Seán Kyne (Fine Gael)
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The Order of Business is No. 1, statements on budget 2026, from the Department of Finance, to be taken at 5.30 p.m. and to conclude at 7.30 p.m., if not previously concluded, with the time allocated to the opening remarks of the Minister not to exceed ten minutes, group spokespersons not to exceed eight minutes, all other Senators not to exceed five minutes, time may be shared, and the Minister to be given not less than ten minutes to reply to the debate.

Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail)
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Today marks the second anniversary of the horrendous and brutal attack by Hamas on the innocent attendees at the Nova music festival. It resulted in more than 1,200 people losing their lives and more than 250 people being taken hostage. Since then, more than 66,000 or 67,000 Palestinians have been murdered. The genocide, the famine and the horrendous war that have ensued defy words and defy description. On the anniversary, I want us to think of all those who have been hurt, all those who have lost loved ones and all those who continue to suffer and endure inhumane treatment and conditions and call for a meaningful, lasting ceasefire, a release of all the hostages, an unfettered and unrestricted release of humanitarian aid into Palestine and to the people of Palestine, and a permanent solution for two states to live side by side. There will be statements in the House later on the budget. Budget day is not what it used to be. It used to be a big reveal. I hope this House will engage in a meaningful debate on the initiatives that have been taken in this budget to try to ensure there is real investment in lasting, sustainable public infrastructure in order that we can ensure our economic and social sustainability into the future.

We are in Dublin city and, for the month that is in it, I remind the House that Dublin City Council is again running a fantastic festival of history in the capital. Dublin City Council and Dublin City Libraries run the festival. They put on a fantastic programme of free events suitable for all age groups and all interests in our libraries, public buildings and public spaces. I encourage every Member of the House to familiarise themselves with the programme and take full advantage of it before next weekend because it is a great festival. We are steeped in history and heritage in the capital. Dublin City Council does a very fine job in promoting it with this festival. I want to encourage all Members to support it.

Manus Boyle (Fine Gael)
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Today I want to raise a problem I raised on one of the first days I came into this House - coastal erosion. Donegal has 2,400 km of coastline. There is one particular place in Inver village, County Donegal, where two houses are very badly affected. With storms getting worse and worse in the last couple of years, these two houses are in serious danger. Baskets of stones were put there 40 years ago and they have done well, but this coast is 95 m long and we need to protect these two houses. I am getting no answers, so I would like to see if the Leader could get answers. Is funding available through Donegal County Council to do this work? When is this work going to start? What is the delay on it? At the end of the day, there are children in these two houses. When you see big waves crashing into their garden and hitting their front windows, it is really scary for them. As a matter of urgency, we need to get something done here to protect these two houses and the families in them especially.

Joe Conway (Independent)
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Ba mhaith liom tagairt a dhéanamh inniu do dhea-scéal don imshaol domhanda. Go hiondúil, is annamh a thagann dea-scéal mar seo chun tosaigh. It is for that reason that I happily advert to it today. In the first half of 2025, renewable energy overtook coal as the world's leading source of electricity - a historic first. Electricity demand is growing around the world go forleathan, but the growth in solar and wind energy is so strong that it met 100% of the extra electricity demand in the year past, even helping to drive a slight decrease in coal and gas use. However, these headlines mask a mixed global picture. Developing countries, especially China, have led the clean energy charge, while richer nations such as the US and EU countries like ourselves still rely more than before on planet-warming fossil fuels for electricity generation. This divide is likely to get more pronounced according to a report from the International Energy Association. It predicts renewables will grow much less strongly than forecast in the US as a result of the policy of the Trump Administration.

Coal, a major contributor to global warming, was still the world's largest individual source of energy generation in 2024, a position it has held consistently for more than 50 years, according to the IEA. However, in clean energy growth, China remains way ahead, adding more solar and wind capacity than the rest of the world combined. This enabled the growth in renewable generation in China to outpace rising electricity demand and helped to reduce its fossil fuel generation by 2%. In contrast, developed nations like the US and those in the EU saw the opposite trend. In the US, electricity demand grew faster than clean energy output, increasing its reliance on fossil fuels.In the EU, months of weak wind and hydropower generation led to a rise in coal- and gas-powered generation. Consequently, the IEA has halved its forecast for the growth of renewable energy in the US this decade. The forecast has reduced from an estimated 500 GW by the year 2030 to 250 GW. As China's clean technology exports surge, the US and the rest of the developed world are focused on encouraging the world to buy more of their oil and gas.

