Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Students from St. Brigid's Boys' National School in Foxrock are in the Gallery. It is Harry Keane's 12th birthday. Harry, you are 12 years old today and you are in the Distinguished Visitors Gallery. Thank you for being here for the Taoiseach's address. I know he is looking forward to meeting you. As is traditional in the Seanad, and as it is Harry's birthday, there is no homework for any visiting school for the rest of the week.

Joe Flaherty (Fianna Fail)
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I also thought it was in order that the Cathaoirleach give €50 to anyone whose birthday it is.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I will have to check to see if that is in Standing Orders.

We are deeply honoured that An Taoiseach, Deputy Micheál Martin, is addressing us today. I ask Senators to be upstanding for the Taoiseach.

I thank the Taoiseach for being with us in Seanad Éireann today. In his address to the Seanad on its 100th anniversary, he said the Seanad is "a place where it is possible to have a more reasoned and respectful debate". As 33 Senators are here for the first time, they may not have heard the Taoiseach's wise words but I am sure they agree with the sentiment that this is a place for respectful debate.

Ireland has been one of strikingly few continuous democracies for the past 100 years. In an era when democracy is under attack on many fronts and from all sides, it is a lesson that we should never take for granted democracy in Ireland. Local government is the basis and foundation for democracy in Ireland. Many people in Ireland, including the Taoiseach, began their political careers and lives in local government. We in the Seanad have engaged with all voices in our public consultation on the future of local democracy. One of the key recommendations, the establishment of a task force, was included in the programme for Government and that task force is now doing its important work.

During our discussions on the future of local democracy, we had a councillor from the Democratic Unionist Party in the Seanad Chamber to discuss local democracy in Northern Ireland. That shows how the Seanad can be a bridge and how we can work together and learn from one another to improve the lives of all the people on this island. In his contribution on the 100th anniversary of the Seanad, the Taoiseach said, "The Seanad’s discussions about the future of our island are also very welcome." The Seanad Public Consultation Committee subsequently held hearings and discussions on the future of the island of Ireland, hearing the voices of young people from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. We also heard from the Rev. Kyle Paisley, son of Ian Paisley. He participated in a discussion with other leaders of all religious faiths in the Seanad Chamber. That again shows how the Seanad can be a place of differing opinions and views, respectfully shared and, more importantly, listened to. During the Taoiseach's address to the Seanad in 2021, he spoke about the shared island unit working for the future of the entire island in a positive, practical and ambitious way and engaging with all communities and traditions. In that regard, he is literally building bridges.

There have been a dozen reports on Seanad reform and we have implemented the reforms it is within the power of the Seanad to implement.Senators now can review the recommendations and reports of Oireachtas committees with the Ministers responsible for their implementation, to see in fact if those recommendations by TDs, Senators and committees are actually being put in place. Another reform which we have implemented is whereby Senators can invite their nominating bodies and panels to the Seanad to debate with the relevant Minister topics of concern and interest. MEPs engage with the Seanad on a regular basis to ensure direct connection between the Seanad and the European Union.

Europe has always been a theme of reports on Seanad reform. As Cathaoirleach, working with all the leaders and the groups, we sought the establishment of a committee on the scrutiny of EU legislation. The Taoiseach's leadership resulted in a Cabinet decision which has been implemented by the Seanad on the establishment of a committee on the scrutiny of EU legislation and a committee on transparency. This reform is more important now than ever. In any given year, the Oireachtas passes approximately 50 pieces of legislation whereas substantive EU legislation can account for 70 to 80 pieces of legislation, running to hundreds of pages. Heretofore, EU legislation was being added to by Government Departments and being signed into Irish law by Ministers without the opportunity for Senators, TDs and Oireachtas committees to see them, bypassing the democratically elected Members and avoiding legislative scrutiny. Thanks to the Taoiseach's leadership, that will no longer happen.

Next year, for the first time since 2013, Ireland will hold the Presidency of the European Union. The Presidency represents an opportunity for Ireland as a small nation to be at the heart of the European Union and to set the agenda at a pivotal time for the EU. When Ireland takes over the Presidency from Cyprus in July, it will allow us to lead by example, to reaffirm the values and principles of the European Union and to advocate for a stronger Europe, one that upholds peace, democracy and solidarity in a challenging wold. I thank the Taoiseach for being here today. We look forward to his contribution.

The Taoiseach:

Go raibh maith agat, a Chathaoirligh. Gabhaim buíochas freisin leis an Seanad as ucht an cuireadh chun labhairt libh inniu. A Sheanadóirí, táim an-sásta an t-eolas is déanaí a thabhairt daoibh ar roinnt obair an Rialtais agus, go deimhin, éisteacht le do thuairimí agus na ceisteanna a bheidh agaibh. Ar dtús báire, ba mhaith liom a rá gur príomhaidhm an Rialtais ná an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn i gcónaí agus tacaíocht agus níos mó áiseanna a thabhairt don Ghaeilge agus do na Gaeltachtaí mar aon leis sin. Tá plean agus jab an-mhór le déanamh againn ina dtaobh.

It is a great privilege to be back in the Seanad and to speak to you as Taoiseach. We are living in a time of great disruption and conflict in the world. Of central concern to Government is the extent to which this impacts our economic security. The shift from global co-operation and trade is not of Ireland’s choosing but it is a challenge that we must face and act upon. Through the hard work of the Irish people and careful planning by successive Governments, Ireland’s economy remains resilient and our public finances are robust. What is interesting is that, notwithstanding the tariffs and so on, about 70% of world trade is still under WTO rules. It is important we do not lose a sense of perspective in relation to the trade turbulence across the world.

Through budget 2026, we are fully committed to maintaining a strong and stable economy, to protect jobs and support businesses to grow and expand. A key foundation of our economic success is free trade, and the Government continues to support European efforts to forge new trade deals, including with India and Indonesia. It is a very important point. I think in the Oireachtas we have had an interesting and, from my perspective, odd approach to trade. Trade puts bread and butter on our tables yet we always look very negatively at trade deals and we look to see the problem as opposed to the opportunity. That is a point that is worth wider debate in the Oireachtas in the time ahead. Ireland depends on free trade, fundamentally, as a small, open economy.

We are very focused on the need to invest in our future and about €19 billion has been allocated for capital investment in the budget. That is an increase of €2 billion on 2025. What that is about, really, is delivering thousands of new-build social homes, major water infrastructure projects and flood relief schemes, building sustainability and resilience in our electricity grid and boosting our electricity supply, and delivering on major projects across the transport, health, education, justice, arts and sport sectors. Fundamentally, it is utilities. It is water, grid, public transport and roads that will require very sustained investment to enable us to have a sustainable society as well as an economy. We have reserve funds in place to protect the country in times of economic challenge, the Future Ireland Fund and the climate and nature fund. By the end of 2026 they will comprise €24 billion, and by 2030, maintaining the same trajectory, we will have about €47 billion put aside to protect the country. The budget puts about €7 billion in capital funding specifically for housing, that is apart from the current, and then with a range of tax measures to incentivise the provision of new residential units and accelerate the delivery of affordable homes into the housing market. Building on the housing measures already taken, we are finalising a new housing plan for the next five years and beyond. Narrowing the viability gap is key in terms of apartment building and that is what we have done with a series of reforms plus the tax measures in the budget. It is fundamentally about getting more homes built, particularly on the private sector side. The public sector is enormous in terms of the contribution we are making. To get to 50,000 or 60,000 houses you need a balance of public and private.

The strength and resilience of our economy allows us to continue to invest in social progress. Last month, the Government published a new child poverty target which seeks to ensure that by 2030 no more than 3% of children should be living in consistent poverty. The measures announced in the budget represent the first year of our multi-year plan to meet this target. We have prioritised targeted and focused investment to support the children and families who need our help most. It is a package of about €320 million in income supports for children living in families at risk of poverty. That includes include the largest ever increase in the child support payment, a €60 increase in the weekly income thresholds for the working family payment, the extension of the increased fuel allowance to those receiving the working family payment, and the expansion of the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance to include children aged two and three. These increases will benefit 330,000 children whose parents are in receipt of a social welfare payment. These are mainstream improvements to the social protection package for low income families but particularly children, emanating from the unit within my Department that is focusing on child poverty issues.

Parallel with other Departments, there are further measures tackling educational disadvantage. Education is critical in supporting children living at risk of poverty and transforming the opportunities they have to thrive. There is about €48 million to support pupils and students with the highest risk of educational disadvantage, including the introduction of a new DEIS plus programme as part of a new DEIS plan. That will mean more targeted and focused measures on those schools that need it the most within the DEIS framework. We also have enhanced capitation for funding for urban band 1 DEIS primary schools. That will be critical to give children a decent opportunity and start in life, so children are not growing up defined by poverty, but instead are defined by their potential.

