Regina Doherty (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Before I turn to individual queries, I want to let the House know that several debates have been secured, the most important one now, I think, involving the Minister for Education and Skills on Tuesday, 28 July. The original debate was sought to discuss the reopening of our primary and secondary schools and the school transport issue. Considering the announcements made yesterday, however, regarding the unfortunate delay in the leaving certificate results for our students, questions on that issue might now need to be put to the Minister. The other debate concerns the July stimulus package and it will take place on the same day. We are hoping to do a block of several hours in the morning on one topic and then several more hours on the other topic in the afternoon. The other outstanding debate that I had hoped to secure is on tourism. I am still pursuing that before we rise for the summer break in August, I do not have a date secured yet, but we will continue to liaise with the Minister's office. As soon as I have that date, I will let the Members know.

It is a good idea that we have a rolling hour or 90 minutes every week on the current issues concerning how the country is dealing with the Covid-19 virus. We all know each week brings up a different issue or additional anomaly. I concur with the comments made by John Horan yesterday. He was devastated and gutted, as were probably all our local clubs, whether GAA or soccer, regarding advancing the great sociability that sport provides to our communities in towns and villages. I know they are gutted by these developments.

I also know that the hospitality sector is on its knees in the context of this week's announcements. Our transport industry, as Senator Keogan has pointed out, is equally as frustrated. The only reassurance I can give to everybody in this House and to the public is that the decisions made on Monday were the best decisions for our public health and our common good. No decision is made lightly. The R number that Professor Philip Nolan spoke about last night is now in a precarious position.

Notwithstanding arguments made here yesterday concerning the virus being more prevalent in certain parts of the country, people are resourceful, and when places are reopened, they will tend to travel to those hotspots. The decisions being made are being made genuinely in the best interests of our public health and our good health.The economic ramifications of those decisions have been felt by hundreds of thousands of people and many thousands of families. I hope the July stimulus package next week and the new task force on aviation that will be established will give results and resolve to those industries that are genuinely struggling. I know they are struggling and we hear it. We will have the July stimulus debate in the coming weeks. It will give us some succour.

Individual requests were made for debates especially around human rights. That debate is obviously needed. I am unsure whether we will get it in between now and the end of July but I want to make it a priority for the beginning of September when we return.

The North-South Ministerial Council will go ahead on 31 July. Members raised some pertinent issues about some relevant legislation that has been passed by both Houses in Ireland but has not been passed by Westminster. That should be raised on 31 July. The agreements and commitments made in the Stormont House Agreement need to be fulfilled by all the bodies that signed up to it. I agree totally and I would expect an update on 31 July.

I have no wish to keep picking on Senator Flynn but this week is Traveller Pride week. She is incredibly welcome. I concur with the Cathaoirleach's sentiments and I hope it becomes far more normal to hear her voice in the House and on our national airwaves. It is a Traveller Pride week like no other. All our virtual festivals are taking place in a different way to the way we would normally celebrate. Senator Flynn is now here to give voice to that celebration. I believe the special committee we had which did such good work during the term of the last Dáil and Seanad should be re-established. We received a report yesterday on how the committees are going to be established. It referred to the ones that will be established between now and the end of July and the others that will be established in September. The work that was done is vital and much needed. Although that committee will not be re-established between now and the end of the month, it is one of the committees that needs to be established at an early stage in September. We should do that at the next meeting if it is possible.

I think we will establish a rolling debate on Covid-19 given that we have four Bills to pass next week and three Bills to potentially pass the week after that as well as two full days of statements. The rolling debates and Commencement matters will probably now be postponed until we come back in the first week when we return in September, if everyone is okay with that. The Commencement matters have been reinstated but with written replies. I have requested from all Ministers and protocol sections that this be established immediately so that people can start putting in Commencement matters as of today.

My final comment is for Senator Craughwell. I am not sure who is responsible for the State Claims Agency. My head tells me that it is the Minister for Finance but I will find out. We will request a response with regard to the questions raised on complying with the requests of Supreme Court judges.

The Chair opened our discussion this afternoon by talking about the anniversary and commemoration day this Saturday for Nelson Mandela. It is a global call for action for everyone to celebrate the idea that each individual has the power to change something about people's lives and to make a difference in all of our communities. We have an opportunity. There has been considerable talk in the House in recent weeks about hate speech. We saw it yesterday evening when people on social media were talking about how they feel and how they are maligned. I mentioned here yesterday that sometimes I find it strange to see human beings behaving in such a base manner to other human beings. When Nelson Mandela was here he said that no human being is born hating another person because of the colour of their skin, their background or their religion. He said people have to learn how to hate, but if they can learn how to hate then they can certainly be taught how to love. He said love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite. I really believe that we have an opportunity in this new Seanad to do something about hate speech and to put it firmly on our Statute Book. I appeal for everyone's support to help us to make that happen and make it a reality in the near future.