Seán Kyne (Fine Gael)
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The Order of Business is No. 1, motion regarding proposed approval by Seanad Éireann of the Sectoral Employment Order (Construction Sector) 2024, back from committee, to be taken without debate on conclusion of the Order of Business; No. 2, Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2024 - all Stages, to be taken at 11.45 a.m., with the proceedings thereon, if not previously concluded, to be brought to a conclusion after 90 minutes by the putting of one question from the Chair which shall in relation to amendments include only those set down or accepted by Government, with time allocated to the opening remarks of the Minister at the debate on Second Stage not to exceed ten minutes, those of group spokespersons not to exceed ten minutes, on which time may be shared, those of all other Senators not to exceed five minutes, and the Minister to be given not less than ten minutes to reply to the debate, and with Committee and Remaining Stages to be taken immediately thereafter; No. 3, Houses of the Oireachtas Commission Bill 2024 - all Stages, a certified money Bill, to be taken at 1.15 p.m. or on the conclusion of No. 2, whichever is the later, with the proceedings thereon, if not previously concluded, to be brought to a conclusion after 60 minutes by the putting of one question from the Chair which shall in relation to recommendations include only those set down or accepted by Government, with time allocated to the opening remarks of the Minister at the debate on Second Stage not to exceed six minutes, those of group spokespersons not to exceed seven minutes, on which time may be shared, those of all other Senators not to exceed three minutes, and the Minister to be given not less than five minutes to reply to the debate, and with Committee and Remaining Stages to be taken immediately thereafter; No. 4, Appropriation Bill 2024 - all Stages, a certified money Bill, to be taken on the conclusion of No. 3, and the proceedings thereon, if not previously concluded, to be brought to a conclusion after 60 minutes by the putting of one question from the Chair which shall in relation to recommendations include only those set down or accepted by Government, with time allocated to the opening remarks by the Minister at the debate on Second Stage not to exceed six minutes, those of group spokespersons not to exceed seven minutes, on which time may be shared, those of all other Senators not to exceed three minutes, and the Minister to be given not less than five minutes to reply to the debate, and with Committee and Remaining Stages to be taken immediately thereafter; and No. 5, Family Courts Bill 2022 - Report and Final Stages, a Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil, to be taken at 3.15 p.m. or on the conclusion of No. 4, whichever is the later.

Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail)
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This is the last Order of Business for this Seanad and, on behalf of the Fianna Fáil group, I thank Martin, Bridget and all of the staff in the Seanad Office, the Head Usher and all of the ushers in both Houses for their courtesy, support, co-operation and dedication. It has been a huge privilege for me personally to serve in this Seanad and it has been a privilege for my colleagues. We greatly appreciate the support all of the staff have given all of us, individually and collectively, to complete our work. We are indebted.

Second, I raise an issue I have raised in this House before, which is the withdrawal of the 11 bus service from Drumcondra. This proposal has been aired for many years. I have engaged in the public consultation going back to 2017 and 2018 along with residents associations, including the Griffith Avenue and District Residents' Association, the Drumcondra Triangle Residents' Association and the Iona and District Residents' Association. Many residents associations have engaged voluntarily in 2018, 2019 and 2020 right through until today. Yesterday, the NTA got on a call with more than 20 elected representatives. We spent more than an hour and a half on the call with the NTA imploring it to engage with the residents, that is, just to meet with the residents and with the travelling public. The NTA is refusing to even get on a Zoom or Teams call with residents, citizens, taxpayers and the travelling public to discuss its proposal to withdraw the 11 bus. This is a vital public transport service in my community but it is not just my community that is affected by it. It is currently a cross-city service. The NTA, in its infinite wisdom, is going to withdraw it on 8 December and it is not acceptable. It is not acceptable to the people of Drumcondra, Glasnevin, Finglas and Ballymun. The Minister for Transport must intervene and stop the withdrawal of the 11 bus on 8 December. He can proceed with the E spines; they will be welcome. We would welcome him proceeding with the A spine and even accelerating it, but to withdraw the 11 bus service is unacceptable and it must be paused.

I welcome the day of action taking place today with An Garda Síochána on our public transportation. The Deputy Leader and the rest of the House will know that my colleagues and I have been raising the issue of public safety on public transportation, in our public spaces and on our streets. Everyone in the city wants to feel safer. It is welcome that gardaí are doing a day of action today on our DART, Luas and bus services, but one day of action is not good enough. It is not sufficient. We want our dedicated Garda public transport unit. The public is demanding it. The workers on public transportation, the NBRU and SIPTU are demanding it. It must be delivered.

Mary Seery Kearney (Fine Gael)
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I echo the pain expressed about the NTA. On several occasions, I have sought Commencement matters with the Minister for Transport and he has refused to believe he is accountable for its actions. We have similar reductions in bus services across Crumlin, Inchicore and Chapelizod that have actually necessitated a huge volume of extra car journeys. I thank the Senator for reminding me. It is absolutely appalling. We have had the NTA before the transport committee and there is no answer. It will not engage with residents associations or with the people whose lives are affected by the reduction in services. This is so-called trying to bring people into public transport, so it is extraordinary there has been a reduction in services, causing more car journeys. Especially from a Green Party Minister, it really is quite shocking and an appalling abdication of his responsibility to the people, particularly in Dublin and Dublin South-Central.

I raise an extraordinary matter that arose earlier this week. I tabled a Commencement matter on Tuesday regarding the commencement of the Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Act, and the Minister of State, Colm Burke, was sent in with a speech to read out on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Donnelly. He did so. I got very annoyed because it changed everything that had been committed to on the floor of this House and on Committee Stage in the Dáil. I liaised with the groups and, by that evening, I had a telephone call from the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, telling me that the speech that had been sent in was completely wrong, misleading and should never have reached the floor of this House. What an extraordinary situation. These are real people's lives. These are real children who need that legislation to be commenced. The idea that a speech would be presented to this Seanad by the Department of Health to be read out and then the Minister responsible for it completely reneges on the speech and, to be fair, goes back to all of the honourable commitments he previously made is really shocking. It is playing with people's lives.

