Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Before I call the Leader to outline the Order of Business being proposed, I welcome St. James’s Primary School from Basin Lane in Dublin 8. The pupils are most welcome to Seanad Éireann. Thanks for the wave. As is protocol, there is no homework for the class for the rest of the week for coming to Seanad Éireann. What did they get in the Dáil Chamber? Did they give you anything like that? No. I see. I thank our guests from for coming.

Seán Kyne (Fine Gael)
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The Order of Business is No. 1, motion regarding the proposed approval by Seanad Éireann of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022 (Section 9(2)) (Amount of Financial Contribution) Order 2025, to be taken at 1 p.m. and to conclude at 2.15 p.m., if not previously concluded, with time allocated to the opening remarks of the Minister not to exceed eight minutes, group spokespersons not to exceed ten minutes each, all other Senators not to exceed two minutes each, time may be shared, and the Minister to be given not less than seven minutes to reply to the debate; and No. 2, Private Members’ business in the name of the Sinn Féin Senators, Equality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025 – Second Stage, to be taken at 3 p.m., with the time allocated to this debate not to exceed two hours.

Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail)
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I support the Order of Business as outlined by the Leader.

I thank Kfm, my local radio station, for its excellent service in public broadcasting and bringing issues of concern to all our ears. This morning, I learned through Kfm that there was a cancellation of midwifery services in the primary care centre in Athy. Many expectant mums were given less than 24 hours’ notice and were told that they would have to travel to Portlaoise hospital for subsequent services.

Maternity services are hugely important. It is a sensitive and happy time for many. It is also challenging. We have to protect them. Athy has a large population. That these services would be cancelled literally overnight is simply wrong. I ask that this be brought to the attention of the Minister for Health. I will be tabling a Commencement matter next week on it.

I also raise the issue of DEIS. We all know that DEIS is meant to reduce educational disadvantage and promote equity across our schools. Of course, equity is different from equality and it is important that we try to promote it. The success of this programme has been clear. Schools in the programme have significantly closed the gap with non-DEIS schools.

There was an OECD report last July in which the resourcing of schools to address educational disadvantage was reviewed. Ireland got an excellent score. It was found that we had an educational system that consistently outperformed many other countries and also established socioeconomic fairness. While that is good, many schools are left out of the programme. I think particularly of Scoil Na Naomh Uilig in Newbridge, which is the largest and newest school and has the most socioeconomic challenges, yet it has been left out of the past two schemes. There is a situation in Edenderry and other parts of the country where there is a girls primary school and a boys primary school but only one of the schools is in the DEIS scheme. It is important that we ask the Minister for education for a new plan. I note the programme for Government committed to a new DEIS plus scheme and to expanding the home school community liaison co-ordinator. We also need more flexibility to support schools in addressing problems as they arise. I would like to see a debate on the DEIS scheme with the Minister for education.

The last thing I wish to ask for a debate on is the EU-UK summit, which happened on 19 May. We are led to believe it was progressive. There are two issues in terms of co-operation, those being, fisheries and energy. The present plans are finishing next year. It is important we have a debate in the House on that summit with the Minister.

Mark Duffy (Fine Gael)
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I wish to raise an issue that is popping up in towns and villages all across the country, that is, vaping shops. I raised it previously with the Minister for Justice when he was in the Seanad. We need to amend the existing legislation - the Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Act 2023 - to have more stringent and stronger repellents and barriers for the sale of vaping products, in particular the targeting of young people. In one example in my home county of Mayo, we have a shop that sells vapes and candy together, enticing young people and encouraging them to use vaping as a stepping stone. It is abhorrent to see that level of cynicism from businesses that are trying to encourage young people to vape. I would encourage a discussion on this matter. I intend to work on tightening the legislation to stop the proliferation of these shops across towns and villages. We have made good strides on the sale of cigarettes in terms of their branding, their packaging, and how they have to be kept behind the counter and not advertised, whereas vapes, vaping products and the accessories that go with smoking and vaping seem to have proliferated across all towns and villages. There are quick fixes we can make to amend the existing legislation to stop the product placement and the association with candy or sweets and other things young people would be attracted to in vaping. It is shocking to see it like that. We should also put stringent fines in place for shop owners who flout these rules, if we can get this addressed. I encourage a debate on it.

I congratulate the Relay for Life Mayo organisation, which hosted an incredible weekend, raising money for cancer research and charities. More than €130,000 was raised. The great weekend and weather helped an awful lot. It was fabulous to see many different people in the community getting out and celebrating those who survived cancer but also remembering those they had lost.It was a great way of raising hopes and spirits and obtaining money for a great cause. I compliment two local county councillors, Peter Flynn and Brendan Mulroy, who did an incredible job of raising much-needed funds for cancer research. I also compliment the community in Westport and County Mayo generally for getting behind a brilliant event.

Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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I wish to highlight the significant win yesterday at the Chelsea Flower Show by one of our greatest Irish horticulturalists who exhibited a microcosm of Kells Bay in the beautiful county of Kerry. The display took a gold medal, which is very prestigious. It was a massive undertaking. It meant the shipment of many ferns that grow in that most beautiful part of the world overlooking the Dingle Peninsula. The Cathaoirleach knows it well, as do others here. Our participants at London's Chelsea Flower Show are hopping with excitement. This morning they are looking at an award from this most prestigious horticultural event. Of course, it has gone to Billy Alexander from Kells Bay Gardens. It is a fantastic achievement. In those gardens can be seen the famous Dicksonia antarctica ferns and all the Irish ferns he grows there. Mr. Alexander is a great advocate for Irish horticulture and garden design. I strongly recommend that people visit Kells Bay. The gardens are open, and they are wonderful.

That leads me next into giving a plug for Bloom, which starts next Thursday, 29 May. It is our equivalent of the Chelsea Flower Show. Bloom is fast coming up to that pace and standard, and I wish the event well. Tickets are currently on sale at www.bordbiabloom.com.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Now, Senator, you cannot be advertising-----

Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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It is important. Bord Bia is a wholly Irish organisation.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I know.

Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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It promotes Irish horticulture, which I also continue to promote in this House. In the area of horticulture, I also acknowledge the wonderful work of the National Botanic Gardens. This is a wonderful horticultural gem, where I was a student many years ago. The gardens are free for everyone to visit, and I ask people to go there. I request a debate on horticulture because it is important, particularly in the context of ornamentals and fruit and vegetable production.

I give thanks to Sharon Devlin, the creative director of Tallaght Community Arts, who came to the audiovisual room yesterday at my invitation for a film presentation. Many of the Senators will have missed it, but what a treat we had. The film was entitled "We Will Not Sit Down and Be Quiet", and how moving and inspiring it was. The audiovisual room was packed to capacity, with more than 40 advocates present. These were people who lived in institutional care and shared their personal experiences and stories. It is a most moving film. The participants spent more than two hours here and met with several politicians afterwards to advance what they call their human rights, the dignity they want to be afforded to them and the independence to enable them to live in communities. I am circulating this film today to every Member of the House. I strongly encourage everyone to have a look at it and, possibly, to engage and go back to the organisation. Big thanks go to Councillor Alan Edge, who facilitated, organised and initially thought up the idea and suggested we bring it to these Houses, and to Sharon Devlin, creative director of Tallaght Community Arts. It was an amazing and moving day. I urge everyone to have a look at this film.

Maria McCormack (Sinn Fein)
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I speak today about one of the most shameful ongoing failures of this Government, namely the persistent and unlawful delays in completing assessments of need for children with disabilities. I have just come from outside Leinster House where I talked with the father of Cara Darmody. They are all exhausted. This is a 14-year-old girl who has to sleep outside Leinster House to fight for services for children with disabilities.

Under the Disability Act 2005, it is not a suggestion but the law that an assessment must be commenced and completed within six months of an application being made. However, the reality is very different. Across this State, the legal right to which I refer is being violated every day. We have families waiting 12, 18 and even 24 months or longer simply to get initial assessments. This is not just an administrative delay; it is a denial of people's rights and has real and irreversible consequences for our children. Early intervention changes lives. A delay in assessment means a delay in therapy, in support at school, in speech and occupational therapy and in mental health interventions. All this is happening while children regress and families are left in limbo.

As the mother of a child with additional needs, I know the toll this takes not just on the child but also on the entire family. I refer to the anxiety, the exhaustion and the constant advocacy just to get what your child is legally entitled to. Assessments of need are now overdue for 15,296 children. That is 15,296 families. The Government knows the system is broken. We now have a growing backlog and understaffed children's disability network teams, CDNTs. There is just a complete lack of transparency regarding how the Government intends to meet its legal obligation. As Cara said to the Taoiseach outside Leinster House, you are breaking the law. Where is the accountability? Where is the emergency plan to clear these backlogs? Where is the leadership to stand up and say that children with disabilities deserve better than this?

