Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fail)
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The Order of Business is No. 1, motion regarding referral to joint committee of proposed approval by Seanad Éireann of the proposal for regulations and a directive of the European Parliament and Council on international protection, asylum and migration, to be taken without debate on the conclusion of the Order of Business; No. 2, statements on the cost of doing business, to be taken at 1.15 p.m. and to conclude at 2.45 p.m., if not previously concluded, with the time allocated to the opening contribution of the Minister not to exceed ten minutes, those of group spokespersons not to exceed ten minutes and time can be shared, and the Minister to be given not less than ten minutes to reply to the debate; No. 3, motion regarding Gas (Amendment) Bill 2023, instruction to committee, to be taken without debate at 3 p.m.; No. 4, Gas (Amendment) Bill 2023 - Report and Final Stages, to be taken on the conclusion of No. 3 and the proceedings thereon shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at 5.15 p.m. by the putting of one question from the Chair which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by Government; and No. 141, motion 2, Private Members' business, regarding applications for school places, to be taken at 5.30 p.m., with the time allocated to this debate not to exceed two hours.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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Go raibh maith agat, Leader. I welcome to the Public Gallery the students from Divine Word National School in Rathfarnham and the Henrietta Street group. I met the students from divine school in Rathfarnham in the corridor. I thank them for being here and hope that, as part of their visit, they get homework off tonight to celebrate being in Leinster House.

I welcome also guests of Senator Malcolm Byrne: Reuben Murray from University College Cork, who is interning in Leinster House, and Eimear Lawlor, who is in transition year from St. Mary's College, Arklow.

John McGahon (Fine Gael)
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I raise the proposed changes to the parental leave age limit in the Civil Service. This has come to me from a former colleague in Louth County Council, Maria Doyle. Her words are much better than mine. It is somewhat complex and I want to put this on the record because I do not think the memo and the proposed changes are particularly fair.

Prior to the attached memo, parental leave was available unpaid for up to 26 weeks, which must be taken before the child is 12 years old, or 16 years old in the case of children with disabilities or indeed a long-term illness. This has now been changed for all children up to the age of 16. In the grand scheme of things, that seems like a good thing. However, from 1 May 2024, child benefit will be paid to anyone who is 18 and still in full-time education, or up to their 19th birthday to anyone who has a disability, so there is a discrepancy there straight away.

Would it not be more reasonable to extend the timeframe for children with a disability or long-term illness to allow their parents avail of parental leave up to 18 years of age or at least while they are in full-time education? It would cost the exact same money to the State. It would not entitle the parent to any additional weeks but would allow them to spread out the weeks, which is the important thing, and to avail of them while their child is still in school or further education. Children with a disability or long-term illness may well need parental support when it comes to exam time and this would allow them to remain in full-time education for longer at no additional cost to the State. On one level, we are doing something for children up to 18 and, on another level, we are doing something for children with a disability up to 16. I suggest that should be spread out to include children up to 18 in both situations or who are in full-time education. It does not incur any additional cost to the State. It is just about changing the system to make it more efficient.

The memo that was sent out about changes to the parental leave age limit is an example of an idea that was good on paper but which, when it is put in to practice, has gaps in it and a bit of space where this House, politicians or the Minister need to step in and tweak it to make it fair for everybody. I would like us to do something about that and would appreciate a debate around all aspects of parental leave and making it fair for everybody.

Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail)
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It is a new day, we have a new Taoiseach and a new task force has been announced for Dublin's inner city. I welcome the Taoiseach's interest in the inner city and any support and resource he can bring to making it safer and more livable for all. I welcome his call for recommendations and suggestions but do not really believe we need any more recommendations or suggestions for the inner city. It is simple. Talking to residents, schools, businesses and visitors, it is clear they want it to be cleaner, safer and more livable. To achieve that, we need dedicated community gardaí working on a small-area basis, going into businesses and schools, talking to residents and knowing who lives in, works in and visits the area.

We need Dublin City Council to step up the plate in terms of cleaning the streets, removing rubbish and tackling dereliction. The council needs to accelerate the regeneration projects funded for our beautiful Victorian fruit and vegetable market in Mary's Lane, the city library in Parnell Square, the national monument on Moore Street and the regeneration of the flats on the west side of Dominick Street, on Dorset Street and on Constitution Hill. We need a combined effort. We do not need a PowerPoint presentation or press release. We certainly do not need another press event. We need direct action and resources for the organisations tasked with making our inner city more livable and safer for all.

I commend SIPTU on its press release today containing details of its survey of the experience of safety on public transport. The Leader will know that, prior to the previous general election in 2020, our party, Fianna Fáil, campaigned for dedicated gardaí on public transport. Unfortunately, it did not make it into the programme for Government but we have not given up.The Leader will be aware that two years ago, we conducted a survey of the public with more than 1,300 respondents, with people telling us very clearly they do not feel safe. SIPTU today is confirming the Fianna Fáil findings that people do not feel safe on public transportation. If we want people to use public transportation, we need to make it reliable and affordable but, most importantly, we need to make it safe. I call on the Minister for Justice to engage immediately with the Garda Commissioner to deploy gardaí on public transportation. We have been campaigning for this for years. The demand is there not just from public transport service users but also from those who work in public transportation. It needs to be delivered on.