Solar power delivered the lion's share of growth, meeting 83% of the increase in electricity demand. Solar has seen prices fall by a staggering 90% or more since 1975. The Minister, Deputy Chambers, mentioned that 140,000 houses now have solar units in use. On the obverse side of that, there are 1.9 million households so still only 7% of Irish households have solar power. We really need to redouble our efforts, as a country and a people, to address these issues.

Conor Murphy (Sinn Fein)
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I will raise the kidnap and release yesterday of our fellow Seanadóir, my party colleague Chris Andrews. I am thankful he has been released. On 1 October, the boat Chris was travelling on, the Spectre, was illegally boarded by Israeli forces. Over the next two days, all boats in the Global Sumud Flotilla were intercepted. In total, 462 people, 16 of them Irish citizens, were illegally detained by armed Israeli forces in international waters while attempting to bring aid to Gaza. The flotilla was a peaceful humanitarian mission carrying food and humanitarian aid. Italy, Spain and Greece sent naval support to the flotilla. There was an observer boat on the flotilla. The Government could and should have sent representatives to help safeguard Irish citizens. Those illegally detained by Israel were kept in hostile and cruel conditions. I acknowledge the support of Irish Embassy staff during that period.

However, the activists on the flotilla correctly want the focus to remain on the plight of the Palestinian people. The vast majority of people support Palestine and want to see an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and full access to humanitarian aid. They want to see an end to the Israeli campaign to expel Palestinians from their land in the West Bank. Over ten years ago, the Dáil unanimously passed a Sinn Féin motion to recognise the State of Palestine, yet formal recognition was only announced in May of last year. If the Government is serious about supporting Palestinians and holding Israel to account, it could and should now fast-track the occupied territories Bill in full. It could ensure that this State never again invests in Israeli war bonds. I ask the Leader to reflect those views to the Government in the time ahead.

Patricia Stephenson (Social Democrats)
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This week marks ten years since the Carrickmines fire that claimed the lives of ten members of the Connors family including five children and a pregnant mother. It was a very dark night in recent Irish history. It was a tragedy that exposed not just the fragility of life but the fragility of the State's commitment to the Traveller community. In the immediate aftermath, we heard lots of promises and commitments. We were told that conditions on halting sites would be reviewed, that safety would be prioritised and that lessons would be learned and yet we are here a decade later and the stark truth is that very little has changed when it comes to conditions for Travellers. Reports have piled high on shelves while families continue to live in conditions that are unsafe, unsuitable and wholly unworthy of a modern country. The Carrickmines fire was not an isolated incident but the product of systematic neglect from the State. Local authorities have consistently failed to spend the budgets allocated for Traveller accommodation, as I have mentioned before in the Chamber. Year after year, money is returned unspent while families remain in overcrowded sites with inadequate fire and safety measures. This is not just a policy failure. It is a failure of justice and of basic humanity. We owe the Connors family more than remembrance. We owe them change. If we truly believe in equality, when we talk about equal rights for Travellers, we must ensure Traveller children grow up with the same safety, dignity and security as other children in this country. Ten years on, the greatest honour we could pay to those who lost their lives would be to finally take some meaningful action. I respectfully request a debate on the question of minority rights and Traveller rights in this country. I mentioned this before during Traveller Pride Week but, for the day that is in it when we are commemorating the ten-year anniversary, this is another important time to do it.

Frances Black (Independent)
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I wish to read out a press statement that was sent to me by Dr. Mustafa Barghouti MP and leader of the Palestinian National Initiative, today, on the second anniversary of the genocidal war in Gaza.

Today marks two years since the start of Israel’s war on Gaza, during which Israel committed three war crimes in parallel: a genocide, the collective punishment of the civilian population including starvation, and ethnic cleansing. According to health and medical sources, the Israeli army committed the following crimes during the horrific war and this has to be put on the record. A total of 67,139 Palestinians were killed. Their names and IDs are recorded. Five out of six of them were civilians. An estimated 9,500 Palestinians are still missing under the rubble. More than 20,000 civilians killed were children. A total of 2,700 families were erased from the civil record, all killed by the Israeli army. A total of 5,943 families were killed, leaving only one person alive from each family, in most cases a child. More than 4,000 Palestinians had an amputation of one or more of their limbs. A total of 1,670 medical doctors and other medical professionals were killed and hundreds were injured. A total of 254 journalists were killed, along with 140 civil defence workers killed while trying to save the injured. More than 166,000 Palestinians were injured in Gaza. A total of 460 civilians died of starvation, including more than 146 children. A total of 90,000 children are suffering from severe malnutrition. During the war on Gaza, the Israeli army threw more than 160,000 tonnes of explosives, which exceeded eight times the explosive power of each of the nuclear bombs thrown on Japan during the Second World War. That equals 76 kg of explosives for each man, woman and child in Gaza. All universities in Gaza were totally destroyed.

