Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fail)
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The Order of Business is No. 1, motion regarding extension of period of operation of sections 1 to 7 and 9 of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2021 to be taken on the conclusion of the Order of Business, without debate.

Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail)
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I am conscious that today we are marking nine months since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. We will shortly be joined by the Ukrainian ambassador, H.E. Larysa Garasko, and that a motion around the Ukrainian man-made famine and genocide will be moved in this House. I strongly support this motion. Ireland's strong support for Ukraine continues to be evident. This is a very difficult period for that country but we must continue to hold to account the dictatorships in place in both Russia and Belarus.

Yesterday, I was glad that the European Parliament decreed by an overwhelming majority that Russia was a terrorist state. I am glad the majority of Irish MEPs voted in favour of the motion. Even MEP Luke 'Ming' Flanagan, who would normally be questionable in terms of his stance, supported it. Unsurprisingly, there were two MEPs who again supported the Putin regime. Sinn Féin failed to turn up, but given Sinn Féin's continuous record in the European Parliament in support of Russia, that it not a surprise.

Yesterday, a cyberattack took place on the operations of the European Parliament. This emanated from Russia. We had a very useful debate around Ireland's security strategy last night. The continuing threat of state-sponsored cyberattacks is something I have spoken about previously and I think that we are not taking it sufficiently seriously. We need to continue to up our game and our cyber defences. The fact the European Parliament's web system was attacked last night shows how vulnerable democratic institutions are in these circumstances.

I would also like to raise the ongoing challenges we are facing as a result of climate change. Yet again, we are seeing in Wexford and in other parts of the country, some appalling weather conditions. This morning we saw flooding and weather events that only happened every few years or even once in a generation. Now they are happening with increased regularity. We agreed in this House that we would look at having a debate or statement on different aspects of climate change almost every week. I would ask that the Deputy Leader would ensure in the schedule for the new year that we do not just debate the issues but look at the potential solutions.

Gerard Craughwell (Independent)
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I rise today to propose a motion that Seanad Éireann recognises the Holodomor - inflicting death by starvation - of 1932 to 1933 as a genocide on the Ukrainian people and that its 90th anniversary, which will fall on 26 November 2022, we show our solidarity with Ukraine in commemorating this man-made famine, which was inflicted on the Ukrainian people by the deliberate policies of a totalitarian Stalinist regime, which resulted in millions of innocent lives being lost. I want to recognise the ambassador of Ukraine, who is currently in the Distinguished Visitors’ Gallery.

There is a background statement to this, which will be made available to people later. One of the paragraphs is horrific and states:

At the height of Holodomor, Ukrainians died at a rate of 25,000 per day, nearly a quarter of rural Ukrainians perished, more than 3 million children born in 1932 and 1933 died of starvation. [Remember that this was inflicted on the people.] In the same two years, the Soviet Union sold 1.7 million tons of grain on western markets.

These deaths were planned. It was the murder of so many people. We should hold today that we stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine in remembering this issue.

Over the past day or two, I have spoken about the Irish Coast Guard. Yesterday, I spoke about the issue of lifejackets and the day before I spoke about the failure to have an inquest into Caitríona Lucas’s death. The Coast Guard has been without a director for a considerable time now. There are massive issues with respect to the way volunteers have been treated in that organisation. There are outstanding grievances that have never been heard. To my mind,and from my point of view, the organisation appears to be toxic. I ask the Deputy Leader to bring the Minister before this House for a debate on the Irish Coast Guard and where exactly it is going. Volunteers put themselves forward to this organisation. They give of their time freely and to have senior members of the Coast Guard arriving at their house to tell them that they are fired is simply not good enough. I am therefore asking for a debate on that.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Before calling on the Minister of State, Senator Hackett, I wish to clarify that Senator Craughwell intends to propose an amendment to the Order of Business, that No. 122, motion No. 5, be taken before No. 1.

Gerard Craughwell (Independent)
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Yes.

Pippa Hackett (Green Party)
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Tomorrow, we will shop. In fact, such is the pull of black Friday for Irish consumers that AIB recently suggested that over the next few days, we will shop at the rate of €18,000 per minute. I am planning to speak here for three minutes, and I will let you do the calculations yourselves. What is this draw to shopping? One theory is that our new purchase lifts our mood because it gives us a brief sense of control over our environment. Yet, it is brief, is it not? This is not least because much of the time, many of us are now not only balancing whether we can afford it financially but also are balancing whether we can afford it environmentally. Tomorrow will be the last in my seasonal tour of small business owners across Laois and Offaly and it has been a real pleasure to meet people like Danielle at Naturally at the Wrens Nest, Declan McCraith, woodturner, and all the other makers, bakers, artists and artisans in between. Across the board, they have been champions of local. They have been thankful for their customers and they are passionate about what they do. Every euro that is spent locally can multiply to €2.50 in the local economy, whereas €1 spent online with an overseas retailer has next to no impact on your local economy. Tomorrow, if you do choose to shop, shop locally for Irish-made products and Irish-made food. It is even better if they are made in the locality. Shop for gift vouchers for local venues or workshops. Shop where money brings meaningful employment and pride to a local producer. Shop where you can afford to shop. Shop second hand for products that are pre-loved and are new to you. Items that are kept in use or that are repurposed for new use have a much lower carbon footprint. We are currently transitioning to a circular economy and away from our traditional take, make, use and dispose linear one. We must do so as we come to terms with living on a planet with finite resources. Shop happily and mindfully. Open your hearts to the experience. Chat with the retailers and producers. Hear their stories. Hear what your purchase means from them, because that is where the endorphins will really flow, namely, with that human connection. Shop slowly, feel the fabric and smell the handmade soaps. Use it our lose it is the motto of this year’s green Friday campaign. If we, the consumers, do not play our part, we will lose those local businesses and the employment they sustain.