Sharon Keogan (Independent)
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This morning, the national conservatism event in Brussels resumes after a tumultuous attempt to cancel it yesterday. It is deplorable that the mayors of several districts in Brussels cancelled the event, citing concerns over what they pathetically deemed public safety. Today, the Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, and the Hungarian President, Viktor Orbán, are expected to speak. Is being the head of a democratic European nation now a safety concern in the EU’s home city?

Cancel culture is re-emerging as a destructive force that will challenge democracy. If the hate speech Bill becomes law, and it may return as it was published yesterday in the summer legislative programme for this House, we would see similar events occur here at political and public events. I had hoped the Government would listen to the public backlash against the hate speech Bill and other looming legislation the Government is proposing to approve. I was wrong to hope the Government had any care for public opinion on civil liberties or the crucial facets of the democratic process.

My colleague Senator Michael McDowell spoke yesterday on the EU migration pact and rightly pointed out how this House was becoming a rubber stamp for legislation and little more. Poll after poll, village after village, it is clear the Irish people want serious, if not radical, reform of the migration system in this country. The EU migration pact will have a paltry-----

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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The Senator should conclude. The time is up.

Sharon Keogan (Independent)
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I thought I had three minutes.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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I do not control the clock but I will allow the Senator to continue.

Sharon Keogan (Independent)
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The EU migration pact will have a paltry two and a half weeks of debate in this House in the coming week. The public concern is that we are losing control of our borders, our checks and balances and our safety. A set of legislative instruments such as a pact should rightly be a matter for a referendum to the people but we will not get that because we do not have a Government or a leadership with a vision fixed on the electorate. Instead, our Government leaders have their visions set on Europe, on appeasing the unelected bureaucrats in Brussels who offer high commissions and positions of prestige and prosperity far beyond any office in this House. Our Government is full of ruthless careerists and righteous cultists of woke ideology.

The hate speech Bill and the EU migration pact have two main things in common. Both originate in Brussels and both pose an astounding threat to our democracy. If this Government votes through either of these proposals, only the same can be said of it.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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The time is up. The Senator should conclude.

Sharon Keogan (Independent)
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The events in Brussels yesterday were an attack on free and peaceful assembly. It is a bad look for a city proud of its role in the European project. If the EU was a proper democratic institution, we would call it hypercritical, but it is not democratic in its law-making. The hate speech Bill and the EU migration pact show us the threat it poses when it does not act on its democratic mandate.

Mark Wall (Labour)
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I want to raise several issues today. The first concerns emergency electricity credits. We all know that 2.2 million households will benefit from the worthwhile and needed €450 million that was announced by the Government in recent months. The reason I raise this issue today is that, in response to a number of queries I have had in the last couple of days, particularly around low usage by electricity consumers, what I have been told by both the CRU and the Minister is that the credits have been taken up by 95% of eligible customers but the 5% who have not taken them up are deemed low usage account holders.

The reply I received from the CRU is worrying and I will explain why. The CRU tells me that the account holder has not contacted the supplier. I want to give the example of one of three cases I have come across in the last week, where the account holder has received three phone calls from the supplier demanding the money outstanding, which was in excess of €100. The account holder came to me and when I spoke to the CRU and the supplier, it turns out this is a vulnerable customer. At no time did the supplier state that in the three phone calls. All it was looking for was its pound of flesh - the €100 and above.

It is very wrong that we have a situation where vulnerable customers are being asked to contact their supplier to get what they should be getting in the first place, that is, the credits the Government introduced. I ask that the 5% of people who are still outstanding be contacted by both the CRU and the Government to ensure they are not like the customer I had in my office last Friday, who received three phone calls from the supplier demanding more than €100. In fact, now that I have sorted this out, he is in credit to the tune of almost €300. That is what has happened three times this week. I would like the Leader to follow that up with both the CRU and the Minister because it is wrong that 5% of people are being told to contact their supplier when they could be in credit.

Unfortunately, I have to bring up an old chestnut once again and it is probably the fifth time I have mentioned the housing adaptation and housing aid grants in the House. The reason I raise this today is because we have received letters from Kildare County Council that it has now spent all the money it has for these grants and it is refusing to deal with new grants. It will process them but it cannot complete them, although it says it will do emergency works. As I have always done in this case, I thank the staff who are dealing with this. I have been dealing with this issue for two years and I have been told there is a report on the Minister's desk. We need to get that report out. We need housing grants and we need to make sure vulnerable people are cared for.

