Seán Kyne (Fine Gael)
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The Order of Business is No. 1, motion regarding expressions of sympathy on the death of Sr. Stanislaus Kennedy, to be taken on the conclusion of the Order of Business, without debate; No. 2, statements on the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030, to be taken at 5 p.m. and to conclude at 6.30 p.m., if not previously concluded, with the time allocated to the opening remarks of the Minister not to exceed ten minutes, group spokespersons not to exceed eight minutes, all other Senators not to exceed four minutes, time may be shared, and the Minister to be given not less than ten minutes to reply to the debate; and No. 3, Air Pollution (Amendment) Bill 2025 - Order for Second Stage and Second Stage, to be taken at 6.30 p.m. and to conclude at 8 p.m. if not previously concluded, with the time allocated to the opening remarks of the Minister not to exceed ten minutes, group spokespersons not to exceed eight minutes, all other Senators not to exceed four minutes, time may be shared, and the Minister to be given not less than ten minutes to reply to the debate.

Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail)
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On behalf of Fianna Fáil, I express our sadness on hearing of the passing of Sr. Stanislaus Kennedy, who was rightly revered for her lifelong dedication to social justice, especially her work with the homeless, immigrants and marginalised communities in Ireland. She earned deep respect and admiration. We can look back at the organisations she co-founded: Focus Ireland, the Immigrant Council of Ireland, and the Sanctuary. I took one quote from her many wonderful sayings, that belonging is a basic human need. Without it, people feel isolated, invisible and powerless. It is a very strong statement about inclusion, something we should all reflect on. May she rest in peace. I also mention a former Fianna Fáil councillor who passed away last week. Councillor Noel Bourke served from 1991 to 2019 in Offaly. He was a Tipperary man but lived in Edenderry. I served as a councillor when he was a councillor, and with Kildare and Offaly sharing a border there was many a time we spoke to each other and co-operated on different things. He was an absolute gentleman who was dedicated to public service. He had a huge connection to the community in Edenderry. He was committed and approachable. He was full of integrity. I know he gave great help and support to those Fianna Fáil councillors who came after him, including Councillors Robert McDermott and Claire Murray. On behalf of Fianna Fáil, I give our deepest sympathies to his wife Carmel and his son Donny, and to the extended family.

Ar son Fhianna Fáil, déanaim comhghairdeas ó chroí le Catherine Connolly ar a togadh mar Uachtarán na hÉireann. Go raibh ráth agus bláth uirthi ina ról nua mar Cheann Stáit agus go leana sí ag spreagadh muintir na hÉireann le ceannaireacht, croí agus cumadh. I know we all look forward to celebrating her inauguration together this day next week.

There is another issue I wish to bring up to seek debate in the House on. I acknowledge that many from different parties have already raised this issue. Yet again coming through the gates, I saw the four survivors on hunger strike. Nothing happened during the recess, which is very saddening, disappointing and frustrating. It is absolutely wrong. The four are Miriam Moriarty Owens, Mary O'Donovan, Mary Dunleavy Greene and Maurice Patton O'Connell. They are basically looking for two things. These are the Health (Amendment) Act cards, which provide enhanced medical coverage and State contributory pensions. I know a meeting was called and scheduled with Kieran Mulvey as mediator but for some reason it was postponed. It needs to happen and this needs to be sorted. Every one of us here has compassion and has a heart. The Minister should come in and address us on this issue.

Linda Nelson Murray (Fine Gael)
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On behalf of the Fine Gael Party, I also offer our sincere condolences on the passing of Sr. Stanislaus Kennedy, who did amazing work as my colleague Senator O'Loughlin has mentioned.

On behalf of the party, I congratulate Catherine Connolly on her Presidency. I would like to quote Heather Humphreys, who I thought was amazing in her defeat. She said Catherine Connolly would be President for us all, and that she will. We all look forward to working with her.

Last week, an horrendous event happened whereby an IPAS centre in Drogheda was set on fire with people in it, including a three-week-old baby. Firefighters rescued five people, including this baby, from the top floor of the building in the town's George's Street area. As a result of the blaze, 28 residents are now homeless. The Minister of State, Deputy Brophy, condemned the attack and said there were women and children just going about their daily lives and now their safety must be our utmost concern. These are people; they are human beings. When explaining this to my ten-year-old daughter last Sunday morning while watching the news, in her total innocence she asked whether we were not all here to share the Earth. Whatever our feelings are on people coming into this country, we have to condemn in this House what happened.

Following this, I would like to ask the Minister with responsibility for immigration or the Minister with responsibility for communications to discuss social media's impact on the rhetoric of these types of situations. It is reported that one in four people has fake social media accounts. People believe so much of what they read online and for many it is their only source of information. What are either of these Ministers doing to ensure that truthful information is communicated? The Minister of State, Deputy Brophy, himself recognises this but it is very important to listen to the people who are scared and the many who are confused. I would really welcome an opportunity to discuss this and help bring about calm in our towns and villages throughout the country.It is important that social media companies take account of the information spread on platforms, as well as the hate that is spread. I wish all the people from that centre the very best for the coming weeks.

Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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I thank the Cathaoirleach for the introduction to the presidential election. It is over and the people have spoken. The people have voted and they are sovereign. Along with my colleagues on this side of the House, I congratulate Deputy Catherine Connolly - she is still a Member of the Oireachtas - on becoming our elected President. Her inauguration will be next week, and I know many of us will be there and look forward to joining her in those celebrations. I also acknowledge her Oireachtas personal assistant, Béibhinn O’Connor, who played such a pivotal role in her election. Many of us in these Houses will know her.

I turn now to Sr. Stanislaus Kennedy, a woman whom I knew and had great admiration for. I do not want to talk about her with a sense of sadness. Today, I want to talk about her in a climate of gratitude and thanks. As the Cathaoirleach said earlier, she was from a little village outside Dingle in County Kerry, a place she dearly loved. She was a proud Kerrywoman. She spent a lot of time in Kilkenny, but she was not from Kilkenny. Indeed, much of her later time was spent in Dublin. Her life's work was one of service and dedication, and always driven by the principle of humanity. She was one of many great women who had served in religious life in various congregations in Ireland and we must never forget them, for they were pioneers themselves and did great work. As I said, Sr. Stan was someone I knew. She was a constant voice for those who felt locked out of homes, of opportunities, of education, and of supporting and, sometimes, nurturing families. These were all issues she had to confront. Her belief, of course, was that everyone had a right to have a home and this was central to her advocacy and her work. Of course, we know of the foundation.

In the few minutes I have left, I want to touch on three key issues. Sr. Stan set up the Immigrant Council of Ireland. When we think about what has happened in our country in the last week, if there has ever been a need for the Immigrant Council of Ireland, it is now. We must have a great sense of gratitude for the pioneering work she did there. She advocated equality and was very proud when, in May 2015, she announced publicly that she would be voting yes in the marriage equality referendum. When asked about that referendum, she said exactly that, that she meant marriage equality. That was not an easy thing to do for someone in a religious life in 2015.

Finally, in relation to homelessness, her legacy will, of course, be Focus Ireland and the work she did there. Is it not a shame, as we close the figures for the last month on housing, that we are told by the Government that 16,614 people were living in emergency accommodation in September and, more disturbingly, 5,238 of them were children? Let us be grateful for the work Sr. Stan did but be committed to continuing that advocacy work through our political engagement in these Houses.

Pauline Tully (Sinn Fein)
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I too want to be associated with the expressions of sympathy on the sad passing of Sr. Stanislaus Kennedy. She was a truly inspirational figure, dedicated to helping those who were less fortunate and in need. She was compassionate and had great vision and organisational skills, as we see through Focus Ireland and the Immigrant Council of Ireland, for example. She was tireless in her quest to improve lives. She inspired many and, hopefully, her legacy will live on in others.

I also congratulate Catherine Connolly, our Oireachtas colleague, on being elected Uachtarán na hÉireann. We wish her well in her role, which I have no doubt she will carry out to an exceptionally high standard. I also commiserate with my former constituency colleague, Heather Humphreys. No election is easy, but the presidential election is particularly difficult. I wish her well in the next phase of her life. I also acknowledge President Michael D. Higgins and his wonderful contribution as the President of Ireland for the last 14 years. I wish him and his wife, Sabina, good health and happiness in their retirement.

I also congratulate the Cavan Centre, which won the youth award at this year's national lottery Good Causes Awards. It was established in 1977 and has helped over 127,000 young people and their families through outdoor education, hands-on learning and helping young people to develop life skills.In particular, those in the centre work with young people from disadvantaged areas. I congratulate them and all of the winners of the awards.

I call for a debate on the school building programme. Yesterday, I visited St. Aidan's Comprehensive School in Cootehill, County Cavan. It has been waiting four years for an extension. The extension was sanctioned in 2021 but not a block has been laid, and the population of the school continues to grow. It has got to the stage where the school as had to cap numbers and cannot take in any more students. It opened a class for autistic children this year, but that is going to be oversubscribed by next year. It is quite willing to open an additional class but does not have the space to do so. It has used one of its existing classrooms to convert it to a room that is suitable for a class this year. As a result, however, it is down a classroom and cannot accommodate all the students who want to attend the school. It is not the only school facing this dilemma. I ask that we have a debate on the extraordinary length of time the school building programme takes.

The school in question has also been told that the Department is no longer sanctioning modular builds. I want to know if that is true and, if so, why that is the case. Some of them are very high quality and are much better than the old prefabs we used to have in schools. The school would be quite happy to accept a modular unit, which would alleviate the situation with student numbers.