I call on the Government to immediately publish a clear national plan to bring the State back into compliance with the Disability Act 2005, to fully staff and fund all the CDNTs and to stop relying on agency cover and temporary workarounds, provide real-time reporting on waiting lists and hold senior management accountable when timelines are breached. Children with disabilities are not optional and their rights are not negotiable. This Government is just failing them and is breaking the law by doing so. We cannot accept this situation. Emergency funding needs to be put into Cara's fund now.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Before I call the next speaker, I welcome to the Distinguished Visitors Gallery, and rightly they are there, retired members of our Defence Forces. I can see from their badges that they all served with the United Nations. I thank them for that service. They are all from Cork and Midleton. Quartermaster Tommy McCarthy brought them here today. I thank him for bringing former members of the Defence Forces who served with distinction with the United Nations and all across the world to the Seanad Éireann today. Go raibh míle maith agaibh. I call Senator Stephenson.

Patricia Stephenson (Social Democrats)
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This is Traveller Pride Week. In recognition of this, I request that we have a debate on Traveller rights in Ireland. Traveller rights are human rights. As a result, this is an issue we should all be speaking about across the Oireachtas. The Traveller community has a rich and resilient culture that has endured and contributed a great amount to Irish life, despite generations of exclusion, discrimination and erasure. On Monday, I attended the launch of a photography exhibition called "Unfiltered" in Kilkenny by Gypsy Ray. It explored and captured the lives of the Kilkenny Traveller community over the last decade.

While this week rightly honours the Traveller identity, we do need to acknowledge the continuous challenges the Traveller community faces. Just 1% of Travellers progress to third level education. Life expectancy for Travellers remains shockingly low compared with the settled population, as much as 15 years lower. Suicide rates are six times higher among Travellers than the settled population. Those are pretty grim statistics. Worse still, even when funding is allocated to address inequality, it has often gone unused. The Irish Traveller Movement has highlighted the persistent underspending of Traveller-specific budgets by local authorities and Departments. This is shocking in light of the inequality the community faces.

I will spend the rest of my time today acknowledging the work of local Kilkenny poet Samantha Joyce by reading her poem "Pavee Lackeen", which speaks volumes to the discrimination and resilience of the Traveller community. It reads:

I am a proud Pavee Lackeen,

even though you may not see.

When it comes to discrimination, it ain’t no game with me.

I am a proud Pavee Lackeen, can’t you see?

Despite the animosity, I’m a proud Pavee Lackeen.

I wish the world would seek to understand me.

I am proud to be me regardless of society,

and what faces me.

I know I’ve got the backing of my community.

Being individual is hard, but I will always seek to be unique

in a world where being different is wrong .

I was always taught to stand out and be strong.

My life sometimes prevents me,

But I will always fight for what is right

And for my right to not have to fight

to be me.

In a world where my unity unites me

I strive to be the best version

of Pavee Lackeen Me.

Eileen Flynn (Independent)
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As Senator Stephenson said, this is Traveller Pride Week. Many members of the Traveller community and many children within the Traveller community have fewer opportunities to be successful within Irish society. Last week, a study showed that young Travellers start off on a very good footing and it is all positivity when they go into primary education. However, by the end of primary school, they say they are not good enough to be in education. I know exactly what that feels like, namely not feeling good enough coming through the education system and not feeling good enough when applying for a job.

Yesterday, I was in Jobstown speaking to teachers about the yellow flag programme and talking about some of my experiences. I worked in a nursing home in Chapelizod for three weeks on work experience from Ballyfermot College. The manager told me there was a job going and that I would be absolutely brilliant for it. I put in my CV and as soon as they saw my address, that job was no longer going. When I first moved to Donegal, I put in for numerous jobs. My CV outlined the work I had done through the Irish Traveller Movement, Pavee Point and various women's organisations. Straight away, I was discriminated against. That is not too long ago. It is still happening today for members of the Travelling community. There are many Travellers working in our health system and in our education system as teachers and principals in schools. People are afraid or ashamed to express their identity because we have to do what we do to survive. To live in that state of shame in today's society is absolutely not acceptable.

I am looking for a debate and accountability from the Government for the failures in delivering in respect of Traveller accommodation, Traveller mental health, Traveller education, which is really important, and employment for members of the Traveller community. I know the committee has been set up and will meet tomorrow. I wish the Chairperson every success, and I look forward to being a passionate Vice Chairperson on that committee. I will be putting myself forward for Vice Chair. However, actions speak louder than words. We could wallpaper both Houses with legislation and policies that are meant to make Travellers' lives better. The problem lies with lack of implementation. I call for a debate in this House to allow for statements from everybody who takes part. I am very proud to see Senator Stephenson standing up in order that the pressure is not all on the members of the community.