Likewise we have prioritised disability in the programme for Government and in the budget. We want to step change the level and scale of support for people with disabilities and their families. The budget begins that in terms of this Government's term of office. There is about €3.8 billion allocated to the Department of Children, Disability and Equality. That is a 20% increase in funding over and above last year. It provides for substantial increases in income disregards for carers, increases in the disability allowance and expansion of the wage subsidy scheme. We have allocated about €3 billion for special education, which will provide for significant improvements in how we support children with additional needs in education and in how we plan for the future. We want to get to a position where children will know well in advance that they have a place the following September. We are making a lot of progress on the education front. We have a lot more to do in terms of section 38 and 39 organisations and in terms of healthcare supports. That is an issue I am focusing on and prioritising.We have provided over 1,100 new college places for key health and social care professions to meet the workforce needs of the health, disability and education sectors. I have established a new disability unit in my Department to prioritise disability issues and to make sure we can troubleshoot across Departments and get every Department involved, with no hiding place for any Department in respect of these issues. A whole-of-government approach is key. This is just year 1 of what will be a five-year programme.

Our population is growing and ageing at a rapid rate. That means greater demand and pressure on our health and social care services, so we have to continue with the programme of health reforms and recovery to transform how we deliver healthcare in Ireland. I think it is arguable, and I have argued it within Government and with Departments, that we have never properly factored in the exponential growth in the Irish population over the last two decades. It has been very significant. We are now at historic highs. Going back to pre-Famine times, we are just about getting back to the pre-Famine population on the island. That has implications for public services, public finances and how we meet those challenges.

The health budget reflects that. There is now about €27.4 billion allocated to health. That is double what it was in 2016. We have to use that budget effectively. Value for money is now important. Productivity is important. There will be increases in terms of acute and community bed capacity, home support hours, staffing, nursing home places, enhanced community care and the expansion of mental health services.

Ensuring that we have safe communities and putting more gardaí on our streets are key priorities for the Government. We are speeding up recruitment, including an increase in the Garda trainee allowance. We are going to fund up to 1,000 new gardaí in this budget, 200 more Garda staff and a doubling of the Garda Reserve. All of that is needed to create safe communities in our cities and in our country.

We remain fully committed to implementing the domestic, sexual and gender-based violence strategy, which aims to ensure there is zero tolerance for the kinds of attitude and behaviour that enable such violence. Significant legislative reforms are being advanced to strengthen protections for victims and the budget allocates €80 million to support Cuan, our new agency, and other services supporting victims and survivors.

As a nation, we will always stand ready to assist those fleeing war and persecution. Like many other countries in Europe, we have seen an increase in recent years in people seeking international protection. However, this year has seen over 9,300 international protection applications received, representing a significant decrease compared to the same period last year. It is important to remember that Ireland’s overall immigration policy is based on rules and is fair to those who come here to work, to study and to seek refuge. The upcoming new international protection Bill will lead to the most significant reform of our asylum laws in the history of the State in line with the EU’s migration and asylum pact. I think it is extremely important that we have a broader debate on migration, on ethnicity and on the need to maintain our proactive approach to multiculturalism not just to make people feel welcome, but to be welcomed. I am very concerned about the rhetoric and the language being used and the aggression out there in society. Those of us who stand up for the fundamental values of the dignity of every human being, irrespective of colour, creed or ethnicity, must stand up and take this on. I am watching what is going on in other countries and there is a moment in Ireland where that, too, could become a tipping point. We need to stand up and protect what has been very good for the country over the last number of decades.

In regard to the shared island, after some difficult years we have seen a welcome renewal in the British-Irish relationship. Last March, Prime Minister Starmer and I agreed an extensive and ambitious programme of practical co-operation up to 2030. I am keen to see our co-operation lead to tangible benefits, most immediately on infrastructure delivery, the protection of subsea infrastructure, emergency planning and cultural partnerships. The programme for Government affirms our strong commitment to building a shared, reconciled future with all communities and on this island, underpinned by the Good Friday Agreement. The relationship with the UK Government is a strong one - it is transformed, to be frank - and we are more or less back to where we were in terms of both Governments anchoring the Good Friday Agreement. That is important.

Under the Government’s €2 billion shared island fund - we have added a further €1 billion to the earlier €1 billion up to 2035 - we are seeking to drive strategic all-island investment co-operation that benefits people both North and South. We are building on successes so far, with the iconic Narrow Water Bridge now under construction and the Ulster Canal restoration project now well on the way to full delivery. Next year, Government resourcing will also enable a new Dublin-Derry air link, construction to start on a new teaching building at Ulster University in Derry, and the continuation of the transformative hourly Dublin to Belfast rail service. New all-island investment programmes on enterprise, tourism, the bio-economy and higher education research collaboration will also intensify in 2026. This has been a very significant and, in my view, major programme. It is somewhat under the radar but is really creating connectivity, pragmatic co-operation and engagement on all aspects of life on the island. It is respectful of people's different constitutional preferences. It is really looking at how we can share this island in a pragmatic and sensible way into the future.

I am sure the House will join with me in welcoming developments in the Middle East. After two brutal years of conflict and slaughter, we have at long last seen a ceasefire in Gaza, the release of remaining hostages and humanitarian aid beginning to arrive at scale across the border. I pay warm tribute to all those who have worked so hard to put last week’s agreement in place, regional partners including Qatar, Egypt and Türkiye, and global partners, especially President Trump and his team. The world does owe a debt of gratitude to those who have been trying to get a peace for quite some time.

However, it has happened too late and the collective punishment of a people is unacceptable at any time. There is an opportunity now to change the narrative and to put in place a process that can lead to a just and lasting peace. I have also been clear in my view that only a two-state solution can deliver that outcome and Ireland stands ready to work with others, in good faith, to bring it about.

We are, of course, at a very early stage and there will be many, many challenges ahead, but there is now a real opportunity for a just peace and I urge all parties to seize it. In particular, we urge all involved in Israel in particular to restrain the aggressive and violent settlers in the West Bank, to stop the suffocation of the Palestinian Authority in terms of revenue flows into the PA, and to reassert the primacy of the United Nations in terms of the distribution of humanitarian aid and vital life supplies into Gaza. That is extremely important.

By contrast, any settlement for the war in Ukraine remains elusive. The Ukrainian people continue to bravely defend their country after more than three and a half years of brutal war. The Russian Government shows no interest in peace and, as winter approaches once again, Russia continues to target civilians and civilian infrastructure, including energy plants, in Ukraine. As we have done from the outset of this illegal war, Ireland will continue to stand with Ukraine and its people for as long as it takes, and I look forward to welcoming President Zelenskyy to Ireland in the near future. He has indicated he is going to come.

Of course, Russia’s aggression extends well beyond Ukraine. We have recently seen the airspace of our EU partners, including Denmark, Poland, Estonia and Romania, violated by drones and planes. We live in a world where threats, including cyber and hybrid, are increasingly complex and increasingly frequent. Ireland is not immune to these threats, as we have already seen. Unfortunately, I do not believe that the volume or quality of discussion and debate in this country is equal to the threats that we face. I worked to kickstart a more serious approach to the issue with the forum on international security and defence policy when I was Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence. That was a very useful exercise, with good-quality, informed people presenting, but it was intended as a starting point for discussion, not the final word. It was also an illustrative example of the point I have just made about the quality of debate around these issues. I had to face down noisy protests and was accused of hatching secret plans to join NATO before a single word was uttered at the forum. The extent of our dependence on critical undersea infrastructure in terms of connectivity, data security, economic resilience, energy and the vulnerability of that infrastructure is not understood to the extent that it should be. As a Government, we are taking unprecedented steps at home to equip our Defence Forces to operate more effectively in this new environment. We will also continue to co-operate closely with our EU partners in what is an increasingly important area of activity for the Union.

Like other EU member states, we remain responsible for our own defence policies.However, there are areas where like-minded partners can and should do more together. We need to have a sensible and mature discussion about what those areas are and what closer collaboration might look like, including, I hope, in this House.

On cybersecurity, subsea cables and gas connectors, we simply have to work with other EU member states, the UK, the US and others to protect vital undersea infrastructure, which is of existential importance to our economic and societal well-being. Russia has become more aggressive beyond Ukraine, with – as I have said – drone violations of airspace in multiple EU states, hybrid attacks, disinformation campaigns, monitoring of undersea infrastructure and an expanded shadow fleet with multiple purposes that also pose massive environmental risks and threats. Over recent months, a pattern has emerged that represents a new phase of Russian activity against EU member states and the UK. Ireland is not immune to this. We have to share knowledge and expertise with other EU member states and the UK, significantly increase our own defence capability and resilience and ensure that in the context of peacekeeping, we have maximum interoperability with other member states participating with us. The war in Ukraine must end.

I acknowledge the important contribution by the Members of this House to constructive discussion and the development of public policy and legislation. The Government recently published an ambitious legislative programme for the autumn session to deliver meaningful and necessary legislative reform across a wide range of areas. This House is renowned for its tradition of informed and contemplative debate, untroubled by the daily cut and thrust, the rí-rá agus ruaille buaille, of other places. I look forward to that spirit of wise co-operation in advancing the legislative changes that need to be made. I always value my interactions with Members of this House. I look forward to our interaction today. I am confident that we will continue to work together in a spirit of co-operation as we seek to provide a secure and prosperous future for all.

I thank the Chair for his indulgence. I may have gone over time; I do not know because I did not look at the clock.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Taoiseach. He has to be gone by 12.30 p.m., so we will be sticking to the time. The next contributor is the Leader of the House, Senator Seán Kyne, who has five minutes.

