. A father and his daughter died and their wife and mother almost died with them. It is reminiscent of the images we saw a couple of years ago of a young Syrian boy lying on a beach. I have issues with President Trump's policies and the tenet and tone of what he is trying to do around immigration. Again, Senator Boyhan and I will raise the matter in Luxembourg next week because this kind of behaviour from the democratically elected president of any country and the way in which President Trump is preventing people from entering the United States are unacceptable. I am agnostic on whether we should go to the American embassy. I do not personally believe in boycotts or that we should use this as an opportunity for one, but we can use it as an opportunity to voice our genuine concerns about US immigration policy with American embassy officials. We can also raise this with the new ambassador and let him know from the floor of Seanad Éireann, the Upper House, that we stand against this policy of President Trump. I thank Senator Ó Ríordáin for raising the matter. I was struck by the fact, when reading an article about Oscar Ramirez, that his mother pleaded with him not to go because she was afraid. Is it not distressing to think of a mother who begged her son not to leave and must then face the sad loss of both her son and granddaughter? We offer our sympathies to the family of the deceased and we hope the US Government will change its stance and views on immigration.

Senators Feighan, Paul Daly, Ruane, Mullen and Conway raised the issue of greyhounds. Last night's "Prime Time Investigates" programme was unedifying. As Senator Mullen said, the misuse and mistreatment of these animals has now been exposed. The Minister of State, Deputy Doyle, has outlined his views on the matter. The Greyhound Racing Act 2019 grants enhanced powers and allows for investigations. Any breaches of animal welfare regulations must be taken seriously. I do not agree with Senator Ruane about there being an element of hypocrisy involved. Many people in this House are involved in and support the greyhound industry. They are appalled at what they saw on "Prime Time Investigates" and do not condone it in any shape or form. It would be worse if people did not come in here and articulate their concerns on the matter because those who work in the industry can help change the culture, attitudes and outlook within it. That is why it is important that the Minister has the power of investigation and takes that responsibility seriously, and also, as Senator Paul Daly noted, that the Department does not issue certificates for the export of greyhounds to China or Pakistan. The licensing conditions in knackeries should also be reviewed. I would be happy for the Minister to come to the House to discuss the matter. The points Senator Ruane made should be articulated in the House and raised with the Minister and, as such, I would be happy to have him come to the House.

I do not have an answer to Senator Humphreys's question on resourcing but I would happy to have the Minister come to the House to discuss the matter. I agree with the Senator that there is a need for local authorities to work with the Government and all other bodies to ensure adequate resourcing. There is also the matter of not having hollowed out communities and bringing properties back into use so we can gentrify, rebuild, and recreate a sense of community in many parts of Dublin, Cork, Galway and so on.

I congratulate Lahinch in advance of its hosting of the Irish Open and wish the town and Senator Conway well next weekend. I hope the weather is as good as it is today. It will be a wonderful opportunity to showcase Ireland and Lahinch is a fitting venue and golf club for that. I hope the event goes well.

Finally, I welcome the Leas-Chathaoirleach back as he was not here during the week. On behalf of the House, I sympathise with him and thank him for the way in which he looked after and cared for his late mother. She was a wonderful lady. One only has one mother and the Leas-Chathaoirleach cared for her very deeply and minded her very well. On behalf of the House, I offer him our deepest sympathies.