Seán Kyne (Fine Gael)
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The Order of Business is No. 1, the Copyright and Related Rights (Amendment) Bill 2025 - Second Stage, to be taken at 4.45 p.m. and to conclude at 6 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, any other Senators not to exceed five minutes and the Minister to be given no less than ten minutes to reply to the debate; No. 2, the Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025 - Second Stage, to be taken at 6 p.m. and to conclude at 7.30 p.m. if not previously concluded, with the time allocated to the opening remarks of the Minister not to exceed ten minutes, group spokespersons not to exceed eight minutes, any other Senators not to exceed five minutes and the Minister to be given no less than ten minutes to reply to the debate; and No. 54, motion 1, Private Members' motion in the name of Fine Gael Senators regarding road safety, to be taken at 7.30 p.m., with the time allocated to this debate not to exceed two hours.

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

Last Wednesday, in the debate on a Commencement matter I raised regarding proposed cuts in the allocation of special needs assistants, SNAs, I described those cuts as indefensible. I was really glad to hear of the decision by the Cabinet this morning that this review of SNA allocations has been paused. Some 200 schools were impacted by the proposal. I spoke last week about Patrician Secondary School, Newbridge, County Kildare, which is absolutely renowned for its very inclusive education and the excellent work it does in the area. I was also conscious that Scoil Bhríde Naofa was told it would lose five SNAs. This morning's announcement is an important recognition that SNAs are not just an optional extra and are very important in supporting vulnerable students in our schools. The pause is very welcome and I hope it will become a permanent one.

I call for a debate in regard to women working on building sites.This issue was brought to my attention by somebody in Kildare over the last week or two in terms of the difficulties that there were for women working on sites. At this point in time, there are about 70 apprenticeship programmes spanning a wide range of industries. It is wonderful to see more women becoming apprentices every year. Last week, the Rose of Tralee, an apprentice herself, was in here for the motion on apprenticeships. By the end of 2025, there were approximately 3,010 female apprentices, an increase of 196% since 2023. Women now account for approximately 10% of apprentices. However, there are issues on the ground, for example, with toilets. Toilets on sites where there are women are just unisex and I honestly think that we should have separate toilets. I was quite shocked at some of the behaviours I was told about. A lot of it may be down to a male cultural thing over the years without having women present while working on building sites. We need to have a debate, probably with the Minister for higher education, because it is between enterprise and higher education but it is something we need to look at.

The Kildare Volunteer Centre has done a wonderful job over the last two decades, supporting volunteers and matching volunteers to events that are happening. There was a really good event in the Keadeen Hotel, attended by the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, at which it and they presented its strategic plan. I thank Michelle, John and all the team. They have an excellent board and an excellent group of people working with volunteers. Volunteers are the lifeblood of every village and community organisation from Tidy Towns to sport and I wish them all well.

Mark Duffy (Fine Gael)
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This afternoon, I would like to raise the topic of road safety especially for the most vulnerable road users and the most vulnerable people in our society, namely, children. The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport recently highlighted the Love 30 campaign, which proposes reducing speed limits to 30 km/h in certain neighbourhoods. The safe routes to school is a very positive model that has seen very beneficial interventions outside and close to schools to connect children, students and teachers from their residences to their schools. Last week on the floor of the House, I highlighted a school, which I had previously raised as a councillor in Mayo. Culleens National School is looking for basic interventions. A protest was held outside the school where students animatedly campaigned for a reduction in the speed limit there and the provision of a small path to connect with an existing path. When the State intervenes and builds a new school like the Culleens National School, there needs to be joined-up thinking in terms of investment from the school as well as the local authority, supported by the Department of Transport, to make sure that it is a safe school and is connected and walkable for residents who are living on the Killala Road. The safe routes to school model is positive but we often see more money spent on consultant after consultant and report after report when basic interventions like connecting a footpath to an existing path to a school and pedestrian safety measures can do the trick.

