Maria Byrne (Fine Gael)
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Before I move to the Order of Business, I will take this opportunity to congratulate Luxembourg and its people on their national day, which is being celebrated on Monday. Their national day celebrates the Grand Duke's birthday. I welcome H.E. Florence Ensch, ambassador of Luxembourg, and her associate to the Gallery. They are having a little celebration this evening, which I hope goes very well. The sunshine has come out for you. Enjoy the rest of the day and, especially, Monday. Best of luck to you with the changes to the monarchy into the future.

Seán Kyne (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the ambassador and wish her well on her national day.

The Order of Business is No. 1, Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2025, all Stages, to be taken at 11.45 a.m.; with the proceedings thereon, if not previously concluded, to be brought to a conclusion at 1.45 p.m. by the putting of one question from the Chair which, shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Government; with the time allocated to the opening remarks by the Minister to the debate on Second Stage not to exceed ten minutes, group spokespersons not to exceed ten minutes, all other Senators not to exceed five minutes, and time may be shared, with the Minister shall be given not less than ten minutes to reply to the debate; and with Committee and Remaining Stages to be taken immediately thereafter; No. 2, earlier signature motion on the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2025, to be taken on the conclusion of No. 1 without debate; and No. 3, Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024 - Committee Stage, to be taken at 2 p.m.

Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail)
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I add my voice of welcome to the ambassador. It was lovely to meet her earlier. We had an opportunity to discuss the collaboration between the University of Limerick and Luxembourg. My nephew, Joe O'Loughlin, participated in that last year and spent six wonderful months in Luxembourg. What really got his attention was the free public transport. When he returned he asked why we could not do that in Ireland.

Today is world music day. In honour of that, and in an ironic way, I will speak about the harp, our national instrument and emblem. As we know, the harp is a symbol of Ireland because it was always held in such high regard. Harpists were also held in high regard. In ancient times, the chieftains of tribes and clans would travel, bringing their own harpists with them. We know it became a symbol when Eoghan Rua Ó Néill went into battle against the English in 1642. It then became a part of the Leinster arms, which it still is. It was used by the United Irishmen. Since 1922, it has come to represent Ireland. It is used on passports, coins and official documents and seals. It is part of the coat of arms of Ireland. We are all, of course familiar with O'Carolan being a much renowned and revered harpist. The presence of the harp in Ireland dates back over a thousand years.

Ballyfermot College of Music runs an excellent two-year course which awards a higher national diploma in traditional Irish music performance and a traineeship in instrument making, repair and maintenance. The course includes not just tuition and workshops, but also provides opportunities to perform and record and accepts 15 people a year. I am sad to say that, as of yesterday, the course has been cancelled. The harp and uilleann pipes have been recognised by and received funding from UNESCO. We need to pause the cancellation of the course. At the very least, we need an evaluation. I would like to see it continue. I understand many wish to continue with that and there is always a waiting list. I ask that the Seanad make a point in this regard and bring the Minister to the House to discuss it.

Many of my colleagues have raised the issue of those working in Oireachtas broadcasting. Yet again, they seem to be pushed back. It is important that we all make a stand and say that we want this issue to be raised with the commission by all of those who represent us.

Manus Boyle (Fine Gael)
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I congratulate Buncrana Tidy Towns on winning the best kept large town in Ireland. I also want to wish Donegal International Rally the very best this weekend. It is a major event in Donegal and I want those listening to stay safe, obey the marshals and, if gardaí are in attendance, to obey everything asked of them.

I call on the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide further information under the multiannual water programme 2024-25, specifically that pertaining to a group water scheme in Laggan, County Donegal. The local authority sent a request for information to the Department on 6 February. We have not yet been provided with an update on the application for funding. When is the funding due to be announced?

People are frustrated by what is going on. This has been going on for over 20 years. People in the area are getting bog water, which is pure black. In this day and age, some kind of provision has to be made for emergencies and to get group water schemes up and running. At the end of the day, we need good quality drinking water and we do not have it in this and other group water schemes in Donegal, such as Kilcar. I ask that the Minister come to the House to provide an update on where these group water schemes are on the list and when funding will be announced so that we can go back to the people and tell them services will be provided next year or the year after. There is a lot of frustration about this. It has been going on for over 20 years. Perhaps the Leader can get some answers for me.

Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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The first issue I want to raise is the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2025. The Government has proposed that all Stages of the Bill will be guillotined in this Chamber today, but we do not have to agree with that. It is up to the Members to decide. We are the Upper House and a revising Chamber. We are meant to revise legislation. It was 5 p.m. yesterday when the time for amendments to the Bill closed. This is an important Bill. I will not talk about the substantive issues of the Bill, because it would not be appropriate to do so and we will have time to do so later.

Quite frankly, it is simply not good enough for democratically elected parliamentarians who are ambitious to come in to this revising Chamber, as we saw many months ago, and were competitive in their desire to tell their electorate that they would be involved in reform and legislation to then be told on the back stairs of this place that they do what they are told because they are in government and under a Whip system. That is the reality. I want to put on the record my disappointment at the Government, the powers that be and the functionaries involved in all of this.It is very disappointing that all Stages of a Bill would be guillotined in one day in is meant to be a revising Chamber. We swan around here on days when there is no business or work in this Seanad Chamber. There are mornings or afternoons where there is nothing going on and somehow nobody can manage to use the time of this Parliament effectively to represent the people and scrutinise legislation. I will leave that alone for now. We will be dealing with the residential institutional abuse Bill later and I know that will not be guillotined.

I wish to raise a matter on behalf of Mick Finnegan from the St. John Ambulance brigade. I acknowledge Senator Andrews for his work in championing this issue and raising it in the Seanad recently. Too many survivors have carried the scars of their experiences in silence and been left without justice or closure. The Minister, Deputy Foley, did not come to the House but one of the Ministers of State did. We were promised a full inquiry and I pay credit to the former Senator and Leader of this House Regina Doherty MEP, who pursued the issue exhaustively, but we got no progress. We need to do something about that.

On a positive note, I congratulate the Minister for Education and Youth, Deputy McEntee, who will be in later, on the education plan for 2025, which was launched today. I ask that we have statements on that. I welcome one aspect of it in particular, namely, the Minister's commitment to the reintroduction of therapeutic services within our school system. This is a really positive move. I have had a brief look at the summary of this document and it is positive. I welcome it and I ask that the Minister come to the House and let us have statements on it.

I will finish on this. Let us all get our act together and collectively use this House for what it is meant to do, which is to scrutinise legislation for the betterment of the citizens we present.

Chris Andrews (Sinn Fein)
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I have previously raised the barbaric practice of surgical artificial insemination of greyhounds. Senator O'Loughlin was just as outraged and disgusted by it as everyone else. This is a practice where the greyhound is sliced open, the uterus is removed and the semen is inserted. The greyhound is then sewn back up and expected to carry the pups through pregnancy until their delivery, all while trying to recover from that surgery.

The Government carried out a consultation into this practice and had submissions, which have not been made public. In the minutes for the September 2024 meeting of the advisory council on companion animal welfare, it was revealed the consultation results had been reviewed and had indicated that surgical artificial insemination should be prohibited in all dogs, including greyhounds. The Minister has said the Government will look at the proposed legislation when the report is published. When will the report be published and when will surgical artificial insemination be banned? It is a barbaric and disgusting practice. Delaying this ban is, in effect, giving the green light for surgical artificial insemination to continue. It is important the consultation be published and surgical insemination be banned as a matter of urgency.

Another issue I wish to raise relates to the broadcasting unit. The Irish Times recently quoted the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission as having said workers and Pi Communications were in dialogue at the Workplace Relations Commission, WRC, and that it would not be appropriate to undermine the industrial relations process. Countering this, in respect of the WRC progress, only four members out of more than 20 staff are involved and, as yet, they have failed to reach any satisfactory outcome. It is time the Minister intervened. There is unity in support for the broadcast workers across the political divide in the Oireachtas. A total of 159 TDs and Senators have signed the broadcast workers' letter to the commission, including four Ministers. We cannot continue to talk about workers' rights when we do not have our own house in order. We must address this. It is an important issue that is fundamental to how the Oireachtas operates. We cannot lecture other groups outside of the Oireachtas when we cannot get it right ourselves.

