Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Senator Boylan spoke about it being World Animal Day and about the issue of dog welfare, as the Senator often does. I want to put on the record that I fully share the Senator's concerns about dog welfare. She rightly pointed out that people took in pets during the Covid-19 period that maybe in hindsight they could not manage when they went back to work or back to the office. That is posing a challenge. She mentioned Madra and Dog's Trust. These are fantastic organisations that do great work. The numbers mentioned, such as the 95% increase in the number of dogs going into pounds, are a concern. The message we should always try to put out is, where you can, if you are looking to get a pet, try to adopt a pet. That is one of the things we can do to try to reduce those numbers going in. Perhaps something could be looked at. The dog charities and pounds that are working in this space are very limited in both resources and time. They probably do not have the time or capacity to run campaigns to try to encourage people to adopt a dog. Maybe that is something the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine can look at to try to assist in that regard. I note the Senator's comments on the restrictions for renters in having a pet in the property. The landlord will say they have had a bad experience where a pet did damage to the property. A happy medium must be found so that people can be allowed to have a pet in their home. Whether you are a renter or a homeowner, it is still your home and you should have the same flexibility and rights as anybody else. There is work to be done there to try to address those numbers.

Senator Joe O'Reilly spoke about the Naval Service and the resourcing issues there. He mentioned recruitment and retention. I recall when I was an Opposition spokesperson for defence back in 2016, we were talking about recruitment and retention in the Defence Forces. This is a decade-long problem we are starting to address. There are challenges in our Defence Forces that have been well acknowledged by the Government, but we are starting to turn that tide. There is an acknowledgement by the Department of Defence and the Minister that our Naval Service needs additional resourcing. That will involve increasing our defence budget, which I think is something the citizens of this country are quite happy for us to do in light of recent events.

Senator Malcolm Byrne said we are approaching 600 days of the war in Ukraine and Russia's illegal invasion, which is a remarkable and unfortunate milestone to be reaching. He wants a debate on the war in Ukraine and, in particular, on Ireland's unwavering support. He mentioned also the significant sanctions that have been placed on Russia and Russian businesses. He also called out those companies that are trying to skirt those sanctions and are still trading in Russia and which need to be boycotted and called out.

Senator Fitzpatrick seconded Senator O'Loughlin's amendment and spoke about the importance of the domestic violence register for protecting future victims.

Senator Gavan spoke about the legacy Bill, and we all concur with his remarks. It is the stated position of the Irish Government that it is not in support of the British legacy Bill and condemns every aspect of it. It is considering what actions to take on that. It is rare you will find all political parties and politicians on the island united on an issue, but this is one of those rare occasions because that Bill is an affront to victims, their families and the peace and reconciliation process that has been under way in the North for many years. It does great damage to that. I have no doubt the message will be delivered quite strongly to Lord Caine and his team, as well as to members of the House of Commons, about the long-term damage they are doing, not just to victims but also to their international relations and to their relationship with this country, which is important to both islands. That involves both islands and both Governments playing their part to maintain and protect that relationship. Well spoken, Senator Gavan, and I am sure we all concur with the remarks you made. Senator McGahon raised the potential for a tax scheme for shared mobility. I do not have the details of the scheme but it sounds very positive, almost like an extension of the back-to-work scheme to other modes of green transport. It should certainly be explored. I suggest that it be raised as a Commencement matter. It would certainly be appropriate for a Commencement debate and it might be worth discussing with the Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan. The proposal is probably too late for this year's budget but there could certainly be time to develop a scheme in advance of next year's budget, which would be very appropriate. It is a good idea and it is progressive and seeks to get people out of their cars, which is ultimately what we want to do.

Senator Paddy Burke spoke about chargers for tools. Again, this is a very practical suggestion. It would need to be tackled at European level. Perhaps the Department of the Environment, Local Government and Heritage could take it up at that level, as could our MEPs. It would certainly save money. The transformation associated with mobile phones has been very convenient for customers, but has also facilitated cost saving. It is in the interest of the consumer to do as proposed. It is a very good suggestion that would bring down the cost for people working in the construction industry and individual tradespeople.

Senator McGreehan spoke very passionately and strongly about the need for a strong agricultural budget in next week's budget. In particular, she honed in on the sheep sector, which she addresses very often in the Chamber. I am aware that the farming organisations are seeking a significant increase under the sheep welfare scheme, the current figure being €12 or €13. It will need to see a significant increase. As somebody from a part of the country where sheep farming is a big part of the agriculture sector and local economy, I believe it is vital that the sheep sector be supported. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine is keenly aware of this because he too is from a part of the country where sheep farming is a big part of the agricultural space and landscape. I am aware that he is working with his Department on this. In the next few days, meetings will intensify, and every Minister is getting his or her speak in with the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform and the Minister for Finance. While some details of the budget have been leaked, ensuring plenty of work for journalists, there are some aspects of the budget that I hope will be left until next Tuesday in order that we can have a budget day as we normally have had. The Minister is keen to address the issue.

Senator Maria Byrne spoke about the Road Safety Authority and legislation on e-scooters. In the last term, Deputy John Lahart published some legislation in this area because the issue was big in Dublin, or it was starting to become an issue, but it is now countrywide. E-scooters are the chosen mode of transport for many people but they are unregulated and very often used in an unsafe way. They result in safety and nuisance issues for elderly people who want to use the footpaths without being run over by them. The legislation is very welcome and catches up with where people in this country are already at in their transport choices. It is good to see that there are finally some regulations and rules on how to use e-scooters.