We have well-educated and very competent engineers in local authorities around the country and sometimes we overcomplicate the process in delivering projects like this. I lend my support on the floor of the House this afternoon to Culleens National School, the teacher Deirdre O'Loughlin, and all the teachers and students. More broadly, we need to look at how we make schools safe and how we invest in basic services around school infrastructure for the safety of children in a pragmatic and fast way that can deliver, as opposed to paying consultant after consultant without any change on the ground.

Tom Clonan (Independent)
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I raise the issue of disability again in this House. What is happening on the watch of this Government? It campaigned on a note of disability in the general election after the previous Government lost the care referendum. The wording of that referendum was designed to indemnify the State from any responsibility towards disabled citizens and their inalienable fundamental human rights. It was defeated by 75% of those who voted. Here we are, having campaigned on a disability platform, we find that 500 spinal surgeries have been cancelled in the past two years. That is two every week. Every single one of those cancellations is a family like mine, with a 17-year-old son struggling for breath because his spinal curve is so pronounced that his lungs are compressed. His heart is pushed into a part of the chest cavity where the heart is not normally found. He had to go undergo surgery as an anaesthetic risk to be manually extubated after almost eight hours of surgery by an anaesthetist because if he had gone to intensive care intubated, he would not have made it. All of this is predictable and avoidable.

Children's Health Ireland, CHI, presented last week at a conference of the Irish Hospital Consultants Association, IHCA, congratulating itself on its move to the children's hospital, which is probably the most expensive hospital in the world and in the history of humanity. Yet, nobody has been held to account, either for the spinal or urology waiting lists where teenage boys and girls are being denied routine urological surgery interventions, meaning that they become infertile, their little reproductive organs cannot develop properly or they become incontinent as teenagers. The risk that they are exposed to renal cancer, colon cancer, testicular cancer is increased many times because of the lack of these interventions. What is going on?

When it comes to intellectual disability, we discover there is now a pause, one designed to destroy the few supports available for neurodivergent and neurodiverse children in our schools.

What is going on? I will tell the House what is going on. I have a letter here from a head of service in the HSE to a mother who had to bring her adult child with Down's syndrome to an emergency department because she could not cope any more as she is too old. The letter she got from the HSE states she should be aware "there is a legal obligation for parents to support their child financially if the child is dependent", and that this applies to all children to the age of 18, and to 23 if in education, but "indefinitely if the child has a disability". The previous Government failed to get that wording into the Constitution on the advice of the Attorney General. Now, this Government is trying to introduce this abandonment of families with disabled citizens. The letter continued: "Accordingly, you are legally obliged to support your daughter. That includes the provision of accommodation until you die." That is not good enough. What is going on? Senators must talk to their Ministers at their parliamentary party meetings.

What is the Government doing? It is turning back the clock. The objective circumstances of living for disabled citizens are deteriorating. In advance of our Presidency of the European Union, I will be talking to the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights about this absolute disgrace and the manner in which the Government is abandoning families. It is flying in the face of the people who, in the largest ever vote in a referendum - 75% - rejected the previous Government's Dickensian wording. Yet, the Government persists.

Sharon Keogan (Independent)
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Hear, hear.

Pauline Tully (Sinn Fein)
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The recent letters announcing cuts in special needs assistants, SNAs, in schools have caused much concern and distress to students, parents, school staff and especially SNAs. The announcement today by the Minister for education that the review is to be paused does not go far enough. It needs to be reversed immediately. The Minister referred to engagement over the coming weeks on this issue with the Taoiseach and Tánaiste. It is not clear who else she intends to engage with. I hope it is the wider sector. It would have made sense to have that engagement first before announcing these cuts. We need to identify the need and then meet it with the resources needed.In the 1990s, SNAs were introduced to schools. It allowed schools to integrate students with additional needs into mainstream schools. This was going to be a retrograde step. It was sending them back and segregating students with additional needs again, because they were going to be pointed towards special classes and special schools where the resources are if they are taken out of mainstream. We need to see the proper resources put into mainstream to assist our students who have autism, ADHD or a different additional learning need, who do not need a special class or a special school and manage well in mainstream with that little bit of support that they were already getting. Students with access to SNAs currently were not just based on primary care needs. Suddenly, this was being cut and given only to those who have primary care needs. That is so unfair. It is such a blunt instrument and is causing significant distress.

