Regina Doherty (Fine Gael)
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The Order of Business is No. 1, motion regarding arrangements for the sittings of the House on Tuesday, 6 December 2022 and Wednesday, 7 December 2022, to be taken on the conclusion of the Order of Business without debate; No. 2, motion of referral to committee regarding the Sustainable Energy Act 2002 (section 8(2)) (Conferral of Additional Functions - Energy Efficiency) Order 2022, to be taken on the conclusion of No. 1 without debate; and No. 3, Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2022 - Committee and Remaining Stages, to be taken at 3.45 p.m.

Gerry Horkan (Fianna Fail)
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I acknowledge the great privilege I have of being the convener of the Romania-Ireland inter-parliamentary friendship group, as referred to by the Cathaoirleach. Anyone who is not already a member of the group is more than welcome to join me and the rest of the team, which focuses on interparliamentary relations with the Romanian Parliament and the Romanian people.

Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail)
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I think I will take up your offer to join that group. I join you in extending a céad míle fáilte to both of the ambassadors who are in attendance today.

Gerry Horkan (Fianna Fail)
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We have a new member of the group already.

Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the approval by the Cabinet of the agricultural and food supply chain Bill 2022, which is now ready to be presented to the Houses of the Oireachtas. When this important Bill is enacted, it will establish a new independent statutory authority to be known as an rialtóir agraibhia, or the agrifood regulator. The legislation is being progressed by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy McConalogue. I am delighted that the Minister and the Government have approved this Bill. It fulfils a programme for Government commitment to ensure fairness, equity and transparency in the food chain by establishing a new authority. I do not believe there is anybody within the confines of the House today who does not realise that for many years there have been issues in respect of a fair price for produce for many people in the agricultural industry, particularly small suppliers. The agrifood regulator will be empowered with real teeth and will be a strong advocate for farmers, fishers and all food producers. It will shine a light on the sector to help to improve the position of the primary producer and will also bring greater transparency and fairness. The regulator will promote and enforce the principle of fairness and transparency for the agrifood business, in particular. The regulator's price and market analysis and reporting function will bring greater transparency to the sector in general. The Bill provides that the new office will be led by a board and will have a CEO. The competition to appoint a CEO is well progressed at this stage.

The unfair trading practices, UTP, directive is currently enforced by the interim UTP enforcement authority in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The enabling provisions in the agricultural and food supply chain Bill 2022 provide for the transfer of responsibility for UTP enforcement functions to the remit of a new regulator. This is crucially important. I understand that the Minister and the Government will not be hanging around in respect of this issue. It is long overdue. As I said, it was a commitment in the programme for Government. It is now going to happen fairly rapidly.

Payments to 71,000 farmers under the 2022 fodder scheme have just commenced and are under way. These small payments range from a couple of hundred euro up to €1,000. This scheme was brought in by the Minister and the Government last year, and 71,000 farmers are benefiting from it. The important point is that the Government will be running the scheme again next year. I remind all in the farming community who qualify that they have until midnight on 5 December to make their applications.

Gerry Horkan (Fianna Fail)
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I thank Senator Murphy for his perfectly timed contribution.

Tom Clonan (Independent)
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On Romania's national day, I say buna ziuato the ambassador. I have a connection with Romania. Both Senator Norris and I are related to Bram Stoker, who wrote Dracula.

Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail)
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Is that our reading now?

Tom Clonan (Independent)
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We have a metaphorical, if not literal, blood connection to Romania. I have spent a good deal of time in places like Timioara and Bucharest. It is a beautiful country.

Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein)
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Does that mean that the Senator is related to Senator Norris as well?

Tom Clonan (Independent)
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I am indeed.

Saturday, 3 December is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. I ask all Members, when they are at their parliamentary party meetings, to press upon their leaders to commit to ratifying all the protocols, including the optional protocol of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, next year. In any event, it must happen during the term of this Government, which hopefully will last longer than that. Sadly, and for shame, Ireland remains one of the worst places in the EU to have a disability on every measure, including social isolation, poverty, homelessness, suboptimal medical outcomes and lack of services and therapies. One of the reasons for this is that Ireland is the only jurisdiction in the EU that does not have a legislative requirement or a basis in law which obliges the Government or its agents to provide treatments, therapies and services to persons with disabilities. We have an obligation now to have an assessment of need, and I welcome it, but once that assessment of need is provided, nothing follows.

