Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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Before I ask the Leader to outline the Order of Business, it gives me pleasure to welcome two members who are here on work experience. I welcome Jagoda Dul, who comes from the wonderful county of Clare. She is a transition year student from Spanish Point. She attends St. Joseph's Secondary School and is working in the office of Senator Conway, whose good wife Breege is in the Public Gallery this morning. I thank Breege for all of her work and her wonderful patience with Senator Conway. She is a wonderful person and a great friend. Jagoda is very welcome and I thank her for being here this morning.

Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fail)
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The Order of Business is No. 1, Motor Insurance Insolvency Compensation Bill 2024 - Committee and Remaining Stages, to be taken at 12.45 p.m. and to adjourn at 2.15 p.m. if not previously concluded; No. 2, Family Courts Bill 2022 - Committee Stage, to be taken at 2.15 p.m. and to adjourn at 5.30 p.m. if not previously concluded; and No. 3, Gambling Regulation Bill 2022 - Committee Stage (resumed), to be taken at 5.30 p.m and the proceedings thereon shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at 8.30 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 the Government.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Leader. I welcome Ellen Brennan, who is with Ms Samantha Long in the Public Gallery. Ms Long is a great friend of ours. Ellen is a transition year student from Our Lady's Bower Secondary School in Athlone. She is very welcome and I thank her for being here. I know she has a busy few days in Leinster House. We wish her well in her studies and in her work experience in Leinster House.

Gerry Horkan (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Leader for outlining the Order of Business, which I am very much in agreement with. I welcome my friends Breege and Sam and their work experience colleagues who are here today. They are very welcome to the House. It is clear Breege has been instrumental in helping Senator Conway, whom I know since my college days. He is very successful in his own right but I know Breege contributes substantially to that. I say "Well done" to her.

The test of a good budget is that we do not talk about it very much the following day. There are no banana skins or big problems. I commend the Minister, Deputy Chambers, who is the youngest Fianna Fáil Minister for Finance ever and the youngest Minister for Finance in over 100 years, on his first budget. Let us all hope it will not be his last budget. Equally, I commend the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, a former Member of this House, who also put in a very good performance yesterday. There is so much detail and positivity in this budget that it is easy to forget how much is in it, such as the emphasis on water infrastructure and electricity infrastructure. I am not aware of any previous budget that has put such significant resources into the electricity grid, but these resources which are clearly needed, with the data centres and the increase in our population and so on. I congratulate the two Ministers on that.

Equally, we need to look at the hospitality industry again and see where we can help it out further, whether through VAT, a cut in excise or other measures. It is clear that many restaurants are closing. Parts of the hospitality industry are busy but many establishments are under pressure. A business may be busy on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays but does not necessarily mean it will stay afloat. As a Government, we need to look again at this issue on behalf of the Licensed Vinters Association, the Vintners Federation of Ireland, the Restaurants Association of Ireland and the Irish Hotels Federation.

In my final minute, I condemn fully and outright the outrageous attack of more than 180 ballistic missiles that Iran tried to land on Israel yesterday. It is worthy of condemnation. This is more than a regional conflict; it is becoming a war and it is a challenge for us all. The loss of life and destruction of property on all sides is terrible. I urge de-escalation. We need to dampen down what is going on in that region and reduce the tension. We need to see the hostages released coming up to the anniversary of the outrageous attack on 7 October which was the catalyst for a lot of this. I urge all Members of this House to condemn the escalation of activity by Iran yesterday.

Martin Conway (Fine Gael)
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I echo the Cathaoirleach’s welcome to Jagoda, who is in the Public Gallery and has been doing fantastic work in my office. She is gaining very valuable experience as part of her transition year. I also welcome Ellen, who is with a great mentor in Ms Long. The budget announced yesterday was certainly a very interesting and positive offering. Many elements of it are welcome. A particularly welcome measure is the extension by €300 of the credit for the blind and visually impaired. That has not happened in many years. It will make a significant difference for the 400,000 people in this country who suffer sight loss. They have hidden added costs that people do not realise. Unfortunately, many of them cannot drive. Those living in rural parts of the country have to rely on taxis and friends to get to and from work. The measure announced yesterday is welcome. I would like it to have been increased by more and I would certainly like to see further increases going forward.