Laura Harmon (Labour)
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I want to bring up the arson attack at the weekend, which I would describe as attempted murder, on an IPAS centre at which a staircase was set on fire and children and women had to be evacuated as a result. What happened is deeply worrying. This has to be a turning point for us in Ireland. We need to wake up to the fact that we are emboldening people. We are emboldening racists. We absolutely have to tackle mistruths in relation to immigration and the people who come here to seek asylum, which is their right. As politicians and as public representatives, we need to ensure that all the political parties welcome those who are here, namely everybody living in this country. We need to make sure that when we speak about immigration, we are not deflecting from other issues like the housing crisis or wealth inequality. There are people who would like to stoke up fear in our society, for their own gain, among communities that have been marginalised because of housing and inequality, but not because of immigration. Ireland is not full. We are full of welcoming people. This is not who we are. That attack does not represent who we are.

At the weekend, I co-ordinated an event in Cork against racism. That was as a result of two months of planning. I was initially approached by the Indian community, who were concerned about attacks against their community. I thought it was very saddening that the Indian ambassador had to come out and warn citizens not to go out late at night or walk in dark places in case they might be attacked. We saw stories in Cork last September at the beginning of the college term, where people were going around with ropes and putting them around people's necks. Members of the Indian community in Cork were deeply troubled. We had a rally at the weekend that was very well attended. I am delighted to say that it had cross-party support and all the main political parties were there. We need more of that because we need to stay united.

We are unique in Ireland in that these ultraconservative and far-right political parties have not come to power here yet. We have to make sure they do not do so because the result of that would be the quashing of civil rights. We need to learn from other countries across Europe where this has happened. We have an opportunity to stop that happening here. We have worked hard over many decades to fight for equality. This is a country worth defending. We absolutely need to defend it.

Alison Comyn (Fianna Fail)
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I add my condolences on the passing of Sr. Stan. She was a remarkable woman and her legacy will live on for many years.

I will also speak about what happened in my hometown of Drogheda with the arson attack at the IPAS centre. Like many right-thinking people, I am repulsed and very heartbroken at what happened on our doorsteps.My first thoughts are with the victims. One of the local councillors, Councillor Ejiro O'Hare Stratton, has visited the victims. They are doing well, thank goodness, but they are shocked. I also pay tribute to the emergency services who went into that building. They wanted to save the 28 people, who as far as they knew were in there. I also thank the many people who asked how they can help.

These people came to Ireland for sanctuary and instead they found themselves possibly in more danger than the perilous situation they left in their home countries. This is not representative of Drogheda. The vast majority of people are absolutely appalled.

I am not going to comment on that vile creature who carried out the action. It is the subject of a Garda investigation and I want to let that happen. Somebody knows who that is. We all saw the video. They know his demeanour and clothing and possibly his vile rhetoric. Please contact the local Garda. We need to get this person off our streets and out of our community.

I agree also with my colleague, Senator Nelson Murray, about the role of social media in this respect. I would welcome such a debate. I would also welcome a debate with the justice Minister, Deputy Jim O'Callaghan, on the future of IPAS centres because we need to look at what is happening within our communities and the safety and security of people who are in these centres. We need to make sure that they are safe, going forward.

Eileen Lynch (Fine Gael)
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First, I would like to be associated with the vote of sympathy on Sr. Stan and the congratulations to our new incoming President, Catherine Connolly.

Today, I raise the issue of staffing rates in primary schools, and in particular the retention of posts. I seek that the Minister for education would make a statement on Circular 11/2025 on staffing arrangements in primary schools for the year 2025-26. The reason I raise this today is to do with a local school in my area, Cloughduv National School. Last Monday week it was advised on appeal that it was to lose a developing post, bringing the number of teachers from nine to eight. The teacher, Ms Keohane, was to finish up last Friday week. The appeal was rejected on the Monday and the post was gone as of the Friday. As per the circular, 169 students are needed to retain the post. At this time, the school has 167 students. The Cloughduv area is an up-and-coming one. Up to 400 houses have been developed within the last four to five years. While the current number is 167 – two off the quota to hold the teacher - the school is already predicting that it will have 182 students come next September, due to the number of new people moving into the area.

I appreciate that circulars are there for a reason and that there are rules but this seems very arbitrary to me. What the school and I seek is a level of flexibility and compassion, in particular when the school knows for definite that it will have one more student prior to the Christmas break and one more student in January, which would bring it up to the requisite number. It does not make sense to me that it will lose this teacher for the sake of six months and for the post to be reinstated in September.

Ms Keohane was teaching fifth and sixth classes. This will mean that the third class teacher will have to move up to fifth and sixth classes, and third class will be split between second class and fourth class, increasing class sizes to 32 and 35, respectively. I appreciate that rules are there for a reason but what we are looking for is flexibility and compassion. I would like the Minister to address that.

