Regina Doherty (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Government will do what it can. I agree completely with colleagues that we need to do more. What really worries me is to see somebody as practical and prudent as the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, which we all know he is, as worried as he was yesterday. It tells me there is far more pain to come. The display of greed we saw in this country yesterday and the day before was absolutely shameful and it needs to be called out.

Senator Ahearn talked about the new organisation the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine established yesterday. Senator Kyne touched on it also. Senator Ahearn is absolutely right that it cannot just be about incentives for farmers to change their practices from one type of farming to tillage.This has to encompass all of the existing tillage farmers to improve their output and help them to do more of what they have always been doing. I will bring this message back to the Minister.

Senator Murphy spoke about Ukraine and fuel prices, as did Senator Sherlock. Senator Carrigy spoke about excise duty and very much welcomed the additional €350 million allocated to DEIS schools yesterday. I agree there is not a town or village where there are not unexplained reasons as to why there is a DEIS school on one side while another school on the other side is not DEIS. We still have a long way to go to support education. The Minister's announcement yesterday was very welcome and I thank the Senator for acknowledging it.

Senator Gavan spoke about the animal welfare Bill. I am very much assured that when it comes back to the House the week after next the Minister will give us the assurance that we will all be seeking, particularly with regard to an enhanced redundancy package for the workers in the three farms being closed by the State and a fair and reasonable compensation package for those people whose means of livelihood we are removing. Senator Gavan also spoke about an interesting concept this morning on community wealth building whereby Limerick County Council is doing a pilot scheme. That is very welcome.

Senator Currie was speaking my language this morning when she gave out about the new toll for which Dublin Airport Authority has been given planning permission to install in our capital city's airport. The other day, I was accused of talking about this because apparently it only affects people in Fingal. As Senator Currie rightly pointed out, people in south and west Dublin are affected as are people in Kildare and Roscommon. Anywhere and everywhere people are affected by this wrong decision at the wrong time. It needs to be reversed. Yesterday, I wrote to the head of the Dublin Airport Authority and the chief executive of Fingal County Council. We should all do so. This is the wrong thing at the wrong time. The sustainability argument is absolutely crass and we can all see it for the money grab that it is. It needs to be called out.

Senator Crowe spoke about Garda numbers in Galway. I will certainly organise a debate once we come back. Senator Keogan asked for a debate on the energy crisis and, more importantly, energy security which is vital. I fear it is something we will be speaking about weekly in the coming months. Senator Lombard also spoke about energy security and improving and increasing our natural resources in the country, particularly given the crisis. This is notwithstanding that we have climate targets. Everybody needs to realise we are in a wartime response situation. Not all of the things required under normal circumstances can and will be facilitated.

Senator Ó Donnghaile brought to light something that is absolutely crazy. I will certainly bring it to the shared island division of the Taoiseach's Department and ask it to investigate it. It does not make any sense whatsoever. The Senator has been asking about this for a while.

Senator Mullen asked for a debate on surrogacy. That debate will take place in the surrogacy committee being established. The Senator made a suggestion I would have to refute, and it is only because I know of the parents who are expecting babies by surrogates in Ukraine and the level of supports they have given them in recent weeks. They absolutely do care about the surrogates. It would be wrong for the impression to be given that they are treated as a means to an end. I can tell the Senator that is not the case. We hope and expect that surrogacy will be legislated for and the conditions will be debated in the surrogacy committee.

Senator Kyne spoke about the national fodder and food security council and a package of supports to be announced by the Minister at the end of the month. That is very welcome. We will keep an eye on it and seek statements and a debate when it is announced.

Senator O'Loughlin spoke about the national greening we normally enjoy on St. Patrick's Day and how it is very apt and appropriate that it is being changed to reflect the situation in Ukraine. She also spoke about the continuing problem with birth registrations. I will send a letter to the Minister. She described how emergency tax affects people and questions the logic of it. There is probably no logic to it.

I ask the Leas-Chathaoirleach to indulge me before I finish. I want to make a contribution today as Leader of the Seanad. I wish a wonderful lady, one of our very first woman Deputies, Brigid Hogan-O'Higgins, a happy 90th birthday. She is a former Fine Gael Deputy. She was first elected to the Dáil in the 1957 general election at the very young age of 24. Shane Dolphin who works with me tells me she was not even allowed into the bar or the canteen at the time to get a cup of tea because she was a woman. A man had to go in and get them for her. There were toilets in the vicinity of Dáil Éireann that women were not allowed to use so she used to have to go to Buswells Hotel to use the toilets. When we speak about giants of women going before us and opening the doors she definitely is one.

Brigid Hogan-O'Higgins's father was Patrick Hogan. He was one of the first Ministers for Agriculture we had in the Free State. Brigid was a ferocious constituency worker. Her husband was also a Deputy and they were the first married couple in Dáil Éireann. I was regaled with a tale last week whereby he lost his seat and subsequently became the Seanad Leader. He was appointed to the Seanad by the then Taoiseach. Because she was a ferocious constituency worker, Brigid Hogan-O'Higgins blamed her husband's lack of constituency work for the loss of his seat. Perhaps I can concur with that.

Brigid Hogan-O'Higgins's main priorities were agriculture and education. She was on Liam Cosgrave's Opposition benches as a spokesperson for posts and telegraphs. She is the only surviving member of the Sixteenth Dáil. She really is one of those women who broke the glass ceiling long before we were even twinkles in our parents' eyes. I wish Brigid Hogan-O'Higgins a very happy birthday and continued health and happiness for what I hope will be many years ahead.