The last issue concerns jobseeker's allowance and jobseeker’s benefit. I have come across quite a number of cases where people who applied for carer’s allowance are having their jobseeker’s allowance or jobseeker’s benefit stopped because they replied that they are not actively looking for work. The issue is that they then have to look for an exceptional needs payment or a supplementary welfare payment when they should be allowed to await the outcome of their carer’s allowance application rather than having their jobseeker’s payment cut in advance of that. It is causing a problem and I have dealt with multiple cases in the past couple of weeks. I ask that this be raised with the Minister concerned.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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I welcome to the Visitors Gallery the guests of Senator Garret Ahearn from the active retirement group from Grangemockler, County Tipperary, and I believe there are some County Kilkenny people here as well. I know Senator Ahearn is delighted that they are here and he is continuing the very good family tradition of representation in the Oireachtas. You are all very welcome. Thank you for being here and I hope we will see you in Thurles in a couple of weeks’ time. Céad míle fáilte romhaibh go léir.

Lynn Ruane (Independent)
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On behalf of the Civil Engagement Group, I send our solidarity and thanks to Academics for Palestine, who have been mobilising across several universities around the country today and on the island of Ireland, calling for universities to take a stand on the genocide in Gaza. Universities in Ireland, bar one, have been completely silent on the issue of the killing of thousands and thousands of people in Palestine over recent months. This comes after some universities did not remain neutral when it came to the war on Ukraine but then asserted neutrality when it came to what is happening to the people of Palestine.

For me, this is hiding behind the idea of academic freedom when there is a blatant and obvious destruction of a people and the breaking of international law. When educational institutions are turning a blind eye and not commenting on the very foundations on which countries are able to operate, maintain peace and protect human rights, then we are complicit in that. We cannot have the idea of free inquiry and academic freedom on the back of genocide. When so many thousands of people will never reach milestones or go to university to exercise their own academic freedom or their own pursuit of knowledge, it is not okay for universities to stay silent.Doing nothing is doing something. Speaking specifically on Trinity College and the idea that it will remain neutral, I would say it is doing something. That is an act. It is making a decision. It is making the decision to ignore the breaking of international law and a genocide of the Palestinian people. It also puts Palestinian people in Trinity and its academic staff from Palestine in a very difficult position where they do not feel supported by their college.

I and several former Senators wrote to the provost recently. I hope that she will meet us. The letter covered a broad range. There are alumni here from Trinity and other universities. I think we all should use our reach to demand that universities take a stronger stance. I and former Senators David Norris, Shane Ross and Carmencita Hederman, as well as former Senator Ivana Bacik, who is now a Deputy, wrote to Trinity. Thus far, we have had no engagement beyond recognition that we wrote to it. We hope Trinity will take a stronger stance soon. It shows how the interest and care for the Palestinian people spans across all generations in Ireland, from me back to Carmencita Hederman, who was in Trinity and the Seanad long before I came along. Again, I send my solidarity to the academics mobilising across the country today.

Fintan Warfield (Sinn Fein)
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I wish to move an amendment to the Order of Business, that No. 12 be taken before No. 1. No. 12 is our Bill to amend the Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000 to ensure that the online content and digital output of our country is preserved in order that citizens and researchers within the country and abroad are guaranteed permanent access to the online intellectual and cultural memory of our country.

The National Library of Ireland has the legal responsibility to collect every physical publication in the State. It does not, however, have a legal right to archive digital online material from the Internet. I have published this web archive Bill to amend the Copyright and Related Rights Act to give it that right because online websites disappear at an alarming rate and that creates a black hole in our country’s memory. We need to give the National Library of Ireland the right to legally collect and preserve this memory before it is lost.

Some 60% of national libraries across Europe have in place adequate copyright law that allows them to collect appropriately the content of their state domain’s websites. In our case that is the .ie domain. When the former director of the National Library of Ireland, Dr. Sandra Collins, appeared before the Oireachtas joint committee in June 2021, she said:

In 2019, we did a full domain .ie crawl. Approximately 230,000 Irish websites end with .ie. With our technology partner, we captured a snapshot in time of every one of those websites. It is a resource that researchers and historians in the future will take as a record of what the country was saying during 2019. The act of collecting those websites put us [the National Library of Ireland] in breach of copyright legislation. We have that resource securely locked away, but we cannot provide access to it for researchers, historians and people in Ireland who are interested in it.

This legislation would, I hope, right that wrong. The Government and its agencies are also probably one of the biggest publishers in the State. Most Government publications are hosted on websites that have no long-term access guarantee and there is no centralised access to the Government records or repository either. That is something that needs to be addressed. I would welcome the House’s support on First Stage of the Bill.

Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the news from the Minister, Deputy Foley, today that she will move to address the problem of grade inflation at leaving certificate and that we will move back slowly, starting with the leaving certificate in 2025. Obviously, it will not impact on any leaving certificate students this year. However, I am concerned that those who might have benefited from the grade inflation in recent years may have an advantage if they are competing against students for higher education places. I hope the Minister will come to the House to explain the process that she intends to follow through so that certainty can be given to those who will sit their leaving certificate examinations in 2025 and subsequent years. It is important that she will continue to engage with the Irish Second Level Students Union on this.