I come to the West Bank now. More than 1,000 Palestinians were killed in the West Bank, including 33 killed by Israeli terrorist settlers. Some 18,000 Palestinians were arrested in the West Bank in the past two years. Approximately 50,000 civilians in the West Bank were ethnically cleansed from three refugee camps in Jenin and Tulkarm. Sixty Palestinian communities in the West Bank were evicted from their land by terrorist settlers and the Israeli army. Israel built 22 more illegal settlements in the West Bank and more than 111 new settlement outposts, confiscating 50,000 dunams. The Israeli army set up 1,000 military checkpoints in the West Bank and approximately 200 military gates surrounding villages to control who can enter and exit, forcing Palestinian communities to live in gated ghettos and semi-prisons. I could go on.

The world is watching and still there is no action. Israel is breaking international law in an unbelievably horrific way and nobody is doing anything. I cannot get my head around it. I do not know what is going on. Millions of people are out marching in the streets, including in this country. Thousands were at the March last Saturday, I was there myself, and there is still no action. We need action and we need it sooner rather than later. I hope to meet with the Tánaiste next week to talk about getting the occupied territories Bill passed in full, with both goods and services.

Alison Comyn (Fianna Fail)
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On this budget day, I warmly welcome some great news for Drogheda and Dundalk in Louth. They are both being included in the regional centre scheme under the national planning framework. What this means is they will be included in the living city initiative. This is something I and others have lobbied for for a long time. What will it mean? I have seen it described as a carrot and stick, the carrot being that there will be tax relief to restore older buildings, thus creating over-the-shop living, and we have such a huge problem with dereliction and vacancies and a lack of town centre living. The stick will, of course, be Revenue collecting the derelict sites levies. That will be very bad news for those landlords.

This is coming at such a tremendous time because last night I attended a presentation by the Drogheda city status group showing compelling and irrefutable evidence that Drogheda is already a city and must be seen and taken officially as that. There are in excess of 54,000 citizens within the Drogheda and east Meath area as it stands, projected to rise to 60,000 by 2031.There was talk of a task force, which is exactly what is needed, to make this a city with its own administration. Right now Drogheda and east Meath are administered from Dundalk and Navan. There is nothing in what is, in fact, the sixth city of Ireland. Last night I saw a video that offers compelling evidence. I urge anybody to find it on my Facebook page or that of the "Drogheda City Status" Facebook group. Already 6,500 homes have been built there, which equates to more than 20,000 people, with 2,000 or 3,000 more houses coming down the line. We do not have the infrastructure or the administration and this is exactly what we need. I would like a debate with the Minister, Deputy Browne, on making this an actuality. Drogheda has got to be the latest city in Ireland. Let us make Drogheda a city.

Evanne Ní Chuilinn (Fine Gael)
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D'ardaigh mé rud éigin an tseachtain seo caite mar gheall ar mhaoiniú ar son TG4 ionas go mbeadh neamhspleáchas eagarthóireachta aige ina sheomra nuachta agus sna cláir nuachta a chuireann sé ar fáil. Fáiltím roimh an mhaoiniú sa bhuiséad inniu ón Roinn a chiallaíonn go mbeidh €65.4 milliún ar fáil do TG4, lena n-áirítear méadú €5.4 milliún, chun ábhar Gaeilge ar ardchaighdeán, cláir do pháistí agus seirbhísí nuachta níos leithne a chinntiú. Níl na mionsonraí againn go fóill, ach mar a dúirt mé an tseachtain seo caite, níl cead ag TG4 na meáin shóisialta a úsáid. Níl cead aige cuntais a bheith acu, cuntais Instagram, X agus TikTok ina measc. Tá súil agam go dtiocfaidh an neamhspleáchas leis an maoiniú seo. Fáiltím roimh an maoiniú agus is féidir linn fanacht ar na sonraí ar fad.

Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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I thank the Cathaoirleach, Leader and Members. I will not touch on the budget in any great detail but I thank the Leader for organising a debate on it today and tomorrow. It is important that we have a series of debates on particular topics. I commend the Government on the very detailed hot-off-the-press "Your Guide to Budget 2026". It sets out a lot of the very positive information in the budget but there are other things missing. We have a lot of time in the House as we are full-time politicians, or we should be. I ask that the Leader's office speaks to us on running a series of debates on agriculture, infrastructure and housing. There is a range of issues. Over a period of the next three to four weeks we could drill into more detail on the budgetary impact on key issues.

I received some correspondence this afternoon from the Disability Federation of Ireland, DFI. The programme for Government includes a commitment to "Providing a step change in the supports and services required by people with disabilities". This afternoon the DFI issued a statement stating the budget was a betrayal of disabled people. A litany of agencies and advocates for the disability sector have serious concerns. Now is not the time to discuss them as we have not drilled down into the detail and it would not be fair to comment in the absence of the exact figures. I suggest we have a series of debates. We speak about disabilities a lot in the House. It is important that we communicate back. Many pre-budget submissions were made and it is a disappointing headline. I would welcome a debate on this.

This is a particularly attractive booklet but not everyone has access to IT. I suggest that the powers that be make this readily available throughout our library network and places of public information. It is important that people understand where money comes in and where money goes out.

Joe Flaherty (Fianna Fail)
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I warmly welcome budget 2026. It is fair to say that no one budget can achieve everything a nation aspires to but this is a seismic budget in terms of what we are setting out to achieve on the single biggest challenge we have in the country, which is housing. We will have 10,200 social homes delivered in 2026 and 15,000 starter homes, through a variety of schemes, such as the first home scheme, vacant grants and affordable and cost rental properties, as well as the help to buy scheme. All in all, it is a positive budget for housing. In addition, I was very pleased to see an additional €3 million for the community centre investment fund to support the refurbishment of existing and construction of new community centres right across the country. I know this will be warmly welcomed by my colleague in Lanesborough, County Longford, Councillor Sean Mimnagh, who has been championing the delivery of a new purpose-built community centre for Lanesborough. It is one of the few large towns in the county that does not have a dedicated and modern community centre facility. It is important that he works with Longford County Council to deliver this. He is looking at a notable site in the centre of the town. There is also an opportunity for industrial sites and the reactivation of the plans for a food hub in Lanesborough. I want to continue to work with him and I encourage Longford County Council to engage with his plans. He has many ambitious plans. He is also looking at a camper van site for the banks of the River Shannon. It would be a major breakthrough for tourism generally in Longford as, apart from a small facility in Clondra, we do not have a dedicated camper van site in Longford. He has visited a number of sites across the country with officials from Longford County Council. It is an ambitious project and is indicative of the ambition this councillor has for his home town. I, and Longford County Council, will work fervently with him to deliver on all those projects.

Gareth Scahill (Fine Gael)
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I wish to raise an issue following Storm Amy last Friday. We were protected up here in Leinster but in other parts of Ireland there were widespread power outages and issues with Irish Water and the water supply. I was dealing with this all across the weekend because hundreds of people and households were affected by power outages. I made phone calls to PowerCheck and the ESB yesterday with regard to reporting issues with power outages and the notifications that people get. For those who are not familiar, a person needs to put in their 11-digit MPRN to receive an alert when there is a power outage in their area. They then put in their phone number and they receive notifications of the status of the power outage and when it is expected to be resolved. Since Storm Éowyn and numerous other power outages in recent months, I have been on that system 20, 24, or 25 times. I have to put in my MPRN and my mobile phone number every time in order to get the information. It strikes me, looking at this from the digital divide and age-friendly side of things, that a large percentage of people over a certain age would have trouble typing in an 11-digit number and a mobile phone number into an app to get answers. The ESB says there is a GDPR issue here. I suggest that when someone has done it once, they should be on list whereby they are notified of the status if their neighbour sends in an alert about a power outage. That would provide certainty. I would welcome a debate that looks at this and multiple other systems to make them more age-friendly so that people of a certain age would have reassurance in the systems that are in place to support them with information during times of power outages, storms and various warnings.

Joanne Collins (Sinn Fein)
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I raise the issue around the treatment of mothers and families who experience miscarriages. Too often women going through the most devastating moments of their lives are placed in the same wards or have to use the same entrances to the hospital as parents leaving with their newborn babies. It is an extra agony they have walking in to the hospital. For those grieving the loss of a pregnancy, it is an additional and unnecessary trauma. A mother who contacted me after her own loss felt unseen and said that she did not receive the same treatment she would have received if she had her baby. She felt it was cold and callous. When she became pregnant for a second time, she sadly miscarried again. The only saving grace for her, which gave her a little relief, was that she did not have to return to the maternity hospital.

