Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Senator Dooley kicked off the Order of Business by speaking about the University of Limerick and the lack of clarity regarding the appointment of a chancellor there. I might suggest that he table a Commencement matter on that. It is quite a specific question, and I do not have full details of the circumstances as to why that appointment has not been made. I take on board the Senator's comments.

Senator Keogan referred to higher education and requested that the Minister come before the House. I will make the request for the debate. I cannot answer the questions she has posed. It really is a matter for the Minister as regards the funding of higher education institutions and the requirement to meet certain criteria from that particular non-governmental organisation. We will certainly request the debate and make the Minister aware of the topic the Senator has raised.

Senators Gavan and Sherlock raised the issue of Gaza. In the aftermath of the horrific attack by Hamas on innocent Israeli civilians, the budget was introduced on Tuesday last. For politicians, budget day is a big day in the political calendar. I was really struck by the fact that Israel and Gaza, not the budget, was the top issue raised by every person in this House. It goes to show how gripped and affected Irish people are by this issue. It is on the front pages of all the newspapers for the past ten days now. Even in this House, everybody will be aware that we are circulating motions, with different groups and parties trying to find a way to get our voices heard and get our views on the record. We will have a debate in the House on Thursday with the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs on the issue. For the most part, I think everybody is on the same page regarding the issue. We have always have a strong connection as a country with the Palestinian people.

In saying that, however, it would be wrong and immoral to simply brush over or move on too quickly from what happened in Israel on that Saturday and the brutality of that attack. It is difficult to imagine how a human being could inflict the harm that those soldiers or, in my view, terrorists, inflicted on children, babies and older people. It is difficult to imagine how somebody could perpetrate those actions. It was absolutely barbaric and sent shock waves right across the globe. There is huge solidarity and sympathy with the people of Israel on foot of that attack.

Our attention now turns to the retaliation, what looks like collective punishment and the blockade of aid into Gaza, which is also wrong and is not going to bring about a resolution. Senator Gavan spoke about President Biden's visit to Israel in a very negative light. I would take a different view of the matter. My understanding is that the US President intervened to ensure that water supplies were turned on for a period. It is my understanding that Western leaders are doing everything they can through diplomatic channels to try to get Israel to act within international law, respect the Geneva Convention and ensure that civilians are protected. People are doing their best, and also acknowledging that Israel has a right to defend itself. As we know, the position and stated objective of Hamas, which is a terrorist organisation, is to wipe Israel off the map. It is very difficult to see how one could negotiate with that particular terrorist organisation. Many Members over the course of last week and this have made the point that Hamas is not the Palestinian people. The suggestion that they would have a democratic mandate is long out of date. They have not been to the polls since 2005 at least. It is not a functioning democracy as we would understand it. It is an extremely complicated position. We will have a chance on Thursday to really articulate that position. Senator Sherlock referred to the strike by workers in section 39 organisations that was averted in the early hours of this morning. I commend the unions and the Government on getting that deal done and the workers on bringing the issue forward. Equal pay for equal work is something for which we all stand. Among service users, there is widespread relief across the country that there will be no strike action today. The relevant services are vital to people in being able to get out of bed, live their lives and function day to day. Credit is due to all sides, with people working through the night to get the deal done and avert strike action today. It is a positive, good news story that the strike was called off right across the country.

Senator Flynn raised an issue relating to Travellers and education. I did not know she raised the same issue last week. I cannot answer regarding a response to her letter to the Minister but I am sure the latter is working on getting back to the Senator. I do not see there being a difficulty with having a meeting on that issue. The Oireachtas committee is dealing with the same topic. The Senator's comments are always well considered and, on this issue, she comes from a position of having lived it. She is representing her community. There is a long way to go in ensuring the education system is working for all our children. That certainly does not happen in all aspects, not just for the Traveller community but also in deprived areas. We have a way to go to ensure there is true equality.

Senator Sherlock asked for a debate on health. There has been a lot of conversation around the provisions for health in the budget announced last Tuesday. An additional €2 billion was allocated but that seems to get brushed over to a certain extent. We must acknowledge the challenges arising from the inflation that is putting up the cost of everything. Every Minister was looking for funding for his or her Department. The waiting list action, which was a critical request from the Minister for Health, will be funded. It will work to take pressure off emergency departments, which is a clear priority for the Department. Inflation is greater in healthcare than in other areas. That significant inflation is putting huge pressure on resources. There have been suggestions that the health budget was cut. That is not the case; more money was put into health. The issue is that just trying to stand still and maintain existing levels of service is a challenge. It would be a challenge for any government of the day. There must be an acknowledgement that huge money is going into health. That does not mean there are no challenges. It is also worth acknowledging that Ireland has the highest life expectancy of any member state in the EU. That is something of which to be proud. We have made huge strides and advancements over the past couple of decades in outcomes for patients from the main killers, that is, cancer, stroke, cardiac disease and diabetes. We are living better and longer. I acknowledge the challenges but there also are lots of good things happening in healthcare. In particular, there has been a focus on and funding for women's healthcare during this Government's term, with various brand-new initiatives we had not seen before, including the establishment of menopause clinics and endometriosis clinics. There is good news. It is not all negative but I take on board the points raised by Senator Sherlock.

Senator O'Loughlin referred to the email we all received from an 11-year-old Irish boy living in Portugal. Sometimes, seeing things through the eyes of a child gives us a good perspective on the world. One would wonder how we get things so wrong as we move on in life. She also acknowledged the section 39 workers and the strike action that was averted today, to which I referred.

Senator Craughwell spoke about marine pilots and the need to keep that issue on the agenda. Notwithstanding the small number of people affected, it is an important topic.

To end on a positive note, Senator Maria Byrne spoke about the Irish rugby team. I concur with her remarks and thank the team for the memories and the fantastic excitement the players gave us through the World Cup campaign. They were a joy to watch. Even people who are not that interested in rugby generally tuned in to watch the lads competing in France. They did us very proud. The final match was a fantastic game in a very competitive World Cup. The players who will not be togging out again for Ireland because they are retiring should be immensely proud. In particular, the captain, Johnny Sexton, has been a fantastic leader, sportsman and family man.