The free travel pass for partners of OAPs is very welcome. It defies logic that OAPs can travel for free but their carers or minders have to pay an exorbitant price for their rail ticket or fare. That leads me on to another point. We need to see universal charging for transport fares. It needs to be done per mile or kilometre and to be the same across all public transport. There is too much disparity. I live in County Clare. A person can travel from Ennistymon to Ennis on one publicly funded service for approximately €2.Bus Éireann is another publicly funded service and it costs €6.80. That does not make sense and it needs to change. I want to see a debate with the Minister for Transport on standardised fares in early course.

Regarding the 9% VAT rate that was called for across the tourism industry and the hospitality and restaurant industry, that was a mistake. I would have liked to have seen it happen, but it is not happening. We need to have an informed, mature engagement on VAT in general, including what is subject to VAT and what is not. We need to see some sort of a discussion. I wish to see a debate on value-added tax in this Chamber in the not-too-distant future.

Finally, I agree with my good friend and colleague, Senator Horkan, in condemning outright what is happening in Israel and throughout that region. We need a ceasefire now. Too many people have lost their lives, too many children are dying and too many children are being killed. It is not good enough. We can, as a world, do better. I would like the Minister for Foreign Affairs to redouble his efforts through our diplomatic channels both within the EU and the UN to try to do everything we can as a neutral country to try to facilitate dialogue and a ceasefire.

Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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I welcome Samantha Long and Ellen from Senator Michael McDowell’s office as well as Breege and the intern from Senator Conway’s office. They are very welcome to the House.

I wish to talk about two things, the first of which is the residential zoned land tax, which I talked about yesterday. There has been a bit more clarity in the past few hours in respect of this tax. There is a lot of misunderstanding about this tax. There is no exemption from this tax. One can apply for an exemption if one desires to down zone or dezone, not rezone. That is an important point. We will have another opportunity to debate this, either in this House or outside of it. It will become a big focus in the forthcoming general election, so it is important that we get our facts right. Therefore, I call on the Government to move quickly to explain the rationale for this residential zoned land tax in simple terms that are clearly understood. I also call for the publication of the guidelines to be issued to the local authorities as a matter of priority. I made contact with a number of local authorities last night and today and I am reliably informed that all local authorities will be subject to some of this tax. All local authorities were encouraged to develop land banks by central government. Many of them are agricultural lands and many are potentially serviced. No one has done the sums in relation to the exposure and the tax for our 31 local authorities and where that will be transferred. I am also reliably informed that there is no exemption from the tax for any local authority in the legislation currently. There needs to be greater clarity. I understand that a number of the agricultural and farming representative bodies will be issuing statements about this matter later on, so I leave it at that. Let us have clarity and let us have the facts.

I commend the Minister, Deputy Peter Burke, on his valiant efforts with regard to the hospitality sector. I am conscious that the hospitality sector, the hotel industry and the vintners' association have representatives on the Seanad nomination bodies. I encourage them to look at them again and to home in on their representation. They are here to represent that sector. I have not heard too many people up to budget day yesterday talking about their requirements and their desires. I am conscious of a media statement received by all Senators today from the sector, the Irish Hotels Federation, IHF, which talked about the budget and the crisis of the hospitality sector deepening. It is fiercely frustrated and disappointed. Let us have a debate on it. Let their representatives, who are being nominated by these panels, stand up and call for a debate in this House this week. I will call every day for a debate on the hospitality sector until we go to the general election. I will finish on this point. The Minister, Deputy Peter Burke, made valiant efforts but he was frustrated in the process. Questions need to be asked. I look forward to asking him, as Minister with responsibility in this sector, to come to this House and be facilitate by the Leader to do so, to have a frank, open and transparent debate on these issues in the limelight of the cameras in this open political Chamber.

Martin Conway (Fine Gael)
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I second that.