Gerard Craughwell (Independent)
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I too would like to remember Sr. Stan. May her gentle soul rest in peace. As a proud Galwegian, like the Leader, I am sure we both feel that the election of Catherine Connolly was a great thing - a woman born in The Claddagh and reared in Shantalla. Many people who were born in addresses in both of those areas did not have the same opportunity in life. What a great thing it is to see Catherine create a vacancy for the Leader to challenge for a seat in Galway West.

Last night I watched the programme on tracker mortgages. I will write to the Garda Commissioner today seeking an investigation into a possible combined fraudulent action by all of the banks in this country. It seems that collusion took place over the tracker mortgage issue to ensure that ordinary citizens of this country who bailed out the banks were defrauded.To watch couples last night who were screwed out of hundreds and thousands of euro was heartbreaking. One couple had €17,000 repaid to them and another couple got €14,000. The question has to be asked as to how all the banks arrived at the same decision at the same time to deny people the option to return to tracker mortgages after being on a fixed mortgage. It can only spell some sort of collusion between senior bank officials at the very top of the Irish banking industry. We need to ask the Garda Commissioner to investigate this. There is a possible fraud here. I am not saying there is definitely one. I can see the Cathaoirleach and the Clerk ready to jump any minute now-----

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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You have to be careful in your language in terms of allegations-----

Gerard Craughwell (Independent)
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I will write to the Garda Commissioner to look for an investigation and I encourage colleagues to do the same. Think of the families and what they suffered while that horrendous act took place. I will ask for that. I thank you for the time, a Chathaoirligh. I did not quite go over the border.

Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail)
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I also say "comhghairdeas" to Uachtaráin-elect, Catherine Connolly, and wish her well in her tenure in the Áras. She will become a neighbour in Dublin Central in the Phoenix Park. She takes up a fine residence and I wish her and her family well.

I offer my deepest sympathies and condolences to the family and friends of Sr. Stan. I first met Sr. Stan back in 1986 or 1987 when she set up what was then known as Focus Point on Eustace Street. Later, in 1998, she set up The Sanctuary in Stanhope Street in my constituency and in 2001 she established the Immigrant Council of Ireland. She was a woman who had incredible human charity and spirit. She championed social justice, women and immigrants. She was an incredibly fine person and while she may have hailed from the kingdom, she was very much a Dub to us. She made our city a much warmer, kinder and more generous place. The world is poorer for her departure and my only wish is that she rests in eternal peace. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a h'anam.

Manus Boyle (Fine Gael)
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I am very sorry for and pass on my condolences to the family of Sr. Stan. I also congratulate our new President, Catherine Connolly, on her election.

I wish to raise the serious issue of Garda staffing and the lack of essential resources in County Donegal. Several stations in Donegal are understaffed and under-resourced. In some cases, gardaí are forced to share patrol cars across multiple stations. Basic supplies of equipment to manage emergency scenes are not readily available, which compromises public safety. Gardaí are doing a great job under serious and increasingly difficult conditions. Last week, a lady passed away in a road accident quite close to my home. My brother, Councillor Michael Boyle, was one of the first on the scene. When he landed on the scene, in fairness, the local garda from Glenties came out but he had no patrol car, no signs to stop traffic and no beacons. He had to wait for a patrol car to come from Donegal town with all of the equipment because there was no one in the barracks in Glenties.

Since 2009, the population has increased but Garda numbers have really gone down in Donegal. It is time we addressed this. We have five gardaí to cover the whole of the Gaeltacht communities in Donegal. We really need more resources. Communities in Donegal feel abandoned. A garda cannot be got and the gardaí who are working are stretched. They are over the limit and do not have enough resources or equipment. It is time for action. Words are not good enough.The people of Donegal deserve better. Donegal is a very large Border county. We should try to get the Minister to come into the House to have a debate on Garda resources for Donegal.

Chris Andrews (Sinn Fein)
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I also extend my sympathies on the passing of Sr. Stan. She always backed the underdog and she advocated for those in homelessness and those newly arriving in Ireland. Those are two very important things she did in her life. Sr. Stan always put those on the margins first. She loved people who may not have seen much love during their life. She has left a huge legacy, something that we as a society need to build on.