The pause is not sufficient. It needs to be reversed. A proper investigation needs to be made into what resources precisely are needed in our schools. We know that many more children are presenting with additional needs. Early intervention is key and that is not happening at the moment. If early intervention was provided to the children who need it when they need it, we would need fewer supports as they get older and they would be able to reduce their SNA reliance as they progress through the education system. That is what we need to see happening.

Alison Comyn (Fianna Fail)
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I ask for a moment to mark the passing of a true Drogheda gentleman. Anthony Smith, known universally as Tony, has died aged 87. Tony was one of the great business figures of our town. For more than six decades, he ran the renowned N. Smith and Son Ford garage, a business founded by his father Nicky almost 90 years ago next year, and carried forward through four generations of the same family. Few enterprises in Ireland can point to such continuity, commitment and local loyalty. Tony was far more than a local businessman. He represented a type of community leadership that does not really seek headlines, yet quietly shapes a town's character. Customers became friends, staff became extended family, and people knew that if they walked through the doors of that garage, they would be met with fairness, decency, and a handshake that they could trust.

He said in an interview with me a few years back, in 2021, that the secret to his 60-year marriage to his beloved wife Mary was simple: love each other, say sorry when needed, and never go to bed without saying good night. That tells you everything you need to know about that man. He was grounded, practical and kind. From helping in the garage as a child after school to taking responsibility for the business as a teenager after his father's sudden death, Tony showed resilience, duty, and care for family long before these words became fashionable. Drogheda has not only lost a business giant but one of its quiet pillars. I extend my deepest sympathies to Mary, his children Aisling, Nicky, Tony and Kevin, his grandchildren, and all who loved him. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam uasal.

Paraic Brady (Fine Gael)
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Today I rise to address a deeply worrying matter. We have all heard of the Covid pandemic but unfortunately, in the last number of years, we hear of sepsis being diagnosed in hospitals all over Ireland and all over the world. It is not just an Irish problem but a world issue. To give some figures, 20 million people died of sepsis worldwide last year. For anyone who does not understand sepsis, it is failure of all the organs at the one time. We have seen that the pharmaceutical industry has not put resources into finding a cure, medicine or vaccine for this. In most cases, as I learned this morning, early intervention and detection means that sepsis can be cured at a very early stage, but for every hour people lose, they lose 7% of their fight. I would like to clarify a few things. In most cases, an antibiotic cures sepsis. It seems that the first dose of antibiotics treats it in most hospitals and the second course does not actually affect sepsis.It has flu-like symptoms, such as fever, nausea and a high temperature. I would like an update from the Minister for Health, Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, and something from the World Health Organization and maybe even our EU counterparts. It seems France has led the way in seeing this as problematic, as has the Netherlands, but any other EU country has not touched on it yet. I would like the Minister to address the House and give us an update on Ireland's stance on this as we go into the Presidency. Maybe it is something Ireland could lead on in the European Union.

Gerard Craughwell (Independent)
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The Minister for Defence made a statement on radio in the last few days about Ireland boarding Russian shadow ships. I do not blame the Minister, as she is in the job a couple of weeks, but somebody somewhere advised her it would be possible for us to do this. It is not possible for Ireland to board shadow ships. Even if we do and we find contraband, be it oil or anything else, what do we do with it? The one ship we have is costing us €100,000 a week to keep in Cork because we cannot dispose of it; that follows the drug interdiction some time ago. I truly feel for Ministers who are advised and make public statements that are totally at odds with our capability. We have one ship at sea in the Atlantic. We do not have capacity to fast-rope onto ships. Even if we did, it has been established since mid-2024 that these shadow ships now have armed guards on board, probably people from the former Wagner Group, who have no difficulty whatsoever in killing people. We need the Minister in here for a debate on defence. I ask that we try to do that in the very near future.