Vincent P Martin (Green Party)
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I seek leave of the House to take No. 13 on the Order of Business before No. 1 so that I can introduce and publish my Bill entitled transport (vehicle registration plate suppliers) Bill 2024, which will provide for some much-needed regulation in the area of manufacturing, selling and supplying vehicle registration plates. In its investigation of criminal activity, An Garda Síochána has encountered, including in County Kildare, what is known as number plate cloning, which is cloning and identity theft that implicates innocent car owners in vehicular crimes. Cloning involves finding and targeting a vehicle, copying or stealing its plates, and installing them on a vehicle of a similar make or model. Currently in Ireland, unlike other jurisdictions, one can get a number plate as conveniently and easily as buying a bar of chocolate or a bag of chips in a shop. That is not good enough. There is need for legislation to keep up with the criminals.

Second, I acknowledge the centenary of Naas Athletic Club. It celebrated 100 years in existence last weekend. It was not just celebrating the achievements of the past century but also recognising the spirit of community, local community, volunteerism and resilience that the club embodies. It was a wonderful opportunity to commend and acknowledge the countless individuals, past and present, who have contributed their time, energy and passion to cultivate a vibrant athletics community in Naas. We recognise the contribution of: my late father-in-law Jackie Cummins, a two-time Milbrook Cup winner and a former president of the Naas Athletic Club; the current chair, Bob Lawlor; the current president, Brian Dowling; five-time Milbrook Cup winner, Ted Keegan, whom it was great to see at the event at the weekend, which was very well attended; the late Jack Hartigan; the late Jack Garvey and all the Garvey families who are enshrined in that great club for the past 100 years; John Brady; Vincent Walsh; Brian Mullaney; and Willie Noone. Women have been to the fore in that great success story over the past 100 years as well - international athletes of the highest standing such as Evelyn McNelis, Liz Hogan and Cera Nolan. It was a wonderful location to celebrate all that is good about community, camaraderie, volunteerism and resilience. I look forward to the next 100 years for that brilliant, vibrant club.

Catherine Ardagh (Fianna Fail)
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I wish to say a few words about yesterday’s budget, particularly how it impacts individuals with disabilities and their families. The budget introduced a number of key issues and key financial supports, not a panacea. One of the most notable changes is the increase to the incapacitated child tax credit, which was raised by €300 to a total of €3,800 per year. This increase will provide families with additional financial relief to cover extensive costs associated with the care of a child with disabilities and their ongoing medical need. It is not a huge increase but it is one of the biggest tax credit increases in the budget and something I advocated for and will be working on to continue to see an increase for families and children with disabilities.

Similarly, the carer tax credit was increased by €150, which recognised the invaluable contribution of carers to our children and those they care for. These carers, as we know, make significant personal and financial sacrifices to provide care for their family members. This increase is always welcome, and it is a welcome acknowledgement of the vital role they play. We have also seen enhanced allowances for grants for carers. Further tax relief was introduced in budget 2025. Carer’s disregard has risen to €625 for single people and €1,250 for couples. This ultimately allows more people to qualify for the critical financial support that is the carer’s allowance. Additionally, the carer’s support grant has been increased by €150, giving carers much needed additional support. The domiciliary care allowance has been raised by €20 a month, now totalling €350 per month, which will offer families greater resources to meet their unique needs.Budget 2025 includes an increase of €336 million in funding for disability services, ensuring that the provision of extra residential beds, respite care and additional home care hours are catered for. We will also see the recruitment of 1,600 new special needs assistants and 768 special education teachers. Given the significant demand on second level teachers, this increase is fantastic. I welcome the increase in access to IVF treatment and hormone replacement therapy.

John Cummins (Fine Gael)
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The Leader is aware that I sought a debate with the Minister for Transport and the Minister of State, Deputy Lawless, on aviation policy. This is the fifth occasion that I have used the Order of Business to seek such a debate. My understanding from the previous response I received was that the request has gone in from the Seanad Office every time but that to date no timescale has been given. That is an insult to this House. It is unacceptable. The Minister or the Minister of State must come before this House to have a debate on aviation policy. I have specifically sought updates on Waterford Airport and the business case that has been submitted in the context of seeking matching funding of €12 million to lengthen and widen the runway. Reports this week indicate that the Minister and the Minister of State have received an appraisal of the business case. It is in their hands, so it is timely that a debate on the matter would be scheduled on the Order Paper. The people of Waterford and the south east require this infrastructure for connectivity into the region. It is an essential piece of infrastructure. The Government committed matching funding of €5 million in 2019. The cost of the project has obviously escalated since then. The request is for €12 million in private sector funding and €3 million from the local authorities in the region. Everyone has bought into this project and a decision needs to be made urgently so that work on this vital piece of infrastructure for the south east can commence. Most importantly, this debate needs to happen in this Chamber and it is unacceptable that it has not taken place to date.