Check your local chambers of commerce. In Laois and Offaly, they are offering gift cards that can be spent in locally-owned shops. On this black Friday, or cyber Monday, or whatever new buzzword title will be next, think about the power that you have in your wallet. The choice on how you spend your money will make all the difference and this year, be that champion of local.

Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein)
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I wish to begin by welcoming the Ukrainian ambassador. I was extremely disappointed to hear Senator Malcolm Byrne use an issue like the horrific invasion of Ukraine to try to score a cheap party-political point. He could have taken one moment before speaking today to check with me or with any of my Sinn Féin colleagues and we would have informed him that our MEP, Chris MacManus, is unwell at the moment and that is why he missed the vote. This issue is surely beyond party politics. He should do better.

Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail)
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For the record-----

Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein)
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The issue I want to raise this morning-----

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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The Senator should be allowed to speak without interruption.

Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein)
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I thank the Cathaoirleach.

The issue I want to raise this afternoon is the Raise the Roof protest, which will take place on Saturday. I urge as many people as possible to come out onto the streets at 1 p.m. on Saturday to call out this Government for its housing failure. It was truly shocking to see the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O’Brien, last week declare that in fact there was no housing emergency. I think that is a statement that will come back to haunt him for some considerable time to come. Perhaps the same Minister might be able to explain why last week in Limerick, a four to five-bedroom house was advertised on Wolfe Tone Street for a rent of €3,250 per month, with the suggestion that perhaps between five and ten people could inhabit the house. I do not know what Government Senators would describe that as, but I would describe it as greed. It is important to also point out the impact that the housing crisis is having on other key areas of our economy. There is a story about the Psychiatric Nurses Association of Ireland, PNA, today in The Irish Timeswhich states that there are 700 staff vacancies. The head of the PNA union makes it very clear that the issue is that a number of their members are emigrating because they cannot afford to live here. He has called for housing supports. I notice that Phil Ní Sheaghdha of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, INMO, wrote to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage two weeks ago again calling for accommodation supports because again, people are voting with their feet and they are leaving. I have asked for figures relating to University Hospital Limerick on the number of vacancies it has at the moment. The hospital has not been able to confirm this to me yet but I note that one maternity ward in Limerick Hospital has already closed because they simply cannot staff it. The extent of the crisis is horrendous and the fact that the Government has an underspend of €500,000 for the first nine months of this year is frankly disgraceful. The fact it has finally admitted it will not meet its affordable or social housing targets this year is simply failure. We must do better and I believe this rally this weekend will be particularly important. I want to salute the trade unions, which have played such an important role in bringing this together.

In the few seconds that I have left, I will take a moment to congratulate Sally Hayden on her award at the Irish Books Awards, which were held last night, for her fantastic book, My Fourth Time, We Drowned,which details the horrors that human beings trying to access Europe have to face. It details in particular with the horrors of the Libyan Coast Guard. The Deputy Leader will know that I have raised the issue of the Libyan Coast Guard on a number of occasions. There is a failure on behalf of the Government to call out the Libyan Coast Guard, which is a bunch of gangsters who are involved in rape, torture, murder and imprisonment. The European Union continues to fund them. When I asked the Minister of State, Deputy Thomas Byrne, at the Council of Europe about it, he had nothing to say. When I asked the Minister of State at the Department of Justice, he had nothing to say. How this Government can be silent in the face of the horrors that human beings are experiencing trying to access Europe is frankly beyond me.

Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail)
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I wish to second the amendment to the Order of Business proposed by my colleague, Senator Craughwell on behalf of everyone who signed the motion that was circulated last week. It is to commemorate the Holodomor, which means in Ukrainian “inflicting death by starvation” on the Ukrainian people, which happened during 1932 and 1933.This was an horrific genocide cast upon the Ukrainian people during those years by the totalitarian Stalinist regime. I was not aware of the genocide until it was brought to my attention by the chairperson of the friendship group here in the Oireachtas, my colleague Deputy Brendan Smith. When I started researching the matter I could not believe that it is not listed as one of the most horrendous genocides remembered throughout the world. Unfortunately, there have been too many genocides down through the generations.