While we are on the subject of playing with people's lives, throughout my four and a half years as a Member of this House, I have spoken about apartment defects time and again. I work with Sam and Odette Doran on the Not Our Fault campaign. They have been promised money and have jumped through every possible hoop there is to make sure that Park West is a pathfinder. In fact, they have set a template for every development in the country with regard to how this should be done, how you liaise with the fire service and with everything that is involved. While there is any delay in the payment of this money, real people are living in apartment complexes that fall well below the standards for fire safety.Real people's lives are being affected. The Minister, Darragh O'Brien, promised them that they would receive money within seven to ten days, but the ten days are up and there is still no sign of the money. We hope there will be a phone call today. These are people’s lives. This is not about a Plinth photograph or a big moment in the newspapers or on the “Six One” news. This is about Ministers actually doing their job, delivering the money they promised and delivering for the people. It is not acceptable that people are misled or led a merry dance just in advance of a general election. I hope that, by the end of today, we will have that telephone call and the money will be on its way to remediate the apartment defects, arising out of appalling Celtic tiger standards, that were left neglected for years at the cost of people in their homes and at risk to their lives.

Michael McDowell (Independent)
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I echo the sentiments of gratitude to Mr. Martin Groves, his staff, the ushers and all the other people in Leinster House who have looked after us so well over the past four and a bit years. We are truly in their debt. I will be saying other things about the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission later, but I note that, in the explanatory memorandum to the Bill we face today, the commission did not even bother to take out the paragraph seeking permission from the Government to print the Bill in the first place. It slipped through in an unrefined way.

This House will remain in position until the eve of the election of its successor. Therefore, it will be available to the incoming Government in December and January to conduct business if there is urgent business to be conducted. Members of this House will remain in office unless they get elected to the other House or resign in the meantime.

When it comes to the status of this House, Leo Varadkar came in here on 1 February 2018 and promised us he was going to reform the Seanad. He cynically and disreputably junked that promise. As such, we have a Seanad that will continue until the method of voting its Members into place is reformed. We have a Seanad in which 43 Members are elected by approximately 1,200 others. If the new Bill on university Seanad representation passes, the country will be divided in a most undemocratic and non-republican manner between those who have a degree and those who do not. It should be stated that, on occasion, the Government says it reformed the university seats. It sent in its Attorney General to oppose any reform of the university seats. When he lost that case, he sought five years to do something about it and was given two. This is a House where the Government used its majority to vote down the proposal on the election of the Cathaoirleach by secret ballot despite a commitment to the opposite being given by Leo Varadkar. This is a House where the guillotine is used more and more routinely. All of these things remain unresolved and unreformed. Although I wish well those Members of this House who seek election to Dáil Éireann, this House will exist up to and after the next election and the case for reform has never been stronger. The need for the Government and Opposition parties and Independent aspirants to Dáil Éireann to back the case for Seanad reform has never been stronger.

Frances Black (Independent)
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I met homeowners from Donegal yesterday who were living in a nightmare situation because of mica and pyrite in their homes. This is a serious issue that thousands of property owners in Donegal are experiencing. Due to a failure to properly regulate quarries, it is estimated that up to 30,000 homes and many thousands of commercial properties have been built using defective concrete products. It is believed that the problem affects up to 16 counties. It is particularly prevalent in Donegal. I thank Councillor Joy Beard for raising this issue with me yesterday and for her advocacy and activism work and that of her colleagues on Donegal County Council on behalf of the people of Donegal who are living in this situation.

Although the Government has established an enhanced defective concrete blocks scheme, it is fundamentally flawed and fails to acknowledge the real cause of the problem. Until recently, the Government has pushed the narrative that it was the presence of mica, exasperated by cold temperatures, that was the reason for concrete blocks crumbling like Weetabix. However, the problem is much greater than that. Incredibly, foundations are not covered by the scheme, so the Government could fund the remediation of a house that was built on crumbling foundations.

In an effort to ease the administrative burden on Donegal County Council, the Government passed responsibility for the scheme to the Housing Agency, whose main role seems to be to lower the scheme’s cost to the Government rather than to provide actual support and remediation to people living with their children in homes that have black mould, are poorly insulated and are literally crumbling around them. It is shameful that, faced with the lack of proper, full and comprehensive action from the Government, the people experiencing these difficulties have had to take their case to Europe and that the EU has found the Government to be negligent in its market surveillance of the concrete industry.

I call for this issue to be front and centre for those seeking election in affected counties, for an explicit reference to addressing defective concrete products to be included in the next programme for Government, and for the Government to act to comprehensively support those experiencing this issue rather than just trying to keep its costs down. We cannot let these people down any longer. They need and deserve our support. From meeting the families yesterday, it is heartbreaking. The kids are living in mouldy houses where the rain is coming in the door. They are now starting to experience problems – not physically, but the mental health impact is soul-destroying for these people. The Government has to start taking responsibility.

I thank Mr. Martin Groves and his staff for all of their work. I thank my colleagues in the Civil Engagement Group, Senators Flynn, Ruane and Higgins. It was fantastic working with them. I loved it. I also loved working with all of the CEG’s staff. I thank my own staff - Ms Emma Quearney, Mr. Seb McAteer and Mr. Seán Egan, who has left me for bigger and better things. I wish all of my colleagues in the House the very best in their election campaigns.

Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein)
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I express my thanks and those of my colleague, Fintan, to Mr. Martin Groves and all of the staff of the Seanad.

We all have our political lives to lead and none of us knows whether we will be here for long. It has been an enjoyable eight and a half years for me in the House. I wish everyone well personally. Let us put our elections, whether we succeed or fail, into perspective. There is life above and beyond those.

On this last day, I wish to reflect for a moment or two on the privilege I had of working in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Approximately one month ago, I led a fact-finding visit to Lampedusa in Sicily to meet some of the people who were trying to make their way from Africa to Europe. It was a harrowing couple of days. We met under-18s who had been kidnapped, imprisoned and tortured in Libya by the Libyan Coast Guard. We met minors who had had a similar experience in Tunisia. There, they tend to lead the children back out into the desert and leave them there.