Gerard Craughwell (Independent)
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I second-----

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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I will pause the clock to welcome the guests of Deputy MacSharry, our friend and colleague and a former Senator.

Gerard Craughwell (Independent)
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I am glad the clock was stopped. I second Senator Martin's very worthy Bill and move my motion for a by-election to the Seanad.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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Is the Senator moving an amendment to the Order of Business as well?

Gerard Craughwell (Independent)
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Do I need to move an amendment to the Order of Business?

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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The Senator must move an amendment first.

Gerard Craughwell (Independent)
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I move that No. 160(3) be taken before No. 1. Why am I doing so? As the Taoiseach and Tánaiste have said, there will be no election in the near future. This House cannot be allowed to operate without its full complement of Senators, so I am moving this amendment. I hope the Leader will accept it.

The attack on Israel by Iran is bringing us one step closer to a repeat of 1914. All we need now is some idiot to make a mistake and we will find ourselves in war. We have war all over the Middle East but when I say "in war", I mean a world war. The Americans openly declared today that they helped Israel protect itself last night. That was commendable, but if Israel decides to strike Iran, who will protect the latter? We have a couple of warmongering butchers - and this includes Netanyahu - who want nothing more than war at this stage to protect themselves and their reputations. We have to call this out for what it is. It is outrageous. I again state that we need to progress Senator Black's Bill on the occupied territories.

Another issue I wish to raise concerns post office workers who paid class D PRSI and who continued to do so when the company was privatised. That had a certain guarantee built into it that someone's pension would remain with his or her peers. That has slipped and these workers are falling into poverty. I will have more to say on that in the coming days.

Shane Cassells (Fianna Fail)
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I also welcome Deputy MacSharry and his guests to the Visitors Gallery. Today in Dublin, the members of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly are gathering for the latter's autumn meeting. Several hundred parliamentarians from across Europe will meet in the convention centre to discuss a range of issues over the next two days. The Leader is a former member of the assembly, as are the Cathaoirleach and Senators Boyhan and Dooley. Our team will be led by Deputy Creed and me, along with Senators Pauline O'Reilly, Clonan and Ruane. This afternoon's session will focus on conflict dialogue facilitation. It is apt that the main speaker this afternoon is none other than Bertie Ahern. Given the man's instrumental role in bringing peace to this island, his insights at a time when so many Members of this House are speaking about conflict this afternoon will be very apt.

At a special meeting of European parliamentarians on the issue of conflict I attended over the weekend in Zagreb, one aspect we touched on was the ethics of political commemoration. The expert who was there touched on the very sensitive issues surrounding political commemoration in Germany, in Slovenia - with Tito - and in Cyprus and held up the example of Ireland because he had examined what happened with the decade of centenaries commemoration here over the past ten years. He stated that it is something which could have reinvigorated hate and resurrected conflict but, instead, Ireland took the opportunity to bring people closer together by handling it in a dignified way that respected all traditions. We are honoured to host the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. It gives us as parliamentarians the chance to speak about our experiences and share them at a time of extreme discord across the Continent.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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I wish Senator Cassells and all of the Oireachtas parliamentary team every success at the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. I thank the interparliamentary team for its tremendous organisation of this event. It is a very important parliamentary event. I wish all participants every success at the convention centre. I look forward to joining them tomorrow evening at the closing ceremony.

John McGahon (Fine Gael)
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The issue I wish to raise concerns the primary care centres throughout the country that we all know work extremely well. I am particularly concerned about the primary care centre in Dundalk. To provide a little context, an old shopping centre that has been disused for well over a decade and a half and is derelict is where the brand-new primary care centre will be located in the heart of Dundalk. This project is really important. Unfortunately, it was delayed because of objections lodged by the previous owners of the shopping centre. However, planning permission has now been granted by An Bord Pleanála and the project is going ahead. I ask for a debate about primary care centres and for the Minister for Health to come to the House to give us a very clear and definitive timeline for the Dundalk primary care centre. Now that the planning side has resolved, how soon can we see shovels in the ground and construction happening?