I have raised the long-term impact of Covid on young people here before. Much of that will only begin to manifest itself, particularly for that lockdown generation. Those children and young people who in many ways experienced social isolation and, in some instances, lack of access to physical activity. A number of reports are now beginning to show the impact that is having on the mental health and social adaptability of groups of young people. There is a socialisation gap. It is not among all young people but there are obviously certain cohorts about whom concerns have been expressed. The reputable science publication Nature spoke about the impact on physical fitness on a global level on those who were confined during the Covid period. There are many elements of growing up. The Covid period impacted on us all in an enormous way but specifically for those young people, we need to look at a long-term strategy to address the manifestation of some of those problems. I hope the Leader will invite the Minister to the House on those issues.

Maria Byrne (Fine Gael)
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I rise to raise a number of issues. First, on school transport places, I remind people that the closing date is 26 April. I bring to the attention of those going to primary or secondary school in Limerick city or county that new applicants or those who have changed address since their last application must apply online. That is a really important message to send out.

I thank the McManus family for the donation of the International Rugby Experience centre to Limerick City and County Council yesterday. This is a 30,000 sq. ft building which has been finished to a very high standard. It is very welcoming not only for national and local tourists, but also international tourists. It has attracted visitors in the 12 months since it opened. I pay tribute to Keith Wood and Paul O’Connell, who were instrumental in organising the museum and putting it together, and to Barry Hannon, the CEO. It is a very honourable thing for the family to gift it to the city and county of Limerick. Limerick DAC will now run it as a tourism project.

Finally, I would love if the Leader could intervene on a matter which was raised here yesterday. I wrote on this yesterday myself. The matter between Motorsport Ireland and the Department of tourism and sport has been ongoing for six months. Further information has been sought and it will take another six months for a decision. That means that it is gone for 2025 and probably also 2026 and 2027 because when it comes here it is gifted for three years. That it will not go ahead in 2025 means we probably will not have it in Waterford and Kerry too, which is very disappointing. If the Leader could intervene on that, it would be appreciated.

Michael McDowell (Independent)
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Yesterday, I referred to a peaceful protest outside the House here as being probably extremist. I want to apologise to the people who participated in that protest. They were, in fact they were an entirely legitimate and well-intentioned group of people who came to protest. I received an email today from Michelle Keane, who organised it. I want to acknowledge that it was unfair of me to draw that inference from their presence at the gates.

I wish to move an amendment to the Order of Business, to delete the words “without debate” from the arrangements in respect of No. 1, to substitute the words “with the debate to conclude at 2 p.m” and to provide that the time limits on Nos. 2 to 5, inclusive, be adjusted accordingly. The reason for that is as follows.Unfortunately, the members of the committee have been supplied with a proposed order of business, effectively, for the committee, which is to hear this matter on 23 April, and it envisages only a contribution by the Minister for Justice and questions to be put to her. In my view, such a consideration is not what is envisaged by the Standing Orders of this House. The measure is being sent to the committee for consideration but consideration involves looking at it carefully, taking evidence about it and receiving submissions from the public. On a matter of such importance, which, as I said yesterday, has constitutional status and will deprive Ireland of its sovereign rights in perpetuity in respect of immigration and asylum seeking matters, there should be further consultation. If it is adopted, in future all these regulations will be able to be changed against Ireland's wishes by qualified majority voting, QMV, within the European Union, so we will have lost total control of our own asylum and migration law.

Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael)
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I raise the issue of Lough Funshinagh. Deputy O'Donnell, in his new role as Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, visited County Roscommon and the communities that are heavily impacted. There is utter devastation for the families who have been impacted by the flooding. They are losing homes, land, farms and roads. Around Curraghboy, for example, a road is flooded and there is no access for local people. This is the result of climate change in County Roscommon and it is having a massive impact on the people there. It has been crucial that An Taoiseach, Simon Harris, has taken this as a priority and ensured attention has been paid, but if there is to be any solution, it has to happen in the coming months. The challenge is that this is a turlough and a special area of conservation, but there has been such a high level of rainfall this year. We know that from the farming crisis and the fodder issues we are facing. It is a level of rainfall that is making it impossible to protect any of these places. We need some action to be done here in order that we can protect the conservation objectives of an SAC as well as families and livestock, because nothing is being protected at the moment. It is crucial that we see some possibility and hope for communities in this area.

Shane Cassells (Fianna Fail)
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I want to give a cautious welcome to the news overnight that Tara Mines in Navan is to reopen on a gradual basis. This mine, the largest sink mine in Europe, has been closed for nine long months, with more than 600 employees left on minimal support. It has been nine long months when there has been very little goodwill from the company towards this workforce in Navan. It is my sense there has been a strategy to starve these workers into submission and get to this point.

I thank the unions for the work they have conducted in bringing about these negotiations with the Workplace Relations Commission, WRC. I hope the detail, which has yet to be published in the public domain, will not see a significant diminution of the workers' terms and conditions, which they have secured over many years in working in extremely perilous circumstances deep underground.