The other manner in which we are outliers is that we are the only country in the EU which does not have a legislative requirement for the state or its agents - the HSE, for example - to provide carers to people with disabilities, to the elderly or to parents, or to provide any respite or personal assistant hours. Ratification of the UN convention and its optional protocol would remedy that immediately. In the absence of that, I hope to introduce legislation at some point during the lifetime of this Government to rectify and address those issues. In the meantime, I ask for a debate to bring all of us together. It may have to be a Private Members' debate. Individually, every single Member of both Houses I have spoken to is in favour of ratification but collectively, for some reason, the Government is slow to do this. There is goodwill there. It is right the thing to do. I ask Senators collectively to progress this matter.

Lynn Boylan (Sinn Fein)
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The Leader of the House probably will know what I will raise under the Order of Business, and that is the fact that the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O’Brien, wants to introduce the planning and development and foreshore Bill in the Seanad next week. The general scheme is still undergoing pre-legislative scrutiny in the Oireachtas housing committee, which is only due to complete it next week. I do not think we have ever come across a case such as this before, where we have a Minister who is seeking to gazump a committee undertaking pre-legislative scrutiny. What is more shocking is that contrary to what he stated in his letter to the Leader this week, he has not engaged or consulted with the Oireachtas housing committee on this move. His letter is deliberately misleading. It is an appalling way to treat the House, the Leader and the Oireachtas committee.

This Bill is controversial. It is being criticised by a range of stakeholders. It goes to the core of planning and environmental protection. I acknowledge that the Leader tried to work with the Minister on this. I think originally the proposal was to do it all in one sitting and I know now the Bill will be taken over two days next week, rather than a single sitting as requested by the Minister. However, that is enough. This Bill is so significant and due to the fact that pre-legislative scrutiny has not been completed, it would require weeks for both of the Houses to give this Bill the due process that is required. I appreciate the Leader’s efforts to schedule it over the two days but it is not good enough.

We will, as a group, oppose the Order of Business next Tuesday. We call on any Member who believes in environmental protection and the planning process to stand with us and send a clear message to the Minister, Deputy Darragh O’Brien, that he needs to respect the committees, the way the committees conduct their business, this House and the Leader’s position. At the moment, that is not what he is doing.

Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)
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I just might remind the Senator and the House that it is not appropriate under Standing Orders to suggest that a Minister or, indeed, anyone else is misleading the House. I just wish to remind the Senator of that. We will leave it at that.

Lynn Boylan (Sinn Fein)
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His letter misled the House.

Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)
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Or the committee. Irrespective of mode.

Frances Black (Independent)
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I just want to congratulate Al-Haq, Palestine’s premier human rights organisation, for the launch of its new report entitled Israeli Apartheid. It truly is an expansive and rigorous piece of research. Some of its authors are legal academics from National University of Ireland, Galway, NUIG. It is the latest in a series of reports from Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and B’Tselem, which have found that Israel is committing the crime of apartheid against the Palestinian people. Unfortunately, the Irish Government has so far refused to recognise this fact, which is very disappointing.

Yesterday, I was very happy to be part of the launch of the Irish Anti-Apartheid Campaign for Palestine, which is a new civil society coalition. There are 16 groups that signed up for this so far, including trade unions, such as SIPTU and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, ICTU, development charities, such as Trócaire, human rights organisations, such as Amnesty International, the Irish Council for Civil Liberties and, of course, Sadaka and the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign, IPSC. It is a broad coalition representing an incredible array of activists, researchers and campaigners who are comping together with the aim of asking the Government to recognise that the state of Israel is committing crimes of apartheid against the Palestinian people.

We are calling on the Government also to support efforts at the United Nations led by South Africa and Namibia to re-establish the special committee against apartheid to investigate all practices of systemic discrimination and oppression purportedly amounting to apartheid anywhere in the world, including the occupied Palestinian territory. The South Africans and Namibians know apartheid first-hand. They struggled against it and defeated it.