Seán Kyne (Fine Gael)
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Cuirim fáilte roimh an Taoiseach chuig Seanad Éireann. Gabhaim buíochas leis as ucht a bheith linn ar maidin chun cur i láthair a dhéanamh dúinn faoi chúrsaí sa tír seo agus trasna an domhain. Tá sé ráite go minic ag daoine liom, nuair a chastar orm iad, go bhfuil an domhan trína chéile faoi láthair, go háirithe in áiteanna cosúil le Gaza, an Bruach Thiar, an Úcráin, an Liobáin, an tSiria agus an Éimin. Tá guth láidir ag an tír seo, agus tá muid á úsáid san Eoraip, sna Náisiúin Aontaithe agus i gcruinnithe foirmiúla le hambasadóirí agus polaiteoirí ó thíortha trasna an domhain.

Uair amháin, bhí coimhlint ar an oileán seo. Tá stair fhada maidir leis an gcoimhlint sin agus an réiteach. Bhí a lán daoine páirteach sa turas sin. Is cuimhin liom an ról a bhí ag iarBhall an Tí seo, Martin Mansergh, a fuair bás le déanaí. Go ndéana Dia trócaire ar a anam.

Ireland has used its voice over many years to promote peace in conflicts around the world. We are all hopeful that the current peace plan for Gaza will achieve all that is set out in it, namely the full release of hostages, including the remains of those who were killed or died in captivity, the flow of humanitarian aid, a permanent ceasefire and a move towards a two-state solution. In the context of Ukraine, we continue to provide non-lethal aid to citizens. We continue to support the many who have been given shelter here since the conflict began.

Let me turn to domestic affairs. We must have a mature debate on our capability to defend both ourselves and key Irish and European infrastructure that comes ashore here. Capital infrastructure in defence and across all Departments is key to our medium- to long-term development and sustainability.

Our national development plan review is critical to our future. We had a key, positive debate here yesterday on the all-Ireland rail review and the projects relating thereto. I hope to see progress on key projects such as the western rail corridor, including the extension of services from to Claremorris and Athenry, serving Tuam. That would be a huge positive for our region.

Irish Water has done tremendous work in delivering many projects, but more investment is needed. So many smaller settlements have no or limited housing potential due to the absence of wastewater infrastructure. Investment is critical.

I welcome commitments in the budget to invest in our electricity grid, which will be a key driver of future development.

We await the new housing plan with keen interest, as well as our rural housing policy. I worry about the delivery of private housing in rural communities away from cities and larger towns. Some small developers I have engaged with say it is not viable for them to build in the smaller settlements away from the urban centres. A comprehensive examination as to why that is the case is required and a solution needs to be found.

Agriculture, as an indigenous industry, played a key role in our economic recovery after our last recession. Together with tourism, it was identified as a sector that could increase productivity, employment and revenue for the State.

Another key sector in our economy is our multinational sector. I acknowledge the valued and skilled role played by IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and Údarás na Gaeltachta in protecting and growing jobs across the State. Investment by the Government in these organisations is very important. The work done by Ministers in trade delegations and by our embassies, consulates and the Ireland House model is to be commended. Investment in next-generation foreign direct investment sites and advanced factories is hugely beneficial in attracting investment from overseas. The expansion of our technology centres and investment in our universities are key drivers in the context of the skilled workforce that we need in order to attract jobs of the future.

The increase in the research and development tax credit to 35%, which will, in turn, increase investment and employment in pharma, medtech and engineering over the coming years, needs to be acknowledged. Our indigenous SMEs will benefit from the increased thresholds allowing access to research and development credits.

While it was not possible in this budget to change tax thresholds, including those relating to inheritance tax, we need to keep pace with rising wages and house and property values over the course of this term in government.

Disability budgets and the recognition of support for carers have been central to budget 2026. These were much needed and deserved. Our carers are unsung heroes in every community. Tréaslaím an infheistíocht a rinne an Rialtas i mbuiséad 2026. Caithfidh muid leanúint ar aghaidh leis an infheistíocht sin sna blianta amach romhainn i tréimhse an Rialtais seo.

Our comprehensive social welfare budget looks after our pensioners, our disabled, carers, jobseekers and so many others, including working families and the bereaved, in addition to mothers through child benefit and supports.

There are so many other areas that I could cover, but time is limited. We have a country with a bright future and challenges that can be overcome due to people, our membership of the EU, the strength of our economy, our commitment to capital investment, the buffer of money set aside and a stable democracy that cannot be taken for granted.

Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail)
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I am sharing time with Senator Paul Daly.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Is that agreed? Agreed.

Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail)
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I welcome Councillor Caroline O'Reilly, who is with us this morning.

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Taoiseach. Gabhaim buíochas leis as a chuid focal. Last Friday, thanks to national and local funding, we had the opportunity to open the Shackleton museum in Athy. Shackleton, as the Taoiseach knows, was from Kilkea, just a few miles away. He is famous for having demonstrated great leadership skills on three Antarctic expeditions, including the famous Endurance expedition. Endurance is an important strength that is sometimes underestimated but that we all absolutely need in politics. Shackleton was not a politician, even though he did contest the Westminster election in 1906. The reason I mention him relates to all the leadership qualities he displayed, namely calmness under pressure, decisiveness and the ability to adapt to changing conditions, highlighting the importance of international co-operation, especially in hostile environments. Shackleton led his crew with unwavering resolve. He did not promise ease; he promised effort. He did not offer certainty; he offered he offered hope. Today, we face our own storms and we must all lead with clarity, conviction and compassion. That is what we deserve from our Taoiseach, and it is most certainly what we get from him.

I thank the Taoiseach for his comprehensive briefing on his priorities. No matter what side we sit on, all of us here are deeply invested in the future of Ireland. As a nation, we have shown resilience, but it is not just about surviving – we need to help and empower people and communities to thrive.The Taoiseach's voice matters not just in the Dáil Chamber and Seanad Chamber but on the international stage in relation to war and displacement. Through the Taoiseach, Ireland has become a beacon of diplomacy and peace through his empathic and decisive leadership on the world stage. I thank him for his unwavering support for the Palestinians, the Ukrainians and for highlighting the wider threat of Russian aggression against Europe.

Closer to home there are many issues that we all want to highlight but I want to include local voices. Councillors who fight every day for those they represent need to be given more control when it comes to decisions that impact their communities.

It is absolutely essential that we focus on attracting new businesses and investments that support and nurture existing businesses, both small and large. The world of disability, as the Taoiseach will know, is personal to me and welcome that he has taken a very keen interest. The Taoiseach has highlighted the deficiencies in the present system so I do not need to articulate them. Supporting and empowering people with disabilities is fundamental. In the spirit of Shackleton, whose legacy was born in Kildare and forged on ice, we all need to lead with vision. Shackleton did not wait for perfect conditions. He acted with purpose. So must we. Taoiseach, it is an honour to serve.

Paul Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I do not know how good a timekeeper Shackleton was because clearly it is not a Kildare trait.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I am doing my best, Paul; I am doing my best.

Paul Daly (Fianna Fail)
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The Taoiseach will not be surprised if I raise the issue of agriculture with him. He knows its importance and I compliment him. There are a number of issues coming down the track to us in agriculture, such as the CAP negotiations, the Mercosur deal, etc. in which the Taoiseach and the Minister will play a big role, in the back end of next year during our Presidency.

There is, however, the big issue of the nitrates derogation. We have had this conversation so the Taoiseach knows it is the big issue. I thank the Taoiseach because he has raised the derogation at the highest level with Commission President von der Leyen, and she gets it too, I believe. Irish farmers are in limbo. We have been sent over a list of stuff to do and we have agreed to do it. There are 76 days until the current derogation runs out on 1 January. We have agreed to do the appropriate assessments and include the habitats directive, etc., but that will take closer to 76 months to complete, yet we have not been told whether there will be an extension. The Taoiseach needs to prioritise this. I compliment the Taoiseach on the Cabinet water quality committee. We are doing everything in the right direction, but there are farmers going to start out in January not knowing whether they have a derogation. The issue will not wait until the Presidency and needs to be prioritised. In thanking the Taoiseach for what he has done so far, this must be done because farmers must know whether they have a derogation on 1 January as they set out for next year's farming.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Excellent timekeeping, go raibh maith agat. Anois, an Seanadóir McDowell.

Michael McDowell (Independent)
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I welcome the Taoiseach here today and to remind him that it is now 12 years since he and I stood in the studios of TV3, as it then was, defending the existence of this House, and Mary Lou McDonald and Richard Bruton, I think, were proposing its abolition. That happened then and the people of Ireland thought that this House was going to be reformed. The people of Ireland thought that but it is ten years since the Taoiseach challenged the then Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, about the failure to implement the Manning report. I am not going to spend too much time on this but I am going to say this. Six Senators would be elected by only 60,000 university graduates registered for the new university constituency if there was a snap election tomorrow. The great majority of Irish people would not be entitled to have a direct vote on the composition of this House. The people who hold degrees from the new University of Ulster or Queen's University, all of those people in Northern Ireland would have no say at all. It is about time the Taoiseach implemented the Manning report.