It is a little unfair that a woman who is miscarrying feels a sense of relief just because she does not have to go back to a hospital. It just seems as if there is something missing. The majority of staff in maternity hospitals are unbelievably caring and compassionate, but the structures around them seem to be failing. Parents experiencing miscarriages deserve privacy, dignity and care, not the grief that is compounded when they have to use the same entrance or go onto the same ward where they can hear babies crying.At the very least there should be separate entrances. There was an amazing grief counsellor in University Maternity Hospital Limerick. The grief counselling used to happen in the room next to the neonatal ward where many of the parents would have lost their babies. She fought for two years solid and got a Portakabin put outside. It is not ideal, but at least those parents do not have to walk up to that neonatal ward. I ask the Leader to take this back to the Minster for Health to prioritise improvements in this area, even if it is just separate entrances for these parents who are going through one of the most traumatic times of their lives.

Shane Curley (Fianna Fail)
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I acknowledge the exciting new partnership between the BWT Alpine Formula One Team and the Espire Education STEM On Track initiative, which uses motorsport to engage students in STEM. Over 600 students from 45 schools are taking part, building their own racing carts and competing in national finals. It is practical, inclusive and inspiring. It is exactly the kind of experience we should be giving people in the learning environment. On that note, I offer my congratulations to Team Increvex from St. Brigid's College, Loughrea who are Maeve, Jessica, Leoni, and Sharvi. I met them a couple of weeks ago with the Minister of State at the Department of Education and Youth, Deputy Michael Moynihan. They have just been awarded the Formula 1 innovative thinking award at the STEM Racing World Finals awards ceremony in Singapore. That is an incredible achievement and should be recognised. These four talented young women, their teachers and their community worked extremely hard on this. They have shown not only creativity and skill, but also teamwork, determination and ambition, the qualities that define future engineers, scientists and innovators. Through STEM Racing, formerly known as F1 in Schools, students design and build miniature Formula 1 cars, applying real-world engineering principals such as aerodynamics, drag, friction, etc. Teams like Increvex demonstrate how hands-on learning can spark a lifelong passion for innovation. It is particularly inspiring to see a team of young women leading the way. We know that women remain under-represented in STEM fields in Ireland, but projects like this are helping to change that. They give students confidence, real-world experience and a vision of what is possible. These girls are not just future engineers; they are role models for those coming behind them. It has created a huge buzz in St. Brigid's College and the wider area that such an achievement has been reached. Team Increvex's success shows what happens when opportunity, talent and teamwork come together. They have done the Loughrea area, Galway and Ireland proud on a global level and I have no doubt this is only the start of what is to come for these people. I congratulate Maeve, Jessica, Leoni, and Sharvi and everyone who supported them in the school community. Achievements like this make me proud to say I am a former student of St. Brigid's in Loughrea.

Pauline Tully (Sinn Fein)
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I raise a transport issue, which I have raised a number of times both here and in the Dáil. I have written to the NTA on the issue but it still has not been resolved. It relates to the 109X bus from Cavan to Dublin. It is an hourly bus service going through Kells and on to Dublin. I am hearing from passengers and bus drivers that there are regularly people left stranded because buses are full to capacity at certain times of the day. This particularly happens when the bus is leaving Dublin in the evening and heading back to Cavan. People at bus stops in Drumcondra and near the Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown are often the ones left because they are the last to get on the bus and the bus is full. That means they have to wait an hour or maybe two hours. These are often families with young children, or it could be an elderly person going the hospital. It sometimes happens in the morning as well, with people trying to get to work or college in Dublin. A lot more students going to DCU use public transport to get from Kells or Cavan to DCU because they cannot get accommodation in and around the college. I have written to the NTA on numerous occasions. Officials keep telling me they review this on a regular basis, and they are going to increase the capacity but nothing ever changes, and it is something that has been going on for years. It is very frustrating. We want an adequate bus service. It is regular, but capacity is not adequate at certain times of the day, and that needs to be addressed. I am asking for this to be raised with the Minister for Transport.

Teresa Costello (Fianna Fail)
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Today I will tell the House about a recently launched campaign called BreastCancerKnowMore. It is a survivor-led national breast cancer awareness campaign from Breast Cancer Ireland. Members may have seen the posters and billboards with very powerful images of six brave survivors.The campaign's message is powerful and direct: "I didn't know the signs. Do you?" It aims to help people recognise the warning signs of breast cancer early. It is supported by a free breast awareness app that teaches users the eight key signs and symptoms to look out for.