A range of services will be going into the centre. There will be four primary care teams encompassing public health nurses, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists and dietetics. There will be a dedicated mental health services team - something that is more important than ever, particularly in Dundalk in recent weeks. The centre will contain adult and children's disability services teams. This is a significant number of services and will require a significant number of staff. Straight away, there will be a minimum of 50 staff required. I would love to be able to have a debate about this matter to find out the HSE's plans for staff recruitment in order to ensure that the centre has the correct number of staff needed and how soon this project can start. It has been in the pipeline for about six years. It was slowed down by planning issues but has subsequently been approved by An Bord Pleanála. We need to get construction commenced as soon as possible.We need those primary care health centres right in the heart of Dundalk town and I would appreciate the Minister's help on it.

Sharon Keogan (Independent)
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I want the Minister, Deputy Foley, to come here to address this House on the junior cycle SPHE curriculum and explain to the parents of Ireland what materials are taught to 12- to 15-year-olds in our schools. We need clarity on it. Every WhatsApp group in the country has watched videos over the weekend in relation to it. The material used and approved by the NCCA, and the delivery of teacher training by Oide at DCU, must be put under the spotlight here. If the media are not going to do it, us politicians need to do it. At this moment in time, the Minister and the Department of Education are breaching the Children First Act 2015, which clearly states that examples of child abuse, as laid out by the then Minister, Katherine Zappone, in the guidelines, include the following: "showing sexually explicit material to children, which is often a feature of the grooming process by perpetrators of abuse" and "exposing a child to inappropriate or abusive material through information and communication technology." From what we have seen in those videos this weekend, the Minister is breaking that Act and she needs to be held accountable for it. It is not right. Please, let us have that debate here in this Chamber.

I second the amendment to the Order of Business proposed by Senator Craughwell.

Timmy Dooley (Fianna Fail)
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Last week, I called for a debate in this House to address the crises in the mid-west region, with a particular focus on the hospital in Limerick in light of the continued reporting of the Aoife Johnston case. I am conscious we may be nearing the end of our time here under this mandate. If it is not possible to organise a debate with the Minister that is obviously somewhat understandable. I add my voice to the voice of Aoife Johnston's family in calling for a public inquiry. I am around the Oireachtas for almost 20 years now and I do not call for public inquiries lightly. I can certainly never be accused of jumping on a bandwagon about that. When you look at the detail in Mr. Justice Clarke's report that looked into this case, and when you look at the complex issues that have arisen, the very clear observation is that the hospital operates in silos. It is not just about funding, which is important. It is not just about the lack of beds, which is a feature. It seems that some systemic issues have resulted in what happened here and in a number of other cases. I am conscious that Martin Abbott also died in the hospital in circumstances that have not yet been explained. It is important that we address the cultural issues in the hospital. While an internal disciplinary process within the HSE has identified five or seven people - whatever the number is - who are in some state of animated suspension and whose future will be discussed at a later stage, it would be wrong if just a small number of people were held to account. I think the issues are wider and more systemic. There is a cultural issue that needs to be addressed. I do not think disciplinary action on its own will resolve that. More money and more beds alone will not sort it, although they will help to resolve many of the issues. I ask if we can find time to debate this matter among ourselves. It is time for such a debate. I am conscious there are Members on the other side of the House who share my views here. Maybe we can have a motion from this House that would support the establishment of a public inquiry into the death of Aoife Johnston, and not just because the family have asked for it.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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The Senator is well over time.

Timmy Dooley (Fianna Fail)
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It would help them in bringing about closure from their perspective. The wider community would benefit in terms of addressing all the issues that need to be addressed.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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The Senator was well over time. I call an Seanadóir Maria Byrne and welcome her guest, Jacob Aylmer, who is a student from the University of Limerick. He is very welcome this afternoon.