In spite of the horrific circumstances the Ukrainian people are enduring because of the Russian dictatorial Stalinist regime that is in existence at the moment, the Ukrainian people will commemorate next Saturday the 90th anniversary of the genocide perpetrated on their people. I ask the Deputy Leader to accept this motion without debate so that Seanad Éireann can join the many Parliaments throughout the European Union and the world that have commemorated this horrific disaster. They have already passed a motion in support of the commemoration and I ask that this House does the same.

Tim Lombard (Fine Gael)
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I wish to discuss the human tissue Bill. This is legislation that has been talked about for decades. The original report that brought the legislation forward was commissioned by the then Minister for Health, Mary Harney. The legislation has been sought since 2005 or 2006 and there have been false dawns all the way regarding the legislation. I mention in particular the Kelleher family from Cork who have campaigned online for the legislation to be put in place because they experienced a terrible and horrendous situation in which their child's organs were, unfortunately, sent to another country to be disposed of in a very inhumane way. This legislation will guarantee that such carry-on cannot continue. I ask the Deputy Leader to get a timeline from the Minister for Health on when the legislation will be brought forward. It is supposed to be published by the end of the year and we need to have that done.

The other issue I wish to raise is about the driving test centre in Skibbereen, in regard to which the Road Safety Authority has produced figures that prove the waiting list is exceptionally low and this talk of closing the centre is not going to happen. It comes back to this false narrative or false media output by some politicians who will do anything to make a headline or talk down west Cork. This has been a very unfortunate situation. We have seen with Bantry General Hospital over the years and now with the driving test centre where they are playing politics. There has to be a news outlet that makes sure proper information is put out there rather than going on social media with absolute lies, according to what we have heard today. That is something that very much affects how west Cork is going to drive and go forward. We need the Minister for Transport brought before us to clarify the figures and make sure they are appropriate, which they are, because if we continue the way we are going, the false narratives will erode confidence and erode how west Cork and other regions will develop.

Erin McGreehan (Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the Ukrainian ambassador and support the motion that calls on us to remember the Ukrainian atrocity of Holodomor. It is very important we do these things because we are quite possibly walking into a similar atrocity in Ukraine where people have no water, heat or light and they will literally freeze over the winter. It is very important we remember the past and stay strong in the present.

Will the Deputy Leader organise a debate on the UK legacy Bill? It is important this House is strong and very determined in ensuring the British do not continue with this unilateral legislation. The Irish Government must take this issue as far as it can and as far as the European Court of Human Rights, if necessary. It would be very opportune for us in this House to have an opportunity to put on the record how we absolutely detest the fact that murderers could get away with murder. In this country we have an awful legacy of hate and hurt, and the wounds are still wide open. If this Bill is passed, we are rubbing salt into those wounds. None of us could look the victims in the eye ever again if we did not do absolutely everything we can to stop the British Government from passing this absolutely disgusting and rotten Bill.

Maria Byrne (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the announcement by Shannon Airport this morning that two extra routes, one to Porto and one to Naples, will be added to its complement of flights from Shannon Airport, starting in the summer of 2023. That means people can travel to more than 26 destinations from Shannon Airport. I compliment Ms Mary Considine, CEO, and her team on their hard work that has resulted in expanding the offering from Shannon Airport. The airport can be easily accessed and can be got in and out of quite quickly. Again, I compliment all of the team.

The other issue I want to raise is University Hospital Limerick, UHL, and the fact that today it is encouraging people not to go to the hospital unless they are seriously ill. This is an ongoing crisis I keep raising and it is really frightening. Last night, I raised with some of my own colleagues the staff shortages in different areas which is adding to people having to wait longer to be seen. This morning, I tabled a Commencement matter about people having to wait to see GPs. The Government needs do something to widen the services provided by GPs because some people must wait between a week and ten days for an appointment with a GP and then they present at hospitals. The two must happen in tandem. It is frightening to see that the hospital is encouraging people not to come to the hospital unless they are seriously ill. There are smaller injury units in Nenagh, St. John's and Ennis hospitals. I know people are being encouraged to attend these but it is frightening that UHL has had to give the warning today.

Aidan Davitt (Fianna Fail)
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I congratulate the Cathaoirleach on his very successful trip representing our country abroad. He must be praised for his work.

I often avail of the train service from Mullingar to Dublin. It is something that certainly should be upgraded. Mullingar, as we know, is quite a large town. There is a serious upgrade of the line to Maynooth with more services being laid on and a slight follow-on to Enfield in the next while. There is only a single rail line beyond Maynooth to Mullingar, which is a problem for anyone travelling west. Certainly, we should roll out the second line as far as a large hub like Mullingar, maintain it and provide a more regular service, because the reality is any train that leaves Mullingar to go to Dublin is full, particularly any one in the early hours with people going to work or coming to Dublin about their business.