Paul Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I welcome that last week the Minister for agriculture included blackgrass on the list of noxious weeds under the noxious weeds legislation. It joins a group of other weeds, including broad-leaved dock, common ragwort, creeping thistle, spring wild oat and winter wild oat. They are all invasive species and are very destructive on agricultural land. The onus is on all landowners to remove these species, and that includes local authorities and roads authorities. However, on reading the small print, the farmer is obliged to look after it under the good agricultural and environmental condition, GAEC, 8. If farmers do not fulfil their duty under that condition, they will suffer deductions to their area-based payments. Farmers do not need that stick. Even without that stick, farmers are good custodians of the land. Reading the condition, what it says about the non-agricultural landowners, which includes local authorities and the roads authorities, is that if noxious weeds are reported and found on non-agricultural land, then an assessment will be conducted by a Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine officer. If there is no threat to agricultural land, then no enforcement or further action should be taken.

Seeds and pollinating honeybees do not know the difference between agricultural land and other land. If there is ragwort on the side of a road, we can be sure it will end up inside nearby fences and hedges. The very same responsibility and onus is on local authorities and roads authorities. A Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine inspector going out and saying that there is no threat to agricultural land from a noxious weed because it is on the side of a road is pure and utter lunacy. The authorities in question need to be treated the very same and need to shoulder the same responsibility.

Mike Kennelly (Fine Gael)
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I wish to advocate on behalf of those seeking the implementation of a dedicated Bus Éireann secondary school transport route to Tralee from north Kerry, specifically servicing the communities of Lixnaw and Abbeydorney. In these communities, 19 families and 29 students face significant challenges due to the absence of a structured reliable transport service. At present, parents are forced to pay out of their own pockets for private transport arrangements. This is placing an unnecessary financial strain on households. Beyond the cost, families must drive miles to reach scattered pick-up points just to ensure their children can access education in Tralee. This is an unfair and unsustainable burden on rural families.

In addition, population growth in Lixnaw and Abbeydorney indicates that demand for school transport will continue to rise. If action is not taken now, these problems will only worsen. This will leave more families grappling with logistical and financial difficulties. An important aspect of this issue is that many of the affected children attend Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí in Tralee which is the Irish language school available to them. Under existing entitlements, they should have access to a designated bus service and yet this rise is currently being overlooked. These students and their families deserve the same consideration and support as those in other areas where transport routes are provided.

I urge the Minister for education to act swiftly to ensure this service is put in place by the next school year. Families cannot afford another year of financial strain and logistical difficulties just to access basic education. An immediate collaboration with Bus Éireann and local stakeholders is essential to provide a structured solution without delay. Councillor Aoife Kennelly is supporting this group and is advocating for it to deliver this route that is needed. As I said, 19 families and 29 students have no transport to get into Tralee for education. Will the Leader invite the Minister to come to the Seanad with a detailed response, hopefully in support of this critical route?

Aubrey McCarthy (Independent)
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Three years ago, our nation was shaken by the brutal murder of Aisling Murphy, a young woman who was taken away when her whole life was ahead of her. It certainly struck a chord all across Ireland. We had hoped it would be a turning point across society when it comes to violence against women by males. We had hoped it would be confronted with urgency, honesty and a lasting change. Women's Aid recently reported that women are no safer today than they were the day Aisling was murdered. Since 1996, 275 women have been violently killed in the Republic. Some 66% of them were killed while within the protection of their own homes and 55% were killed by their partners or ex-partners. In the past year alone, An Garda Síochána responded to 65,000 incidents of domestic abuse. That comes to 1,250 such incidents every week.

The statistics are awful. Even since Aisling died, 30 more women have been killed. This cannot go on. One life lost is one too many. We must adopt a zero-tolerance policy towards all forms of male violence against women. This means more than just words. It means investment, not only in the justice system but also in the education system. We need to look at some uncomfortable truths. In our society, 70% of incidents of domestic abuse involve alcohol. Our alcohol strategy is not geared to making a difference in this regard. Violence against women is not women's problem; it is a whole-of-society problem. It seems to start at a very young age, as we have seen recently with "Adolescence" on Netflix, which was the latter's top downloaded series. If we are talking about serious change, it is time we stopped waiting and mourning at funerals and started acting in this area.

Dee Ryan (Fianna Fail)
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I rise today on a joyous occasion in Limerick to congratulate the fourth-year students at Castleroy College who graduate from transition year today. The programme is all about the development of thinking, caring, articulate and self-confident young people. I congratulate the principal, Brian O'Donoghue, transition year co-ordinator, Geraldine McGrath, and all the TY students and their families on completing the year.