I am raising these issues because it has been official EU policy for years to support the Libyan Coast Guard. The EU has done a deal along the same lines with the discredited Tunisian Government. We have had various back and forths on the EU migration pact, but colleagues should be clear that the pact is designed to further enfort the European Union and keep human beings out regardless of the consequences. This is not a popular line for me to take, but it is correct to highlight the horrific behaviour of the European Union and the nonsense we hear about “EU values”. I saw those values first hand. Basically, they entail saying it is okay to lock these children up, leave them there, have them kidnapped and have their parents rung with demands for money.The EU is paying money to these regimes and supporting it because it suits its purpose. When we lose our values in any debate on immigration then we are all the poorer. Let us never forget that once we allow any human being to be treated in that way, it is only a matter of time before another group is picked upon, and it becomes wider and wider. We all know the consequences of that throughout history.

I will finish with a quote from the great Italian philosopher Gramsci, who said: “The old world is dying and the new world is struggling to be born. Now is the time of monsters.” He said that in the 1930s but I think it is equally appropriate today. I appeal to all Senators, regardless of party affiliation, to remember the values that should unite all of us in terms of defending human rights. Whoever is back here in the next Seanad should make sure that is front and centre of everything we do.

Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail)
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We are fortunate that we live in a peaceful, safe and successful democracy. When we reflect on the many conflicts going on around the world - the horrors we are seeing in the Middle East, the tragedy that is Sudan and the fact that very shortly it will have been 1,000 days since Putin invaded Ukraine - it should be of serious concern that Russia and North Korea have entered into a mutual defence agreement and North Korean troops are taking part in the continuing invasion of Ukraine. It is critical, and I agree with Senator Gavan, that we stand up for those values that are really important in a republic; values around human rights, the rule of law and respect for democracy. We talk about those globally as well as within our own State.

I join with others in thanking Martin, Bridget and all the team in the Seanad Office and those in the Houses of the Oireachtas more widely for all their work, courtesy and help. We have probably driven them mad at times with some of the queries that come in. Without the very hard work that all the staff put in, our work is not possible. That includes our own secretaries and staff in our offices.

Like others, I wish those running in Dáil and Seanad elections the very best. It is important in a democracy that people contest elections. I pay tribute and thanks to colleagues on all sides who are retiring and not seeking election again. The House will forgive me if I mention my good friend, Shane Cassells. Shane and I started in local government 25 years ago. We have soldiered together for a long time. I do not think anyone can underestimate his passion and enthusiasm for all things Meath, but also on policy issues, whether it is investment in sport or fighting for online safety. I will certainly miss him as a parliamentary colleague. To Shane and all the others who may not be back here, I wish them the best.

Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)
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At the outset, I express my gratitude to Martin, Bridget and all the staff for the great work they do and for their graciousness and courtesy at all times. I also thank the ushers of the House for how helpful they are to us as we do our work. I had the privilege of working closely with the staff of the House when I was Leas-Chathaoirleach and I can testify to their absolute professionalism and helpfulness. My colleague Senator Seery Kearney wanted to also express her gratitude to the staff of the House and just missed doing it, so she asked me to convey her thanks too.

We in this country should be very conscious that we have an unblemished democracy. We have a democracy where the secrecy of the ballot is sacrosanct. We have a very good working democracy. For that reason, it is a great jewel or pearl. Some of the things delineated by Senator Gavan and others emphasises that. I appeal, through this House, insofar as this gets coverage locally or nationally, for people to use that franchise in the coming weeks, engage with the issues and vote. We should be proud to have a democracy that does that.

Finally I ask the Leader impress on the caretaker Government, including the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste, and the officials in their respective Departments - the permanent government - to keep the conflict in the Middle East centre stage as there is a change of Administration in America to see what we can do to end the genocide, bring peace and get a settlement. We are a small voice on the worldwide stage but we are an important voice morally and otherwise. It behoves us in the midst of what is appalling, vile and completely alien to the human condition – the murder that is going on there – to get it ended by any means or, at a minimum, to be a voice for it ending.

Gerard Craughwell (Independent)
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I, too, join all my colleagues in thanking Martin Groves and his staff for their professionalism and their support at times when we need it. I think we all echo that.

We are entering into an electoral cycle. I wish all my colleagues well as they go forward for election. Many of our colleagues have been hounded out of office by disinformation and misinformation and by the venom that is expressed on social media in this country. I ask candidates who are being hounded out of office or as they run for election to call out these cheats and tramps who would damage their reputation and to walk forward with pride. I have not met anyone in this House who I would not be proud to stand behind and stand beside, irrespective of their party allegiance. Most people I know in the Oireachtas are people who want the best for this country.

I ask the party members to impress on their party officials the need for a full-time Minister for defence and security services in the next Dáil. There is a wonderful article by Jackie King in the Business Post about Ireland needing to take defence seriously. I ask people to look at that.

I have been on about search and rescue for I do not know how many years. Yesterday I was advised that the helicopter that is flying around Ireland as the new contract helicopter does not have a working infrared camera on it and the mission control system has not been installed. The contractor has now contracted CHC to run for an additional month with a provision to run until June next year. It is not ready to start the contract. It has missed the start-up date and I understand it is in no position to start the transfer system. I ask that the Minister consider extending CHC until June next year and reappraising the capacity of the company that has been awarded the contract to actually fulfil it. I believe it is in serious trouble and there are serious industrial relations issues coming down the road.

Gerry Horkan (Fianna Fail)
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I congratulate the Acting Chair on his elevation to the position of Cathaoirleach for today at least. Well done, Garret. He is one of very few people, including myself, who have done it occasionally. It is a nice privilege to get, particularly on the last day before the general election is called. However, as Senator McDowell pointed out, I remember being here two days before the count discussing Covid legislation the last time so we may be back again to discuss some legislation. Whether there will be an Order of Business on that day, I am not sure. This will probably be the last Order of Business.