Maria Byrne (Fine Gael)
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I support Senator Dooley's call for a wider debate on health with specific reference to University Hospital Limerick.

The main reason I rise today is to talk about the €7.9 billion that is being spent on housing, including affordable housing. More money is being provided to bring derelict homes back into use. Yesterday, Limerick City and County Council announced its seventh right-sizing scheme, which is at The Mills in Castletroy. The council is encouraging people who are interested in downsizing to move to a one- or two-bedroom apartment. I have had many queries and inquiries from people about it. I encourage people who are interested in downsizing their three- or four-bedroom home to register with the council for this scheme.

Yesterday, I received an email from a lecturer in UCC who lectures in disability studies. Under the higher education funding, disabled students on micro-credit short courses of six to 12 weeks do not get accommodation meetings and are not allowed to access disability support. If they are enrolled in education, they should be allowed to have some form of support. The Leader might be able to support me in that regard.

Tim Lombard (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Cathaoirleach for the opportunity to raise an issue that was in the budget yesterday. The Minister of Health has had the wonderful idea to do something about the issues we have pertaining to vaping at the moment. The Minister has stepped into the arena and has put a tax on vaping, which is really welcome. It is something we should start promoting and talking about. Vaping is probably the revenge of the tobacco industry on our society. We just need to get to grips with it. One of the statistics I came across during the week was that 13% of our 12- to 17-year-olds have vaped in the last 30 days. If that is true, it is a significant issue we need to get to grips with. The measures introduced by the Minister in the last few hours have been really positive. We now need to see them implemented because we need to start tackling vaping and talking about what needs to happen. I have come across issues caused by vaping on school buses and stuff like that, which was chaotic. The flavour issue is another problem when it comes to vaping because it is a gateway for people to get into nicotine addiction, which unfortunately leads onto smoking and, as we all know, that has a huge impact on our nation's health. The Minister's intervention is welcome. We need to see it rolled out. We need to have a real conversation about where vaping sits into the psyche of our society. It is a gateway to smoking and we all know the unfortunate implications of that.

Mary Seery Kearney (Fine Gael)
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I rise today to congratulate the Government on the budget. It has been an exceptional budget. It has particularly focused on children and families. There are two areas I want to call out in particular that were specifically mentioned by both Ministers yesterday. They are areas for which I have been advocating for a very long time. The first is tackling and really intervening on child poverty, which was specifically mentioned and called out. I advocated for tackling it prior to the establishment of the child poverty unit in the Taoiseach's Department but I am glad to see a focus on those issues.

The second issue is the issue of smartphones and technology usage. It is good to see the coming together and the marriage between Coimisiún na Meán, the Department of Health under the remit of mental health for young people and the Department of Education. They have brought together a consolidated effort along with CyberSafeKids, which has been specifically named and representatives of which are in the audiovisual room now. Anybody finishing here might like to drop down to talk about enhanced supports for parents, children and young people to make sure they are staying safe online and in their use of technologies.

I want to contrast a Government that is focused on advancing children and keeping them safe with an article today by Sam McBride in the Irish Independent, in which he calls out the very shocking case of a member of the Sinn Féin press office who is under investigation and has subsequently admitted to paedophilia and child sexual offences. That man was suspended and was able to leave of his own volition. Two other press officers managed to give him a reference to go to work with another organisation, the British Heart Foundation, where he would be working directly with children. They never felt the need to mention to the British Heart Foundation that he was under investigation for paedophilia. It is a shocking dereliction of child safety.There are child protection issues to be answered. Unfortunately, we do not have a reciprocal Leaders' Questions to find out what Deputy McDonald's position on that is, and to ask about her leadership of an organisation with such a blatant disregard for any level of child protection. It is shocking, and it needs and demands to be answered.

Shane Cassells (Fianna Fail)
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They gave him a reference.

Mary Seery Kearney (Fine Gael)
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Yes, two references.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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Sorry, Senator Cassells had his opportunity to comment on the Order of Business.

Shane Cassells (Fianna Fail)
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Yes and I am just telling you they gave him a reference.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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Thank you. I welcome the students from Castletroy College in Limerick who are guests of Deputy Brian Leddin. They are very welcome this afternoon.