I will make a final point in the couple of seconds I have left about the critical situation with respect to air traffic control. We now have a situation where Cork Airport was closed for seven hours due to the absence of an air traffic controller. People get sick or cannot turn up to work for whatever reason. Dublin Airport and the Air Corps have suffered outages because of the absence of air traffic controllers. This is a situation we have to get on top of and quickly. We need the Minister for Transport to come in to discuss air traffic control and what measures are being taken to ensure that we have a sufficient number of air traffic controllers. We should always have a surplus of air traffic controllers to ensure the safe management and running of our airports.

Those are the two Ministers I would like the Leader to try to organise to come in here. I appreciate his time on that.

Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail)
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I put on the record of the House my deep frustration and anger with the decision by An Coimisiún Pleanála to overturn the granting of planning permission for the Rotunda Hospital on Parnell Square. The Rotunda Hospital has catered to women, babies and families for more than 280 years. It is hard to know exactly how many babies have been born there, but it is in the many hundreds of thousands. Some estimates put it at a million but, over 280 years, it has taken care of women and their babies and has brought babies into the world with great care. It is totally unacceptable to listen to the male voices that are dominating the discussion on this issue, particularly the voice of the Dublin Civic Trust I listened to today. I really do not accept that at any point, in any level or in any universe - any universe at all - that the protection of architectural built heritage supersedes the protection of human life; a woman's life or a baby's life. That is what was decided. It was decided that architectural heritage needed protecting more than women's lives and more than babies' lives. It is completely unacceptable.

The only people I am probably as livid with are the fine female leaders of the Opposition who could not find the Rotunda if you gave them a map.They are now falling over themselves to criticise the Government and were the Government to interfere in the planning process, they are the ones who would accuse it of political interference. The previous Government supported the Rotunda Hospital. In fact, we supported the Rotunda to move the outpatients so that they could actually go ahead with this building work. The Rotunda Hospital was supported to upgrade and create the gynaecological clinic and to establish for the first time a public menopausal clinic. It is bankrupt, shallow, cynical politics on their behalf. However, my ire is really drawn to An Bord Pleanála and to whomsoever in that organisation took its own inspector's report to endorse permission and overturned it. That needs to be made public, because it is unacceptable. It is putting the lives of women and babies at risk. It is totally unacceptable and I speak with a vested interest as my three babies were born there. When I had a miscarriage, I went to the Rotunda Hospital and they cared for me. It is totally unacceptable that the Rotunda Hospital is going to waste its time, funds, resources, talent and care having to fight this case. It is a low point for planning and the weaponisation of planning in our country.

Manus Boyle (Fine Gael)
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Today I want to talk about seaweed. I am calling on the Department to exercise thought, close examination and foresight when addressing applications from companies from other countries that set up so as to appear to be from Ireland and then harvest large quantities of wrack along large sections of the west coast of Ireland. Seaweed forests are living infrastructure. They protect the shoreline and homes from coastal erosion, provide necessary grounds for fish and marine species and support biodiversity above and below the waterline. Removing wrack at industrial scale risks disabling this fragile system. We have all witnessed over many years how overfishing in Ireland's exclusive economic zone, EEZ, by other countries has contributed to massive decline in the Irish fishing industry and we sadly see that today.

I urge the Minister to have a good look at this. We must protect the small operators who have built their business on a respectfully measured approach to harvesting seaweed down through the years. We really need to get the Minister in here to have a proper look at this, because we have foreign multinationals coming in here. At the end of the day, our own people have been doing it for years, and they need to be consulted on this.

Sharon Keogan (Independent)
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I welcome to the Gallery Dr. Eoin Lenihan, author of Vandalising Ireland, a book on how the Government, NGOs, academia and media are engineering a new globalist Ireland.

I wish to raise the escalating pressures facing the Irish haulage and transport sector. Pressures are now reaching a point where many operators describe themselves as no longer viable. Over recent months, hauliers have warned that rising fuel taxes, increased road and bridge tolls and new levies introduced since January are placing unsustainable burdens on the industry that is fundamental to our economy, especially to rural Ireland, where alternatives to road transport simply do not exist. Despite repeated engagement by organisations such as the Irish Road Haulage Association, budget 2026 offered the bare minimum of support. Measures long sought by the sector, including enhanced fuel rebates and relief on toll costs, were largely omitted. Many operators now fear that the narrow margins and collective cost burdens are pushing smaller hauliers out of business entirely, with knock-on consequences for supply chains, fuel distribution and rural competitiveness.