My thoughts are with the nearly 200 people who, through a voluntary redundancy package, will reduce the workforce to a little over 400. While I welcome the fact we have a draft agreement, it is wrong in the extreme that more than 600 people in Navan and the wider area have been left in this position for over nine months. I hope the detail, when published, will be discussed in depth by the workforce and that we will see a reopening of Tara Mines.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the students from Kilkenny City Vocational School, who are here as the guests of the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan. I hope they will have a pleasurable visit to Leinster House.

Lynn Boylan (Sinn Fein)
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I second Senator Warfield's proposal to amend the Order of Business.

I raise the "RTÉ Investigates" programme that aired on Monday night relating to abortion services, which showed that the legislation agreed by this House is yet to be fully implemented. The cases we heard about on the programme should not have happened. Nobody should have had to have those experiences now that the referendum and the legislation to repeal the eighth amendment have passed. We need to make sure the legislation is working for women and that must be our guiding principle. We need to make sure services are available throughout the country - it should not be a postcode lottery - but five years after their introduction, it is clear from the show that that is not the case.

We have heard from the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, and I listened carefully to the Taoiseach talk yesterday, about how we went to the people and told them this was what they were voting for. I am concerned that is somehow code for saying the Government is not going to act to make this legislation fit for purpose and to reflect what both Houses voted for after the referendum. Certainly, the heads of the Bill that were put to the people provided for a built-in review to make sure the services were operating and were fit for purpose and that women would be able to access the healthcare they deserve. The review has been carried out and has highlighted, as I said, significant geographical barriers to services, the underdevelopment of regional services and other barriers such as the three-day wait. In no other circumstances would anybody be asked to wait for three days to see whether they really wanted to get healthcare.

This needs to be addressed in a systematic way and we need to see a clear plan from the Government as to how it is going to progress those recommendations. If it is not going to do that, it needs to be brutally honest with the public about the decision it has taken. We need to have a debate on this issue.

Gerard Craughwell (Independent)
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I second my colleague Senator McDowell's amendment. The time has come to establish whether we live in a democracy and whether this House has the right to debate issues that are important to the citizens of this State. Bringing in legislation and just ramming it through is becoming rather tiresome. I would have expected the referendums had taught a lesson to the Government to engage in proper parliamentary debate, so I second Senator McDowell's motion.

Today, the current cadet class will graduate in the Curragh and I know the Cathaoirleach will join me in wishing them well. It is great to see these young men and women heading out on a career in the Defence Forces having been commissioned into the State. It is absolutely diabolical, however, that within ten years most of them will have left the Defence Forces because of the 2013 pension, which has destroyed public service. The 2013 pension was brought in by civil servants who had well-heeled pensions themselves and were well looked after by the State. They destroyed public service in this country. Garda members are leaving in their droves, as are military personnel. We have to get the Minister for public expenditure and reform to appear before the House and drive home the message that the pension scheme that was introduced in 2013 has destroyed public service. We need to wake up to that. There is contagion. It moved from the Army to the Garda and it will move to the Prison Service, the fire services and, eventually, the wider public service. Nobody will want to serve the State because there is nothing in it for them at the end of it but a paltry pension that will be worth nothing to them. We need to get that debate going and I ask the Leader to try to facilitate it.

Emer Currie (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the news yesterday about the introduction of tougher sentencing for knife crime. I have raised this issue frequently, both in the Seanad and directly with the Minister for Justice. What is helpful is the differentiation between possession and intent and the added length to sentences relating to the importation and sale of knives. I hope we can continue to build on that because we need to look at the behavioural reasons for knife crime. Seizures have been around 2,200 over the past five years. Knives are used in many different crimes and are increasingly used by young people and on our streets, so we need to continue the work in this regard.

There were reports this morning about activity in the constituency of Dublin West following the gangland-related incident there on Christmas Eve. I have been very much engaged with An Garda Síochána on that matter since Christmas and have every faith in it in terms of managing it. However, Dublin West should be prioritised in the context of the roll-out of community safety partnerships. This is a good opportunity for the Minister for Justice to come back to the House to update us on where the community safety partnerships stand and a range of other community issues.

Tom Clonan (Independent)
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I wish to raise the prospect of Israeli retaliation against the Islamic Republic of Iran. Three individuals - Yoav Gallant, Benny Gantz and Benjamin Netanyahu - have presided over genocidal retaliation against the people of Gaza for the reprehensible attack on 7 October in which more than 1,000 Israeli citizens - innocent men, women and children - were butchered by Hamas. Israel's response has been of such a scale and so disproportionate that it has murdered, and I use that word advisedly because its actions have been contrary to the laws of armed conflict and the Geneva Convention, over 30,000 men, women and children. This has quite rightly been condemned by the Tánaiste and the Taoiseach in recent weeks. They have shown considerable leadership in that regard. However, past behaviour is the best predictor of future behaviour. We are at a precipitous moment. I have no doubt that Netanyahu, Gallant and Gantz will sanction very heavy-handed retaliatory strikes against Iran, Lebanon, Iraq and Syria in the coming weeks, which will raise the prospect of regional escalation. They will carry out Cruise missile attacks and air assaults using their air force. With the opportunity we now have, I ask that the Tánaiste and the Taoiseach summon the Israeli ambassador to give an assurance that Irish troops will not be targeted in south Lebanon. I say this particularly in light of what I experienced when Israel previously declared south Lebanon a free-fire zone. I saw how hundreds of innocent Lebanese were slaughtered and how Irish troops came under direct fire from air strikes and artillery attacks. We should not allow this to happen. It is unacceptable. Our troops are there on UN service in good faith as peacekeepers. I wonder whether there would be an element of retaliation for our foreign policy position, which has been so explicitly stated. Before this catastrophic retaliation kicks off, can we take the opportunity to demand that Irish troops operating with UNIFIL are deemed not to be targets?

Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fail)
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I thank all Senators who contributed to the Order of Business. The first speaker was Senator McGahon, who made an interesting point around parental leave for 26 weeks. The Senator would like the period during which that leave can be accessed to be extended in order that adults caring for children with a disability or a long-term illness can take it up until the child reaches 18 years of age. The proposal merits consideration.

Senator Fitzpatrick welcomed the new inner city task force. She made the point that further recommendations, reports and talking about it are not what the people there are looking for. They want cleaner, safer and move liveable communities and she made a specific request for dedicated gardaí to be active in the inner city. She also welcomed the report from SIPTU on safety on public transport, which, in her view, mirrors the public consultation conducted by Fianna Fáil two years ago. That consultation revealed that people do not feel safe on certain parts of our public transport system. The Senator reiterated her call and that of Fianna Fáil for a dedicated public transport police force.

Senator Keogan spoke about the national conservatism event that was due to take place in Brussels and that was blocked or cancelled. She mentioned cancel culture. We have spoken about this issue in the Chamber previously with regard to other topics, and there is certainly an issue with cancel culture. People are afraid to speak on certain issues or to express a view, depending on where they are. My views on that angle are well known. I think people should be able to speak freely without fear and should be able to express their views and opinions as they see fit. That is part of a functioning democracy. The Senator mentioned the hate speech Bill. This has been one piece of legislation in respect of which the House has really shown its value. Were it not for the work of Senators on both sides of the House, that Bill would be law by now because it would have been passed last summer. We have proven our value in terms of checks and balances, which are very much alive and well. My view is that both Government and Opposition Senators are doing their job effectively, so I disagree with the Senator's assertion that the Seanad is a rubber-stamping Chamber.

I will respond to the points made by Senators McDowell and Craughwell. The motion being taken today is to refer the draft migration pact to committee for discussion, which is the normal procedure. We will have a debate in the House with the Minister for Justice on 2 May - she will be in the Dáil on the previous evening - so we will have an opportunity to have a discussion on it. To suggest that the Seanad is a rubber-stamping Chamber does all of us a disservice because it is certainly not how I view this House or my role as a Senator. Over this term, we have shown this in the context of various items of legislation. I refer, for example, to the policing Bill, in respect of which changes were achieved as well. That is not to say that you get everything you want all of the time, but there have been many instances where Senators have proven that this House does its job well and effects the checks and balances the public want. Many amendments come from this House and make it into final legislation. If we were not here, that would not have happened.

We are very lucky to have a good functioning democracy. Very few countries in the world have what we have. It is important to acknowledge that we have free and open elections, that people can speak freely and that we have a free media. People might not always agree with it, but journalists are empowered and are free to ask the questions they want to ask even though at times it might be deeply uncomfortable for the people being asked those questions. In that context, I do think we have a healthy and functioning democracy. That is not to say that we do not need to protect it and be mindful of that. That involves including and listening to all voices and making sure people can have their say at all levels.

Senator Wall spoke about electricity credits. I take on board his point that some people are being directed to speak to their providers when they should just be getting the credit. An unfortunate situation arose whereby somebody was under pressure to pay a bill they did not owe. Nobody should be in that situation. Overall, the energy credits that were put in place by the Government have worked well in terms of offsetting a significant increase in energy costs mainly due to the war in Ukraine and Russia turning off the gas tap. There were genuine fears two years ago that we would not be able to keep the lights on. In light of the extraordinary circumstances the Government had to deal with, it did well in protecting the most vulnerable and trying to offset some of the significant increases in household bills. We want to do more, however, and we will continue to do more.

The Senator has raised housing adaptation grants on a number of occasions. This is a challenge across the board where what is available is not meeting the cost of doing the work. I know that the Minister is working on that. I appreciate that people are working for work to be done. I know that it is not just an issue in Kildare; it is across the board.I take on board the Senator's comments on jobseeker's allowance and benefit, the occasional friction with getting carer's allowance, and people being put through the mill in that regard. Our carers deserve full appreciation and respect. Things should be made as easy as possible to try to provide that care to family members and loved ones.