Anois glaoim ar an Treoraí chun freagra a thabhairt ar an Ord Gnó. The Leader to reply to the Order of Business, please. Have I missed somebody?

Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fail)
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Is anybody missing?

Gerry Horkan (Fianna Fail)
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No.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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Sorry, Senator Craughwell is looking at me.

Gerard Craughwell (Independent)
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Sure it is just to give you a dirty look for Sunday.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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Sorry.

Gerry Horkan (Fianna Fail)
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Senator Craughwell probably wanted a second round.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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He can have it. Most people got second rounds in their contributions this morning.

Gerry Horkan (Fianna Fail)
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I did not. I stuck to my limit.

Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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Sure there is not long left to go now.

Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Members who contributed this morning to the Order of Business.

First, Senator Gerry Horkan welcomed yesterday's budget, and said how the mark of a good budget is when there is not very much to say about it afterwards. He said that things have gone well. I take on board the Senator's comments on hospitality. Certainly there is a body of work to be done on the cost base for business. A business support scheme was announced yesterday. There is a commitment from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment under the Minister, Deputy Peter Burke, to examine the cost base for business. I think the Government is keenly aware of the pressures, particularly on labour-intensive small and medium-sized businesses.

I join Senators Horkan and Craughwell in condemning outright the missile bombardments from Iran on Israel. It is completely unacceptable and an escalation in conflict in the Middle East. I listened to the Tánaiste speaking on the radio this morning, when he said we have to continue to pursue peace and advocate for a de-escalation in tensions. That is what world leaders are committed to doing.

Senator Conway spoke about the budget and its measures for those who are visually impaired. He advocated, as he always does, for that section of our society. He also welcomed the free travel pass for companions of those with the free travel pass. He also asked for a debate on the VAT issue. That debate was yesterday, in terms of the debate on the budget. It is unlikely we will have a specific debate on VAT in the weeks ahead.

Senator Boyhan asked for a clarification of the rationale for the residential zoned land tax. The rationale is to try to deal with land hoarding. Land that is serviced and zoned for housing should be used to building housing because we are in a housing challenge in this country. I think the Senator has correctly put it on the record but my understanding is that a person who is actively farming land that is currently zoned for residential use can apply to be exempt from that tax. So that is the position in that regard. I met IFA members who were very concerned that the tax was coming in. The news that an extension can be applied for, in circumstances where somebody is actively farming the land and therefore clearly not land hoarding, will provide them with welcome relief.

The Senator also sought a debate on the hospitality sector. Again, we had a debate on the Budget Statement yesterday and that would have dealt with the tax measures. The matter was given a good airing yesterday.

Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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It was not adequate.

Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fail)
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Senator Vincent P. Martin has moved an amendment to the Order of Business, "That No. 13 be taken before No. 1". I am happy to accept the amendment, which relates to vehicle registration. I commend the Senator on bringing the Bill to the House. I concur with his complimentary remarks about Naas Athletic Club. I wish the club well with its centenary celebration, which is a great milestone to reach.

Senator Ardagh welcomed the budget as well. She particularly focused on the disability sector and the numerous tax measures such as the incapacitated child tax credit, the carer's tax credit and means disregard, and the carer's support grants. There is a lot in the budget to support those who are most vulnerable. The Senator also welcomed the extra funding for IVF and HRT under the health budget.

Senator Cummins asked for a debate on aviation policy. My response again to the Senator is that I have requested a debate with the Minister, Deputy Ryan, but the debate has not been scheduled yet or I have not gotten a date from the Minister. We will explore if it is possible to get the Minister of State at the Department of Transport to come into the House. The Senator once again raised the €12 million matching funding that is needed in Waterford. Again, it is a matter for the Minister for Transport in terms of funding that. The Senator, to his credit, has consistently raised the issue on the floor of the House.

Senator Craughwell has proposed an amendment to the Order of Business, "That No. 160 be taken before No. 1". I am happy to accept the amendment this morning. I concur with the remarks the Senator made on the Middle East. It is important that we continue to discuss those issues on the floor of the House because they are of grave concern to the world order and to geopolitics. If there is an all-out war in the Middle East, it will have a major impact on this country in terms of oil and the impact on trade. We certainly want to see a de-escalation in hostilities and the protection of civilian lives. I take on board the Senator's remarks about the class D payments.