Ireland now needs to do its part. We are also calling for the passage and enactment of the Control of Economic Activity (Occupied Territories) Bill, which I introduced to the Seanad four years ago. I echo the wonderful article that was published in the Irish Timesyesterday by the former chair of the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign, namely, Fatin Al Tamimi, by saying that Ireland needs to do more. Palestinians need deeds, not words. Mere condemnation of Israel’s crimes is just hallow rhetoric; it needs to be backed up by action. The constant cycle of condemnation and inaction relating to Israel undermines Ireland’s credibility and degrades its commitment to upholding international law. Irish people understand what it is happening in Palestine. There is a powerful anticolonial instinct and a natural solidarity between us and the Palestinians.

Unfortunately, the Government is lagging behind. It is denying a reality that is experienced by millions of Palestinians. It is out of step with Irish public opinion and it is a job of activists and campaigners to remind them of that. Ireland has an opportunity to lead the global struggle against apartheid and we need to seize it with both hands. We owe it to the Palestinians, ourselves, our past and our future – a future free from apartheid, colonialism and war.

I would like a debate on the issue. I know we probably will not get it this side of Christmas, but I would also love, if we have a debate, for the Minister for Foreign Affairs to come in and give us an update on what is happening.

Marie Sherlock (Labour)
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I want to raise the issue of the closure of the Mater hospital long Covid clinic that is due to take place this month. The closure of this important clinic will deprive communities of the north inner city and across the north side of Dublin of a vital service for those who are unlucky to develop those enduring symptoms from Covid-19. Those symptoms can be debilitating both physically and mentally. It is important to say that under the stewardship of Professor Jack Lambert and other doctors in the Mater hospital, it was to the fore in treating the first patients of Covid, conducting research in this country on Covid and the issues associated with long Covid and in recognising that long Covid is predominantly a neurorehabilitation issue. It is shocking that the HSE has decided to overlook the hospital in funding the continuation of the long Covid clinic in that hospital.

Serious questions need to be raised about the HSE’s model of care towards long Covid and how that is being deployed across the country. There have been eight post-acute Covid clinics identified across hospitals and six long Covid clinics. Yet, we know from clinicians in the Mater hospital, in particular, that the demand is not for post-acute Covid care in the immediate weeks after suffering Covid, rather, it is for long Covid. Yet, we are seeing significant resources being put into post-acute Covid care, when really they needs to be put into long Covid.

The other thing is with regard to what exactly is being put into long Covid. There is only one consultant neurologist to be recruited and appointed across the six long Covid centres. That raises serious questions about the understanding within the HSE of how, precisely, to treat long Covid. While we understand that cardiac and respiratory symptoms are the main symptoms exhibited by long Covid sufferers, at the heart of this, the underlying cause of it is a neurological issue. Up to 16,000 people in this country are affected by long Covid. Those symptoms can endure for up to two years or more. We need to get that service in proper order in this country. Some people are waiting months for care and yet, in the Mater hospital, people were seen promptly. It is simply appalling that there is now no service for the north side of Dublin, up as far as the boundary with Beaumont. There are serious questions for the Government.

Finally, there is a broader call for neurocognitive or neurorehabilitation care. We see two pilots in place at the moment. We all received the emails about it. We need to see long Covid care included along with acquired brain injury, stroke, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s.It is now urgent that we roll out new rehabilitative centres across the country.

Erin McGreehan (Fianna Fail)
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I raise a positive issue that I, along with a Fianna Fáil councillor, Councillor Teresa Costello, have been working on. This time last year the national screening advisory committee put out open calls for extra checks. It highlighted a number of issues where one could make a submission to ask for things to be changed. Councillor Costello and I worked together on a proposal for an extension of the age eligibility for BreastCheck. Thankfully, we both received the positive news that the national screening advisory committee has recommended to the Department of Health that it widen the age range eligibility for the BreastCheck programme from 45 years of age to 74 years of age. That is an extra ten years of BreastCheck.

It also recommend the introduction of a standardised breast density notification for all participants. That is a really important step and I am sure that if the independent body of the national screening advisory committee recommends such an important thing to the Department of Health, it will follow it through and do it. This will also be on the foot of an upcoming European Council proposal. It is not often that I get to raise a really positive thing in this Chamber. This is for the health of all people in Ireland, as well as for people who are losing family members. Up to 700 people in this country die every year from breast cancer. This is a very positive thing in terms of prevention and looking after and caring for everybody in this country.

Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)
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I have two very pleasant duties. I am delighted to welcome one of our distinguished alumni, a former Senator, who is now a Deputy of much standing and great repute, Deputy O’Dowd, and his guests to the Visitors Gallery. They are very welcome and it is lovely to have them here. They happen to be geographic neighbours of mine, but Deputy O’Dowd will point that out later. It is a particular pleasure to welcome them.

