Lorraine Clifford-Lee (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Congratulations to the Leas-Chathaoirleach on her election. I had the great fortune of knowing Tras Honan. She was a mighty woman and it is fantastic that we have one of her successors among us. I know the Senator's rate of work and how fair and dedicated she is to the job. I look forward to working with her. It is a testament to her tenacity and hard work over the years that she is in this position. I hope she enjoys today as it is a big day for her.

The Minister is very welcome on his first visit to the Seanad as Minister for Justice. He has hit the ground running and we in Fianna Fáil are very proud of the pace of work he has set for himself and the confidence he is instilling within his office. People feel he is on their side. As somebody who is out and about in my constituency talking to people, it is really good that they know there are more gardaí being recruited. There is a lot of work there and we know the Minister is going to do a very good job. I look forward to working with him. He has considerable experience as a Dublin city councillor and as a TD as well as from his professional background as a lawyer. The Minister is very well equipped for this job and no doubt many challenges lie ahead.

This is one of the easier matters for the Minister to come to the House with because we all agree it is very worthwhile. It might be politically difficult in other quarters down the line but we can all see the benefits to our opting into this scheme. Even though it does not have a material difference on the face of it, as the Minister outlined, there are risks involved if we are not at the negotiating table. There is a risk our common travel area with the UK, which we know is very important, could be undermined. I am fully supportive of this and I think most parties will be too.

The avenues for young people to embark on exchanges, to work and to learn about each other have been considerably narrowed since Brexit. If we look back to the origins of the EU, the reason it was established was to create better understanding, co-operation and to avoid war. In the very difficult times we are living in, anything that can help promote peace, prosperity, understanding, cultural exchange or education can only be welcomed. I am very happy to speak on behalf of the Fianna Fáil group and I fully support this motion.