I thank Martin and his team for all their great work and all the support they provide us, particularly those of us who take the Chair. They are very helpful to have beside you. Equally, I thank those in the Cathaoirleach’s office, the Leader’s office and right across this building. I do not think people realise how much people in sections like the Bills Office have to do to put all the stuff together. I also thank the catering staff, the staff in the bar and my secretary, Sheena, and others who have helped us along the way. It is an enormous privilege to ever be here and it was a great privilege to get back.Hopefully, I can do that again. Who knows? That is a matter for the electorate.

On the day that is in it, we should congratulate the new President of the United States. The result of the US election might not have been the one many in Ireland would have preferred but, as Senator Malcolm Byrne has stated, democracy is very precious. The US is a democracy and the American people have had their say. We wish the very best to those involved in Irish-American relations, with Donald Trump as President from next January.

I was at a presentation before the budget by the Irish Stock Exchange, known as Euronext Dublin. It was to highlight how equity capital markets can provide funding for Irish businesses. In the context of what may be happening globally in terms of FDI and so on, we need to ensure our indigenous companies have access to funding. I welcomed the budget decision to provide tax relief on IPO expenses and on exempting small companies from stamp duty. There is a funding review coming up and an opportunity to encourage Irish people who are willing to invest in equity markets to provide funding for small and medium-sized businesses in Ireland rather than leaving it on deposit. For those with an appetite for risk at a certain level, what I suggest is important. I would welcome further explorations of how we can allow Irish capital markets to provide funding for Irish companies.

Martin Conway (Fine Gael)
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I, too, salute Senator Ahearn, the Acting Chairman, on what is a nice, well deserved day for him.

I echo the remarks of those who thanked all the staff and Members across the House. It is only the people you become friends with. I would consider myself to be a friend of probably everybody here in one way or another. Everyone who is here is here because they are motivated by public service, doing the right thing and decency. I hope everybody here who has put himself or herself forward for election will be successful because we have had a great Seanad. I intend to be back here. If I am not, it will not be by choice. I have every intention of coming back.

I thank my own team, including Edel and Breege, whom the Senators all know, and indeed Cat from New York, who is in the Public Gallery and who has been a great asset to my team over the past couple of months. We have to acknowledge and appreciate the people in our teams. They are part of a community that facilitates us in doing what we do. It has been a great privilege for the past 13.5 years to be a representative of the blind and visually impaired. They did not have a voice in the Houses of the Oireachtas until I got elected. While representing them is not the work I do exclusively – far from it; I speak on many issues – I always speak for them regularly, call out things when I believe they need to be called out, and look for resources when I believe they are needed. I thank Vision Ireland for its nomination and also for nominating me for the next Seanad. We will see how that goes.

I have had the privilege of chairing an international expert panel on the participation of persons with disabilities in public life. It is hard to believe that less than 0.1% of the parliamentary population of the world is made up of people with disabilities. In the European Parliament, which has nearly 700 Members, only three have declared a disability. There are many countries whose parliaments have nobody with a declared disability representing them, even though many have list systems and there is really no excuse. I look forward to continuing my work internationally with OSCE ODIHR.

Sometimes something happens that really makes us wonder what we have achieved. I was speaking to a person yesterday whose daughter is visually impaired. The daughter went to a maths grind with 200 people and was ridiculed for 20 minutes because the tutor delivering the course could not understand how she could do the work because of the fact that she was blind. I had really believed that, as a society, we had moved on regarding how we treat young people with disabilities. The only way we can prevent something like what I have described from happening is by introducing laws. Whoever among us are Members of the next Oireachtas need to introduce laws to protect young people from humiliation of the kind that happened to the young person in question in the past couple of weeks.

With that, I wish everybody the very best of luck over the next three or four weeks and, indeed, in the next 90 days, because it will be stressful. It will be difficult not only for us but also for our families. I hope people will be successful.

Shane Cassells (Fianna Fail)
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I want to raise on the Order of Business, on what will be my last time to contribute in this esteemed Chamber, something I have advocated for my entire political career – the Navan rail line and the connection of M3 Parkway to Navan, the largest town on the eastern coast with no rail connectivity. Through political work I have done, political advocacy, the work of the public and submissions, we were successful in seeing the project included in the greater Dublin area strategy last year. Getting it on the list of policies to be delivered on was a huge moment. We have confirmation from Irish Rail that the planning process, the design process and the engagement with the public that will allow us to obtain a railway order, which is effectively planning permission, will now commence. The Irish Rail team is in place and consultants will be appointed. It is very important to deliver on the project so the public of Meath, including Navan, will be provided with the best service, which they deserve.

The principle of public service is something many have spoken about here this morning and this will again be in evidence as people seek election to the Dáil in the coming three weeks. I will not be seeking election to the Dáil, nor will I be seeking election to this House. I will be stepping away from public life. It has been my privilege to serve in public life for the past 25 years, since I was first elected in June 1999. As my friend Senator Malcolm Byrne so kindly said, we met at candidate training in spring of 1999 and have been friends ever since. In my public life, I have fought ten elections. I won election to local government on four occasions, and also to Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann. I have had the privilege of working on local government reform in the Dáil and on the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill in this House. I saw the quadrupling of funding for sport, which is very important to me. I have worked on the Committee of Public Accounts and have worked with Senator Malcolm Byrne and Deputy Niamh Smyth on the media committee, which has worked on public service broadcasting in RTÉ.

I thank the people of Meath, including Navan, for trusting me to serve them. I thank my family, members of Fianna Fáil, all my campaign teams over 25 years, and my staff Christy and Mike. I thank the staff of the Oireachtas, including Martin Groves, who does such exemplary work, and Peter Finnegan, Clerk of the Dáil. Public service is the highest calling in society and it has been my honour to serve. Thank you very much.

Garret Ahearn (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Senator.

Sharon Keogan (Independent)
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Well done.