We as a democracy live in close proximity and, in a sense, with close connections, politically and every other way, to the United Kingdom. One thing that we cannot be complacent about is that the latest opinion polls in England suggest that Nigel Farage and his Reform UK party would sweep the boards if an election were held at any time in the near future. That may change. Nothing is inevitable in politics but that would have very serious implications for asylum seeking in Britain, especially in the context of the common travel area. It would also have very serious implications, I believe, for the attitude of loyalists in Northern Ireland to the Good Friday Agreement because of the nationalistic tones adopted by Farage and his supporters. We live in a world where there are very serious challenges coming down the road, potentially, for this country and there is no point in sweeping them under the carpet.

The figures and the plans the Taoiseach has outlined are impressive. I support nearly all of the plans the Government has for infrastructure, but the biggest crisis in Ireland is one between planning and implementation. That is our biggest crisis. We need new laws for delivering infrastructure. The day before yesterday there was a good news story about rail travel in Ireland, how there would be hourly services on the Dublin to Cork route and Thurles would be effectively as close to Dublin as Greystones, which was an impressive thing. However, when you read to the bottom of the story the kernel of truth was that €5.6 million was being set aside to plan for these things. The plans are great. We have spent a lot of money on infrastructural planning, and we have a lot of ideas, but actually getting shovels into the ground and projects completed is our biggest problem. You do not have to talk about the children's hospital. Right across the board there has been, I would say over the period of time that the Taoiseach and I have been Members of the Oireachtas, a gradual movement of executive capacity from Government Departments and Ministers to agencies which simply are not delivering. When it comes to compulsory purchase, when it comes to delivering on projects and when it comes to using public-private partnerships - by the way if they had not been implemented, we would not have our motorway system - there has to be a radical change, and that includes changing attitudes in the Department of public expenditure.

One thought that occurs to me, and there are many Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael Senators in this House, is that the differences between those two parties really are very small. The time has come for them to realise that there is change afoot in Ireland and that, if they got together and united as a political force, this country would be far better served than having them divided and mutually competing for electoral support instead of co-operating in government.

Garret Ahearn (Fine Gael)
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The Taoiseach is very welcome to the Chamber and I thank him for his contribution. He spoke about the budget first and I acknowledge the budget. It seems from the outside that the budget seeks to protect the economy, jobs, FDI, that this is one of five budgets and that not all measures that were in the programme for Government can be delivered. Initially, some were, such as 9% VAT rate for businesses because that is critical at the start, and other measures will be delivered over time, like the fee for higher education and more. When we look at this budget, we need to look at it in the round and in the context of a five-year in terms of delivering on the programme for Government, and this is on the back of volatility in the world, especially in America.

While it is welcome to have a bit of certainty on trade and a 15% tariff with America, it is important, as the Taoiseach said, to note that 70% of WTO trade has not changed, and we need to look beyond America and look east at opportunities. Recently, I travelled to Japan and visited Ireland House, which the Taoiseach, when he was the Minister for Foreign Affairs, granted approval to build and he opened it in July. As the Taoiseach will know, Japan is a country that looks at other countries that show long-term commitment, and a lot of Asian countries are like that. The fact that this Government has showed that commitment by investing in Ireland House has really made a significant difference, and half the Cabinet have visited Japan in the last nine months. When we look at opportunities, we need to do so in that context.

I welcome that the Taoiseach said it looks promising that President Zelenskyy will visit Ireland. That would be a very significant move by him.I had the opportunity as the Vice Chair of the foreign affairs committee, along with my colleague, Deputy Barry Ward, to meet President Zelenskyy for an hour in August, along with the chairs of other EU committees. He knows Ireland's support, the support the Taoiseach has given to his citizens over the last three years and the continued support that will happen. One of the requests, and it might be worthwhile if we were to do it before President Zelenskyy visits, concerned the fact that Ireland can play a key role in rebuilding Ukraine and supporting companies rebuilding in Ukraine. A call has been put out to a number of EU countries, but not yet to Ireland, essentially to appoint an envoy to Ukraine. Ten of the 27 EU countries have already appointed an envoy. The UK has also done so, with the Labour MP for Leeds, Alex Sobel, being that country’s envoy. Even in the six months since Ukraine started this initiative, it has noticed a dramatic increase in the number of companies from those countries where a state has appointed an envoy from its government to work with and get companies to invest in Ukraine and start the rebuilding process. If the Taoiseach could, this would be something he might look at in the next number of months. Once a request comes in from Ukraine, he might consider a precedent to look at appointing an envoy on behalf of this Government.

I welcome the Taoiseach’s comments and the news on Gaza, the ceasefire and the release of hostages. We called as well for the return of the remains of the deceased hostages to their families, which is very important. We have played a key role in the Gaza conflict in calling out things that have been wrong. I know the Taoiseach has limited speaking time, but he will have an opportunity to finish up. I am interested in hearing about the timeline of the occupied territories Bill and the advice of the Attorney General. I was on the foreign affairs committee, along with a number of colleagues in this room, and I went into that discussion regarding the eight weeks with a very open mind on which way to go. I was not decided one way or the other. I have to say I found the testimony of all the witnesses on all sides incredibly compelling about delivering the occupied territories Bill, preferably with trade and services included. It is important that we acknowledge we have to await the advice of the Attorney General.

There was a strong argument within the committee at the time that we should not fear a case being taken against us if we included services and that we should actually welcome it. If a case were to be brought against us for the inclusion of services and we were to win it, that would give leadership to all other countries to be able to follow suit. On the other hand, if the case were not to be won, the law could literally be changed overnight within 24 hours to just have a reference to trade and not services. Will the Taoiseach give us an update in his response, if he can, on where we are with this legislation and what the likelihood is of a decision from the Attorney General?

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Go raibh maith agat. Before I call the next speaker, I welcome the guests of Senator Pat Casey from the Wicklow Montessori Primary and Pre-school. Their teacher is Melanie Shortt and the pupils are from the third, fourth and fifth classes. As Senator Casey will tell you, there is no homework for the rest of the week when you visit Seanad Éireann. Anois, I call Senator Tully.

Pauline Tully (Sinn Fein)
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Thar cheann Shinn Féin, tá fáilte roimh an Taoiseach chuig an Seanad. As the Taoiseach is aware and as he referred to, the Seanad has a reputation for being an open-minded Chamber where ideas are canvassed on all manner of topics. Some of these would struggle to get onto the floor of the Dáil and most are generally debated here in a much more congenial manner than they might there. In recent years, the Seanad has supported motions on a number of issues and one of those concerned extending the vote in presidential elections to our citizens voting in the North and abroad. We are a week and a day out from a presidential election and many of our citizens do not have the option of voting in it. We know this proposal has been supported in the Assembly in the North and in the Dáil on numerous occasions. There was a convention on this issue in 2013, legislation was introduced in the Dáil in 2014 and there was an options paper in 2017. It was my belief that legislation was produced and it was almost on the brink of being the subject of a referendum, but then it did not happen. Promises were made but not kept.

We are radically out of step globally on this issue because 153 other nations allow their citizens to vote in elections while living abroad. British citizens, for example, can vote in parliamentary elections even though they are not living in Britain at the time. I feel that Irish people, if they are not living in the Twenty-six Counties, feel like second-class citizens. This is the case whether they are living abroad or in the North. They do not have a say and feel that somehow their citizenship is not worth the same as the citizens actually living here in the State. Is this something that could be addressed without delay to ensure it will not be the case in seven years’ time when the next presidential election happens? I know some people are calling for a reform of the method of selecting a presidential candidate, so maybe the two issues could be looked at and addressed and changes made to the Constitution in this regard.

The Seanad also supported the occupied territories Bill currently making its way through the Oireachtas. The current Government draft, however, is a heavily amended version of the Bill first introduced here by Senator Frances Black some seven years ago. The original Bill proposed a much broader prohibition. It sought to criminalise the provision of goods and services and the extraction of natural resources from the occupied territories generally. I feel the legislation needs to go forward in its original strengthened form. While there is a peace in Palestine, it is a fragile peace. I do hope it endures. We must remember, however, that there has been discrimination and illegal settlements in both the West Bank and Gaza for many decades. There need to be repercussions for Israel for this. This situation needs to be addressed, prevented from going forward and the existing settlements reduced.

A few years ago, the Cathaoirleach of Seanad, Senator Mark Daly, held a series of public meetings in the House on the constitutional future of this country. It was an excellent initiative by the Seanad. It had cross-party support and support from Independent Seanadóirí. I think the Seanad led the way. This leadership was followed by the Good Friday Agreement committee, which last year produced two highly significant reports on the constitutional future. One dealt with finance and economics and the other was on the role of women in the constitutional debate. I was a member of that committee in the last term and I was part of the discussions on those reports. In my view, the report on finance and economics is a blueprint on how we move from where we are now to a new united Ireland. This report had the support of all the parties and Independents on the committee. It recommended to the Government that it take the lead in planning for a new Ireland. It also stated that there are no insurmountable economic or financial barriers to reunification. It recommended that the first steps would be to publish a Green Paper on setting out a vision for a united Ireland, to set up an Oireachtas committee dedicated to the preparation for a united Ireland, and to carry out extensive and thoughtful public engagement North and South.