It is also my great pleasure, and this is very significant, to welcome Gurteen Central National School. The principal there is Seamus Walsh, but there are two very interesting things from our point of view here. The grandniece of Senator Craughwell, Evie Cunniffe, is one of the teachers there as is his niece, Donna Broderick. It is certainly in the DNA of the Craughwells, who have been teachers for many a day. Senator Craughwell was president of the Teachers' Union of Ireland, TUI. I am delighted to welcome the pupils, the teachers and the principal, who is with them. It is great to have them here along with the other guests.

Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)
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I welcome all concerned. It is important to see the Houses of democracy in action first hand. They are their Houses.

Tim Lombard (Fine Gael)
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Like the previous speaker, I would like to acknowledge some good news. We often stand up here and we criticise and say things are not good enough. However, over the last five years, I have been raising the case of Bandon Grammar School and its inability to access funding from the Department of Education for a special class for autism. There is an issue regarding the ability of fee-paying schools to access this funding. This has meant that for the last decade, in particular, Bandon Grammar School could only provide services through its own means as it got no support from the Department.

I am delighted to report that in the last week there has been a significant move here. It is the first fee-paying school outside of Dublin that has now gotten funding for a special class and that is really important. The special classes are an important part of our school ethos now. The idea of having special classrooms has resulted in a holistic approach to education. It was appalling that a school the size of Bandon Grammar School was not getting funding for that for the last decade.

I compliment, in particular, the principal and the former principal as well as the trustees who have waived all fees pertaining to this. It is now open to the entire community and anyone and everyone has the opportunity to apply for those places. It is a significant development for that community. I acknowledge the work of the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, in particular. She visited the school with me on occasion and she and her Department worked with me to remove this barrier, so that now we have the opportunity to have special classes in every school that wants to have them.

Maria Byrne (Fine Gael)
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I rise to bring awareness to the report on autism published by Senator Carrigy and his committee today. I pay compliments to all the Members who sat on the committee, as well as the people who contributed to the report and its findings. I would like to highlight some of the key findings, which are the asks of the committee. I would like to put pressure on so that the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, will consider them. I pay compliment to her because she has done so much work in this area, but we have a long way to go.

The main findings are that we should ensure that all autistic children will have access to the summer programme in 2023 and that we ensure that all special schools will provide the summer programme in 2023. I know of many schools that do not currently provide it. We should provide sufficient resources to schools so that they may offer comprehensive programmes to the summer programme in 2023 and liaise with the various stakeholders. I know many of the stakeholders contributed to this report. We should mitigate any constraints to the provision of the summer programme, including in the areas of staffing and pay issues; that we should broaden the potential workforce; and that we should mitigate any difficulties with Garda vetting. These were some issues some schools came up against. They could not get people through the Garda vetting process in time, or the resources were not there to run the programme. There were so many children with disabilities who did not qualify to participate in the programme. I have spoken to parents and I know some parents in my area are very involved in it. The positivity the children received from the programme is to be commended. It should be rolled out for all children with disabilities and for those with autism, in particular.

Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)
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While it is inappropriate for the Chair to comment, I could not agree more.

I welcome two other guests. Adrian Long and Gavin Homan are the guests of the Cathaoirleach of the Seanad, Senator Mark Daly. They are very welcome to the Visitors Gallery and they will be able to see the Cathaoirleach in action later if they wait.

Gerard Craughwell (Independent)
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The Leas-Chathaoirleach welcomed the children of Gurteen Central National School from east Galway. These are fifth and sixth class pupils in the school. This epitomises what goes on in Irish education. This is a small, rural school where kids are being looked after, educated and brought through the system. We sometimes do not give our national schools enough credit for the amount of work they do. The principal is here today and he will not be home until late tonight. Again, people do not recognise this.

One of the key issues, and Leas-Chathaoirleach and I have spoken on this, is the shortage of teachers in our country. Panels are not being filled. Special needs teachers - and this is a real bugbear of mine - are being taken out of their special needs roles and are being put in to teach mainstream classes. This goes back to my time in further education. What is happening is the special needs child is being left aside. Senator Clonan spoke on this issue last week. Families have to go to the courts to get an education for their children. That is all fine and dandy for the families who can afford that, but it is not good enough for those who cannot. We should cherish our children an awful lot more.