We might bring in the Minister for Justice for a talk about gardaí dealing with victims of aggravated burglaries and serious assaults. It would be just about the general process from start to finish. I highly commend the Garda for having broken up several of these gangs that have been carrying out these aggravated burglaries. We see people in front of the courts at present and there have been many serious convictions in this regard recently. The Garda has been very successful in this regard. I am curious how the Garda deals with the victims after such an incident, regardless of whether somebody was convicted or the Garda got somebody who had been involved in it. There seems to be a variation in how victims are dealt with in these types of cases.Perhaps the Minister for Justice might come to the House to discuss that particular matter some day.

Finally, if the Minister of State, Senator Hackett, was available for half an hour to talk to my wife before the Christmas shop, I would really appreciate it.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I will see if that can be arranged.

Micheál Carrigy (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the Ukrainian Ambassador to the House and pledge my support for the motion. I wish to voice my personal support, and the support of all the Members, for President Zelenskyy. There is continuing support for Ukraine from Ireland.

I echo the comments of Senator Davitt, but I must remind him that all the commuter trains coming into Dublin actually start in County Longford, so any investment must be stretched out a little.

A Senator:

They start in County Sligo.

Micheál Carrigy (Fine Gael)
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We need balanced regional development. We must ensure that everyone gets the funding.

Gerard Craughwell (Independent)
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It is great to see the coalition working.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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It is the Order of Business, not a debate. Continue, Senator Carrigy.

Micheál Carrigy (Fine Gael)
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I also want to support the comments made by Senator Malcolm Byrne yesterday on the increase in cases being brought to the High Court in respect of assessments of needs. I support the call for a debate on the issue. Both the HSE and the Minister have attended the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism, and the reality is that people are waiting over two years on assessments of needs. Indeed, they are lucky if they get an assessment within two years. The legislation states that children or young people are entitled to an assessment, but there is no provision for an entitlement to a service and access to supports. It is something that needs to be looked at. There are too many children who are not getting interventions at an early age. That is limiting their possibilities in later life. We must get to the stage where early intervention means early intervention.

Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail)
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First, I welcome the Ukrainian Ambassador. Like many in the Chamber today, I express my solidarity once again for the people of Ukraine. As Senators McGreehan and Wilson referenced, they could be facing another holocaust. What is being done by the Russian leader and some of his people to the Ukrainians is shocking, brutal and outrageous. We must think of them now because they are experiencing shortages of heat, water and food. Obviously, this could have huge consequences for the population of Ukraine. We hope and pray that they will be okay.

I want to refer to the growing difficulty that people are having in getting home insurance. They are being told that because there is a threat of flooding in their area, even if there has never been a flood before and possibly never will be, they will not qualify for insurance. The issue is getting so serious that we need a proper debate on it. There is a growing number of people who are being affected by it. Insurance companies are saying that there is a possibility of flooding in 50 or 60 years' time in different regions. It is just not on. We need to get real. Where there are flood plains, we do not allow building. Where there are no flood plains, there is no danger, in my view, of flooding occurring. We must get on with it and ensure insurance companies do not do that to people. Perhaps the relevant Minister, whether it is the Minister of State, Deputy Fleming, or the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan, might come to the House to discuss the issue in the new year.

Mary Seery Kearney (Fine Gael)
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I rise today to welcome the ambassador, to voice my absolute support for the motion of commemoration and to note that what is going on at present in Ukraine is an attempted genocide. That the sanctions placed on Russia are not even more dramatic, given the intended annihilation of an entire nation, is really shocking. We cannot understate how appalling it is and we cannot convey enough our solidarity with the Ukrainian people.

I wish to support a great announcement that was made earlier today by the Minister of Justice and the Minister of State, Deputy Browne, in Cherry Orchard, namely, the establishment of the Cherry Orchard implementation board. It comes after a year of listening and work that I have advocated for with the Department of Justice. We are ensuring that there is official recognition and support for the work of the organisations on the ground and the plans that were made in conjunction with the community there. Earlier today, the establishment of the board was announced, with the appointment of Brendan Foster as chair. The next stage is to recruit a co-ordinator, which will be done immediately, to ensure there will be supported services, similar to those rolled out very successfully in Drogheda, for a community that needs to be supported and needs infrastructure.

Cherry Orchard is a unique community with its own culture, and is full of really fantastic people. Unfortunately, the infrastructure is not there, and it was not there when it was built. The area has two prisons and one shop, which is consists of the converted ground floor of one house, for a population of more than 10,000 people. The people have come together and created a plan. They are supported by fantastic organisations operating there. The people need a town centre, a dentist, a doctor, and all of those basic services within their unique community to support what is already there. They also need an enterprise centre. Brilliant plans for that are already well advanced. The implementation board is going to be about accessing Government at the highest level, speaking to the right people, supporting funding applications and amplifying their voice. The people of Cherry Orchard really deserve to have their voice heard. I am very grateful to the Minister and the Minister of State. They came out and listened and came back not with just a plan that was pie in the sky, but with the action, the personnel, the funding and the establishment of the office to ensure Cherry Orchard is recognised and has a name for the great place that it is, and not for the thuggish element that seeks to drag it down.

Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail)
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I, too, welcome H.E. Ms Larysa Gerasko, the Ambassador of Ukraine, who is the Ukrainian people's representative in our country. I join with others in condemning Russia's invasion and attempted annexation of an independent state. I reiterate our resolve to stand in solidarity with the Ukrainians and utterly condemn Russia's attack not just on Ukraine, but on our democracy and Western democracy.

I wish to raise again the issue of public transport in Dublin city and the greater Dublin area. Specifically, I draw the House's attention to the announcement earlier today that the statutory planning application deadline for the MetroLink has been extended. The deadline for submissions - an issue I have raised in the House - was 25 November, which has now been extended to 16 January. I welcome the extension and the additional six weeks for people to make submissions. I am critical of the fact that for my constituency and community, this is the second statutory planning application taking place at the one time, which is putting a financial burden of €100 on people in my community who wish to make a submission. I also must question how it could be that a planning application for a public transport infrastructure project that is estimated to require an investment of €9 billion at current costs - and God knows what it will cost when it goes ahead - could actually have an error and an omission that would require this amendment to a statutory planning process. I renew my request for a debate in this House on the National Transport Authority, NTA, and the public transport plans for Dublin city.

Martin Conway (Fine Gael)
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I, too, welcome the Ukrainian Ambassador. I wish to voice my support for the motion and call out, as we do here regularly, the actions of Putin and Russia, and what is going on in Ukraine. It is genocide and it is horrific. We stand in solidarity with the ambassador and her people.

I also welcome the two new routes announced by Ryanair to and from Shannon Airport to Porto and Naples. The more routes we have from Shannon, the more people will fly in and out of the airport. That is something that is to be welcomed.I call for a debate on gift vouchers and the legislation governing them. Many people will purchase gift vouchers in the run-up to Christmas and give them as presents during the festive season. In a particular case of which I am aware, during the pandemic a One4all gift card was given to an elderly person as a token by FBD insurance company because it had a reduced number of claims. The gift card was worth €35 but when the person went to spend it a couple of weeks ago, the card had to be activated and registered, which required access to a computer. When the card was registered for the person, the value had gone down to less than €15, or less than 50% of its original value. I suspect that is happening with thousands of these gift cards. People get gift cards and put them into a drawer or press and forget about them. They only spend the gift card when it comes to their attention. Of course, all this is included in the small print but that is not good enough. People pay cash for these gift cards on the assumption that the person receiving it will have access to the face value on the card and be able to spend that amount. However, the small print says otherwise. The value drops. We need to legislate to prevent that happening. I will call out the company in this case because my office did the registration for the elderly person. It is One4all gift cards. I warn those watching or listening to these proceedings to be very careful if they buy a One4all gift card. They would be far better off buying a voucher for a local shop because that would really be supporting Irish business.

John McGahon (Fine Gael)
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Last week in my home town of Dundalk the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Deputy Harris, was present for the announcement of €11 million for the advanced manufacturing training centre. That brings the total amount of Government funding for the centre to €25 million. This is the only centre of its kind on the island of Ireland. It is the brainchild of Martin O'Brien, the chairperson of the Louth and Meath Education and Training Board. The centre is allowing Ireland to compete on an international level when it comes to advanced manufacturing. It is enabling us to compete in new areas of technology, jobs and innovative science and creation - things such as green technology and cybersecurity. What we have done in Dundalk and that part of the north east is to provide the blueprint that other parts of Ireland should follow. It is important that we have an advanced manufacturing training centre in each region - in the north east, north west, south east and south west. As a nation, we can get much stronger by providing that information and ensuring other parts of the island can do it. It would be useful to have a debate in the new year on the advanced manufacturing sector, what we can do to enhance it and to compete on a wide scale international level. The centre in Dundalk has allowed us to mitigate some of the effects of Brexit by making sure people are trained up in certain sectors. It is also allowing us to compete in a volatile international market. The stronger the economy is, the better. I would very much appreciate a debate on how we can use the successful blueprint that has been provided in Dundalk and replicate it across the island.

Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein)
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I join colleagues in welcoming the Ukrainian ambassador. To her, I express Sinn Féin's continued solidarity with the Ukrainian people and again condemn in the strongest possible terms the immoral war being waged against her people by Russia.

