Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail)

I propose an amendment to the Order of Business, that No. 9 be taken before No.1. The Protection of Retail Workers Bill 2025 seeks to provide protection to people working on the front line of retail. There are more than 300,000 people working in retail throughout the country, in every town and village. We buy our milk and newspapers from them. They are essential in all of our communities. Unfortunately, far too many retail workers are going to work every day and night in fear of being assaulted, be that verbally or physically or through threats to their lives and their livelihoods. These assaults can be in the form of verbal assaults, casual sexism, casual racism, aggressive behaviour, physical assaults or more grievous bodily harm. I hope we can debate this Bill tomorrow in the House. With the Leader’s permission, I ask Senator Alison Comyn to second the proposal to take No. 9 before No. 1.