Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the announcement about the community centres. For too long, community centres have struggled. They play a vital role in our community as hubs for people to gather, social areas for people to hang out in and places for young people to play sport.They have struggled, particularly during the pandemic, to keep their centres heated and maintained. The announcement by the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, of a small grant will go a long way towards helping community centres.

We should acknowledge the work done by the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Burke, in ensuring that all households benefit from the credit scheme.

I am concerned, as some people in health settings who are entitled to get the €1,000 pandemic bonus payment still have not received it. The payment was committed to in early January. We need to draw a line in the sand and the payments need to be made before the end of the year. It is farcical that the State cannot pay in a timely manner the €1,000 to everyone who is entitled to it. That is regrettable and I would like to see it addressed.

Seanad Éireann, under the Cathaoirleach's leadership, is doing a wonderful job commemorating Seanad 100. The events and the recognition of minority voices within the Seanad are welcome. Seanad 100 should spur an interest and a debate in the House on the future of the teaching of history. A number of years ago, history was threatened as a core subject on the junior certificate curriculum. Thankfully, that idea was reversed and the threat was removed. We need a long-term strategy for the teaching of history and its place within the structure of education. How can we move forward with positivity unless our young people understand their past?