On another issue, as the evenings get darker, public parks are closing at 5 p.m. or 5.30 p.m. In effect, this means that all of the parks are inaccessible to working families. Anybody arriving home at 5 p.m. or 5.30 p.m. cannot use the parks for six months of the year. There should be a programme for this. I have raised the issue with Dublin City Council but the council has done absolutely nothing about it. If people are cycling on the greenway towards Tallaght in the evening, the lights will be activated, so there will be lighting as people travel along. This should be done in public parks. The council is happy enough to light up a park for a particular event, but that is where it ends. There is a lot of antisocial behaviour in the dark evenings, and there are places that people feel unsafe walking around. Dublin City Council leaves the parks open, so they are accessible to people and people take a chance but that is not something they should have to do. The parks should be lit up. Ringsend Park was lit up last week for a particular event and it was a fantastic facility. It allowed people to walk and use the park late into the evening. All parks should be lit up and welcoming all year around, not just for the summer months.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I welcome guests of an Senadóir Gareth Scahill from Clann na nGael GAA Club. The health and wellness and well-being committee has its senior citizens and senior members in the Houses. You look a few years over minor. I am not too sure; you might be in the junior team at the moment. Best of luck in your next county championship. The friends of the community in Roscommon are most welcome to Seanad Éireann. Thanks for being here.

Cathal Byrne (Fine Gael)
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I join the Cathaoirleach in welcoming our guests to the Seanad. I hope they have a very enjoyable day and that Senator Scahill looks after them very well, as I have no doubt he will.

After last night's meeting of over 2,000 farmers, I will speak about the risk the loss of the nitrates derogation presents to our farming community. We have around 7,000 farmers who avail of the derogation, which allows, on average, for 2.5 cows per hectare. The loss of the derogation would limit the number of cows on each individual farm to 1.6 per hectare. When we consider that at present the average dairy farm consists of 92 cows being milked, this would cause massive, irreparable damage to the agricultural sector and rural Ireland. Our guests today are from rural Ireland and they will appreciate the importance of this. It is important that a clear message goes out from that meeting last night. I have no doubt the Minister for agriculture, Deputy Martin Heydon, will stress on Friday, when he meets the European Commissioner for the environment, that Ireland's case is unique. We are the only country in the European Union which is in a position to grow grass all year around and to have our livestock out in the open. That allows us a unique opportunity to run a type of farming different from what can be done on the Continent and across the rest of the EU.As a direct result of farmers engaging to well and working so hard over the past couple of years to improve water quality, the derogation should remain in place. I support the efforts of the Minister for agriculture. I encourage the Leader to ensure that this Chamber would have an opportunity to debate these issues after the visit of the European Commissioner to Ireland.

Gareth Scahill (Fine Gael)
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I also welcome the visitors from Clann na nGael GAA in south Roscommon. This tour was organised in conjunction with former Deputy Denis Naughten. It was great to be able to facilitate it and that of the next group that is going to be in here.

While I am talking about welcoming visitors from the west of Ireland, I take the opportunity to raise the issue of the increase in toll charges that is going to be implemented from 1 January 2026. At time when the cost of the living is increasing, it is a bit much to look to increase the cost of accessing some of this infrastructure across the country. As an example, total revenues from toll roads in Ireland at the moment stand at about €478 million. Some 153,000 vehicles use the M50 daily. Annually, 58 million vehicles use the motorway. What we are talking about is the cost of journeys being increased by 10 cent or 20 cent, but that is each way. This prevents visitors such as those who we have with us in the Chamber today from travelling to see family and friends, to visit places like Leinster House or the Guinness Storehouse, which they enjoyed earlier on today. This is going to impede certain sectors of our economy. I call for a debate on this matter in order that, I hope, we might be in a position to stop that increase before it is implemented on 1 January.

Sharon Keogan (Independent)
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I add my voice to those who offered their sympathies on the death of Sr. Stan. I also congratulate our new President, Catherine Connolly.

I wish to express serious concern about the European Commission's LGBTQ+ equality strategy for the period 2026 to 2030. This is not a strategy rooted in balance or democratic consensus; it is a document driven by ideology rather than evidence. It demands scrutiny. Let us be clear. The five main umbrella organisations consulted by the Commission are all recipients of EU operating grants under the citizens, equality, rights and values programme. That is not impartial consultation; it is institutional capture. Where were the voices of the women's rights advocates, detransistioners or those raising legitimate concerns about the impact of gender ideology laws on teens and children? Even the Commission has admitted that its public consultation was not statistically representative, yet it has proceeded as if it speaks for all Europeans. It does not; it speaks for a small, overly active group pushing an agenda that is increasingly out of step with public sentiment and scientific caution. This strategy promotes self-ID without age limits, undermines parental rights and seeks to criminalise therapeutic due diligence with vulnerable children. It conflates hate speech with disagreement and seeks to embed gender identity into criminal law without clear legal definition.

This is not equality; this is overreach. The EU is straying far beyond its limits and imposing ideological compliance on member states and civil society. Even for those countries looking to become member states, it is sidelining legitimate concerns and silencing dissent. I call on the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to make a statement on Ireland's position in this regard. We must not rubber-stamp this strategy. We must defend the rights of women, children and families. We must demand that the work of EU policymakers be grounded in evidence as opposed to ideology.