Ollie Crowe (Fianna Fail)
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I raise the issue of illegal drug use, specifically cocaine. All Members will be aware that usage of this drug has soared in recent years, as has been reflected in every piece of data we see. The HSE's drugs and alcohol helpline produced its latest annual report last month, for the year 2023, in which the helpline received almost 6,000 calls. These were the largest figures since the service began 28 years ago.

The report highlighted the dramatic rise in cocaine use, stating that in 2009, cocaine was mentioned in only 2% of call, whereas in 2023, this had increased to 21%. Also last month, data from the national drug treatment reporting system published by the Health Research Board, HRB, showed an upward trend in treatment cases by up to 50% in the past eight years. Cocaine was the main drug in almost 40% of these cases of treatment. In 2023, that figure was under 33%, representing a dramatic increase over in just 12 months. This report also highlighted a 426% increase in treatment rates for female users of the drug in the past eight years. Overall, there has been a 215% increase in cases receiving treatment for cocaine as the main problem drug since 2017. These are extraordinary numbers in any person's language.

If you speak to anyone involved with young people on a regular basis, they will tell you how common cocaine has become and how early teenagers are beginning to use the drug. It is absolutely frightening. An addiction counsellor in Limerick said on the radio earlier this month that it is not uncommon for him to meet young people in their twenties who were introduced to cocaine at an alarmingly young age, with some as young as 15. There is no shortage of research or findings that make it equally clear how normalised the use of this drug has become. Obviously, I cannot go through them all today, but it is clear this is a major issue. It is a ticking timebomb that needs urgent attention. We need to massively increase our efforts to tackle this epidemic as a matter of priority. I would be grateful if the Leader of the House could raise the matter with the relevant Minister and ask them to come before the House for a broader discussion.

Paraic Brady (Fine Gael)
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I wish to raise an issue regarding St. Joseph's Care Centre in Longford, where the HSE is providing a new building. It has come to light that the physiotherapy unit will be moved out of that area. This unit provides a huge service in Longford and simply cannot be moved from the site it is on. We were given assurances from the previous Minister, Stephen Donnelly, it would not be moved and I hope his successor will assure the people of Longford that this service will remain on the campus, where it has always been.

Aubrey McCarthy (Independent)
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I reiterate my support for my colleague Senator Crowe regarding cocaine addiction. It is something I know a lot about from my work with Tiglin. I raise another concern regarding addiction, namely, the shocking rise of youth gambling in Ireland.

I was recently interviewed by RTÉ about a European report that revealed that more than 29% of young people in Ireland from the age of 15 to 16 have gambled many times in the past year. That is the highest rate in Europe, at almost one in every three of our teenagers. Children are being targeted, not as we were when we were younger, perhaps with a bookmaker's on the corner of the street, but with algorithms and advertising that is embedded in online apps, games and social media.

We were all horrified by cigarette and alcohol advertising aimed at young people, so now we must ask why gambling apps are still allowed to target young people. Working in Tiglin, I have seen at first hand how gambling can silently destroy lives. It starts off as a bit of fun but it is addictive, isolating and destructive for many families. It does start young, but fantastic initiatives like "It Takes a Village" in Greystones target this..

The Gambling Regulation Act 2024 was supposed to change this landscape but months later, we are still waiting for its enactment. It is not a fringe issue; it is an issue affecting young people, who are tomorrow's adults.Early exposure to gambling is already contributing to debt and anxiety, and family support is very necessary in this area. I call on the Leader of the House to arrange a debate in the House on the urgency of enforcing the gambling regulation, which has already been suggested, and embedding such prevention into the education in our schools. If we can protect children, as we have done with regard to cigarettes and alcohol, we can and must do the same when it comes to gambling.

Maria Byrne (Fine Gael)
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I welcome sixth class from St. Cronan's national school from Swords. They will be moving on to secondary school in September and I wish them all the best. They are guests of Deputy Duncan Smith. I hope they enjoy their visit to Leinster House today. As is tradition, they will have no homework today. I also welcome the teachers.

Alison Comyn (Fianna Fail)
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I rise today not with a new issue but to add words of support to two issues that have already been raised by Senator O'Loughlin. I stand here proudly wearing my harp which my children bought for me for mother's day. We are surrounded by harps here and it would be great shame if this symbol of Ireland and the instrument itself were to fade. I support what Senator O'Loughlin said about world music day and the reason we should support the harp.