It is a great source of pride for me to have the kids here from Gurteen Central National School. This is a great day for them, because they know that this House is their House, and not our House. They have as much access to anybody in this House as any other citizen of the State. I am grateful the Leas-Chathaoirleach and all of my colleagues gave them that welcome.

Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)
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The pupils of the national school might decide to do a project on the Seanad. It could feature the teachers' very famous relation, Senator Craughwell, who is a distinguished Member of the House. They could do a special chapter on him.I am surprised Senator Craughwell did not say "No homework until Monday." I propose as a motion in the House that there be no homework until Christmas. Our guests in the Gallery are very welcome.

Saturday is the European Day of Persons with Disabilities. It is a day when Europe reflects on the value and contributions people with disabilities make to European society, as well as the challenges and difficulties that are there. This week in Brussels, there was a high-level conference on the issue of employment of people with disabilities. This country does not perform well when it comes to employing people with disabilities. Among blind and visually impaired people, 85% are unemployed, meaning only 15% are in meaningful, gainful employment. There is no excuse for that. They have the same intelligence levels as everybody else but the problem is that the structures, supports, facilities and services are not in place. Digital accessibility is at a low level in this country and the necessary supports and equipment are not really available or provided.

At some stage in the new year, we should have a debate on the employment of people with disabilities. Many good things are happening in this country and many organisations do good things but, overall, we are not performing at the level we should be. I will be proposing that.

I hope all persons with disabilities have a reflective and enjoyable European Day for Persons with Disabilities. It is an opportunity to mark our successes. We have the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Much of it is ratified here but it is not fully ratified. That is work that needs to be done by the Government. It is important that we acknowledge the phenomenal contribution that persons with disabilities make to our society and country.

Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Senator for that important intervention.

Emer Currie (Fine Gael)
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I commend Senator Carrigy and the autism committee on their work on the interim report on summer provision. It is an excellent report which sets out the ambitions we need to have in relation to supporting families with consistent summer provision.

There was an article today in the Irish Examiner about fire safety defects in the phase 1 Phoenix Park Racecourse apartments, which were completed around 2008. They join about 90,000 or 100,00 other apartments and duplexes affected by fire safety, water ingress and structural issues. These families face pressure, uncertainty, fear and financial insecurity about how they will look after the basic need for safety in their own homes. We need to see the proposals committed to by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, on this. The working group put its report to the Government in July. It is an excellent report but we need to see what options are there to support these families. You read things like a developer is not liable because the defects are over seven years old. The developer is still building Phoenix Park Racecourse and it will have over 200 homes. Those proposals have to be retrospective because people and families cannot wait any more for financial supports.

Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael)
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The National Screening Advisory Committee has been mentioned already. It is positive to hear of the proposals, particularly on reducing the age for breast screening to 45, reducing the age for colorectal screening and the idea of the home test for cervical smears. Those are all positive proposals and I would support their being considered by the advisory committee.

We have heard supports for radio announced this morning, particularly for regional independent radio stations. All of us in rural areas know how important that is. Particularly for me, Galway Bay and Shannonside radio stations are companions for many people in our rural areas and they have been struggling. I have spoken with personnel from those stations. They will always have advertising from State agencies but local advertising is down 30% and has not recovered since Covid. It has been a huge issue. I am grateful our parties in government have worked together to support those regional independent stations. I thank businesses who advertise on radio. Radio reaches all audiences.

I highlight World AIDS Day and the particular impact in Ukraine. It is important to recognise that the flag flies high for the Ukraine in Ireland. We spoke about this last week. We are a welcoming country to families and people coming from Ukraine. Particularly coming into Christmas, when we see families and children potentially facing hunger and cold, we need to remember how lucky and fortunate we are in Ireland.