Noel O'Donovan (Fine Gael)
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I join my colleagues in commending the IFA and the farming community on the sheer show of force that was evident in Corrin Mart last night. As Members will know, I have spoken about derogation on many occasions in this Chamber on. Derogation is deeply and urgently required by the communities I represent in west Cork and in some other parts of the country. The European Commissioner is coming on Friday. She is coming to listen, hear and understand the unique system that we have in terms of our grass-based model. It is clear from the message that emanated from Corrin Mart last night that we need our derogation to stay. Our water quality is improving - it needs to improve further - but we are making an effort. Our farming community is making the strides necessary to improve water quality. We need to see the derogation remain in place for Ireland going forward.

Unfortunately, Bantry was flooded again last night. Up to ten businesses in the town were flooded.It is hard as a public representative to be getting calls from business owners and people living in the town, watching videos of them brushing out their businesses again and being asked why it has happened again. I want to be straight - Bantry has been the forgotten town in west Cork in terms of flood schemes. We have seen them delivered in Skibbereen, Clonakilty and Bandon, but Bantry has been forgotten about and politics has failed there in recent years. I also want to be clear to the people of Bantry that the overall flood scheme is coming in 2030 and 2031. In the meantime, a culvert will be developed in Bantry, which has now got planning permission as well as funding recently from the OPW to continue final design works. However, that is still a year or 18 months away. We need to keep the pressure on to make sure this is delivered for Bantry. Other representatives in west Cork and I cannot be taking phone calls from business people and individuals who have had their properties washed out. We need to keep the pressure on in Bantry. I understand and appreciate this is the Order of Business, but I will be putting down a Commencement matter on this issue as well because delivery is needed for this in Bantry today, not tomorrow.

Martin Conway (Fine Gael)
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I, too, congratulate the President-elect, former Deputy Catherine Connolly. It is a great achievement for her. She is a lady I have got to know around the Houses. I usually meet her early in the morning, particularly while she was Leas-Cheann Comhairle. I have no doubt she will bring her enormous energy and vision to Áras an Uachtaráin and we wish her well.

It is with deep sadness but a celebration of life that I acknowledge what Sr. Stan has achieved in this country. I got to know her well, particularly when I was elected here first. I was on the justice committee and we did a huge amount of work in the area of migration. It was a whole different conversation and scenario back then. Sr. Stan in her role as the founder of the Immigrant Council of Ireland was a wonderful person to engage with. She was practical but embedded in the community and in humanity. Modern Ireland could learn an awful lot from her. I hope her soul rests in peace.

Like colleagues, I noted with pride the huge turnout in Cork yesterday by farmers. I hope we will not see a collision course between the Irish Government and the European Commission on this issue. I hope that pragmatism will prevail and the solution that is really the only solution comes to the fore and is adopted. I listened with great interest to the Minister, Deputy Heydon, in his media interviews today and I very much agree with him and his approach in terms of the various asides he is addressing in order that Ireland is not just seen to meet its obligations, but actually does. However, this derogation is something that is required if farming in this country is to have a future and if the next generation is to embrace the land, that life and that community. Within our communities, the farming community is really the bedrock. If that is to develop, the derogation is critical. I wish the Minister well in his deliberations and engagement, particularly with the Commissioner this week. It is important that a clear and strong message go from this House supporting the Minister and his officials in the extremely sensitive and important few weeks ahead with what they are trying to achieve. I congratulate the IFA and all of the 2,000 farmers who turned out because they are symbolic of the entire farming community. There are tens of thousands of people working in farming in this country who would love to have been there but for practical reasons were not able to. There was not even standing room in Cork yesterday. Will the Leader convey a strong message to the Minister that we have his back and we wish him well in the short time ahead with the work he is doing for Irish farmers?

Sarah O'Reilly (Aontú)
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I would like to be associated with the votes of congratulations to former Deputy Catherine Connolly on her winning the presidential election, and in offering commiserations to my colleague and neighbour, Heather Humphreys. I wish her well in the next chapter of her life. My condolences on the passing of Sr. Stan.I also support what Senator O'Loughlin said earlier about the hunger strikers. That really needs to be addressed and I hope it is sorted out in the next 24 hours or so.

Over 2,000 people gathered in Fermoy yesterday because they are deeply concerned about the future of the nitrates derogation. The Minister spoke at the meeting and said he would "fight to get the best possible deal" for farmers. I really hope this is true because many of the attendees were disappointed that the Minister did not offer a stronger commitment. The reality is that farmers have done everything that has been asked of them. They have invested heavily in low-emission slurry spreading, slurry storage and new technology, all to protect the environment and to improve water quality. They are constantly hit with new policies coming from Europe and these policies threaten rural Ireland. They have been told they cannot stack bales and that they cannot cut turf. That is the level of micromanagement that is coming from Europe and, all the while, we have the sheer hypocrisy of the EU pushing ahead with the Mercosur deal. We will be importing beef from countries engaged in mass deforestation while punishing Ireland's grass-fed sustainable farming model. How does that make sense?