I also add my support to the Oireachtas broadcast workers. It is very seldom that we agree across both Houses. As Senator Andrews mentioned, we have 160 signatures and letters of support from throughout both Houses. The workers are seeking pay parity and better working conditions. The only reason members of the public are able to watch us here and at committees is because of these workers. Having been a freelance journalist many a time over the years, I know how precarious it can be. The working conditions can mean people cannot move forward with their lives through getting mortgages and simple things like this. It is something on which the Minister may need to intervene. I add my support in calling for this.

Joanne Collins (Sinn Fein)
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I want to raise today an issue in County Limerick. County Limerick has one tier 2 town, which is Newcastle West. We all know the situation with housing at present and the lack of it in the country. Planning permission was granted in 2023 for 93 houses to be built in Newcastle West and they were commenced in 2024. Work had commenced on a total of 81 of the 93 houses, but several weeks ago all of the tools were put down, the gates were put up and notices were taken off. The advertisement for affordable homes has been closed. This is because the development has run out of water. We have no water in the only tier 2 town in County Limerick. I received notification from Irish Water to state Kilcolman Springs water treatment plant and Tobergal Spring water treatment plant are in development and it is hoped they will be up and running in 2028. The Newcastle West treatment plant is still at the design and planning permission stage. We are looking at 2031 before it goes to tender and we can build one more house in the only tier 2 town in County Limerick. This is absolutely crazy in the middle of a housing crisis and housing emergency. I would love to see whether we could get the Minister for housing to come to the House to discuss the infrastructure around houses, the backlog and whether we can do anything. Irish Water exists outside the council but having two entities does not seem to be working. It needs to be linked back to the local councils. How did Limerick City and County Council grant this planning permission? Did it not discuss with Irish Water whether there would be sewerage issues or enough water in the only tier 2 town in County Limerick? I would like to try to organise the Minister coming to the House for a discussion on it.

Sarah O'Reilly (Aontú)
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I want to raise the issue of foster children and the back-to-school allowance. This has been publicised by the Government as a new support for foster children but it has been very disappointing for families to learn it will be means tested. It is concerning that this long overdue step will come with conditions attached and will not be universally applied to all foster children. This will rule out a large number of foster children and cannot be seen as a support for foster carers in general. The practice of awarding support to foster children based on their foster parents' personal financial circumstances highlights a fundamental misunderstanding of the role of a foster family. Foster families should not have to disclose their own financial circumstances to gain access to financial support for their foster children. Children and young people in care should not be made to qualify for support through income thresholds. It is the responsibility of the State to ensure they are protected and cared for. Foster children should not have to jump through hoops to get their basic entitlements from the State. I call on the Government to ensure the allowance is paid to all children in foster care, regardless of their foster family's financial circumstances. I would appreciate a debate in the House on this matter.

Gareth Scahill (Fine Gael)
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I rise today to discuss the issue of insurance for forestry owners. Recent events, particularly in west Roscommon and in Longford and Achill, have laid bare the critical inadequacies of the insurance landscape. We often hear about re-establishment costs being covered but I fear the term is often misunderstood and, frankly, it falls short of what our forestry owners truly need and deserve. Let us be clear that the re-establishment cost primarily covers the cost of clearing debris and replanting the trees. It helps farmers to get back their land to a basic starting point, and this is very important, but what it fundamentally fails to cover is the value of the crop. The value of the crop increases every year until it is harvested. I call for a debate with the Minister of State, who very kindly facilitated a meeting this week with a delegation from Gorthaganny affected by this issue. We as legislators can try to put measures in place to assist in this matter. I call on the House to initiate a comprehensive and open debate on forestry insurance. We need to explore the true meaning and scope of the forestry insurance policies, the gap between re-establishment cover and the value of the crop, and a mechanism to ensure fair and adequate compensation for the loss of the timber value.

Aidan Davitt (Fianna Fail)
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I want to speak about our rail infrastructure, particularly the line from Dublin Connolly to Sligo. Mullingar is on the line. It is quite a large and growing town. It is well supplied with the infrastructure of a modern town, with a link road and a dual carriageway all the way to Dublin. There are slight complications with water but it is extremely well served and there are many options in this regard. The power is quite good and the national grid has been upgraded in the area recently. There has been some improvement on the train line recently, with extra trains and new carriages, but dual rail tracks between Connolly Station and Mullingar would be a great help. Mullingar has a large conurbation outside the commuter area that stretches beyond Maynooth and towards Enfield. Mullingar should come under this general upgrade. Improvement and upgrade of the dual line would be part of this process. This is something we should look at in the national infrastructure programme.