Senator Cassells has welcomed the fact that the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly will host its autumn meeting in Dublin over the coming days. I served on the assembly in the last term and it was a huge honour to do so. It does fantastic work. I find it interesting to see how the topics have evolved in the last four years because of the major global conflicts. It is apt that the discussions today will be about conflict resolution and peace. It is really important to keep that to the forefront. I wish the former Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, the very best in those discussions today. I commend Ms Bernadette Mathews from the interparliamentary unit here.

Gerry Horkan (Fianna Fail)
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Hear, hear.

Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fail)
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Ms Mathews and her team have done a lot of work to bring the conference here. The event has been a number of years in planning. It is a huge logistical operation to organise the event in terms of transport, accommodation, dining and everything that goes with it. I wish the team here and the Irish delegation the very best over the coming days.

Senator McGahon was looking for progress on the primary care centre in Dundalk.

Senator Keogan raised issues in respect of the junior cycle SPHE curriculum. I have some of the video that was put out online. We will request a debate. I am not sure if we will have a time for a debate in the coming weeks, but we will see how things shape up. Perhaps these issues are a suitable topic for a Commencement matter as they are quite specific in respect of the junior cycle SPHE curriculum.

Senator Dooley, not for the first time, spoke about the really sad passing of Aoife Johnston and the ongoing challenges at University Hospital Limerick. As the Senator pointed out, many Members raise the challenges at the hospital on an ongoing basis. I am sure the call for a public inquiry will be considered by the Government and all aspects of that will be looked at. Mr. Justice Clarke's report makes for very stark reading. It sets out that very concerning failings in care happened and that her death was avoidable. Again, I express my sympathies to family of Aoife who are no doubt in the midst of extreme grief at this time as well.

Senator Maria Byrne welcomed the housing budget yesterday. She also raised an issue concerning UCD and disability supports for certain students. I ask the Senator to submit a Commencement matter on that issue.

Senator Lombard welcomed the fact that we now have a tax on vapes and e-cigarettes as a result of yesterday's budget. The tax is really welcome. There is no doubt that the companies that produce vapes and e-cigarettes are targeting children and young people. They are trying to get them hooked on these products. The colourful packaging and flavouring are aimed at children rather than adults. I think they are despicable companies. I hate to see vape shops on any of our streets and towns. They are a blights on our town streets and our communities. Everything we eat is a public health concern now. Vapes have slipped in through the backdoor. We now need to take them and get rid of them.

Gerard Craughwell (Independent)
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They should have put €5 on them.

Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fail)
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Senator Seery Kearney welcomed the budget and said it was good for families. She welcomed the focus on smartphone use among younger people. It was announced in the budget yesterday that schools will be assisted financially to get rid of phones during the school day, thereby allowing children to be children and allowing young people to go to school without being distracted by their phones. I think it is going to take a joint effort across all of the school community - parents and teachers - because I hear from younger people that they would love to have a break from their smartphones but every young person needs to be in the same boat. It is very difficult to be the only one without a phone, so the measure will require a collective effort. It is acknowledged that the impact that smartphones and social media have on the well-being and mental health of young people is a significant public health concern. It is something that the Government is taking very seriously.Senator Seery Kearney also spoke about the shocking case for the Sinn Féin organisation and the references provided to an individual who is under investigation for child sex offences and accessing certain material. It is shocking and there are child protection questions to be answered on behalf of the organisation. It is an incredible story that has come to light due to good journalism. That concludes the Order of Business.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Leader. Before I put the different propositions to Members, I welcome to the Public Gallery the students from the Swedish secondary school, who are here as guests of Deputy Ó Broin. They are welcome to Leinster House and I hope they have a pleasurable experience. I wish them céad míle fáilte.

Senator Vincent P. Martin has moved an amendment to the Order of Business: "That No. 13 be taken before No. 1." The amendment was seconded by Senator Craughwell. The Leader has indicated she is prepared to accept the amendment.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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Senator Craughwell moved an amendment to the Order of Business: "That No. 160, motion 3, be taken before No. 1."