I welcome the announcement this week by the Minister of State with responsibility for international development aid and the diaspora, Deputy Brophy, that the global Irish civic forum will return to Dublin in April next year. When the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement travelled to London last week, we visited the Irish Cultural Centre in Hammersmith and met with the fantastic staff and volunteers there who are doing great work in engaging with and supporting the long-standing and established diaspora community, as well as the many new arrivals from Ireland who are setting up home in London. The centre does fantastic work and that was particularly the case during the pandemic, when many older Irish citizens abroad experienced feelings of isolation. I have asked several times for statements on the work of the Minister of State in respect of the diaspora. In light of the debate in the House last night, it would be timely for the House to also receive an updated on the work internationally on development aid. The Minister of State made the point that the issue of a referendum on voting rights will be a key component of the civic forum next April. It is an issue I raise often and I welcome the confirmation by the Minister of State that it will form part of the forum. We do not have to wait until April for an update in that regard or to engage with the diaspora on this issue. It is broader than that. It also impacts Irish citizens in the North. I would welcome the Minister of State coming to the House early in the new year, allowing a substantial lead-in to the forum, to give us an opportunity to air these issues, reflect on them and encourage the Minister of State to take on board our views.

Lynn Boylan (Sinn Fein)
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I, too, welcome the Ukrainian ambassador to the House and offer my solidarity to the Ukrainian people.

This Friday is International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Earlier this week, the annual report of the Director of Public Prosecutions highlighted an increase of more than one third in domestic violence case files, with high conviction rates in serious crime cases, including murder and rape. The growth in the number of files being referred to her office is unprecedented, with a 23% rise in the total number of files received in the three years up to this reporting period. Such violence against women is one of the most widespread and persistent human rights violations in the world and remains largely unreported due to the stigma and shame surrounding it. This is a crisis that needs more attention. The campaign this week, leading up to Friday, is important. It calls for action to increase awareness of violence against women, as well as aiming to prevent and eliminate such violence. Of course, extreme violence against women can lead to femicide. Since 1996, when Women's Aid began collecting data, 242 women have died in that context. While some of the cases are notorious, others are all but forgotten. We remember all those 242 women this week, from Marilyn Rynn, a civil servant at the Department of the Environment who went missing after she got a Nitelink bus home from her office Christmas party on 22 December 1995, to the women who were killed this year and whose families await justice. We must also be aware of changes across the world in recent years and how they affect women. There is little doubt that there has been a roll-back on women's rights across the globe of late. That has contributed to the demeaning of women, which can contribute to violence. As a society, we need to mobilise and become activists for the prevention of violence against women. We need to stand in solidarity with women's rights activists and support feminist movements across the world to resist the roll-back on women's rights.

Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein)
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Well said.

Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the Ukrainian ambassador, who is here representing her country which is fighting for democracy.

This weekend, the Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan, will visit Athlone. He will probably travel there by train. He will see the fantastic newly painted bus station, which is very integrated, being located beside the train station in the town. Athlone will have soon have electric buses. There are many bus services from the town, such as a bus service to Dundalk for students. However, there is no service from Dublin to Galway, apart from private coach services, that stops in towns. I hope the Minister will recognise that this is a main artery and we need a bus service from Dublin to Galway. However, I wish to address the train service on the Dublin to Galway line. There is currently a 6.25 a.m. service from Galway to Dublin that stops at Athenry, Athlone and Tullamore. It does not stop in Ballinasloe, however. There are five services from Athlone to Dublin before 7.30 a.m. and they are much needed for a town of 25,000 people. The services mean people can get to work, college or appointments in Dublin by 9 a.m. Ballinasloe, however, only has one train service. It is not served by a bus route from Dublin to Galway and it has only one train service. I ask the Minister to consider adding Ballinasloe to the service that leaves Galway at 6.25 a.m. Yesterday, there was a call for the Minister, Deputy Ryan, to come to the House. I wish to add that issue to the matters he will address when he does so. I would like to find out about the punctuality of trains on that line in the past six months. There is also the fact that waiting rooms in train stations across the country are closed. That issue relates to staffing rosters. In Ballinasloe, for example, there are no staff after 1 p.m. on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays. Last week, coming into winter, a person in his or her 70s had to wait at the station in the rain and cold even though there is a perfectly wonderful waiting room there. The waiting room was locked. People could not get into it.I would like to see what sort of smart solutions we can put in place for people to access waiting rooms at train stations. We have those services. They need to put in place, especially if one wants to use more public transport in rural areas.

Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fail)
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I will be accepting the motion as put forward by Senator Craughwell and seconded by Senator Wilson.

I welcome also H.E. Ms Larysa Gerasko, the Ukrainian ambassador, to the Gallery. It is always great to see the ambassador. I thank the ambassador for her consistent attendance in these Houses and engagement with Members across both Houses. It is welcome.

Senator Malcolm Byrne kicked off this morning. The Senator spoke about the motion as put forward by Senator Craughwell, and Senator Wilson in full support. Senator Malcolm Byrne spoke also about the European Parliament declaring Russia a terrorist state. The Senator also spoke about climate and the significant weather events that we are now seeing on a much more regular basis and stated that he wants to have a debate in this House to talk about not only the issues around climate change but also the solutions that we might have.