Ireland is different from other EU countries. Cows are grass-fed and our land and climate mean we can produce food more efficiently and sustainably than most of Europe. Yet, farmers are blamed for increasing nitrates in our rivers without any real investigation into other causes like faulty wastewater treatment plants, urban run-off or industrial pollution. The reality is that it is easier to scapegoat farmers than address these other polluters. I have written to the Minister to ask for a firm commitment to retain the nitrates derogation and communicate to our counterparts in Europe that this is non-negotiable for Ireland.

Joanne Collins (Sinn Fein)
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Today, Limerick Chamber sent an email to the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, requesting allocated funding of €2.2 million for the next phase of works that need to take place on the Mackey roundabout in Limerick. The Mackey roundabout is the main roundabout off the M7 but it links up to the Dublin Road, the University of Limerick and the national technology park. Every day, this has backlogs onto the M7, which cause serious safety concerns and congestion. The businesses in the area have been asking for these works to be carried out since a report was done in 2022 or 2023. It was the Limerick-Shannon metropolitan transport strategy. This is a serious concern for the area and we need this funding to be set aside and ring-fenced. I put my full support behind Limerick Chamber and its request for this. It requests that the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, take this seriously for safety concerns as well as congestion, economics and the businesses in the area. It is definitely something that needs to be looked at.

Patricia Stephenson (Social Democrats)
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Over the past week, the conflict in Sudan has escalated seriously. The humanitarian situation is even more catastrophic, if it can even get to that level. While the additional funding of €3 million committed by Irish Aid is welcome, we must do more. Mass killings are taking place. There are reports of summary executions. Satellites have picked up large bloodstains on the ground, such is the scale of the slaughter and the bloodshed as the paramilitary force, the Rapid Support Forces, RSF, regained control over Darfur in the past few days. Prosecutors at the International Criminal Court, ICC, are collecting evidence of alleged mass killings and rapes in Darfur. We all remember the Darfur genocide in 2003 and what we are seeing is history repeating itself a mere 20 years later. We have seen, on both sides, indiscriminate bombing of population centres, the destruction of civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, and summary executions. We have seen horrific crime against civilians.

I worked with Sudanese refugees in northern South Sudan. I know the strength and also the suffering of the Sudanese community living through conflict-enforced displacement for decades. All they want is peace and access to food and clean water but, sadly, Sudan now stands on the brink of famine, with huge levels of forced displacement. Food and medical systems are at breaking point. There has been widespread sexual violence against women and girls. Despite all of this, international action has been almost absent.

Ireland has been a long-standing partner of Sudan since the 1980s. We have a moral responsibility, based on that history, to take more action to end this horrific war.We need to call for humanitarian access to open in Darfur and for sanctions, alongside our EU partners and our closest neighbours, the British Government. Worryingly, there are reports that UK weapons sold to the UAE have been used in the killings in Darfur. We need a critical analysis of the global powers responsible for fuelling this conflict and we need sanctions for those responsible. I call for a debate in this Chamber on what steps the Irish Government can take to become leaders in calling for a ceasefire. As parliamentarians, we have a role to play in having this debate. This is one of the forgotten crises facing the world. We have debates, obviously, on Gaza and Ukraine, which are necessary, but Sudan is one of the most horrific humanitarian crises that we are seeing, yet it gets absolutely no coverage. We in this Chamber having that debate would have a huge impact, both nationally and internationally.

Seán Kyne (Fine Gael)
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I thank all Senators for their contributions on the Order of Business. I join colleagues in congratulating President-elect Catherine Connolly. I wish her well for her term of seven years. Her inauguration will be on this day next week. I know she will do the country proud.

I also join the tributes paid to Sr. Stanislaus Kennedy for her life of service, humility, comfort and humanitarian work and various other facets in this country.

Senator O'Loughlin paid tribute to former Councillor Noel Bourke of Edenderry, County Offaly. I join her in expressing our condolences to Councillor Bourke's family. She also raised, as did Senator Sarah O'Reilly, the issue of those on hunger strike who are looking for pensions and medical cards. I am not sure whether there was a Commencement debate on this matter recently. If not, I will request a debate on the matter again.

Senators Nelson Murray, Comyn and Harmon expressed concern regarding the IPAS centre fire in Drogheda. The fire is deplorable and has to be condemned unequivocally. Lives could have been lost were it not for the quick response of the emergency services, which are to be commended. There is a Garda investigation. I certainly hope that bears fruit. Questions have been raised about social media, false information and so forth. I will request a debate on that matter again.

Senator Boyhan expressed condolences to Sr. Stan and mentioned her role in relation to marriage equality, as well as in Focus Ireland and the Immigrant Council of Ireland.