The report put great emphasis on dialogue, and the Good Friday Agreement committee in preparing the report listened carefully to people from all backgrounds, particularly those from a unionist and Protestant background who came to the committee and made presentations. This report was presented to the Government but it has yet to respond. I mention and commend the work of the shared island unit, which was established by the Taoiseach. Everybody in the Seanad respects its work. It is now time, however, for the unit to widen its horizons. I encourage the Taoiseach to study the report of the Good Friday Agreement committee and to consider the implementation of its recommendations.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I call Senator Laura Harmon from the Cross-Party Group. Are you sharing time?

Laura Harmon (Labour)
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Yes. I propose to share time with Senator Stephenson.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Is that agreed? Agreed.

Laura Harmon (Labour)
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Tá fáilte roimh an Taoiseach. Tá sé an-tábhachtach a chloisteáil go bhfuil an Rialtas ag tacú leis an nGaeilge. In relation to housing, as the Taoiseach knows, more than 16,000 people are homeless in Ireland, with 5,000 children homeless. I believe housing is a huge threat to our economy. It is affecting how people progress in their lives. In Cork alone, there are over 700 derelict and vacant properties within 2 km of the city centre. While it was welcome to see the new dereliction levy in the budget, which will be collected by Revenue, I believe this needs to be fast-tracked as a priority.

Turning to children in this country, we know from a new ESRI report that one in five children is living below the poverty line when housing costs are taken into account. I believe every child deserves a fair start in this country. We need appropriate school places for all children and we absolutely need to ensure that we tackle child poverty and that the public childcare model is a priority for this Government. As Labour Party spokesperson on further and higher education, I am of the view that we really need to see the commitment in the programme for Government in terms of the reduction in student fees over the lifetime of this Government honoured. We also need to ensure that apprentices are paid a living wage. We have a crisis in terms of student accommodation, and that is certainly true in Cork.

In the context of disability, the new unit is welcome. There is a lot of work to do. We have one of the lowest employment rates for people with disabilities in Europe. Not introducing a cost-of-disability payment in this budget was a missed opportunity.

The genocide that has occurred in Gaza is a stain of shame on our humanity. In that context, services need to be included in the occupied territories Bill.

I campaigned in favour of reforming the Seanad. It is disgraceful that it has been almost half a century and we have not implemented the result of the 1979 referendum to extend the franchise to all graduates. Someone had to take a case against the State in relation to this. It absolutely needs to happen. The Seanad is a powerful Chamber in terms of legislation. I am glad to have introduced two items of legislation to date. I could talk forever in terms of Cork, but I am out of time.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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I could talk about Cork forever.

Patricia Stephenson (Social Democrats)
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Over the past few days we have heard from the Taoiseach that the inclusion of services in the occupied territories Bill is not implementable. This is completely at odds with the recommendation of the foreign affairs committee, which unanimously agreed, on a cross- party basis, on the inclusion of services. Could the Taoiseach please be frank about what aspects of services he specifically believes are not implementable? The foreign affairs committee met with eminent EU and international lawyers who established a clear legal pathway for the inclusion of services. Furthermore, officials from the Department of foreign affairs said that the failure to include services would mean that we would not be compliant with the International Court of Justice's ruling. The horrendous increase in violent expansionism in the West Bank, as well as the horrors of the genocide in Gaza, make it imperative that we do not facilitate Israel's further illegal theft of Palestinian land. Frankly, a waterered-down version of the occupied territories Bill would award that expansionism. We either believe in and uphold international law, or we do not. It is that black and white.

The inclusion of services in the Bill is not some nice little extra to have; it is actually a legal obligation we must meet. The people of Ireland have always stood on the side of justice. The majority of people in this country do want the Bill to be passed as a matter of urgency and for services to be included. Successive Governments have prevaricated on and slow-walked this legislation. The public is watching, and we must deliver this.

I was disheartened that not one word of the Taoiseach’s speech included reference to the occupied territories Bill. Before the election, the Taoiseach told people this would be a priority. When did it stop being a priority? The Government has proven that it can act with urgency when necessary. In the face of international law being systematically broken by a genocidal regime, where is that urgency now? The Taoiseach spoke very well about the concept of a just peace. This is what the occupied territories Bill would provide. It would provide justice for Palestinians who have had their land and their homes violently stolen for years. This is about justice. It is about ending the impunity Israel has had for decades. That is why I ask the Taoiseach to be clear with us when he says it is not implementable. Do not be coy. We need clarity, and we need it now, because everyone is watching. The occupied territories Bill is something that the Irish people do, in fact, care about.

Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent)
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When the Taoiseach is addressing the Seanad, I usually take the opportunity to speak about Seanad reform. I have usually referred to Seanad reform when I speaking to taoisigh over the past eight years. I am waiting for progress on Seanad reform.

On this occasion, there is a need to talk about leadership. That word gets thrown around a lot, but, sadly, what we have heard in recent months is not representative of leadership. What we have heard are reasons why Ireland cannot lead. We have heard excuses for Ireland failing to do so. In the context of the occupied territories Bill, we have heard excuse after excuse since 2018. I am a cosponsor of the original Bill. We are now hearing yet another round of attempts to undermine something that the public wants and that the foreign affairs committee was unanimously clear is implementable. Indeed, similar bans on goods and services from occupied territories in Crimea are already being implemented. Crucially, this is something that is legally necessary in terms of international law. If we want another example, it is already being done in other countries. We have the Government's diluted version. Spain implemented a ban last week. It is law there already. The Spanish banned the import of goods and the advertisement of services provided in settlements. For some, that does not go far enough. If Ireland wants to lead in this area or if it wants to provide any leadership or reclaim a voice of leadership, it has to include services in the legislation. It must also provide a template for real legislation that fully implements the International Court of Justice’s ruling and that follows through.

The Taoiseach referred to implementation and putting companies in a difficult position. Companies should not be trading with illegally occupied territories or profiting from the theft of land and human rights abuses. For us to simply hold that standard is the least we can do.

In the context of leadership, we have also seen attempts to lessen our expectations on climate change. The Taoiseach stated last week that he does not think we can mitigate for climate change and how it is going to divide society. Let us be clear-----

The Taoiseach:

That is an incorrect quote.

Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent)
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The Taoiseach is quoted as stating:

I don’t think we can mitigate for climate change ... if we get into a position where we are going to challenge every single thing, saying it is against the climate, we are going to divide society fairly fast.

The Taoiseach spoke about progressiveness. He did not mention climate earlier, but I look forward to him speaking more on it. He stated previously that if this generation does not step up, future generations will not forgive us. They will not forgive us. Right now, people across the world will not forgive us. Not only will Ireland face €26 billion in fines, but, as we know, it is projected that by 2050 there are going to be 1.2 billion people displaced around the world due to climate change and related disasters. Some 53% of all displacements in 2022 were driven by disasters. Of those, 98% were to do with climate change. This is literally the world burning.

The comments to which I refer were made during a discussion about the competitiveness and simplification agenda, which is being pushed in Europe, and which I am disturbed to see Ireland allowing for and supporting. There were references to discussions with Keir Starmer and others and about not tying ourselves in knots. Let us be clear - some of the regulations that people are trying to remove, and successfully removing at European level, are environmental and human rights regulations and things like due diligence. That is the world we create if we pander to deregulation. There have been conversations about deregulation in the tech sector at a time when we are hearing about cyber threats and hybrid threats and how concerned we have to be about them. Right now, however, we know there is a huge push from the tech sector for the deregulation of technology. What has driven some of the attacks we have seen on democracy has been a failure to regulate the tech sector.

On weapons, Europe is proposing €800 billion in loans. Some €150 billion of those loans relate to Security Action for Europe. To be clear, these loans can be used to buy battle-tested weapons from Israel and cluster bombs. Ireland negotiated the ban on cluster bombs. A total of €16 billion has been given to Hungary, which has authoritarian tendencies in its government. I ask and implore that we have leadership. Let us have leadership on Palestine, on the environment and climate and on peace.

Joe Flaherty (Fianna Fail)
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It is deeply disappointing that the previous speaker sought to demean the Taoiseach’s unblemished record on leadership. It is taken as read by every European leader that Ireland has led the way in terms of voicing concerns and fears in the context of what has been happening in Gaza.As a small nation in Europe, Ireland forced Europe to stand up. Ireland was the first voice to raise concerns in Europe and we brought many European nations with us. That was in large part due to the Taoiseach's efforts and the people know and understand the work he did to bring that about. I applaud him for that. Any effort to do otherwise is a sad indictment of this House. It is great to see a fledgling peace in the Middle East. If I have one concern, it is the way NATO has perhaps been sidelined in this process and we see no role for NATO in that in future, which is a deep concern.

The Taoiseach spoke about the changing of the world axis and how power is shifting. That is something Europe needs to try to address. Ireland will assume the EU Presidency next year. It is then that we will see the Taoiseach's leadership reach a pinnacle. It is a challenging time for Europe. A war has been raging on the border of Europe for three years. Again, we have been unwavering in our support for Ukraine but Europe, as a community, needs to take a position that this war will never be won and will probably rumble on forever, at a great cost for the people of Ukraine, the people of Russia and the wider EU community.