The goal of the campaign is to place survivors at the centre of the message, using their voices, their bodies and their scars to show the real human impact of breast cancer and to encourage early detection, which can save lives. What are those eight signs and symptoms? They are a lump in the breast or armpit, dimpling or retraction of the nipple, a change in the skin around the nipple or discharge, a puckering of the skin of the breast, an unusual increase in the size of one breast, one breast unusually lower than the other, enlargement of the glands in or around the breast or armpit, or an unusual swelling in the armpit.

Behind the campaign are the stories of six brave survivors. Niamh Noonan was diagnosed at 30. Dara McDonough was diagnosed at 59. He reminds us that men can also be affected. Vanessa Pontes is living with stage 4 breast cancer. Laura Hughes was diagnosed at 40 with DCIS, triple-negative subtype. Demmy Adebayo was diagnosed at 42 with HER2+ breast cancer. Juliette O'Connell was diagnosed at 42 with HER2+ subtype. Each story shows that breast cancer does not discriminate. It can affect anyone at any age. By listening to survivors and learning the science, we can all play a part in catching cancer earlier and support those affected.

Martin Conway (Fine Gael)
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I too welcome the budget and the overall debates that will take place this afternoon and tomorrow. Like others, I call for a sector-by-sector debate on the different areas to give us an opportunity to drill down into specific areas. There are many good measures that we will not have the opportunity to discuss in the overall budget statements, particularly in the area of disability. I reiterate my call for a debate on disability, particularly the plan announced recently, but specifically on the provisions in the budget.

There does not seem to be the best of welcomes from some of the disability advocacy groups to the announcements today. Maybe it has not been explained properly, so a debate in the House on the budget provisions might bring some clarity. It is regrettable to see the Disability Federation of Ireland and others not welcoming the budget - on the contrary. The devil is always in the detail with these things. Perhaps there will be clarity when the Minister for public expenditure comes to the House for his section tomorrow. It would be a good idea to have a debate on disability when the Leader can organise to bring the Minister in. It would be useful as a means of bringing clarity. Perhaps what is needed is a little explanation and clarity.

Nessa Cosgrove (Labour)
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I will not speak about the budget as I will wait until the statements later today. I want to put a different issue before the Leader. The long-awaited occupied territories Bill will be coming before the Dáil for a vote soon. We know the foreign affairs joint committee strongly recommends progressing the Bill and that the prohibition of imports from the Palestinian occupied territories should be extended to include trade in services, in line with the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice and the resolution that Ireland co-sponsored at the United Nations General Assembly.

Last week, I saw there was a case for alarm. I want to make sure we get clarification around it so that it does not get lost between the budget and the presidential election. There are possible indications that the Government is going to ignore the recommendations of the foreign affairs committee and leave out a ban on trade in services from the Bill. The first was a speech of the Taoiseach, Deputy Micheál Martin, to the UN General Assembly last Friday, in which, when referring to Gaza, he said we are legislating against the importation of goods from the occupied territories, and he made no reference to banning trade in services. The second instance, which was highlighted to me by a constituent, was by a Government MEP who, in response to a letter, indicated that the Irish Government was preparing to pass the occupied territories Bill banning trade in goods from Palestinian land illegally occupied by Israel, following the example of Slovenia and Spain.I want clarification. Is it possible that the Government will try to introduce this Bill when we are distracted by the presidential campaign? Could we get clarification on the Government's intention to exclude trade in services in the occupied territories Bill? We need clarification on this urgently, given the level of public engagement on this issue. We deserve to know what the Government intends to do.

Sarah O'Reilly (Aontú)
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Even though the budget is being announced today, the media focus is still quite fixated on the presidential election. The resignation of Jim Gavin means there is a further narrowing of options for voters. It is so disheartening for the entire voting population and those who do not feel either of the candidates represent them. We had the opportunity to nominate an independent candidate and, unfortunately, Members of the Oireachtas did not listen to the electorate, which is something we like to pride ourselves on.

People are calling for an internal review into what happened with Jim Gavin's campaign and how poorly he polled before his decision to resign. There does not need to be a review to know the fundamental problem, which was putting one person's wants over those of members. It is that simple. There are so many hard-working people across cumainn who go out postering, leafleting and canvassing. They give up their spare time in the summer and winter months for their party. I have done this. We have all done this for our parties. How are they rewarded by the leadership of their parties? Their opinions, voices and expertise are ignored time and again.