Transition year is such an important year in the life of a young person. It is designed to act as a bridge between the junior certificate and leaving certificate programmes, and each school around the country designs its own programme, within guidelines, to suit the needs of its students. It can include volunteering with groups, often includes entering competitions like The Big Idea or trying new activities and sports such as, for example, rowing, horse riding, surfing or whatever the school is able to facilitate, and, importantly, trying out new subjects which the students may wish to opt for during the leaving cert programme. Importantly, the ESRI has confirmed that students who complete transition year achieve higher results in their leaving cert and, therefore, while it is not for every student, it is something that should be facilitated and encouraged.

However, it can be a very costly year for parents and indeed for many families. The average cost is somewhere between €500 and €1,000 for the school fees and, in addition, there are bus transport fees, activity transport fees and optional activity fees throughout the year. It is a real pressure on parents. I ask the Leader to invite the Minister for Education to the House for a debate on the benefits of transition year and a discussion on what subsidies, bursaries or supports can be put in place to ensure this year is available to students throughout the country.

Nikki Bradley (Fine Gael)
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I rise in solidarity with Cara Darmody, the 14-year-old-girl who is currently outside and has been since yesterday. She has been mentioned in the Chamber already, but I am going to run through a couple of things again. She plans to protest for 15 hours. I want us to take a moment to visualise this situation: a 14-year-old-girl is sleeping in a tent because she feels she has no choice but to take this drastic measure to get our attention. She is doing this on behalf of her two brothers and the people of Ireland who do not have a voice. I want to say publicly that I support her. After this I will be going outside to bring her some snacks, because it is warm out there, and I want to make sure she is okay. I absolutely and unbelievably admire her. I urge anybody who has not listened to her interviews to take the time today to listen. She is such an eloquent speaker. She is incredible, but we need to do more. It is simply not good enough. It is projected that the waiting list will go up to 25,000 by the end of the year. That is simply not good enough. I encourage the Minister to come to the House to debate this issue.

Sharon Keogan (Independent)
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I rise to speak on an issue our Government must urgently address, namely, the recent threats from the European Commission that Ireland must introduce new so-called hate speech legislation or face legal action from the EU. As of the time of speaking, we have only six weeks to respond to these infringement proceedings but, so far, we have heard nothing from the Government regarding its plan of action. I therefore call on the Minister for Justice to appear before this House to inform us what options the Government is considering and to discuss and answer questions on these plans.

Are we going to follow the order and implement these draconian restrictions? Are we going to resist and defend the right of our nation to preserve free speech? If we resist, will we do so through legal or political action? These are all things the people deserve to know. We live in turbulent times. Relations between the EU and the US are tense, and this is an opportunity for Ireland to become a middle ground for both blocs. To follow the EU's diktat would be to preclude this and drive away many of the US tech companies that are based in Ireland.

More important than economic benefit is the moral case for the preservation of our free speech laws. We as a nation are making waves for our stance on Gaza, and many Irish people abroad are paying the price. We recently heard of Germany deporting two citizens of ours for attending pro-Palestinian protests. We have even heard of German police arresting Irish citizens for speaking Irish. How can we condemn Germany's crackdown on free expression when it happens in Berlin yet allow the same Government the audacity to demand via Brussels that we implement those same laws? It is vital our Government makes a stand. The Minister needs to come to the House and inform us where he stands on this.

Manus Boyle (Fine Gael)
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I raise the issue of pressure on home care workers. The demand for home care services is increasing daily. Every day there is somebody on my phone looking for additional hours. We have an ageing population, we are all getting older, nobody is getting any younger, and that puts increased demand on home care services. Working conditions are challenging and every house is different. You come up against different problems. Carers are very compassionate and want to spend time with the person, but they are not getting the right hours. Most people get about 30 minutes and that is barely time for a carer to get the basics done.

We need to get more qualified people working as care workers. We need to get the services going better. I know, from them having spoken to me, that there are people, for example, who have to travel from Bruckless to Donegal town. Carers spend more time on the road than they do looking after people. Tackling this would also free up hospital beds, because people are happier at home. I would be happier at home. In a rural community in Donegal, the carer coming in may be the only person an individual sees in the day. There are people isolated up there. The postman no longer goes up and knocks at the door; there is a box at the bottom of the lane. The carer coming in may be the only person a person might see for the whole day. Therefore, we need to refocus on the home care package.

Chris Andrews (Sinn Fein)
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I acknowledge the campaign of 14-year-old Cara Darmody, campaigning for improvement in the waiting list for assessment of needs. A total of 15,000 families are now waiting on an assessment of need. It is completely unacceptable, and I find it really difficult to listen to Government party Senators telling Cara how wonderful she is when it has been under their Government that the waiting list for assessment of needs has increased to 15,000. Rather than congratulating Cara, the Senators’ time would be better spent tackling their own Minister and ensuring the Government adheres to the laws it has in place in respect of assessment of needs.