Senator Ruane spoke about Academics for Palestine on behalf of the Civil Engagement Group. I take on board her point that being silent and not taking action is an action in itself because it is inaction. The House has been very strong across the board in condemning the acts of Hamas on 7 October, but since then there have been highly disproportionate genocidal acts by Israel against the people of Gaza. We are united in our condemnation of murder, killing and the starvation of children. There is no excuse or justification for that. We all want a ceasefire now, in addition to a peaceful, two-state solution.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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I welcome guests of Senator Carrigy. They are Brian Mahon and his mum, Mary Mahon, from County Longford. They will be leaving soon so I welcome them most sincerely.

Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fail)
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Senator Warfield proposed an amendment to the Order of Business, that No. 12 be taken before No. 1, which was seconded by Senator Ruane. I am happy to accept that amendment. I commend the Senator on his work on that issue. Our legislation often lags behind where the world is at. This is a good piece of work that I am sure will be looked upon favourably by the relevant Minister.

Senator Malcolm Byrne welcomed the announcement by the Minister, Deputy Foley, that we will move slowly back towards normal grades in respect of dealing with grade inflation. I take on board the point that there may be students who deferred their college places, or may not have applied to the CAO, but may well apply in a number of years' time and will be competing with those on lower grades. I have no doubt the Minister is aware of this. That needs to be factored into whatever process is put in place to come back from that Covid era when grades were inflated. Covid had a long-term impact on young people in particular. Many of them missed out on 18th and 21st birthdays and graduations, which are highly significant points in people's lives that only happen once. We are still realising the full mental health impacts of that period. Young people need to be supported in their communities.

Senator Maria Byrne raised the issue of school transport. I note her comments. She thanked the McManus family for their charitable donation of the International Rugby Experience to the people of Limerick. She also raised an issue around Motorsport Ireland and the potential loss of that event to the country.

Senator McDowell proposed an amendment to the Order of Business. I will not repeat the words but I note what the amendment asked for. It was seconded by Senator Craughwell. I am not in a position to accept the amendment. The reason is the process in the House is that the draft pact will be referred to committee for consideration. Senator McDowell is a member of the Joint Committee on Justice. It is a matter for that committee and its Chair as to how its work is conducted. I suggest to committee members that they should work together in terms of-----

Michael McDowell (Independent)
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I tried.

Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fail)
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It is not a matter for the Leader to direct a committee Chair or a committee on how to do their work. It is just not within my remit. It is the normal course of work that this draft pact be referred to a committee for consideration and it then comes back to us for consideration by the House. We will have a full debate on this on 2 May. That will be our opportunity to do this. I take on board the frustration the Senator expressed around the committee process but it is just not within my remit to deal with that as Leader. It is a matter for the committee Chair and committee members. I appreciate Senator McDowell is a member of that committee, but there is nothing I can do in respect of its work. It is just not part of my remit.

On the comments made about the European Union and the potential to make changes to the migration pact, we will have an opportunity to discuss that further on 2 May. My understanding, however, is that the pact took close to a decade to negotiate. I have seen MEPs discuss it who were involved in the work on it over the past number of years. I do not think anybody is wholly happy with it but, sometimes, when there are people on both sides who are unhappy, and you have met somewhere in the middle, you have probably got it mostly right. That is my assessment of it. I am very uncomfortable with Ireland going it alone. If 26 other member states were to move forward to work together collectively, and we were left out in the cold, I wonder what the incentive would be to help Ireland, if we were struggling with the migration issue, which we are.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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Sorry, the Leader to reply to the debate. All Members had an opportunity-----

Sharon Keogan (Independent)
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This is the document.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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All Members had an opportunity to speak-----

Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fail)
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It is okay. I can respond for myself, a Chathaoirligh.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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I will chair, thank you.

Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fail)
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I can speak for myself is the only point I was making. We will have a full debate on the matter on 2 May. I hope I have responded to the genuine questions and concerns raised by Members. I fully take on board what has been said. We will have a full debate in the House on it.

On a completely different matter, Senator Dolan raised the issue of Lough Funshinagh, which was also raised last week. Significant flooding is taking place at Lough Funshinagh, County Roscommon, involving homes and farmland. The environmental impact of the flooding includes the destruction of all the flora, fauna, wildlife, trees and shrubbery. Everything is destroyed because of that flooding. People there have been asking for help for a very long time. I appreciate that Ministers, and our new Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW, are working hard to try to address the issue, but for people living in the area around Lough Funshinagh, it is absolutely imperative that help gets there soon. It is unacceptable that it has been allowed get to this state and that the water tables have not been lowered. I certainly wish the Minister of State well. I also offer any support that I or other colleagues here can give to those people. When the environmental challenge we have is being used as a justification or reason to leave people in that situation, we have just completely lost the run of ourselves. The wildlife and plants are all dead because the place is so badly flooded. It needs to be sorted and the red tape needs to be cut through to allow people to get down there to deal with that flooding situation. It should not be beyond us in 2024 to deal with some flooding, get people back up and running, and get farmers back out on their land. I thank the Senator for raising the issue.

