Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Dé a beatha chuig an Aire Stáit. Tá mé chomh sásta go bhfuil an seal agam labhairt ar son na reachtaíochta tábhachtaí seo ar an mbeach meala dúchasaí Éireannaí. The Minister of State is very welcome to today's debate on this important legislation. I am very proud and privileged along with my colleague, Senator Boylan, to be able to support the Bill. I am very keen to see it progress through these houses speedily, efficiently and, most important, effectively in terms of outcomes. It is amazing what this issue can galvanise among people. Our guests are very welcome to the Public Gallery.

I put a tweet up having met with some of our guests out the front. We know that a load of pinging on Twitter is not always good but it was instantly very good, warm and supportive today. People spoke about their own experiences supporting projects to protect our indigenous bees. I was invited up to see a mural which included the native Irish honeybees at Ardoyne Kickhams GAC. It is on the grounds of Bunscoil Mhic Reachtain. I texted my colleague, Francie Molloy, who is the MP for mid-Ulster. Mr. Molloy is a long-time beekeeper which many people may not know. Much like other speakers, I am by no means an expert in this field and I had to explain this over and again to the people with whom I enjoyed speaking to out the front. I asked Mr. Molloy for an idiot's guide to this because that is what is required. He texted back to say that native Irish bees are much calmer and easier to work with and that protection is important, as bees being imported brings the risk of infection which can wipe out the colony and that local honey is good for one's health.