Europe needs to engage with Russia at this point. We need to be a force for change and bring the two sides together because this war is creating an untold cost for the European family. Europe needs to step up to the plate, as I do not see America doing so. I hope the Taoiseach can take a strong lead in this, especially during the EU Presidency, so we can be a strong voice. As a small nation that has seen the horrors of terrorism and aggression over many years, we need to stand up and say a negotiated settlement is needed for Ukraine. I would like to see Ireland be a strong voice on that.

The shared island initiative was mentioned. All of in this House aspire to a united Ireland in their lifetime. Some Senators are younger than me and probably will see a united Ireland. The shared island project is very close to the Taoiseach's heart, and one he has championed over many years. It includes a number of large capital projects. The first Cathaoirleach of this House was Lord Glenavy, who was a staunch unionist from the South. He was a former lord chancellor. The Seanad was put in place to show we can work as a community. We need to reach out to the unionist and loyalist communities. They are beleaguered, there is minimal investment in education or housing and they are being forgotten, in large part, by the Northern Ireland Executive and the UK Government. Senator McDowell referenced a changing of the guard in English politics. We should use the shared island initiative to invest in those unionist communities, especially in the area of education, and try to bring about a change in mindset.

Mark Duffy (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the Taoiseach to Seanad Éireann. Following Senator Flaherty’s contribution, I will focus on the shared island unit. The unit has a €2 billion fund, which is primarily focused on investment in infrastructure and education and bringing people closer and bringing them together.

Before entering politics, I worked on a project in Northern Ireland, which was the creation of the all-island league. It was a proposal to unite the League of Ireland and the Irish League. There is a divided community in the North, for obvious reasons, but the Good Friday Agreement has laid great ground for reconciliation and peace. Sport unites us all and we all enjoy it but football in particular, North and South, is one of the common languages of both communities. Association football is one of very few shared interests or hobbies, but football is at a low base on the island, North and South. We have had improvements in recent years in the League of Ireland and the recent investment of €3 million provided for the academies is welcomed as part of creating a football economy on the island. The football economy across Europe is worth €38 billion annually. The prize money for winning the League of Ireland is €125,000, but winning one UEFA Conference League game is worth €400,000. The financial disparity for clubs is pronounced.

To go back to the shared island unit, an opportunity exists to unite communities through sport and work towards a more cohesive society across the island. That could be very powerful and impactful and could perhaps be done, starting with the women’s leagues, North and South. We have seen great examples in rugby and how that sport brings people together and takes the politics and heat out of it. I have done a lot of work on the project I mentioned. It was led by Kieran Lucid and we had a board including Brendan Dillon, former Republic of Ireland football manager Brian Kerr, Stafford Reynolds and Catherine Toolan. We created a model that proposed keeping the independence of both leagues for the first half of the season and then, in the second half if the season, playing on an all-island basis. There are models that can keep independence and keep the European places while also playing on an all-island basis.

I remember being in the Linfield supporters club talking to supporters who had brilliant memories of travelling down to Cork to play in the Setanta Cup, which they won playing away against Cork City FC. That is the power of football and of sport. If we want to bring people together in the North, the shared island unit is a great opportunity to do that through sport. I would welcome the Taoiseach’s consideration of any such proposals. He has my full support and I will support in every way I can anything we can do to contribute to make that happen.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I have to call the Taoiseach at 12.18 p.m. Senators Craughwell and Conway have one minute each.

Gerard Craughwell (Independent)
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I am not going to argue. It will be no surprise to the Taoiseach to learn that I am going to speak about defence. I compliment him on what he did as Minister for Defence in the previous Government. The policies he put in place have seen green shoots emerge, nowhere more so than in his constituency in Cork. The Naval Service is turning the corner and I compliment him on that.

In the short time I have, I will raise a couple of issues I want the Taoiseach to look at. On the post-2013 pension, the Taoiseach's advisers from the Departments of Finance and public expenditure will tell him it is not an impediment to people staying in the Defence Forces, but it is. It is an impediment for An Garda Síochána, the Defence Forces, the fire service and the Prisons Service. We have to go back and look at it. We also have to get rid of the five-year contract in the Defence Forces. When I joined the Defence Forces it was a job for life. It must become a job for life again. We must have career pathways that allow people to progress to 21 years' service. Having to reapply for your contract every five years is simply not good enough.

I am coming to the end of my time. I could speak for an hour on this, as the Taoiseach knows.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Yes, we know that.

Gerard Craughwell (Independent)
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We need to look at those things urgently.

Joe Conway (Independent)
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I welcome the Taoiseach. There has been a lot of talk about world issues but my issues are strictly parochial. As the Taoiseach knows, Waterford Airport is being progressed using private funding. This is a good news story for the south east. I do not want to pre-empt the discussions of my former colleagues in Waterford City and Council, but it is not all good tidings and hoorays because the airport development will necessitate realignment of the R708. That is going to cost the council €800,000. I wonder if, through his good offices, the Taoiseach could find €400,000 of loose change in the Department of Transport.

The Taoiseach:

How much?

Joe Conway (Independent)
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We need €400,000. Go raibh míle maith agat. Job done, I would say.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I call the Leader to propose an amendment to the Order of Business.

Seán Kyne (Fine Gael)
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I propose that we restrict the speaking time of remaining Members to one minute to allow the Taoiseach to respond.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Is that agreed? Agreed. Anois, an Seanadóir Murphy O'Mahony.

Margaret Murphy O'Mahony (Fianna Fail)
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Cuirim fáilte roimh an Taoiseach chuig Seanad Éireann. Tá a fhios agam go bhfuil sé an-ghnóthach agus mar sin, tá mé an-bhuíoch dó as a bheith anseo. Tá mé féin an-bhródúil a bheith anseo mar Sheanadóir Fhianna Fáil cuibheasach nua.In my very brief time, I want to discuss our local councillors. By "our", I mean from all parties and none. I acknowledge the presence of one of our very good councillors, Councillor Caroline O'Reilly, in the Public Gallery.

As the Taoiseach is aware, our councillors are the bread and butter of democracy. They work really hard. They are at the face of everything. I have discussed this with him before. I would really like if there was another review, discussion group or working group on the pay, conditions and pensions of, and the support system for, councillors. Democracy would not exist without them, or it would not work as well as it does. I would like to discuss that further with the Taoiseach.

Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Taoiseach for coming here today and sharing his thoughts with us. I also thank him for the work he is doing and the leadership he is providing, not just in this House or in this country, but right around the world. We are very proud of his leadership and the way he expresses Ireland's values in terms of equality, freedom and democracy. We would all be greatly appreciative if he could keep that up.

The Taoiseach appointed me as spokesperson for local government, Dublin and heritage. The local democracy task force is a great initiative. It is one that delivers enhancements in terms of a rebalancing of power between the executive and the elected functions and adequate resourcing of elected representatives. As the Taoiseach is aware, all democracy is local. The foundations of our democracy are in local government.

When Fianna Fáil was in opposition, the Taoiseach first suggested to me the establishment of a north inner city authority. As Taoiseach, he has made that a reality through the Dublin city task force. I thank him for that. Already, people in Dublin are seeing increased Garda numbers, increased street cleaning and an increased provision of housing. There is a vibrancy and diversity in our capital that I believe we will all showcase - not just Dublin but the country - when the Taoiseach leads us in the EU Presidency.

Anne Rabbitte (Fianna Fail)
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The Taoiseach has shown not only strong leadership at home but a consistent and principled voice for peace on the world stage. From the beginning, Ireland, under his guidance, has taken a clear, firm stance on key international matters and we have not been silent or slow to act. The Taoiseach has ensured that Ireland's voice is heard, calling for peace, justice and respect in international law. That moral leadership matters.

On a domestic matter, I completely agree with Senator McDowell. When we look domestically at the agencies of the State – the HSE, TII, the NTA, CIÉ and local authorities – it is important that they act in good faith. The Taoiseach secured the largest ever national development plan of €275 billion. We cannot leave people behind when we need them to work with us. I am talking about the CPO process. We cannot spend ten years on it and leave farmers without payment. That is not good enough. It is not due to the fact that local authority councillors are not working on the ground. Rather, it is the agencies that are tasked to fulfil their duties that are not working. I am sorry, a Chathaoirligh, but I just need to finish this point. We should not force people into arbitration when the process is broken. That is the case when local authorities have not entered a contract or made an offer. It is not right that landowners and other property owners have to use their own funds to secure solicitors, barristers and valuers to take on the State. That is what is eroding democracy at a grassroots level.

Dee Ryan (Fianna Fail)
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The Taoiseach is welcome to the Seanad today. I take this opportunity to acknowledge and welcome the opening this week of the 96-bed block at UHL in Limerick. As the Taoiseach knows, we have come through a dark time in the mid-west, with additional stress and worry being placed on the families of sick loved ones due to the overcrowding we have experienced at UHL. Since the Taoiseach took office in 2020, he has brought a concerted focus on investment and addressing the issues and deficits we have at UHL. We have seen an increase in staffing of more than 1,200 healthcare workers and an increase in the annual operating budget for UHL to nearly €500 million per annum. A surgical hub is under way and almost completed, and will help with elective procedures. With the opening of the 96-bed block this week, we are going to reach more than 250 new acute beds in UHL since 2020 when the Taoiseach took office. I acknowledge that because it is not always recognised.