I also raise the situation in a special school, Enable Ireland Sandymount School, where the children have severe disabilities. They have been waiting more than a year and a half for repairs to be carried out on the roof. I understand there are still two rooms unavailable to the children there. Because of the severe disabilities they have, one of those rooms is a soft play room. The children need this room during the day to stretch, relax and take a break. Those rooms are out of action and therefore the school is cramped and far from ideal for the children. We need the Minister to come to the House to explain why Enable Ireland Sandymount School has had to wait more than a year and a half to have two rooms that have been out of action put back in place.

Joe Conway (Independent)
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In this House we often hear on a quotidian basis about groups which are discriminated against. I want to talk about a very small cohort of people in our country who are discriminated against in matters of employment and remuneration, that is, our 950 sitting county councillors. They must be the only cohort of workers in this country that are not recognised for payment of sick leave benefit.

I always eschew the sad stories that people tell about their own cases and using the House for that but, just to point out that in 2018 I had surgery and I was advised by my consultant to take complete rest for three months. I did and, as the House can see, I am a fine, fighting-fit figure of a lad at this stage. It came as a great shock to me in mid-spring 2019 that my representative allowance was cut by Waterford City and County Council. That was not anything the council wanted to do, but simply because it was provided for in the rules. I think 43 of us in this Chamber are elected by these self-same people. The vast majority of Senators have a moral duty to those people who elect them to make sure they do not continue to be the only people in this State who are disadvantaged because they get sick. The Leader often tells us that the Order of Business is not the right time to raise this and to table a Commencement matter. I tried to do that but maybe I did not nuance the words as well. I promise, maybe with the Leader's support, I will make a Commencement matter request and I will nuance the wording because I asked about county councillors being disadvantaged because they got sick. That is really the essence of this.

Gerard Craughwell (Independent)
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There are two men in Iran today, Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani, both of whom are political prisoners, both of whom have been turned down for a judicial review for the third time and both of whom will be executed by the regime in Iran. Iran has murdered 1,100 political prisoners since the summer of last year. That tendency is beginning to increase. Iran is at the heart of supporting organisations such as Hezbollah and the other group in Gaza, Hamas. It is time that we followed the example of the House of Lords and the House of Commons and prescribed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, IRGC, as a terrorist organisation. This organisation does not operate just within Iran; it operates throughout the world. It is a terrorist organisation and it needs to be seen as a terrorist organisation. We had lots of talk here yesterday about Israel and everything that was said was 100% correct but Hamas and Hezbollah are on the other side and they are being supported and funded by the dying regime of Iran that has nothing left but the murder of its own citizens in order to remain in power. I ask that the Leader organises a debate on the IRGC at his earliest convenience to see whether we can organise to follow our neighbours in prescribing that organisation as a terrorist organisation.

Rónán Mullen (Independent)
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We need 6,000 GPs in this country to provide adequate primary care services to people. We only have approximately 4,500. The country has a shortfall of 1,500 GPs. Meanwhile, 30% of newly qualified GPs are emigrating, seeking better working conditions and opportunities. This haemorrhaging of doctors and nurses to the US, UK, Canada and Australia is a crisis. The Irish College of General Practitioners, ICGP, annual conference heard at the weekend that three quarters of GPs were not accepting new medical card patients and just over two thirds were not taking private patients in 2023. There are approximately 2,000 nursing and midwife positions currently unfilled in the health sector, with 53% of nurses currently practising here having been trained abroad.

One immediate way to address this crisis would be to reserve, say, 50% of all medical places in college for people who would sign contracts expressing a willingness to work in Ireland for up to ten years after graduation. The other 50% could be reserved for Irish or international full-fee paying students. Failure to honour the commitment would require that people pay their fees back in full. Drastic times call for drastic measures. The notion that we can be training people at a cost between €120,000 and €200,000 per person, which is a cost to the State, and letting them then go abroad with their expertise, given we have a crisis at home, is nonsensical. There are many students, with maybe 400 to 500 points in the leaving certificate, including from non-traditional medical backgrounds, who would love to serve their fellow citizens if they could get a shot at medical school. The shortage of medical personnel, and particularly GPs, makes drastic action imperative. Similarly with nursing places, there are so many who would happily stay to serve in Ireland if they were accepted in nursing college. There may be other places in the economy with critical shortages where we need to take effective action. My point, on which I request a debate, is that we need to stop wasting taxpayer money on highly expensive education programmes. We are not delivering the number of medical professionals that our people need and there is something that can be done, which we must do.