Senator Kyne spoke this morning around Inland Fisheries Ireland. The Senator raised particular issues with the review that was conducted of the board as opposed to the organisation, the lengthy time it took for the report to be published and the seemingly convoluted way in which it was finally published. The Senator stated that he will continue to raise issues around that and is not satisfied that the report dealt with the matter correctly.

Senator Craughwell put forward a motion to this House on the famine in Ukraine in the early 1930s, the fact that it was a genocide and that thousands of people lost their lives - the Senator stated that at one stage it was 25,000 per day. It was a huge loss of life. I concur with the remarks of both Senator Craughwell and Senator Wilson in remembering that atrocity and acknowledging that it happened. As the 90th anniversary of that atrocity approaches, we all continue to stand with Ukraine, not only on that issue but also on the illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia. Ukraine will always have a friend in Ireland. I thank both Senators for giving the House the opportunity to pass the said motion.

The Minister of State, Senator Hackett, spoke this morning about shopping and the black Friday sales that many citizens right across the country will participate in. The Senator had an important message. The Senator stated that for every €1 one spends locally it multiplies to €2.50. I thought that was €1 to €5. In any event, the message is that if one spends it locally, it boosts and benefits one's local economy and that if one purchases online, often the money goes straight out of the country and is of zero benefit to anything in one's locality or one's own place. The Senator is urging Members to shop local, to consider it being green Friday as opposed to black Friday, to reuse, to get pre-loved new-to-you and second-hand items and to maintain a circular economy as opposed to use and discard. It is an important message in advance of the sales that are currently ongoing, but tomorrow being the big day.

Senator Gavan spoke this morning around the Raise the Roof protest. Clearly, I disagree with many of the Senator's comments around the housing debate. There is a lack of acknowledgement by the Senator and others in the Sinn Féin Party of the difficulties the current Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage has had to deal with. No previous Minister has had to deal with a global pandemic and a war in Europe, which has disrupted supply chains. While, of course, there are challenges and housing is the key issue for all of us here, the Senator has to acknowledge that there are major obstacles that no Minister, no matter what party he or she is in, would have been able to breeze through. Those particular challenges are so significant and severe. There is a housing crisis in many countries. It is not only here. We are not alone in dealing with those incredible once-in-a-generation challenges that the Minister is having to deal with. It is important to say that the numbers are going in the right direction. There are challenges but the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, is doing a very good job in extremely challenging circumstance. It is also important to point out, as the Minister has on several occasions, that there are members of local authorities in the Senator's party who are consistently objecting to delivery of housing in their communities. The Senator cannot have it both ways. The Senator should get behind the programme of building houses and delivering houses and stop objecting because it lacks credibility when he criticises the Minister in question.

Lynn Boylan (Sinn Fein)
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You will find Fianna Fáil rejecting them.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy Leader, without interruption.

Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Cathaoirleach.

Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein)
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It is important to visit those facts.

Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fail)
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It is interesting whenever I respond to questions raised and give my views that I am interrupted when I do so. I did not interrupt any Member in this House when he or she was making his or her contributions because I have my opportunity to reply at this juncture. That is the way that the House works.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy Leader, without interruption.

Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fail)
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Heckling will not stop me saying my piece.

I challenge as well the response to Senator Malcolm Byrne, who raised the record and the facts in relation to Sinn Féin and Russia. Last week, Senator Gavan put on the record of this House a challenge to two members of Government who were doing their job on trade missions and he linked that to human rights abuses in Qatar. I disagreed with that connection. Today, however, the Senator is not facilitating other Members doing what looks to be something quite similar. The Senator cannot have it both ways. The Senator is entitled to make his remarks, as is any other Senator in this House, on that issue.

I take on board the comments that Senator Gavan made on the book by Ms Sally Hayden which, I think, we would all agree, is a fine publication and a good worthwhile read. I congratulate Ms Hayden on the book. Many Members in this House would concur with the Senator's remarks on the challenges and obstacles being put in the way of migrants trying to access Europe. The many lives being lost at sea is appalling and is an atrocity. We would all condemn that. One thing the Senator and I agree on this morning is on that issue. I concur with the Senator's remarks in that regard.

Senator Wilson seconded the motion this morning on Ukraine. I have dealt with that matter. I commend the Senator on circulating the motion to the House and for giving the House an opportunity to show its support for Ukraine on that issue.

Senator Lombard asked for an update on the human tissue Bill. I suggest that the Senator raise a Commencement matter on that particular issue as it is quite a specific question. I note the Senator's comments that he wants the Bill dealt with before the end of term. To be honest, I am not sure it is due before the House before the end of term. We have a packed schedule and many Ministers are looking to get Bills passed. Obviously, we have the Finance Bill and the Social Welfare Bill as well. We will have a busy number of weeks as we head towards the Christmas break. The Senator raised a particular issue around the Road Safety Authority and testing centres and in particular, on the test centre in Skibbereen. I suggest the Senator might raise a Commencement matter on that particular issue in relation to that test centre.