We need the Taoiseach's concentration and focus on UHL now more than ever as the Minister for Health brings to the Cabinet in the coming weeks her recommendations on where we go next for the future of healthcare in Limerick and the wider mid-west. I urge the Taoiseach to continue his focus and to be ambitious for us in the mid-west.

Malcolm Noonan (Green Party)
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In the minute I have I want to focus, unsurprisingly, on nature, heritage and cultural institutions. I am just back from Geneva with some of the representatives of the Children and Young People's Assembly on Biodiversity Loss where we presented at the human rights, democracy and rule of law forum. I appreciate the support the Taoiseach gave to me as Minister of State with responsibility for nature and heritage, but the budget for 2026 is static. When we strip out the capital funding, the budget for heritage and nature is static. I urge the Taoiseach to address that.

We have had a CCAC report and an EPA report on water quality. Unfortunately, all of our trends are going in the wrong direction. The Blackwater fish kill happened in the Taoiseach's own county. We see issues concerning the destruction of woodlands in County Cork as well. I urge the Taoiseach to get a handle on this, in particular on water quality. There are significant challenges in Lady's Island and Lough Ree, among others across the country. I urge him to address these issues.

If he gets a chance, the Taoiseach should go to Collins Barracks to see Rory Gallagher's guitar. I met his brother, Dónal, there yesterday. It was purchased in Crowley's of Cork. It is a great privilege to see it there. I question how our cultural institutions, in particular the National Museum of Ireland, can operate with its current staffing level. It has done an amazing job. I urge the Taoiseach to try to visit Rory's guitar.

Shane Curley (Fianna Fail)
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Gabhaim buíochas leis an Taoiseach as an ról a thug sé dom bheith mar urlabhraí ar an nGaeilge sa Seanad. I am really proud that the Taoiseach nominated me to be our party spokesperson on education in this Seanad. Donogh O'Malley's revolutionary decision to allow free second level education in 1966 opened up the doors for my parents to go to secondary school in Loughrea. In his tenure as Minister for education, the Taoiseach radically revised the primary school curriculum. That had a hugely positive impact on my young life. We are, proudly, the party of education. I hope we always will be.

Senator Crowe and I spoke to the Taoiseach last night. We are currently working on an issue relating to dyslexia. If he could leave one legacy in the lifetime of this Government, it would be that we radically overhaul the speed at which decisions are made in the education system. The time allocated for dyslexia in exams is a symptom of a broader issue due to constant delays in the decision-making process. I hope we can work together to improve that in the coming years.

Ollie Crowe (Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the Taoiseach. I will keep it Galway. Galway city's population is expected to exceed 120,000 in the coming years. As he is aware, the ring road is one measure that is essential for reducing traffic congestion, improving retail connectivity and supporting the continued economic development of Galway. We need it, and I was pleased that the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, included it earlier in the year, but I am concerned about the project being bogged down in an endless planning process, as it has been for many years. The Minister, Deputy Jim O'Callaghan, has spoken about the need to reform the planning process. I hope that will be done as quickly as possible to make a significant difference to the ring road.

As the Taoiseach is aware, University Hospital Galway is the only model 4 hospital in the HSE west and north-west region. It serves a population of more than 900,000 people and is one of the busiest hospitals in the country. It urgently needs a new emergency department, as has been acknowledged for some time. I am aware that one is planned but it must be prioritised. What are the Taoiseach's views on that? Could he perhaps raise the matter with the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill?

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Anois, I call the Taoiseach to respond.

The Taoiseach:

Could I just-----

Sharon Keogan (Independent)
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Could we speak, a Chathaoirligh? There are only two of us.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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No. I have got the list. Groups were given time and they allocated it. I stuck to the rota we were given.

Sharon Keogan (Independent)
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Would the Taoiseach mind if we take a minute? There are only two of us left in the Opposition who have not spoken.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Under the rules of the House, the groups are allocated time. They allocated the time themselves. That was up to the groups. I spoke to the groups and they allocated the time. That is the way the Seanad works. The Senator will need to bring it up with her group.

The Taoiseach:

I thank all Members of the Seanad for their comments and queries.

Aontaím leis an Seanadóir Kyne go bhfuil an domhan trína chéile faoi láthair. Tá guth láidir agus guth neamhspleách ag an tír seo maidir le cúrsaí móra an domhain, agus beidh go deo. Mar a dúirt an Seanadóir, bhí coimhlint sa tír seo agus tá taithí againn ar conas coimhlint a réiteach agus próiseas síochána a chur i bhfeidhm.

I might look at this thematically as opposed to going through the individual contributions. On climate, at no stage did I say that we should mitigate or row back. However, I did say that we cannot litigate our way to address climate change. I said that because there is a growing movement to litigate everything. What that will do is create an opposition to a consensus on the need to address climate change. I am fully committed to addressing climate change and fully committed to the green economy. I am also very conscious that we have to bring people with us. I feel that some in our society believe it is possible to litigate everything. That would be problematic.

For example, we want wind energy, including offshore wind. The biggest challenge is the challenge Senator McDowell outlined. The biggest challenge to offshore wind will be delivery mechanisms. The biggest problem will be an over-regulatory approach. We cannot have it both ways. We cannot say the Government is not pushing to address climate change. The most fundamental thing we can do is reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and get more renewables, but what is the biggest barrier to renewables in the country? It is planning. It is regulatory frameworks. It goes on and on. I have spoken to Keir Starmer and it can take 11 years in the UK to get offshore renewable energy delivered, and it could be as long here. I established a clearing house to see if we could get through the barriers faster and in a more accelerated and informed way. I am not suggesting riding roughshod over things but there is a balance here.

The planet is in deep trouble and offshore wind will help enormously in Ireland's case. We have a huge dependence on imported fossil fuels but everybody will want all of the regulatory frameworks still intact. Solar is being objected to across the country. In the Dáil recently, a Deputy said to me that in their community they were very concerned about a gas generating plant, a solar farm and an onshore wind farm - all three. That begs the question as to how we will provide energy to people. That is an important point and a big issue facing us as a country.

The delivery of infrastructure is an issue. Funding is being put in place and the investment is there. We have now moved from the planning processes dealing with infrastructure to the courts dealing with infrastructure on all fronts. The courts were never meant to be the habitual norm in determining planning, which is an issue for us. We have resourced An Coimisiún Pleanála and we need to resource planning on a continual basis so that the decisions are informed and better arrived at in order to reduce the likelihood of them being overturned in courts. Judicial review is an issue in Ireland; we are an outlier in terms of the number of judicial reviews taking place. It is not just on projects any more, but on legislation and regulatory frameworks. There is a degree of paralysis in the delivery of programmes on infrastructure in modern society. There is no point in saying otherwise. We need to make up our mind as to how we want to do it.

Senator O'Loughlin's profiling of significant Kildare people never ceases. Between St. Brigid and Shackleton, Kildare has a very bright future ahead of it. I take her point on Shackleton. It is fantastic story and journey for him and his teams.

Research and development was identified and it is key. New products and new ideas are key to climate, to the economy and to enterprise. They are key to security technology. How do we protect subsea cables? Yesterday I had a fascinating discussion with people who are experts in seismology at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies. That institute was set up by de Valera in 1940, which was probably one of the more far-seeing things he did in physics and so on. In the course of a casual conversation, they said that, through their research and work on seismology, they are now beginning to see how to develop a technology to protect cables. The protection of critical subsea infrastructure is not all about ships; it can be very much about technology.

That is why I am saying we have to co-operate. In my speech, I made the point that I do not think we have assessed, understand or have a proper awareness of what Russia is doing in threatening subsea cables across Europe or what it is doing across the world. There is a kind of an attitude here that it is no problem for us. It is a problem for us and that needs to be understood, unfortunately. Research and development into technology to protect our economic infrastructure is particularly important in terms of early alerts, understanding if something is happening with cables and so forth.

Senator Tully spoke about the shared island initiative. I remember Notre Dame researchers and others said we should change it to a reunification fund. Sinn Féin is saying something similar. That would wreck it. It would destroy its cross-community appeal. It has reached into every community in Northern Ireland. People accept our bona fides that is not a Trojan horse for anything but, rather, a genuine desire to work out how we can share this island together. If we were to politicise it in terms of the constitutional preferences that we have - I share the desire to unify the people of Ireland - it would kill it. We have unionists and loyalist communities involved in the shared island initiative. It is working and should be allowed to work on all fronts.

We now have an all-island musical archive, with loyalist musicians and nationalist musicians coming together to assemble the archive. One loyalist musician said to us at a presentation that communities refine music but we all draw from the same well. That is what the shared island initiative is trying to do. We have an all-island climate biodiversity group, which is what we want. Quite frankly, we want them talking about biodiversity. We bought the Coillte Geopark through shared island funding. We want to develop greenways, walkways and so on. We want to do more on biodiversity on the island and let people who are involved in that sphere come together and engage. That is the whole agenda. Let us not politicise that aspect of it. Obviously, there is a political domain and people are entitled to advocate for a united Ireland, although I would say that reconciliation between people is the key. We have not achieved that yet. It is one part of the Good Friday Agreement that has not happened to the degree that it should have - reconciliation between people and people getting on easily together.