Mark Duffy (Fine Gael)
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I want to raise an issue with serious health and safety implications for towns and villages throughout Ireland. I will use an example in my home county of Mayo. This week the father of a child with a disability took action himself to repaint a disability bay in Westport which had depleted and faded.During my time as a councillor, we regularly called for councils and local authorities to have line painting services carried out in-house. No local authorities in Ireland own line painting services and we rely on contractors to do the work. It rains twice as much on the west coast of Ireland as it does on the east coast, so the window for carrying out line painting services is very short, over the summer period. This means disability parking bays, junction line painting and simple basic services that are hugely impactful for road safety, whether continuous white lines in housing estates, clearway junctions to keep dropped kerbs free of any parking so that wheelchair users can move freely through towns and villages, or those who are elderly or have disability badges having the dignity of having their own space. Small, basic jobs, such as line painting services, are not being carried out in local authorities throughout the country. We need to have a discussion on this because it is simply not good enough that the father of a child has to paint his own disabled bay blue because the local authority has been dragging its heels on this. I am sure other local authorities are more effective on this issue but we should not have to rely on citizens to take ownership of this issue. We should have a discussion and address this issue for the health and safety of citizens throughout the country.

Maria McCormack (Sinn Fein)
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I am seeking an update on the new site for the Portlaoise courthouse building. The ongoing situation with Portlaoise courthouse is absolutely unacceptable. As a facility, it is one major incident away from closure. Judge Johnson has described the condition of the building in stark terms, citing serious concerns around health and safety and basic functionality. Yet, despite Laois County Council providing a site for the new courthouse at the Aldi in Portlaoise, we have received no update from the Government.

The courthouse is on Main Street in Portlaoise, so as we can imagine, the main street is becoming very chaotic and unsafe on court days. Prison vans are parked on the footpaths. Families shout at loved ones through van windows. Antisocial behaviour is rampant. This is an issue for everyone's dignity, such as the people attending court, given that it is embarrassing for them to be so public on the main street. As there is a new site, I would like to see this being pushed a bit further. Wheelchair users and parents with buggies cannot get through or use the footpath. Businesses are suffering. Public confidence in law and order is being eroded. Let us not forget that Portlaoise is home to the country's maximum security prison as well, so the idea that a town housing such a critical part of our justice system does not have a functional courthouse really beggars belief. I ask the Leader to please get an update as to when the building will commence on the new site for Portlaoise courthouse.

Seán Kyne (Fine Gael)
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I thank all the Senators for their contributions. I will start with Senator O’Loughlin, who talked of World Music Day and the importance of the harp. We all agree with that. She expressed concern regarding a course in Ballyfermot that has been cancelled. I do not have the specifics on that or the reasons it was cancelled. Obviously, it was due to funding but I am not sure if there were issues regarding tutors or demand. If the Senator tables a Commencement matter, she might receive a more accurate update.

The Senator also voiced her support for the Oireachtas broadcasting services, as did Senators Andrews and Comyn. I know the vast majority of Members across both Houses have done likewise and I signed the letter as well. I hope the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission can deal with this. Notwithstanding the ongoing WRC negotiations, I hope the commission can examine this issue. Obviously, there are cost implications, but so be it. I hope that if the commission gives a recommendation for new full-time contracts for Oireachtas broadcasters, the Minister will look favourably on that.

Senator Boyle congratulated Buncrana on winning an award in the Tidy Towns competition as one of the larger towns. He also wished for participants and spectators to be safe during the Donegal rally and raised the rural water programme. I know the importance of rural water schemes. He raised the issue of Lagan in Donegal and requested further information from the Department. I ask him to table a Commencement matter on that and he might receive a more up-to-date reply.

