Vincent P Martin (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Is lá speisialta dúinn é inniu toisc go bhfuilimid ag cur fáilte roimh Sheanadóir nua inár measc, an Seanadóir Malachai O'Hara. Cuirim fáilte roimh an Seanadóir, Ultach ó chathair álainn Bhéal Feirste agus ceannaire an Chomhaontas Glas sa Tuaisceart. Baineann an Comhaontas Glas, mo pháirtí féin, le timpeallacht an oileáin ar fad, beag beann ar aon teorainn fhisiciúil.

I seek leave of the House to introduce and take No. 12 on the Order of Business before No. 1. I will set out the reasons. No. 12 is a Bill entitled the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Formaldehyde) Bill 2024. I kindly thank the many Senators who co-sponsored it. There needs to be greater oversight of the use and disposal of formaldehyde to ensure improved protection of both human and environmental health. My Bill proposes to establish a code of practice governing the safe use and disposal of formaldehyde with particular reference to embalming.

It is appropriate on the day that we welcome a new Senator that there should be an all-Ireland approach to formaldehyde. I would like to see that, just as I would like to see an all-island environmental approach to protecting the native Irish honey bee and tackling the scourge of water pollution. I would like all of us to get behind an all-island transport strategy. I look forward to working with Senator O'Hara on this Bill and I thank him for being one of its co-sponsors.