Gareth Scahill (Fine Gael)
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I wish to again raise the school transport scheme. I have made a number of representations to Bus Éireann regarding the efficiency of some of the routes. We are getting to that busier time of the year when the demand for it is going to build up. Unfortunately, the responses from Bus Éireann are weak if not delayed indefinitely. They are not receptive enough to the voices of public representatives expressing the opinions of their constituents. I call for a debate on Bus Éireann's service and potentially reviewing that to examine efficiencies that we, the publicly representatives on the ground, through listening to our constituents, have identified and are able to point towards. It would lead to the delivery of a better service for students.

Cathal Byrne (Fine Gael)
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I want to highlight a meeting that I attended with the representatives of the Irish Postmasters Union, IPU. The tradition of the post office is very close to my own family. My grandfather served his entire working career as both a small farmer and the local postman where my mother is from in north-west Cork. This morning I met with Sean Martin and other representatives of the IPU who highlighted the urgent need for increased levels of Government investment. At the moment, the Government through the Minister is funding the post office network to the tune of approximately €10 million in direct intervention. The IPU representatives are seeking an increase of €5 million to €15 million a year. The contract is due to expire at the end of this year. They have highlighted to me the fact that of the 900 post offices that we currently have across the country, approximately 300 are at risk of closure. They produced the report from Grant Thornton to validate this. It highlighted the incredible value of the post office network on a social and economic basis to the economy of between €344 million and €776 million. I ask that the Minister comes to the Chamber to explain and give more detail on his plans once the current arrangement concludes at the end of this year. What is to replace it? The IPU representatives also highlighted that because of the increases in inflation and increases in costs faced by postmasters, some of the Government grants, such as the power up grant, were not available to them given the nature of the work that they do. I encourage a debate on this issue and the Minister might give us his thoughts on it going forward.

Seán Kyne (Fine Gael)
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Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach agus leis na Seanadóirí go léir as ucht an mhéid atá ráite acu.

Senator Fiona O'Loughlin talked about the cancellation of maternity services at Athy Primary Care Centre. I will raise that with the Minister of Health. The Senator may wish to table a Commencement matter on that topic to get a more immediate response. She also talked about the success of the DEIS programme. We will have the Minister for Education and Youth in the House in early June for a debate on all education matters. The Senator should be in a position to raise matters regarding DEIS at that point. She also called for a debate on the EU-UK summit, which we will certainly pursue. Senator Duffy raised issues relating to vaping, the proliferation of vaping shops and product placement. I will raise these with the Minister. These matters were debated some time ago in the context of the public health Bill. The Senator referred to various amendments that may be necessary, another matter I will certainly raise.

The Senator congratulated the Mayo Relay for Life on its work in raising funds for cancer research, and commended local councillors Peter Flynn and Brendan Mulroy.

Senator Boyhan congratulated Billy Alexander on achieving gold at the Chelsea Flower Show. We pass on our congratulations to Mr. Alexander and wish all those who will be participating at Bloom, which starts next week, well. The Senator commended the National Botanic Gardens on the work being done there.

Senator Boyhan also commended a Tallaght community group on the film "We Will Not Sit Down and Be Quiet", which was shown yesterday in the audiovisual room.

Senators McCormack, Bradley and Andrews referred to assessments of need. The reform of assessments of need is absolutely vital, particularly as they are not working for the children involved. That said more than 4,100 assessments were completed in 2024, an increase of 30% on the previous year. Recent data shows that this upper trend is continuing, with more than 1,400 assessments completed in the first three months of this year. That represents a 65% increase compared to the same period last year. However, at the end of March, there were more than 15,000 assessments overdue for completion. This is not good enough. The current model means that therapists spend up to a third of their time carrying out assessments rather than delivering therapies to children. This is an area that needs to be reformed. It is a top priority for the Government. I will certainly ask the Minister, Deputy Foley, or the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, to come to the House to debate this matter.

Senators Stephenson and Flynn commented on Traveller Pride Week and called for both a debate and accountability on this matter. I will also request a debate with the Minister, Deputy Foley.

Senator Daly talked about blackgrass being placed on the list of noxious weeds and the responsibility of local authorities in this regard. I agree that the onus falls on farmers under GAEC 8, but given that there can be a proliferation of seeds from noxious weeds into farmland, there is also an onus on local authorities. Irrespective of the list, it is evident from touring around the country that there are noxious weeds which are not being dealt with, whether it is ragwort or thistles. There is a job of work to be done there as well. I will raise this matter with the Minister for agriculture. The Senator may wish to table a Commencement matter on the subject as well.