Micheál Carrigy (Fine Gael)
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I thank Mr. Martin Groves, Clerk of the Seanad, and congratulate the Chair on his elevation.

I echo the comments made. I thank Mr. Groves, Ms Doody and all the staff, including the ushers, throughout Leinster House, whose courtesy over the past four years has made it an honour to be a Member of the Oireachtas. We now go to the doorsteps seeking to keep our roles. My aim is to be a Member of the next Oireachtas. I look forward to continuing the advocacy work I have done over the past four and a half years for the betterment of the lives of the people in my community and my constituency, Longford–Westmeath, and others throughout the country, particularly those in the autism community, for whom I have advocated tirelessly over the past four and a half years. Much work has been done by the Government and many changes have been made, but many more need to be made. In this regard, I am looking forward to advocating on behalf of those I represent.

Let me refer to a couple of issues that are pertinent at this time. I have always been an advocate of the M4. We have managed to get it back into capital plans. We struggled to get funding for it and then got it. The project is now at a stage where there is funding to identify a preferred route in the coming months. I want to make sure the capital funding will be in place in 2025 and 2026 to ensure the project proceeds. The midlands and north west are entitled to the same benefits or economic good fortune as elsewhere in order to ensure connectivity to our capital city.

In recent weeks in my constituency, we were notified that up to 1,000 international protection applicants were to be housed in Athlone, a town with a population of 23,000.We were notified at 3 p.m. on a Monday, while we were all in our constituencies, about a meeting the following morning here in Dublin. That is not the way to do business. We need to engage and consult the public representatives and people and community on the ground. As a town, Athlone is struggling with traffic, facilities, including sporting facilities, and with people looking to get on doctors' lists. We need to look at this again and I ask the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman to do so. I know there is a need for international protection sites. We have to look after those people who come to our country but we also need to make sure the facilities are in place in the areas we choose. That is important so I ask there be further and proper engagement with the community, organisations and public representatives in the area to make sure the proper facilities are in place. The reality is, as it stands, those areas are struggling with the lack of facilities.

Eileen Flynn (Independent)
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It is difficult to believe that today's Order of Business is the last one in this Dáil and Seanad term. Something that is very close to my heart is services supporting women and children who are going through domestic violence. I have spoken numerous times about being in a refuge myself as a child. There will be an event on 16 November in Drogheda. One of the ushers, Brian Howard-Andrews, is hosting a Tina Turner lip sync event in Drogheda. Last year, they raised approximately €8,500 and this year we hope to raise €15,000. It involves local businesses. For one of the ushers to approach me and ask me to become a judge and build up those relationships over recent years has been absolutely incredible.

I thank Deputies Thomas Pringle and Catherine Connolly and Senators Alice-Mary Higgins, Frances Black and Lynn Ruane for not just being very good colleagues but absolutely great friends. I also thank Deputy Eamon Ó Cuív, who is a member of Fianna Fáil, and I believe that during the past four years he did not give me any handouts - far from it - but always gave me a hand-up and spoke truth to power when it came to the inequalities Travellers experience in society. I genuinely mean this with all of my heart when I say that every single person in this House - whether I agree or disagree with them - has educated me. I thank each and every one of the Members here for being part of my journey. I thank them for opening up their eyes and listening to me. I hope I have broken down some prejudices within these Houses. With all my heart I thank the broadcasters as well. Billie and Lacey get to see me on the television. I thank the ushers, kitchen staff, bar staff, and the clerks of the Seanad who go above and beyond for us all. On that note, thanks so much and I wish everyone every success.

Aidan Davitt (Fianna Fail)
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Well said, Senator Flynn. Congratulations to Senator Ahearn on his elevation today. I thank Martin, Bridget and all of the staff here, including clerical staff, the ushers who are so helpful every day, the gardaí and the security forces who keep the House safe, and Darren and all the catering and bar staff who look after our needs daily. I thank everyone who has been involved behind the scenes and run everything so smoothly over the past five-odd years.

I wish Senators Malcolm Byrne, Kyne and Carrigy the very best in running for office in the Dáil. I do not know if anybody else present is running for the Dáil. Indeed if Senator Keogan or Senator Black want to run for the Dáil, they would be two exceptional candidates considering they are on the industrial and commercial panel. I feel they would be two exceptional TDs, but I am working on that one.

I will make a comment on three losses, two that have a Meath note. I will never forget the first day my good friend, Senator Cassells was elected. We put a great push into his very first campaign to get him elected to the Dáil. Nothing made me happier than to see his excitement on that day. He was at home and we discussed it on the phone and he was going to polish his shoes to get ready to go over to Navan that day. That is a moment in time I will not forget.

Senator Ned O’Sullivan has been a great servant and has always had a very nice, secure and safe word to say to people who were starting off. They could be overambitious and Ned would always be very rounded and gave very good advice so I appreciated that over the years.

Coming back to the Meath part of it, I was very sad to lose my great parliamentary assistant, Damien O’Reilly, during this term who was a councillor and great friend to this House. I still think about him every day and it was a great loss to this House, his family, his young child, his mother, his partner and everybody. It was so sad how everything turned out but, thankfully, his family is coping.

I thank the auctioneers, the IPAV, who nominated me to this House and, please God, will nominate me again. We have worked on quite a lot of legislation on their behalf and, God willing, we will continue to do so. Over the coming months after we get the general election out of the way and the work we will do with our local TDs - Robert Troy, in my case, and Joe Flaherty - we will see all the councillors who have been so good to me during my time as a Member of the House and on whose behalf I will continue to work, as well as outgoing Senators and newly elected TDs. I thank everybody for making this such a nice experience over recent years.

Ned O'Sullivan (Fianna Fail)
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When I was first elected to the House 18 years ago, I opened my record here by speaking on behalf of the LNG project on the Shannon Estuary which, all those 18 years later, is still battling its way. I know my Green Party friends have been very opposed to it. I think at this stage the courts have adjudicated on this matter. There are a huge number of jobs at stake for my region, a region which has suffered greatly from emigration over all of those years. I wish it well during my final comments in this House.