Because of this ongoing debacle, the budget and Gaza, important stories and cries for help are falling through the cracks of the media cycle. Hunger strikers have been outside the Department of agriculture for the past 17 days. These brave people are survivors of industrial and reformatory schools. These vulnerable individuals should not be left to languish outside the gates of Leinster House and the Department of agriculture. They received a State apology from the then Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, but apologies mean little when the Government does not back it up with financial support. Their asks are very modest considering the hardship they have endured. All they are looking for is a HAA card and access to the State contributory pension. It is scandalous to think they were forced into unpaid work for years and will receive no contributory pension. I raised this issue on Thursday and I asked for statements on it. Again, I was ignored. I was not even mentioned in the Leader's response, so I will ask again. People are outside of this building on day 17 of a hunger strike and we are totally fixated on Gaza, the presidential election and the budget. I want the matter to be addressed before it escalates.

Maria Byrne (Fine Gael)
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I rise today, first, to welcome the budget that was announced at 1 o'clock, and the fact that the basic income for the arts scheme is to become a permanent fixture. Some 2,000 artists will be able to avail of this going forward. It is really positive because there are so many people right across that community in different walks of life who find it hard to make an income out of what they do, yet they are very talented. This is a positive.

I acknowledge a Limerick woman, Paula O'Keeffe, who has been a carer for Conor O'Dea, who suffered a spinal injury some years ago. I remember Conor when he was playing soccer. He was a very talented player. He was on his bicycle. He suffered a spinal injury. Paula has helped him to get back on his bicycle, through fundraising. He is out doing things that he loves. She was acknowledged as the Bluebird Care carer of the year at a prestigious awards ceremony in Birmingham last week. Bluebird said that she encompasses all that a carer should be. I acknowledge her and congratulate her on her award.

Seán Kyne (Fine Gael)
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I thank all the Senators for their contributions here this morning. Senator Fitzpatrick acknowledged the two-year anniversary of the 7 October attack at the Nova music festival in Israel and called for a meaningful ceasefire, the release of hostages, the release of humanitarian aid and a permanent solution in Gaza. She also commented on budget 2026 and invited people to participate in the festival of history in Dublin. I wish everyone involved well.

Senator Boyle raised an issue regarding coastal erosion in Inver village where two houses have been impacted. I suggest putting down a Commencement debate. He mentioned the length of the coast in question is 95 m so it may fall under a minor or major works scheme. The Senator might request a Commencement debate with the Office of Public Works on that.

Senator Joe Conway talked of the importance of renewable energy and the good news regarding solar and wind internationally but highlighted inconsistencies, particularly in the United States, and in that China is way ahead on green energy and solar power. I will request a debate in this area because it is an important one. There are positives and difficulties. I am sure that some of the countries powering ahead may not, in certain aspects, have the stringent planning laws we have in this country. It is important and it is welcome to see progress being made on an international scale.

Senators Conor Murphy, Black and Cosgrove raised the occupied territories Bill, which completed pre-legislative scrutiny before the summer break and is in drafting. The Tánaiste is meeting with Senator Black this week or next week and I hope there will be clarity on that. I certainly have no information at this stage as to whether services are or are not being excluded. The report gave the recommendation from the committee and I have no indication as to when that Bill will be published or made available for drafting. I will raise it with the Tánaiste again but I have no additional information on the timeline of that Bill. Senator Murphy also raised the issue of his party colleague Senator Andrews and the 462 people, including 14 Irish citizens, who were detained in international waters, brought to Israel and sent home thereafter. As I said, they are activists for a good cause.

Senator Stephenson mentioned the Connors family and the ten-year anniversary of the Carrickmines tragedy and fire. She has called again for a debate on Traveller rights. I will request a debate. One of the issues is that it is an area that encompasses a large number of Departments so I will attempt to get a Minister who would be involved. I suppose housing would be the main Department involved, in terms of funding local authorities and so on.

Senator Black mentioned the Gaza genocide. She read a press statement from an MP. I did not get the name but she has that on record, I am sure. She also raised the issues in the West Bank and expressed exasperation at the actions of Israel. She again mentioned the occupied territories Bill. We had statements here on it last week, although it was rushed given the agenda, so maybe we did not have as many speakers as we had hoped. The Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, facilitated those statements. We will have an opportunity again to raise those matters.