The previous Government did not have an agreed position on reform of the Seanad. We are a coalition government. That is something we have to explore based on the Manning report. It is not simple. It would be very complex to put to the people. We need to go through the outworkings of the Manning report in terms of the vocational panels and so on. Just think about if that was to go to the people to vote on. We need to be clear-eyed about it.

On agriculture, the nitrates issue is very significant for Irish farmers. It has knock-on effects in terms of land and the price of land if people have to expand. It will affect the tillage sector. It is not just about the dairy sector; it affects all sectors. We want to get a workable solution. Negotiations are ongoing with the Commission but we are still not there. We are continuing our negotiations but the multi-annual financial framework will be vital in protecting the Common Agricultural Policy and the financial basis for agriculture in this country.There are ongoing discussions on the Mercosur deal. For me, nitrates are the key priority.

On leadership, the Middle East and so forth, I must say, and I have noticed it from a certain political view in the Oireachtas and indeed the country, that there has been a failure to be balanced. I think the contributions from Senators Stephenson and Higgins lacked fairness, balance and, to a certain extent, credibility. Everything gets focused on what is the next thing to do. Ireland took a lead. I do not like saying it myself because self-praise is no praise. However, I ask the Senators to ask Palestinians. I ask them to ask the Palestinian Authority and the Arab nations. I attended the United Nations High-Level Week. President Macron and Saudi Arabia came together and pulled six, seven or eight more countries to recognise Palestine. The Secretary-General of the Arab League came up to me afterwards and said that happened because of Ireland and what it did last year with Spain and Norway. That is what the Arab nations say to us. Anywhere you go in the world, there is no argument that Ireland has led on Palestine. It was a member of my party, Brian Lenihan Snr., who was, way back, the first European foreign minister to assert the right of the Palestinian people to their own state and nationhood. We have consistently pursued that position, as have all parties in the House. We were out there recognising Palestine as a state. Prior to that, we legally intervened in the case that was taken by South Africa to the International Court of Justice, ICJ. I recall all the noise around that and people saying we should join. We took a deliberative legal approach, which is the correct thing to do if you want to interrogate the Genocide Convention and do it properly.

We also took the lead on UNRWA. There was a stampede to reduce funding to UNRWA at a particular point when 13 of its members were accused of being involved in the events of 7 October. The Commission and member states were pulling back money. What did we do and what did I do as foreign Minister? I doubled down and gave an extra €20 million to UNRWA. I told many other foreign ministers to stop because we cannot reconstruct Gaza or help the people of Gaza without UNRWA. That is why I said in my speech this morning that we need to reassert the primacy of UN agencies in the distribution of aid and the humanitarian response.

We also supported the ICJ. The Attorney General went in on the illegal occupation. We did the same with the International Criminal Court, ICC. Substantial funding has been given to the ICC for its examination of and investigation into the illegal occupation and what has been happening in Palestine. We have done much more than that. The occupied territories Bill has completed its pre-legislative phase. I said there are issues around its implementation. That was what I said in the Dáil. There are issues around implementing it, and there are. We must be honest with people. On the goods side, about half a million has been imported from the illegally occupied territories in the past five years. That is apparently the scale of the goods that have been important - €500,000-worth. On the services side, no one knows, and the Oireachtas committee has said it does not know, that it is unknowable. That is one of the conclusions of the Oireachtas committee. I have read it. Senator Stephenson should not shake her head. That is in the report. The Oireachtas committee does not know. That is fair enough. The committee has asked the Government to try to find out. All I am saying is that we need to be clear-eyed, honest and upfront with people. The services aspect of the Bill will be difficult to implement.

Someone referenced that I mentioned companies. I have to protect people's jobs in this country and I have to be honest with people. US companies based in Ireland may face difficulties in the United States because of the boycott and divestment laws there. It has nothing to do with us. It is in the US that those companies may potentially face challenges. These are not any old companies. They provide thousands of jobs in Ireland. We can ignore all that and pretend it does not exist, but that is not being honest either. This is the reality. We can be clear-eyed about it so we all know what decisions we are taking, and then take our decisions in light of that. That is all I am saying. It is a bit more honest to raise these issues than to try to pretend they do not exist. They do exist, unfortunately. I do not believe there should be such boycott and divestment laws in the US, but they are there. Many of the companies that are located here will face that pressure. That must be worked out. The Bill as presented had to be reformed and those who advocated for the Bill accepted that. The goods can be done easily but the services are more complex. Let us not pretend it is not complex. How do you track financial consulting, for example, and assess whether it is in the occupied territories or not? How do you deal with the area of email technology? It is not simple is what I am saying. It is not right to pretend it is.

The homelessness issue was raised by Senator Harmon and others. The Minister secured €50 million during the year. He is developing a strategy to see if we can focus on families in emergency accommodation and get them out of emergency accommodation as quickly as possible. He has received more funding in the budget to enable us to do that. That is important. The homelessness issue is different now. It is complex. People are coming in from within Europe and so on and they must be accommodated immediately. There are many challenges facing us. There is a much different composition underpinning homelessness than there would have been ten years ago. I will put it that way. That creates its own challenges. We do need to focus on children and families and to ring-fence funding.

I will follow up on biodiversity. We doubled the NPWS staffing when Senator Noonan was the Minister of State. The current Minister of State, Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan, is also committed. I hope that we can use the climate and nature fund and do stuff there, particularly when the report comes back in respect of the nature restoration issues. We need to look at the marine area, reserves and so on. I believe we need to acquire more land, as we did during the term of the previous Government. We acquired the national park in the north east and Conor Pass. We did the Cuilcagh Lakelands Geopark through the shared island initiative. We can acquire more land to re-wild or to have as nature reserves, which was the kind of strategy we pursued, as the Senator knows, in the previous Government. I am anxious to pursue that strategy in this Government as well.

I may not have got to everything. A number of people raised trade. The Ireland House concept is a winner. I was in Japan recently, but wherever it happens you get greater synergy between the Irish agencies and the embassy.

I would be enthusiastic about all-island soccer. I have attended Setanta Cup finals. I will talk to the Senator about it again sometime. I understand it has been difficult to get the associations and everybody on board. It would be remarkable if we could pull off association football on an all-island basis. The shared island unit would be amenable to that and would respond to it. That would bring people together in a clear way.

I note all the individual county mentions. University Hospital Limerick has made a lot of progress. There has been additional investment, but quality and safety in healthcare outcomes are very important, as is reform of healthcare. As I say, funding is now at €27 billion. It has doubled in ten years. Are we getting the same productivity? Are we getting outcomes? The safety and quality aspects are key.

I think I have covered most issues. Perhaps I have not covered everything.

Joe Conway (Independent)
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I mentioned Waterford Airport.

The Taoiseach:

When in trouble, we say, "That is under regular review." There is a new private sector owner coming in. The Minister will assess that.

Joe Conway (Independent)
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I also ask about funding for the R708. It is too high and is going to be in the way of dropped undercarriages.

The Taoiseach:

We will certainly have a look at that.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I call the Leas-Chathaoirleach to respond on behalf of the Seanad.

Maria Byrne (Fine Gael)
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Gabhaim buíochas leis an Taoiseach as ucht teacht anseo inniu chun a chuid smaointí agus a chuid tosaíochtaí a roinnt linn. It is definitely a great pleasure for me to thank the Taoiseach on behalf of the Seanad for coming here today to put forward his priorities and his thoughts into the process, and also for the leadership that he has shown here today in highlighting the different things that need to be done. Infrastructure and research and development are two key areas the Taoiseach highlighted. That goes into everything that the Taoiseach spoke about here today, from transport to housing, health, education, justice, arts, the Gaeltacht and agriculture.

Given we are heading into the European Presidency, it is important that we have somebody with the Taoiseach's experience at the helm, somebody who has those contacts and has built those opportunities with countries right across Europe. It is great to have somebody of the Taoiseach's calibre there to represent us and to drive on the Irish agenda as Ireland takes up the Presidency next July.

I am aware of the Taoiseach's firm commitment to sport as well because I have met him at many a sporting occasion. I am sure he will be in the Aviva over the weekend to support Munster.

It is important that the Taoiseach has set out his goals and his priorities for the country going forward. I am looking forward to working with him.

I will be local, I suppose, and raise University Hospital Limerick. As the Taoiseach said, we have come a long way but we have a lot more to go. I know the Minister, with whom I have been working, hopes to bring her paper to Cabinet this side of Christmas. I know the Taoiseach and the Government will not be found wanting in delivering for the mid-west. It is important, as the Taoiseach said, to have a safe opportunity not only for staff but also for the patients.

I thank the Taoiseach for coming here today. We look forward to working with him into the future.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach. I thank the Taoiseach for his leadership and for coming to Seanad Éireann. We look forward to engaging with him and the Government in the Presidency of the Council of the European Union and being part of that discussion on the future of Europe again. Thank you for being here in Seanad Éireann, for meeting the Members and for discussing a huge range of topics. Go raibh míle maith agat.

In accordance with the order of the Seanad of 14 October 2025, the Seanad stands adjourned until 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday, 21 October 2025.