John McGahon (Fine Gael)
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I raise a serious incident that occurred in my home town of Dundalk a few days ago. It was spread widely on WhatsApp and is now on the front page of a local newspaper. An individual in a car was driving along the Castletown Road. Some 15 m or 20 m in front of him was a cyclist. The individual in the car, filming at the same time, said he was "heartless" and asked viewers to watch what he was about to do to the cyclist. He then pulled his steering wheel to the left and knocked the cyclist off the bike. It was a deliberate attempt on human life. He proceeded to drive down the Castletown Road in the direction of Castleblayney laughing throughout the video about what he had just done. Thank God the person in question was taken to-----

Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)
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Senator-----

John McGahon (Fine Gael)
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Without interruption. I have not said anything and will continue not to name any names. The individual was taken to the Lourdes hospital and, thankfully, he has been discharged. He is a lucky individual-----

Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)
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I ask the Senator, for the legalities-----

John McGahon (Fine Gael)
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There is no need to say that.

Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)
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-----to withdraw the word "deliberate".

John McGahon (Fine Gael)
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It was deliberate.

Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)
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You should withdraw the allegation and speak generally.

John McGahon (Fine Gael)
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I am trying to raise a very important issue and we are talking about semantics. I have an individual-----

Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)
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The court will have to make the determination of-----

John McGahon (Fine Gael)
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It has just been raised in the Dáil and the individual raising it there was not interrupted. I am speaking about a deliberate act done to a totally innocent individual. Two things are important. The first is the importance of segregated cycleways to offer protection to cyclists. I would like a proper debate on that. The other thing is we see now why what was done in this budget with a further increase in gardaí to properly police and protect our streets is even more important. This was a terrible act done on an entirely innocent individual. I would appreciate a debate on those two issues.

Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Senator. The ultimate determination will be by the courts. I call on the Leader to respond to the Order of Business.

Regina Doherty (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach. I think my reaction to what Senator McGahon has said probably says a lot about how we all feel. I had not heard that story. I am shocked, but, in another way, not shocked at all. My husband is a cyclist and cycles to and from work, from where we live into town, which is a decent journey.He has a camera on both the front and back of his bike simply because it is not safe and he needs the evidence to be able to go to the gardaí should something actually happen to him. It happens at least once per month. The problem is that the gardaí are very helpful insofar as that they will take the case, but cases are never brought forward because there are insufficient laws in this country for how motorists are dealt with in respect of near misses or disrespect for other road users. I am always mindful of how we treat each other on the road. People in cars sometimes think that what happens outside of the car is not anything to do with them. Yet, I am really conscious that people in cars treat children on bikes much differently than they do adults, and enormously differently from how the treat people in Lycra on bikes on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Until we have a serious conversation about how we respect each other and about the size and differences in the vehicles we use, be they buses, cars or bicycles, and pedestrians, we will continuously have issues like the one raised by Senator McGahon this morning. If what he said is true, however, it brings having an accident to whole different level or perhaps it is just that people do not have regard for the size of their vehicles. I will certainly try to organise a debate after Christmas. I am genuinely shocked by what the Senator raised this morning.

Senators Dolan and McGreehan spoke about the very welcome expansion of the eligibility for BreastCheck so that women from the ages of 45 to 74 will now be routinely checked.

Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael)
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They are only proposals at this stage

Regina Doherty (Fine Gael)
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I look forward to when it is absolutely ratified because the more screening we do, the better, not just with BreastCheck but for any conditions for females and males. People should be brought in as quickly and early as they possibly can so that we can improve their outcomes. Senator Dolan also raised the supports for regional radio stations this morning, which is very welcome.

Senator Currie spoke about the Phoenix Park racecourse development and complex being added to the tens of thousands of homeowners who are looking at defects and who do not have a scheme. The Minister will be very keen to bring a plan together after Christmas. I commend the Senator for raising that issue this morning. Indeed, our colleague, Senator Seery Kearney, raises that particular issue week in, week out in this Chamber. It is very important that we respond as a State with a scheme similar to those for pyrite and mica for those residents who have no other means of supporting themselves.

Senators Conway and Clonan this morning raised the fact that Saturday is both European and International Day of Persons with Disabilities. I am very mindful that we use reports and assessments as a tool to prolong action. It is terribly frustrating. The time for assessing should be very close to being over and the time for action should start; not for talking about the assessments, which is what we do in this country. It is very obvious to us what needs to be done. Senator Clonan's suggestion that we continue to put pressure on all our party leaders is very welcome. I will certainly do my part with mine. I commend Senator Conway for also raising that issue this morning.