It strikes me that, barring accidents, this is my last opportunity to speak in this Chamber. Mind you, I recall the Seanad was brought back during one election. I think Senator Mark Daly contrived to bring us all back on some very important issue, so who knows. As it is my final time here, I wish to say that I have enjoyed the immense privilege of being a Member of the Houses of the Oireachtas. I regard when I got elected to be here as being the high point of my life and, thankfully, I succeeded in being re-elected on four occasions.

I owe an awful lot of thanks to an awful lot of people. With the Acting Chair's indulgence, I wish all my colleagues here nothing but the best. I have crossed swords with a number of people here from time to time. I have no personal animosity against any individual Senator here. If we had hot words, it was out of commitment and passion perhaps. I wish every one of you well. For those who are seeking election, I wish you the very best, and when you come looking for my number one, I will give every one of you the utmost consideration and promise you all. It is nice to be the other side of it.

I thank everybody in the Seanad Office, starting with Martin Groves, who has been an outstanding public servant and represents all that is best in Irish public service. He, Bridget and all his staff in the Seanad Office have been so wonderful. You could not fault them and I am delighted Martin is still here at the helm and I know everything will be run properly. I also thank the ushers and all the ancillary staff of the House. I will find my own way of thanking those in my own time, but particularly our Seanad staff.

I owe an awful lot to Members here. It has been a huge learning experience every day.I had highs and lows that I came through. I had developed an addiction which set me back a great amount. It was the biggest battle of my life. Thankfully, I have managed to be in recovery for five years, with the help of many people here, so I have no regrets about that. I received friendship from people here on all sides. It is amazing how you find your friends in all corners when you are in trouble and I will always remember that friendship from people here.

I wish those who put themselves forward well. I wish those who are retiring well. I will always keep an eye on the screen at home to make sure Senators are behaving themselves.

Sharon Keogan (Independent)
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Well done, Senator.

Garret Ahearn (Fine Gael)
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Before I call on Senator Keogan, I welcome the pupils of St. Margaret’s National School in Finglas and their teachers. I hope they are having a good day and learning things about politics and about this building. I hope in the future some of them will become politicians and do a better job than we do, or as good a job as we try to do anyway. If their teachers are listening, the pupils will not have any homework today or tomorrow.

Sharon Keogan (Independent)
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It is great to see Senator Ahearn in the Chair today. I hope he will be in that chair in the next Seanad as well.

I will start by thanking Martin Groves and all the staff in the Seanad office and all the staff in the Oireachtas, in the Bills Office and research office, the ushers and all those who look after us daily in the restaurant and in these Houses in general. I also thank my colleagues, our leader, Senator Boyhan, Senators McDowell, Craughwell and Clonan, my staff here, Gráinne, Sarah and Robert, and Caroline and Vani in my office in Duleek. It is a massive privilege to be elected to these Houses. I thank my colleagues and nominators in local government for giving me this enormous opportunity.

As we look ahead towards another election, I trust the electorate will make the right decisions on 29 November. They listened to a few of us in March of this year when a few Independent Senators guided and empowered the electorate to know the truth about the questions laid before them. I ask them to trust us again. I fear what another Dáil term would be like with the existing three-party coalition. It has never been more important to vote and the stakes could not be higher than they are in this election.

During this Government's term, we have failed in many ways, including the Covid-19 pandemic when we allowed our elderly to die alone. We failed to secure our borders and this has resulted in almost 350,000 additional people in our country seeking Ukrainian protection, international protection, work permits and short-term or long-term educational visas. Where did the Government think it would house them? Let us not talk about the 5,000 more people who are homeless under this Government. Our hospitals are at capacity. We educate our best and we cannot keep them here. We have failed the most vulnerable, our children with scoliosis and children with disabilities. We have failed to keep people safe in our communities and in our businesses. We have failed to recruit enough gardaí or to provide a prison service to ensure crime does not pay. We are working harder and spending more just to live. Work-life balance rarely exists for many.

However, the Irish are resilient. We proved that after the Celtic Tiger crash. We withstand a lot and this Government has let us all down. Look at our children in the Public Gallery today. They are whom we need to be looking at. They are our future. We can do better and deliver a better Ireland. We ask people to vote for pragmatic, courageous Independent candidates with a proven track record in local government. Independents can shake it up; we have proved that in this House. I ask the electorate to vote Independent this time.

Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent)
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I join my colleague Senator Flynn, who mentioned everyone who works in these Houses, the many people who make what we do possible and support it, in thanking all of them. I also thank my staff, Ciara, Georgia, Robbie and Sebastian and the wonderful Saran Fogarty who recently moved on to new exciting jobs but who was a great partner in the work in the past few years. I thank my colleagues in the Civil Engagement Group. It has been extraordinary to work with Senators Black, Ruane and Flynn and see the passion, insight, brilliance and imagination they bring to their work. I learn from them all the time. I thank the wider pool of colleagues, that is all of us in the House and those who have engaged with me, against me and alongside me on issues that are important. There have been many examples of the importance of what the Seanad can do. I think back to the early days of the Seanad to the important message sent about the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, TRIPs, waiver, which was a motion that sent a clear signal on human rights from the Seanad.

Having thanked everyone, I raise one last issue. It is on the Order Paper, to which it was added in recent days. I hope to have the opportunity to address it further in the next Seanad. It is important at a time when democracy and multilateralism seem fragile. It is important we assert the importance of democracy and of widening it, the importance of rights and equality for all and of the universal application of international law, including international human rights law, to all people, without distinction. There is a people who have been neglected in that respect. They are the people of Western Sahara. My motion, as added to the Order Paper today, notes the fact that it is one of the longest-running conflicts in the world. Since 1991 the people of Western Sahara have been waiting for a promised referendum on self-determination, which is one of the core rights under the United Nations. Regrettably, it seems to be moving further away as economic exploitation continues. I note the International Court of Justice and the European courts have affirmed again that right to self-determination. I urge Ireland, as we begin to take first, though still inadequate, steps of action on the occupied Palestinian territories, to look at what actions we can take on the illegal exploitation of resources and occupation of Western Sahara, such as diplomatic engagement with the representatives of the Sahrawi people and measures to ensure we are not complicit in the exploitation of resources without compliance with international law. I wanted to signal this as these are a people who can sometimes be forgotten. They have been spoken about a little in recent weeks. I thank the Acting Chairperson for his leniency. In putting that motion forward, I hope to pursue it further.