Senator Cassells welcomed the news that Tara Mines is to be reopened on an incremental basis. I completely take on board his comments that he wants assurances that the terms and conditions of employees will not be reduced or worsened because they have been left out of work for nine months and are now coming back in. It is an important employer in the area around Navan, County Meath. It is important that employees are respected and taken care of, that the company pays them properly, and that their terms and conditions are protected.

Senator Boylan raised an important issue around the "RTÉ Investigates" programme broadcast on Monday night. It was a historic day when the eighth amendment to the Constitution was removed and, after 35 years of debate, the people had their say. There are certainly regional imbalances in how services are delivered. In more rural areas, where I am from, the service is not the same as it is in Dublin. That needs to be addressed. People did not vote to have better services in one part of the country as opposed to another. The Minister is very aware of that. It is a challenge getting services into some areas but I certainly support equal access to services right across the board.

Senator Craughwell spoke about the migration issue and the pact, which I have dealt with. On the cadet class that has come out, I congratulate those who have graduated from the cadet school in the Curragh. I wish them well in their new career. The Senator hit the nail on the head regarding the elephant in the room, namely, the pension issue. I recently spoke with two members of An Garda Síochána. I was chatting with them in Ballinrobe, County Mayo. There had been a spate of break-ins in the town the night before. The Garda car came from Castlebar because there was no car in Ballinrobe. While that car was in Ballinrobe, there was no car in Castlebar. We chatted about why so many gardaí are leaving the force and the pension issue came up. There were two young men who are probably not that long in the Garda, but the pension issue is clearly a disincentive to stay in the Defence Forces or An Garda Síochána long term. I have no doubt it is the same in the Prison Service. These are unique jobs as regards their demands on the individual. After years and years of training and building up that corporate knowledge, if somebody at a senior level is lost, that person is not instantly replaceable. It takes time to build up that knowledge. We have seen that in the Defence Forces, where we have lost significant knowledge in the organisation that is normally passed down through the ranks and generations. You cannot go to the private sector to get these skill sets. They are home-grown and developed within the organisation. The pension issue needs to be reviewed because the retention issue will get worse and worse across the unique jobs we rely on in the public sector to keep the State working and functioning properly, and protecting our democracy, as is often mentioned. The Garda and the Defence Forces are key to that. The issue needs to be looked at. I thank the Senator for raising it.

Senator Currie welcomed the fact we now have tougher sentencing for knife crime. She touched upon the behavioural reasons for it. When we talk about increasing sentences, we have to acknowledge that, sometimes, they have no deterrent at all and often do not address the numbers committing those crimes. We need investment in communities at an early stage, including supports into communities. We need to deal with poverty. We also need a criminal justice response when the law is broken. It is not just one avenue to address that particular issue. Trying to prevent the thing happening, and the issue occurring in the first place, is obviously the more desirable way to approach it. The Senator asked for an update on community safety partnerships and suggested that Dublin West would be considered.There is a pilot running in the city centre already as part of the community safety partnerships. There are another four pilot projects being run across the country. We can seek an update from the Minister on that. The matter is going to the Joint Committee on Justice for review. We can certainly request a debate on it.

Senator Clonan raised the potential of Israel to retaliating against Iran. There is major concern about an escalation of the conflict in Middle East. I certainly share the Senator's concern for our troops in the Irish camp in Lebanon. They are in a precarious situation. The Tánaiste and Minister for Defence, Deputy Micheál Martin, is very much aware of that. There is ongoing contact with the camp and with the Defence Forces to ensure we are abreast of what is happening there. It is a challenging situation and it brings home the point that even though we are involved in peacekeeping and peace enforcement missions they are dangerous missions. When we send our troops abroad they are to be commended for representing Óglaigh na hÉireann and the State with distinction. I am sure it is a worrying time for their families as well.

We have had a number of debates on what is happening in Gaza and we will continue to keep that issue at the top of the agenda. We are all united in our support for the Palestinian people and in seeking a ceasefire. We certainly hope there is not an escalation of tensions in the region. The world is watching on with fear about what might occur if that does happen. I thank the Senator for raising the issue and for keeping it on the agenda in the Seanad.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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Senator Fintan Warfield has proposed an amendment to the Order of Business: "That No. 12 be taken before No. 1." The amendment was seconded by Senator Boylan. The Leader has indicated that she is prepared to accept this amendment. Is the amendment agreed? Agreed.

Senator Michael McDowell has proposed an amendment to the Order of Business: "That No. 1 be taken with debate on the conclusion of the Order of Business, and to conclude at 2 p.m. if not previously concluded; that No. 2 be taken on conclusion of No. 1 for 90 minutes; and that No. 3 be taken at 3 p.m. or on conclusion of No. 2, whichever is later." This was seconded by Senator Craughwell. Is the amendment being pressed?

Michael McDowell (Independent)
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Under Standing Order 62(3)(b), I request that the division be taken again by other than electronic means.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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Senator McDowell has called for a walk through vote.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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Is the Order of Business, as amended, agreed to?

Michael McDowell (Independent)
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It is not agreed.