Senator Craughwell welcomed pupils from Gurteen Central National School. On a more serious note, however, he highlighted the very serious issue we have in this country of a serious lack of teachers both in primary and post-primary schools. Panels are not being filled. As the Senator suggested this morning, some of our special needs teachers are being used to fill gaps in schools and that really is not what we want. We need to be very confident about a recruitment drive for teachers. One thing might be to reduce the H.Dip. from two years back to one year. It was increased a number of years ago because we had an oversupply of teachers and now we absolutely have an undersupply of teachers. It might be worth bringing that two-year course back to one year.

Senator Maria Byrne raised the autism report this morning. I say fair play to our colleague, Senator Carrigy, and all the members of that committee, which has done an enormous body of work in a very short space of time. Hopefully, the recommendations will be taken on board. I understand there is a lack of teachers and maybe that is one of the reasons why summer programmes are not offered in certain towns and villages. We all want the same thing, which is continuity of education for our children with special needs. I welcome that report. We will have a debate on it after Christmas so that we can talk further about the recommendations.

Senator Lombard this morning welcomed the funding for a special class in Bandon Grammar School.

Senator Sherlock spoke about an issue that was raised in this Chamber on Tuesday. I was really dismayed to see Dr. Jack Lambert having to plead for money on Twitter at the weekend. It is very unedifying for a man of his stature. Senator Maria Byrne raised the issue the other day in the context of there being no long Covid clinic in Limerick, and that maybe we do not have the specialties. We have the specialties right here in the Mater hospital. Men and women of professional classes want to continue and they are just not being given the money. It is crazy. To that end, I wrote to Mr. Stephen Mulvany on Tuesday to find out why the money is not being raised. I will come back to the Senator when I get a response because it is a similar issue.

Senator Black raised the Irish Anti-Apartheid Campaign for Palestine movement, which was launched yesterday, for which I thank her. She is really consistent on this. I will bring the message to the Minister and ask for a debate. It will probably be after Christmas at this stage, however.

I do not even know what to say to Senator Boylan. First, I thank her for raising the issue, which acknowledges the respect we have for each other in this House. I hope that I have equal respect not just for the House but for every single Member regardless of whether he or she is in my party. The very least we need to do is show respect to Members and the contributions they make to legislation in this House which, as Senator Ruane knows, are enormous, and not just from the Opposition but also from my own colleagues. It would have done an absolute injustice and disservice to the Bill and to the people in this House if I had done what was asked of me, particularly when there was no need to do so. What I propose, to which I know the Senator will object, is that we take Second Stage on Tuesday and clear the decks on Thursday of Order of Business and Commencement Matters. I will increase the number of Commencement Matters on Tuesday and Wednesday and we will take the whole day on Thursday for whatever it takes to take Committee Stage and Report Stage of the Bill. The Bill will obviously go to the Dáil the following week. The information I have been given, and I do not really know how this is going to work, to be honest with the Senator, is that the recommendations from the pre-legislative scrutiny will be brought as amendments to the Dáil next week by the Minister - presumably, the ones with which he agrees - and the Bill will then come back to us on Thursday. Therefore, I will try to clear the decks on Thursday so that we have enough time to talk when it returns to us. I know that is not ideal but given the time constraints I have between this, the Social Welfare Bill, Finance Bill and others, it is the very best I can do. I obviously totally appreciate the Senator's perspective, however.

Senator Clonan spoke about his very unique connection with Romania and Bram Stoker. It is a beautiful country. I thank him for putting that on the record and also the assessment of needs. When it is reported upon, the Acting Leader, Senator Chambers, and I will try to organise a debate as quickly as we can so that we can exert the pressure where it needs to go to get those recommendations into actions as opposed to just more talking.

Tom Clonan (Independent)
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I thank the Leader very much.

Regina Doherty (Fine Gael)
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Senator Kyne spoke this morning about the investigation, which he welcomed, into issues he has raised consistently for months regarding irregularities in Inland Fisheries Ireland.

Senator Murphy opened today's Order of Business by welcoming the agricultural and food supply chain Bill, which we will debate in this House after Christmas. That will be very welcome. We all know there have been some disingenuous practices with regard to pricing and transparency in the food supply chain over a long number of years. We will get to regulate that and have a proper debate after Christmas. Senator Murphy also welcomed the fodder scheme and the payments that are going to 70,000 farmers this week.

Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Leader very much indeed for those individualised and comprehensive responses. We have a school from Bantry in the Gallery. The students and teachers from Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí are all very welcome. It is good to have them here.