Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail)

We started today with Senator Rabbitte, who spoke about Portumna Forest Park, which is a beautiful place, in the context of Storm Éowyn. She acknowledged the good work done by Coillte in the clean-up after the storm. There is, however, still debris with fallen trees. From a safety point of view, it is important they be removed. The Senator was right to say that is the case across the country. Priority should be given to such issues. We are lucky to have those beautiful recreational trails and it is important that we encourage people to use them and ensure they are safe to use.

The Senator raised a larger point about Portumna Forest Park and consultation on Coillte's plans to have a type of tourist and leisure facility in the centre of the park. She said there is a lot of local concern around that proposal and made the relevant point that while there are toilets there, they have been closed for the past three years. We need to do better and improve facilities for the local people who like to use Portumna Forest Park and other parks around the country. The Senator was right to say that we need to have a debate in this House about the strategy for all of our forests and forest walks. I take great pleasure from forest walks in Kildare. We will look for the Minister to come to the House for a debate.

Senator Ahearn spoke about opening new world markets and the need to have direct flights. He is one of the lucky ones who got over to Expo 2025 in Tokyo. I believe it was an informative expo and busy delegation. I talked to Senator Fitzpatrick about it. I know that the members of two committees went at the same time. It is important work. It was important that new embassy opened during the summer. The Senator was right to say that we need to build and develop that relationship. We absolutely should look for new routes. We will bring that message forward and look for a debate with the Minister for Transport.

Senator Boyhan spoke about the excellent work of the Parliamentary Budget Office. He is correct. It is important that we have an independent body to conduct analysis. I have not had the change yet to visit the stand but I look forward to doing so. It is important. I know we will have a debate on the budget later but significant moneys have been given for electoral reform. That is important. There is funding for the local democracy task force. The Senator was right to say that we need a debate in this House on the issue and we will look for such a debate. We will also look for a briefing note on the specifics of the budget. We often see the headline item but do not know what is behind it so it is important that we get a briefing note. We will look for that and share it.

Senator Collins spoke about public transport in Limerick. In one case, there is a 52-seater bus with 70 to 80 people waiting to board, and there is not another bus for two hours. That is wrong and absolutely needs to be alleviated. We cannot leave people behind. In this case, that includes students and people who are working in the college. It is about capacity. I sometimes find that Local Link, which offers an excellent service, can step in and help, particularly when there is a small overflow. We will raise the matter with the Minister for Transport.

Senator Paul Daly spoke about the issue of avian flu. I can appreciate how I would feel if I was in the business. As the Senator put it, there is one just pay day, at Christmas. At this point, when it is just over two months away, these worries are concerning. We must all be vigilant and the Senator is right to raise awareness of it. We need to report if we see anything unusual in backyard flocks - my mother has hens - or if we see dead birds on the road or wherever else. We need to report those things and to stay vigilant. It is an issue of biosecurity.

Senator Scahill spoke about Storm Amy. He wanted to acknowledge the staff of the local authorities and the ESB, and rightly so. Those people worked for 24 hours to try to get everything back. I thank the Senator for acknowledging them. We join with him in that. He went on to note that over 72,000 young people are getting their junior certificate results today. We certainly wish them all well and hope they enjoy safe and happy celebrations tonight.

Senator Craughwell spoke about the Defence Forces and money available through the EU SAFE fund to bring the military up to speed. I cannot say why Ireland did not apply for those funds. We will seek a debate because we need to be alert to all issues relating to security, particularly in the sky. We are learning a little more about cybersecurity.

The Senator also spoke about the EU Presidency and the need for oversight of the security preparations. That is not something we should be going into in an open forum such as this. From a security point of view, there are going to be security operations that absolutely need to be kept private and secret. We all understand that. On the wider aspect, we should look for a debate.

Senator Flaherty raised an interesting point and was correct to raise it. From what I understand, these actions normally come about on the basis of knowledge that there is going to be a protest. Last year, we saw rough protests and situations where people, both Members and staff, were impacted and that was wrong. It was disconcerting to see not just yesterday but over recent days the amount of money that has been spent on barriers and barricades. The gardaí around Leinster House are always courteous and I express our thanks and gratitude to them. However, we have to ask whether it is a good use of resources. The Senator asked the pertinent question as to whether the Garda or the management of the House took the decision. I would imagine it was a joint decision of the two. He is right to raise the issue. We should ask for the issue to be raised at both the Business Committee and the commission. We will ask for that from here. We pride ourselves on Leinster House being a house for the people. They can come in and view what is going on. In olden days, when I was a young one who was interested in politics, I used to come to Leinster House on budget day. I thought it sad to see so few people here yesterday, no matter what that budget was going to include. It is a big part of the parliamentary process. We need to give access to people. TDs had access for only one guest and Senators had none. That needs to be reviewed and changed.

Senator Tully spoke about survivors of industrial schools. We all share concerns about their health and welfare. Senator Boyhan raised the issue last week. I understand there was some engagement with the Minister, Deputy McEntee. It is concerning that the hunger strike has been going on for quite a period now. It started on 21 September.We have to be very concerned for those who are there. I know it is about priority on the housing list and enhanced medical card supports. As an individual, I believe it is something we should be working on but, from the Seanad, we will support engagement to come to a collaborative decision to ensure that those who are on hunger strike come off it because we are all concerned about them. We will look for the Minister to come to the House in that regard.

Senator Brady spoke about the farming community and the record prices for cattle. He spoke about a heifer that went for over €15,000. That is gobsmacking. That is a concern and he is right to flag the fact that farmers need to show caution. We cannot just throw money around. We have seen that happen in relation to property. Who is to say the same would not happen with livestock?

Senator Clonan spoke about the budget and disability supports. We will be having a discussion on the budget later on. I assume the Senator will speak about the matter at that time. I appreciate the anxiety and stress of family members. I also appreciate how a parent can be concerned about a sibling, particularly when there is only two in the family and the other sibling gets stressed and worried. Like the Senator, I know families in that situation. I totally understand it. While we will not get into a full discussion on the budget, I do want to acknowledge in a small way the significant expansion of funding for residential and respite care put in place yesterday. That is very important. When people with disabilities contact me, this is one of the biggest issues they raise. It is something I have brought up constantly. Day services are also to be expanded for those leaving school. Those two particular initiatives are really important. We need to keep going further but we are on the right track. We will certainly look for a debate on the matter.

Senator Maria Byrne highlighted three areas of the budget. One was supports for tillage farmers, whom we spoke about at length last week. The second was apprenticeships. The biggest issue we are dealing with in terms of apprenticeships is parity of esteem. Young people can earn as they learn and that is every bit as good as or, at times, even better than going straight into university. She also raised support for carers. It is great to see the income disregard rising to €1,000 for single people and €2,000 for couples. Over the lifetime of this Government, we will remove the means test entirely but the first steps are very good.

That is the end of my response to the Order of Business.