Senator Boyhan raised the taking of all Stages of the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill today. As he knows, this is emergency legislation. It was brought before Cabinet on Tuesday. Pre-legislative scrutiny was waived by the committee and the Bill was published. It went through all Stages in the Dáil yesterday. It is time-sensitive legislation. That is the reason we are taking all Stages in the one sitting. I accept that it would not be normal practice or what I would normally favour but this is emergency legislation. The fact there is a motion for early signature shows the urgency of the matter. It is time-sensitive legislation and that is the reason it is being taken on all Stages today. I will endeavour, where possible, to separate the Stages but this is emergency legislation and that is why we are taking all Stages at one time.

Senator Boyhan also raised the issues of therapy services. I will request the Minister for education to come to the House to talk about those matters. He also raised St. John Ambulance and Mick Finnegan. I know Senator Andrews and others have raised this, as has the former Leader of the House Regina Doherty. I will seek an update on that matter.

Senator Andrews has requested an update and report on the banning of surgical artificial insemination of greyhounds. I will seek an update on that. I confess I was not aware of that issue. I am familiar with artificial insemination; it happens all the time with cows and other livestock. I am not sure why there is surgical artificial insemination of greyhounds, but I will seek an update on that issue.

Senator Crowe, supported by Senator McCarthy, raised the issue of illegal drug use, especially cocaine. The use of cocaine is becoming very accepted by many people. There may be a variety of reasons for this. Lifestyles and the pub scene have changed and there is more partying at home. Also, some people believe that cocaine use is a way of avoiding the excessive consumption of calories, as many people would have done with alcohol. Cocaine use is becoming quite open, unfortunately. I do not have a solution. I will arrange a debate on this matter. We know this is an issue throughout the world with the war on drugs. I will request a debate with the Minister of State, Deputy Murnane O’Connor, on this matter.

Senator Brady sought an update on St. Joseph's in Longford. I ask him to table a Commencement matter in order to receive a more up-to-date response on the matter from the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill.

Senator McCarthy raised the issue of youth gambling and all that goes with that, such as advertising, algorithms and the impact that gambling has on debt and so on. He has requested a debate on this matter and I will arrange that. I commend the then Minister of State, Deputy James Browne, who spearheaded the gambling Act at the time. I will request an update on this from the new Minister.

Senator Collins spoke about Newcastle West and a lack of water there. I do not know how planning permission was granted because if it is for a single house, there has to be a letter from Irish Water that it is agreeable to providing water. I am not sure how planning permission was granted without having adequate water. In terms of the status of the projects there, I ask the Senator to table a Commencement matter with the Minister, Deputy Browne, and she might receive an update on that. I know that in respect of the use of the Apple money, the Government has committed to providing money to Irish Water for critical infrastructure that will allow houses to be built. Irish Water is to come back with plans that will ensure that if we give it €2 billion to however many projects, this will lead to construction.Perhaps Newcastle West could be one of those areas chosen. I do not know, but it is certainly critical we ensure there are more houses built across different towns and villages.

Senator Sarah O'Reilly raised concerns about means testing for foster parenting. I ask that she put down a Commencement matter to get an update and see if changes could be made. If the Minister is open to that, it could be looked at in the finance Bill later in the year.

Senator Scahill highlighted concerns about insurance and forestry. I know he had a meeting with Minister of State, Deputy Healy-Rae, on this matter. I will seek an update from him. There would have to be engagement with Minister of State, Deputy Troy, and others on this. I do not have an answer on how that might go because there may be a significant rise in premiums if that were to happen. That is obviously the way insurance runs.

Senator Davitt raised the dual railing of the Dublin to Sligo railway line, and sought its inclusion in the national development plan. I have asked the Minister, Deputy Chambers, to come in over the coming weeks in advance of publication of the NDP. That may be an opportunity to raise that matter. I think the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, is coming in to talk about transport matters, maybe the week after next.

Senator Duffy spoke about the situation in Westport. I saw that on social media. Obviously, the man in question was making representations but they were not effective. He took matters into his own hands by repainting etc. These should be simple matters for local authorities to get on top of. Ensuring lines are painted, particularly disability markings, should be something that is prioritised. I hope that on foot of the coverage received by the gentleman mentioned, other local authorities will do an assessment quickly on this. It is something that could be raised through the committee on disability. It is certainly a pressing matter.

Senator McCormack raised an issue regarding Portlaoise courthouse. I ask that she put down a Commencement matter to get an update. I hope there is good progress on that in the coming months and years.