Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I have no problem there, a Leas-Chathaoirligh. I take the point. It is a difficult one to get 100% correct.

Senator Malcolm Byrne raised the issue of the boil water notice in Wexford town. There was 11 days of a boil water notice there. I recall that the Senator raised the issue in respect of Gorey last year in that E. coli situation. It is no secret that Irish Water is in need of additional funding. It is certainly worthwhile to have a debate on its role and the work it needs to do. We will request through the Minister's office to get that at the earliest opportunity.

The Senator also requested a debate on the implications flowing from the Ukrainian situation for education and higher education. I have put that request in today as well and will seek it at the earliest opportunity. We will probably split the debate in two between education and higher education and request both Ministers to come in and answer the questions the Senator raised. The situation will test our education system at all levels; there is no doubt about it. I cannot answer the question about the Ukrainian students currently here or Irish students abroad. Logic would dictate that if there are Ukrainian students here, they should be treated the same. If there are new rules, they should apply to all. That would be my view.

Senator Paddy Burke raised the issue of the wind farm in Galway and said that the ESB should pay the fines totalling approximately €17 million. I suggest that it might be worthwhile putting in a Commencement matter on that issue as it is quite a specific and niche question.

Senator Boylan raised the issue of blood donation and the lack of a public awareness campaign as changes are coming in on 28 March. She suggested that it has been handled as a low-key change. I am aware of it but perhaps that is due to being in the Oireachtas. Maybe there is a different level of awareness. I am not really sure. Certainly if there is a shortage we should be publicising that the system is now more open in terms of people donating. I tend to pass out when I give blood so it is something I cannot do as easily as others. We should not have to be importing blood if we can increase our supply here, which would be good for everybody. It is absolutely a worthwhile suggestion.

Senator Cassells spoke about the likelihood that Ireland along with the UK will host the European football championships.I will not pretend to have vast knowledge of this whole area but I do think it would be a fantastic event for us to host. I am not aware of the particular issue around Hill 16. That was news to me this morning but it would probably be worth tabling a Commencement Matter on it because it is quite a specific issue. Regardless of people's views on different sporting events, Hill 16 probably means something to everybody in the country. It is a famous terrace and I would hate to see a change made that was not logical or reasonable. What the Senator said was certainly news to me but it was very interesting and would be worth raising directly with the Minister as a Commencement Matter.

Senator Carrigy spoke about July provision and put on the record of the House that the money allocated last year was not spent. This has been an ongoing issue that has been raised almost every year. Resources are available but, for some reason, schools are not availing of them and at the end of the day, students lose out. Reform of that system is long overdue. If resources are available, they should be spent and children should be prioritised. If there is a reason schools are not taking up that offer, it needs to be identified and addressed. It would be worth raising this matter with the Minister for Education - perhaps through a Commencement Matter. Again, it is quite a specific issue. Doing so would be quite timely as we are heading into that period. I concur with the Senator's remarks on the need to exercise a degree of cop-on when it comes to how we deal with younger children who often have sniffly noses. However, this should not be conflated with having Covid. A balance must be struck because children must get their education. We cannot be overzealous in how we apply those rules and must ensure children can get to school within reason. I hope most schools are doing their best in that regard. I take on board the serious issue raised by the Senator. If children are being consistently told to stay at home, it is not an acceptable position.

Senator Conway spoke about the Ukrainian refugees and what everyone in Clare is doing. He spoke about the numbers coming to his county and the fantastic response from all the agencies there.

Senator Dolan spoke about the St. Patrick's Day parades. I concur with her remarks. I was also quite impressed with what people pulled together essentially in the space of two months. Normally they would plan a St. Patrick's Day parade a few weeks after the previous one. They only got the green light in January so hats off to all the parade committees across the country that managed to pull those parades together, get schoolchildren involved and get floats out and costumes made. It was really impressive. I walked in the parade in my home town of Castlebar and we had the largest crowd I have seen at a parade in years. It was phenomenal. For lots of younger children, it was the first parade they could remember going to so it was really important for the community. They did a great job at such short notice and it is worth acknowledging that.

Senator Lombard spoke about the discussions at Cabinet on the food ombudsman. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine is working very hard on this issue. The appointment of a food ombudsman has been sought by farming organisations for many years. I think we will all agree that farmers should be paid a fair price for their produce and that the push for cheaper and cheaper food all of the time, which benefits consumers, can be very damaging to agriculture and the farming sector so we must strike the right balance, which is where the ombudsman comes in. The Senator posed questions about whether it is being watered down or whether it will have teeth. We have to trust that the Minister is listening to the farming organisations, and I know he is, and see what is produced in terms of legislation. We will judge the legislation when we have it in front of us. We cannot pre-empt what might come through those discussions.

Senator Currie finished the Order of Business by concurring with the remarks regarding David Hill and referring to Limestone United in Belfast playing-----