I wish the best of luck to all those going forward and all those entering their next chapter.

Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein)
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Well said.

Garret Ahearn (Fine Gael)
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The Senator's number one supporter is behind her in the Public Gallery, smiling as she speaks.

Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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We are speaking on the Order of Business. That is our primary function now. I will touch on two matters. We will later debate the Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2024. I have two amendments to it and I will be pressing them if the Minister decides he is not prepared to support them. Out of courtesy, I am informing Members there may be votes on that. There may also be votes on the next item of business, the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission Bill 2024.

While we are talking about thanking people, I thank the Oireachtas audit committee, of which I am a member. It does extensive work, working away quietly. Many times when no one in the House knows, we are meeting in these Houses with expert advisers, independent and external members. The work is extensive and covers many aspects of the functions of the Parliament in auditing areas from IT to security to a whole load of things no one knows about until the audit report is published. I acknowledge Peter Finnegan, head of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission, and Martin Groves for their roles. They are important. It is under the bonnet stuff that we do not necessarily talk about a lot, but it is all documented and done so I wanted to single out and salute its members.

I also take this opportunity to thank Mr. Groves and the Seanad Office. We are indebted to their work. I acknowledge the significant and important role of the Oireachtas Library and Research Service. Without its staff, we simply could not do our work. It is independent, validated and fair. It is an important facet of the work of the Oireachtas and I salute and thank them.I also thank the Leader of the House, Senator Lisa Chambers, and Orla Murray in the Seanad Office. They do a tremendous amount of work, which is not always easy. It is hard to keep 60 Members in this House happy. They collaborate with the Seanad Office and the Government and are a major conduit and link in communication in organising our schedules and agendas and helping us get our business done. It is really important. While we do not necessarily see these people in the Chamber, I thank them.

I thank my own secretary, Councillor Geraldine Donohue, who is known to many of the Senators. I also thank the secretary of the Seanad Independent Group, Samantha Long. They both do Trojan work. On that note, I thank my nominators. It is my intention to run again and I am happy to say I have my nominators already. I am looking forward to filling in my form soon, sending it in and getting out and about.

In the context of the Clerk who oversees our elections, an important report was compiled, from which I wish to leave Members with two takeaways. It relates to the Seanad general election in 2020. On one of the opening pages, titled “Election at a Glance”, it states that there were 22 spoiled votes in the last Seanad election, with a further 20 ballot papers rejected. The breakdown of the rejected ballot papers is really interesting, with four rejected ballot papers in the Cultural and Educational Panel; seven in the Agriculture Panel, which is the panel I am on – maybe I could have gotten a few more votes; four on the Labour Panel; two on the Industrial and Commercial Panel; and three on the Administrative Panel. A total of 42 votes were not counted. That is extraordinary when only politicians are voting for these particular sets of panels. There is a lesson to be learned in this regard. Let us all go out of here to help, assist, educate, support and encourage people to comply with the proper processes of the ballot.

I wish Senators Shane Cassells and Ned O'Sullivan, who are both present, every success as they bow out of politics to no doubt do other things. I wish Senators who are seeking to move from this House to the Lower House, as well as those who seek to return to the Upper House, every success in the forthcoming elections.

Garret Ahearn (Fine Gael)
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Before I call the Acting Leader, I also thank Martin Groves, Bridget Doody and all the team in the Seanad Office for their professionalism in recent years. We have moved from the Convention Centre to the Dáil and back to the Seanad. We really only developed the unity between us once we came back to our home here in Seanad Éireann. While it has been a fast four and a half years, they have been busy and fruitful. I wish everyone well in their campaigns for the Lower House or the Upper House. We have a busy number of months ahead.

I thank Lisa Gayson in my own office for her work in recent years. I thank my wife Laura and my children Jamie and Daniel. Politics is a family thing and we all need their support. As we all know, they sacrifice a lot.

I wish Senators Shane Cassells and Ned O'Sullivan well also. For the new team who come through to this Chamber, they will need to have the same level of wisdom as them.

I call the Acting Leader to respond.

Seán Kyne (Fine Gael)
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I thank all Senators for their contributions this morning. I join with everyone who has paid tributes to Martin Grove, Bridget Doody and the Seanad staff, as well as to the staff of the Houses, from the ushers to the staff in the restaurant, canteen and Dáil bars, for their work and courtesy in recent years.

I join with others in wishing everyone who is running for election to this House or the other House well. Unfortunately, everyone cannot get elected, as I and others have known at different times. I read on Twitter that Adrian Kavanagh said there will be a record number of candidates running for the general election so they definitely will not all get elected. It is, however, a privilege. Anyone who puts his or her name before the people should be acknowledged because it is a very public form of scrutiny. Unless people are in the game and involved in it, they might not appreciate the pressures and stresses associated with it. I wish everyone well and hope everyone looks out for their friends and colleagues in these stressful weeks and months ahead.

Senator Fitzpatrick was the first speaker to the Order of Business. She raised the issue of the number 11 bus service to Drumcondra and the role of the NTA. While the NTA does great work, like a lot of agencies and bodies over the years, we have given control away from Parliament to agencies within Departments. It is now too easy for Ministers in various Departments to say that they do not have an official role in such areas. That is not good enough because, ultimately, the agencies and the boards are responsible to their relevant Ministers. Senator Fitzpatrick has certainly put forward a strong case as to why that bus service should be retained and has called on the Minister, Deputy Ryan, to intervene to pause the ending of that bus service. She has also advocated for public transport gardaí on our public transport network.

