Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I join others in acknowledging the enormous work of Senator Conway. I also acknowledge Breege, who is not here now. They really are a double act. Anyone who knows them or who has met them will know of their enormous commitment to a range of charitable deeds but particularly to the National Council of the Blind in which they are directly involved. Senator Conway has done a considerable amount of work there. For many years I was a director of the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind. I am still very active in that charity. It is important that we acknowledge their work and how he has constructively used his role in this Seanad to advocate for that.

We all have our own experiences of advocacy. I am hearing about redress for buildings and redress for everybody else. However, I am not hearing about too much about the compensation and redress for children in State institutions. I am not going to rehearse all of what I have to say, but I hope we conclude our business today. This is the longest day of the year, but it is perhaps the last opportunity for this legislation. I hope people will come to this House tonight, engage in a meaningful way and contribute to the debate. I have no doubt that there will be a number of votes. I hope we will be able to bring this Bill to a conclusion tonight. I am now indicating to the House that I will be calling for votes and a walk-through vote on the Bill. I am putting people on notice. They should not come and suggest they do not know what will happen. I am giving notice of votes tonight, including walk-through votes on this legislation.

I ask the Leader for a debate on local government finance. I had the pleasure of spending Monday morning at Galway County Council's annual general meeting and engaged with its 39 councillors. The message from the newly elected cathaoirleach of that council, the Fine Gael Councillor Liam Carroll and the leas-chathaoirleach, Councillor Evelyn Parsons, and all the members there is that they want funding for local government. Let us not waste too much time talking about local government reform if we do not address the issue. I wish those two individuals well on Galway County Council. I finish on this point. We need to remember that it was Seanad Éireann that saved Galway County Council. The lower House had suggested that it would be abolished and merged with Galway City Council. We have done good work in that regard. I wish those individuals well in their term of office over the next 12 months.