Senator Tully called for a debate on the school building programme and the role of modular builds. I join her in expressing commiserations to Heather Humphreys. We cannot have elections without participants and Heather Humphreys was in what was an unusual election where there were only two effectively running at the end. She put up the brave fight on that. I also acknowledge Jim Gavin whose name appeared on the ballot paper.

Senator Lynch raised the matter of Clondrohid National School near Macroom in relation to staffing rates, retention of posts and Circular 11/25. She expressed concern over the loss of a teacher and the fact that the school is two students short, although two students will come into it before the end of the year. I ask her to table a Commencement debate or raise this directly with the Minister. There is a compelling argument. Of course, there are rules laid down in circulars and schools, unfortunately, lose teachers all the time. There is a compelling case in relation to Clondrohid National School, however, and I certainly advise the Senator to table a Commencement debate on the matter.

Senator Craughwell raised the matter of tracker mortgages and some couples getting repayments of €14,000 to €17,000. He called for an investigation into possible fraud. I am sure the relevant committees on finance and such will be looking at this matter as part of a fuller debate and will bring in bank representatives to discuss this matter on foot of that. I will raise it with the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, as well.

Senator Boyle raised Garda staffing and resources in County Donegal. Garda resources are a matter for the Garda Commissioner but if he were to raise it as a Commencement debate, the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, might get the opportunity to give his view and investigate matters in that regard.As the Senator said, his brother came across an accident and the garda was there without a Garda car, signs or beacons. This is impacting the ability of gardaí to do their job in terms of protecting the scene of an accident and ensuring there are no further accidents.

Senator Andrews raised the issue of public parks closing early and being inaccessible to working families because of a lack of lighting. It depends on the park but there are valid issues regarding the use of parks after dark. However, it is a valid point with regard to preventing antisocial behaviour and providing additional use for the park in later hours. Perhaps, again, this would be more a matter for Dublin City Council or for us to raise it here as a Commencement debate, assuming it would be accepted as being under the remit of the Minister for local government.

Senators Cathal Byrne, O'Donovan, Martin Conway and Sarah O'Reilly raised the matter of the nitrates derogation. I only saw the pictures last night on social media of the huge crowd in Fermoy, County Cork in the mart itself and in the overflow rooms. The Minister, Deputy Heydon, addressed the matter and it is a serious issue. He acknowledged that he will be judged on the results on this. From the get-go, when he was appointed as Minister, he went out there and reached out to every European colleague and minister to explain the unique position Irish agriculture has in being a grass-based system, with the animals being able to be kept out - certainly parts of Cork - from the end of January to the end of November, possibly, in certain cases, or even for longer by day. It is a unique system. At the end of the day, we are the only country left in Europe with the derogation. There may be some parts of other countries actually looking to reintroduce derogations, and that would be helpful. Certainly, the Minister is absolutely committed to ensuring we get this derogation and that it is for a longer period than a year or two. It is necessary to provide that certainty in this matter. Obviously, the Government has set up the committee for water quality. We all agree on the necessity, and we have seen State investment, to improve water quality, whether that is in our local authorities or particularly as regards farmers. Results have borne out that investment and we need to continue it, but certainly the Minister, Deputy Heydon, is committed to ensuring for our unique system that that message has got through to colleagues around the European Union. I will request a debate on this as well after the Commissioner's visit.

Senator Scahill raised the issue of toll charges and called for a debate on this matter. I imagine the Committee on Transport will be dealing with this matter but I will request a debate on it. Perhaps the Senator could also put down a Commencement debate with the Department of Transport on this matter.

Senator Keogan raised the matter of an EU document relating to LGBTQ rights and called for the Minister to make a statement. I will request the Minister come in or the Senator can put down a Commencement debate or reach out to the MEPs on this matter.

Senator O'Donovan also raised the issue of flooding in Bantry. He indicated he will put down a Commencement debate on the need for progress on a culvert, for which planning permission has been provided but which is still 12 to 18 months away.

Senator Collins raised the request or advocacy of Limerick Chamber for €2.2 million to progress works on the Mackey roundabout in Limerick, where there are a series of safety concerns. Again, I advise the Senator to put down a Commencement debate to the Minister for Transport to see that included in the 2026 roads programme of Transport Infrastructure Ireland.

Senator Stephenson raised the tragedies in Sudan, the mass killings, rape and indiscriminate bombings. She called for a debate and I will request that. The Minister of State, Deputy Richmond, is in the House on Thursday on the matter of international aid and that may be an opportunity to raise the matter at that time. The Minister of State will be able to give a response on the matter and I will request him, if he is able, to come in for a debate on the issues ongoing in Sudan.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I welcome here today the second part of Senator Gareth Scahill's group. Councillor Valerie Duffy is here as well from Roscommon with a group from the well-being and health committees from Clann na nGael GAA club. I thank them for coming.I am told they are all members of the minor team. I also welcome the members of the Irish Association of French-Language teachers who are here with the former Senator, Deputy Barry Ward.