Senator Comyn welcomed the provisions in the budget regarding the recognition of Drogheda and Dundalk, together with Athlone, Sligo and Letterkenny, as part of the new inclusion of towns in the living city scheme for a carrot and stick approach to tax relief and also to derelict taxes and levies collected by Revenue. She has called for city status for Drogheda. I am not sure of the exact definition of a city in this country and how that is reached but certainly it is an area I know others have advocated for and she may wish to put down a Commencement debate on that matter as well. She called for a debate with the Minister, Deputy Browne, which I will certainly request.

D’ardaigh an Seanadóir Ní Chuilinn an maoiniú breise a fuair TG4 sa bhuiséad agus cuirim fáilte roimhe sin freisin. Tá maoiniú ann de €5.4 milliúin do TG4. Tá an eagraíocht ag fanacht ar na mionsonraí maidir le neamhspleáchas an seomra nuachta agus na haipeanna, mar shampla Instagram agus X, ach cuirim fáilte roimh an t-airgead breise ó na hAirí, an Teachta O’Donavan agus an Teachta Chambers.

Senators Boyhan and Martin Conway raised the issue of sectoral discussions of the budget.I will certainly request it, but of course neither I nor this House can compel Ministers to come in. The other House can do so, but I will certainly request that there be more sectoral debates on certain issues. Disability and the Disability Federation of Ireland were mentioned by both Senators as well. I will request and try to finalise an appropriate date with the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton. I will ask her to come in and engage on the disability strategy and the budget at the same time, if that is possible.

Senator Flaherty raised the issue of additional supports on housing and the benefits that will accrue to County Longford in relation to additional social housing. He also mentioned the community centre fund and the needs in Lanesborough in County Longford.

Senator Scahill mentioned Storm Amy and that there were again power outages and people impacted. He has called for a debate on this issue. He is right in terms of the availability of news and updates on when power will be restored and the need for people to write in MPRN and mobile phone numbers on apps. The digital divide was again mentioned and the difficulties this causes. I will request a debate on this matter too.

Senator Collins raised an important issue in relation to miscarriages and the need for sensitivity around those who suffer from miscarriages, who have the trauma of losing a child, depending on the age, and are in maternity hospitals at the time. I can imagine it is a difficult issue for the women and their partners in those cases. I will bring this matter up with the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, in relation to, most importantly, any new hospitals or hospital renovations including this aspect in their design.

Senator Curley raised the issue of STEM Racing, as he called it, and the success of the Increvex team from St Brigid's College in Loughrea. Four young women have won an award in relation to STEM Racing, which involves building miniature racing cars. I congratulate them and wish them well.

Senator Tully raised the matter of the 109X bus from Cavan to Dublin via Kells and people being left stranded. Obviously, direct responsibility lies with the NTA and I know the Senator has been engaging with the authority. The Senator can put down a Commencement matter in this regard. It will remain to be seen whether the Minister will come in. The Senator's colleagues on the transport committee can also raise this matter when bringing in representatives of the NTA. If I get an opportunity, I will also certainly raise it.

Senator Costello commended those involved in the BreastCancerKnowMore group of six brave survivors, including one male. It is a real concern in so many families up and down the country and I commend those survivors on increasing awareness of and advocacy in breast cancer.

Senator Sarah O'Reilly raised a concern regarding the choice in the presidential campaign. I am afraid I cannot do anything about that at this stage. The future is another time and we will not feel seven years coming around when it comes to whether changes could be proposed in this regard by the Opposition or the Government or whatever. The Senator also mentioned the Fianna Fáil presidential campaign, which I will not comment on. On a more serious note, the Senator also spoke about the survivors of industrial schools and day 17 of their protest. I am not sure if the Senator has already put down a Commencement matter on this issue.

Sarah O'Reilly (Aontú)
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No.

Seán Kyne (Fine Gael)
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Perhaps she should put one down to get a direct response from the Minister or the Department. Whether the Minister herself comes in or not, somebody will come in on behalf of that Department to give guidance on whether there are any plans in relation to the provisions of pensions, etc.

Senator Maria Byrne raised the Bluebird Care carer of the year awards. I acknowledge Paula O'Keeffe and her caring work. Carers up and down the country have a very important role. The Senator also mentioned the basic income for the arts scheme. It has been a huge success and it is important to give that comfort and stability to our 2,000 artists throughout the country. I do not know the ins and outs of whether it will be expanded, but it is certainly being put on a permanent basis. This will provide that stability and comfort to artists to allow them to do their creative work knowing they have a steady income for a time. We will wait for the final details of that announcement from the Minister and I am sure he will be bringing provisions to the Cabinet in due course.