Senator Mary Seery Kearney spoke about the unbelievable issue that arose whereby a Minister of State, on behalf of a senior Minister, read a speech which the senior Minister later stated should never have been read into the record or sent forward. Ultimately, Ministers - whoever they are - are responsible for what is said on their behalf from the Department. Every Minister needs to ensure that, before someone comes in here to read a script on his or her behalf or on behalf of the Department, he or she knows what is in it. Ultimately, the buck stops with the Minister, whoever she or he is. Senator Seery Kearney also spoke about the apartment defect scheme and looks forward to announcements on that soon.

Senator McDowell put forward a strong argument for Seanad reform. I will not pretend that I have any good news in that regard in advance of the general election. I will see what all party manifestos decree over the coming weeks on the issue of Seanad reform.

Senator Francis Black spoke about those people who are going through the trauma of the defective concrete blocks, which is a particular issue in Donegal, but also affects other counties. I understand the emotions of this topic. I also understand there has been a lot of advocacy and work done in this regard. Some €2.2 billion has been committed to the remediation of that issue. It is good to see work has started and houses are being remediated or knocked down and rebuilt. It is, however, going to take a long time to see the issue solved. I am aware it has been an issue in recent elections and will be for the forthcoming election, but there is a commitment of €2.2 billion to remediate this problem, which is a hugely stressful issue for those in Donegal and other counties.

Senators Gavan, Byrne and O'Reilly spoke on a number of issues related to democracy, living in a safe democracy and issues in other countries, whether that is the Middle East or in Libya, as Senator Gavan spoke of, and the values of the EU. The EU has values and that is why so many people want to come here because it is a relatively well-off, stable part of the world with opportunities. People leave their own countries because there are better opportunities elsewhere. That is understandable. We have done likewise for generations from this country. We all have family all over the world. I have ten aunts and uncles in Boston, although many of them have passed away, two in Perth, Australia, one in Manchester, London, New York and Los Angeles respectively, as well as a small few who remained at home. Emigration has been part of Irish life for generations. People want to come to the EU to do better for themselves and for their families. That creates pressures and there is no doubt about that. All European countries are trying to respond to this matter, as are other countries like the United States where this has been a real issue in elections.

Senator Craughwell talked about the search and rescue helicopter, an issue on which he has been a great advocate. He has raised concerns in this regard and has called on the Minister to extend the existing contract. He also talked about misinformation in elections and the need to have a permanent, stand-alone Minister for defence, which is an issue that has come up the odd time. One constituent of mine was particularly exercised on that and believed it to be the case. Of course, in order to have a stand-alone Minister for defence, another Department would need to be dropped. I am aware of different proposals in this regard. Perhaps we do not have enough Cabinet positions.With the additional responsibilities Ministers have, perhaps there is a need for more stand-alone Cabinet Departments but, again, that would require a constitutional change.

Senator Horkan again congratulated President Trump and all of the staff, as others have done. He called for supports for indigenous companies and welcomed the tax reliefs for small companies which were passed through this House yesterday in the Finance Bill.

Senator Conway spoke of Vision Ireland and the participation of people with disabilities in public life. He has certainly been a very strong advocate for people with disabilities and those who suffer from sight loss in his role as a Senator.

Senator Cassells spoke of the Navan rail line which together with Navan hospital are probably the two issues I have associated with him most in these Houses and his advocacy for both. It is great to see that his work is bearing fruit and that this project is making ground ultimately to a railway order and those works.

Senator Carrigy spoke about the M4 and it is great to hear that it is back on the capital plans. I know that he has raised that in this House and within our own parliamentary party over the years with a view to seeing that work proceeding to a preferred route and to funding. He also spoke about his concern regarding the proposed IPAS centre in Athlone and the communication of it. It is, as I know, a very difficult topic. I certainly hope that the information is provided and that the situation comes to pass or is resolved amicably. I know that there are issues in the community.

Senator Flynn spoke of her role as a Seanadóir representing the Traveller community and she has been ground-breaking in that regard. She has spoken about her supports for women and children suffering from domestic violence, and about a fundraiser that has happened and another one which will be happening soon on that issue.

Senators Davitt and O'Sullivan spoke of colleagues who are retiring. I had not realised that Senator O'Sullivan is not going forward and I wish him well. I have always said that he makes some of the most telling contributions and speeches here on various issues. I wish him well in his retirement. I also wish Senator Cassells well in his retirement from public life after 25 years, which is a long level of service.

Senator Keogan used her opportunity to advocate for electing Independent candidates. I cannot imagine a 60-Member Chamber here being full of Independents, or a 174-Member Chamber as it would be in Dáil Éireann.

Sharon Keogan (Independent)
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It would be fantastic.

Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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It would be great.

Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail)
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How would such a group agree?

Seán Kyne (Fine Gael)
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How would they agree on anything? How would they agree a budget or legislation? Nothing would be done. It would be chaos. She talked of a litany of faults in this country. Ireland is a great country with a bright future ahead of it, and an even brighter future if this Government is re-elected over the coming weeks.

Senator Higgins spoke about Western Sahara. I know she has been a strong advocate on these matters and on those parts of the world which are truly impoverished and in conflict, together with mentioning a number of other issues. I am sure she would like for this House to continue to advocate for those peoples.

Finally, Senator Boyhan has, out of courtesy, told us that he will be raising a number of issues in amendments on forthcoming legislation and we will hear Ministers' responses on those. He also communicated some interesting facts on spoiled ballots. We do not know why those ballots were spoiled but perhaps some new councillors, when voting for the first time in a Seanad election, filled out the forms and sent them off without realising they had to go and sit before the county secretary, or whatever. I know that there have been some cases of that in the past. Perhaps some of the councillors spoiled them for their own reasons and did so on purpose.

Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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We can give them tutorials.

Seán Kyne (Fine Gael)
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We do not know.

Sharon Keogan (Independent)
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Yes we can.

Seán Kyne (Fine Gael)
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Obviously, there seemed to be a large number of spoiled votes. That concludes the Order of Business.