Senators Kennelly and Scahill referred to the school transport scheme. Senator Kennelly referred to the north Tralee route that serves the Lixnaw and Abbeydorney areas and that is relied upon by 19 families and 29 students. The Senator also referred to the advocacy of Councillor Aoife Kennelly in respect of this issue. I suggest that he table a Commencement matter on the topic. I will request a debate with the Minister, Deputy McEntee as well. Senator Scahill also raised this issue in the context of local knowledge. I encourage him to engage with local inspectors on where the demand lies. I know they try to manoeuvre routes as best they can, but that is certainly the first point of engagement. I will also request a debate with the Minister, Deputy McEntee, on this aspect.

Senator McCarthy talked about the depressing statistics regarding women who have been killed in this country. Some 275 women were violently killed between 1996 and the murder of Aisling Murphy three years ago. The Senator is correct; these are awful statistics. He called for a debate on the matter. There is work being done by Cuan, the new agency under the remit of the Department of Justice that is dedicated to tackling and reducing domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. The former Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, prioritised, pushed for and supported the setting up of the agency. I wish Cuan all the best with the very important work it does. We will request a debate on the matter.

Senator Ryan referred to the transition year experience for students throughout the country. In the main, transition year is a positive experience and it is important that it be used in a positive fashion. It should not be there as a gap year or a doss year. Great suggestions have been made as to what could be done in transition year - whether in respect of driving lessons, Safe Pass courses or different things relating to placement in industry or businesses - to allow students to mature and use their experiences in a positive fashion for the future. The Senator also talked about the cost involved. The Minister for education will be here in the coming weeks. The Senator might wish to raise this topic at that point.

Senator Keogan spoke about the hate speech legislation. I imagine the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, is assessing the advocacy from the European Commission on this matter. We have a number of weeks to respond. I am sure we will hear the Government's view in the coming weeks. In the meantime, the Senator may wish to table a Commencement matter in order to see if the Minister can provide a more up-to-date response.

Senator Boyle raised the important issue of home care packages and the demands on home carers. Some of our elderly and, indeed, not so elderly may have the luck of having loved ones and family around who can be of assistance. Some do not, however, and are totally reliant on home care packages and home care assistants, who can be under a huge level of pressure with regard to times allocated and the amount of travel in which they have to engage. The Senator is right in that someone can spend more time travelling than providing care to an individual. I will certainly request a debate regarding home care packages. There have been issues in the past relating to funding, but it is more likely now that there are issues as regards getting staff to fulfil the hours allocated. That is a very important issue.

Senator Andrews referred to the Sandymount special school and the two rooms that are out of action there. I request that he put down a commencement matter in order to obtain a more immediate response on that.

Senator Conway talked about the important role of city and county councillors and the fact that they are not recognised when it comes to payment for sick leave. This is a valid point. The Minister of State, Deputy Cummins, will be here next week to discuss local democracy. That will give the Senator an opportunity to raise the matter. I will alert the Minister of State in advance to the fact that the Senator may wish to raise it.

Senator Craughwell raised the issue of the Iranian regime. He referred to the fact that he met with representatives of local groups here in Ireland and the UK that are advocating for a free Iran and against the regime there. It is harrowing testimony regarding what is going on in that country. I will raise the matter with the Tánaiste. I am sure the Senator will also raise it at the joint committee on foreign affairs.

Senator Mullen raised the issue of GPs, nurses, midwives and those who, quite rightly, benefit from a high standard of education and who wish to use the education they receive elsewhere. This is a difficult one in that you cannot prevent someone from leaving. However, you can certainly incentivise people to stay. There may be other issues as to why people wish to leave, some of which may relate to the crisis relating to housing. It is fair to say that the latter may be a consideration. It is a valid point, and I will raise it with the Minister for Health.

Senator Byrne referred to post offices and his meeting with the postmasters' union. I will request a debate with the Minister, Deputy O'Donovan, on that. I believe the Minister is still waiting for the transfer of delegated functions relating to his Department. I will certainly request that he come to the House to discuss the issue of our post office network.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Before I propose that the Order of Business be agreed, I welcome the boys and girls from Kilrane National School in County Wexford. They are guests of the Ceann Comhairle, Deputy Verona Murphy. They are most welcome to Seanad Éireann today. I thank them for coming in. I love the colours, and I hope they will back in Croke Park soon. As is tradition, there is no homework for the rest of the week for any visiting school to Seanad Éireann. That is always a popular one.