Senator McGreehan asked for a debate on the UK Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill, which I have requested with the House Leader.

Senator Maria Byrne welcomed the two new routes to Europe from Shannon Airport, as did Senator Conway. I congratulate Shannon Airport on expanding its services yet again. Senator Maria Byrne also raised again the issues and ongoing challenges at University Hospital Limerick, UHL.

Senator Davitt raised the issue of rail services, in particular, highlighting Mullingar as being a significantly-sized town from which there should be a second line to service commuters and the population of the area. The Senator also requested a debate with the Minister for Justice on how the Garda deals with victims of burglary. We will request that debate. It will most likely be in the new term, as we have only recently had the Minister for Justice in on a number of occasions.

Senator Carrigy spoke about the train service as well, and wanting that extended to Longford. The calls were across the board here to extend the trains to other areas as well. Senator Dolan also spoke about the train service to Ballinasloe. I concur with the remarks of both Senators in terms of regional connectivity, that all lines and roads lead to Dublin and that is fine as it is the capital city, but we need to start connecting the regions as well. Obviously, I have been a strong proponent of the western rail corridor and a line from Galway to Mayo, connecting up the region and providing a good service. There is no reason the train should not stop in Ballinasloe. Why would it not? That service should be provided. If we are looking to get people out of their cars and into public transport, we have to provide an alternative option to the car, which simply is not there for most of the country.

Senator Carrigy also spoke about the assessment of needs issue and referenced Senator Malcolm Byrne's comments from yesterday around what appears to be an increase in litigation and, as was put by Senator Byrne, the lawyering up of HSE officials in dealing with parents who are rightly demanding services for children with disabilities.

Senator Seery Kearney welcomed the Cherry Orchard implementation board that was announced by the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, and the Minister of State, Deputy James Browne. The Senator welcomed and thanked both them for setting up the board and spoke about the need for additional services in that community across all areas in terms of services.

Senator Fitzpatrick asked again for a debate on public transport in Dublin city, specifically around the National Transport Authority, NTA, and public transport plans for the area. The Senator criticised the significant fee being attached to contributing to the planning process for citizens. It is €100, if one wants to make a submission. It seems like quite a high fee for somebody to make a submission for their local community. It is an amount that might be beyond the means of many citizens.

Senator Conway spoke about Shannon Airport but also gift vouchers, and raised particular concerns about how they operate among different retailers.

Senator McGahon raised the advanced training centre in Dundalk. The Senator asked for a debate on regional balance and the potential to roll out similar training centres across all regions. We will request that debate with the Minister, Deputy Harris.

Senator Niall Ó Donnghaile raised the Irish centres and asked for a statement on that. I have put that request in to the Leader's office for a debate with the Minister of State, Deputy Colm Brophy, on the diaspora, development aid and the extension of voting rights. We will get that, most likely, in the new year. We will not get a chance to do it before the end of the term. Senator Boylan made a very important contribution in the context of highlighting that tomorrow is International Day for the Eradication of Violence against Women. The Senator put some very stark statistics on the record in terms of the increase in the number of women coming forward and the number of files going to the Director of Public Prosecutions. There has been much debate in this House, and in the Lower House as well, particularly in the past couple of years, around violence against women. There is a huge amount of work happening in the Department of Justice in respect of this matter, and funding being put behind a plan to try to reduce and, hopefully, at some point eradicate violence against women. The numbers are quite shocking. The Senator rightly pointed out that we had some very high-profile cases that the entire country would have been aware of. Some 242 women have lost their lives since we started counting in this regard. It is important to remember and acknowledge all of those lives lost and not just focus on the cases that made the headlines. Every life lost is a life that should not have been lost.

Senator Dolan spoke on the issue with trains in Ballinasloe. I think I have dealt with that matter. We will request a debate on rail services in the new year. There has been a request for a debate from other Members as well around the all-island strategic rail review and the plan for rail services across the country, with a particular focus on regional rail and bus services as well. I take on board the Senators point. I would have often used the service operated by Citylink and GoBus from Galway to Dublin. That is operational there. In some ways, the private sector has filled the gap.

Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael)
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The coach operator does not accept the travel pass.

Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fail)
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Of course. Yes. It has been kind of a lazy response from the Department in that it is quite convenient that there is a private operator servicing most of the needs of the area. It probably gets it off the hook to a certain extent. However, it is not providing the service that Bus Éireann could and should provide. There needs to be a service. There are black spots across the country where there just is not adequate public service. It is not even close. If we are to meet our climate targets, we need to get public transport up and running across the regions as well, not just in our cities. I thank the Senator for raising the issue.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Senator Craughwell has moved an amendment to the Order of Business: "That No. 122, motion 5, be taken before No. 1." Senator Wilson seconded the amendment. Is the amendment agreed? Agreed.