We have already seen signs of fragility within the broader logistics network, including the recent collapse of Fastway couriers, resulting in significant job losses and major disruptions. Hauliers also face growing regulatory challenges, particularly around the transport of heavy or abnormal loads, where proposed new permitted rules could add delays and hinder national energy and infrastructure delivery. I ask that the Minister appear before the House to outline how Government intends to respond to these mounting pressures, what engagement is under way with the sector, and whether further supports or regulatory adjustments are being considered to safeguard an industry that underpins every part of our economy.

Gareth Scahill (Fine Gael)
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I welcome and recognise the decision of the Minister, Deputy Naughton, today to pause the review of the SNA allocation. The decision sends an important and reassuring message to children with special educational needs, their families and the school communities that their voices have been heard and their concerns are taken seriously. It is right that time has now been taken to listen carefully to parents and schools and to ensure SNAs are supporting the children who most need their care. I also welcome the continued engagement across government to fully understand the concerns that have been raised and to ensure children with special educational needs are fully supported.

This decision comes alongside a strong continued commitment to our special education. In 2026 a sum of €3 billion has been provided for special education alone, building on significant investment over recent years. Since 2020, the number of SNAs in our schools has increased by 45%. This year alone, an additional 1,700 SNAs will support children, compared with 2025. By September 2026, there will be 25,000 SNAs working in our schools, with more SNAs in every county accessing mainstream schools, special classes and special schools.

There are no cuts to SNA numbers. Instead, there is a clear focus on ensuring SNAs are with the children who most need their support. Today's decision reflects a commitment to getting this right for the children with special educational needs. It is something I fully support and I must commend the Minister, Deputy Hildegarde Naughton, on her decisiveness in making this decision. This morning, I was in the company of the education committee and we visited St. Ultan's in Cherry Orchard. I spoke there, along with my colleague Senator Tully, about the messages about SNAs we have been getting from people. I know everyone across this House will welcome the Minister's decisiveness.

Sharon Keogan (Independent)
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Hear, hear.

Maria Byrne (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the announcement from the Department of housing and the Minister for housing, Deputy Browne, about the pyrite resolution scheme. During the previous Seanad, back in 2019-20, I was happy to get County Limerick included in the pyrite resolution scheme, and 16 houses in County Limerick have benefited from the scheme. They had pyrite in their buildings and had their house half taken apart and put back together again. It was most welcome for the residents at the time. I know the Pyrite Resolution Board has recommended the winding down of the programme but has made changes to bring more people into the scheme and that is most welcome from the Minister and the Department. The closing date for applications is the end of November 2026 so I encourage all people in County Limerick who believe they have pyrite in their homes to apply for this scheme and to do so now. It is a simple process once the form has been filled out. Sometimes people get mixed up between pyrite and mica or there is mixed messaging and people do not understand it. If people believe they have pyrite in their homes they should come forward and engage with the Pyrite Resolution Board because it is very helpful to people in terms of resolving the issues in their homes.

Chris Andrews (Sinn Fein)
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Ireland has been drawn to play genocidal Israel in the Nations League. UEFA is ignoring and breaking its own statutes. It is hardly surprising it is doing that because world football is clearly corrupt. The FIFA president giving Trump a peace prize was bizarre. The Irish Government and FAI must decide if they will join the circus and ignore the genocide, apartheid and terror Israel inflicts on Palestinians each and every day. Alternatively, will Ireland make a principled stand? Will we be brave? The FAI's own membership looked for Israel to be expelled from European football. UEFA ignored the wishes of the Irish footballing community. The decision on whether to play should not be down to the players.If it is, then politics has failed to hold the institutions that are responsible to account. Poland refused to play Russia when Russia invaded Ukraine. Poland faced no consequences, so why would Ireland face consequences for refusing to play genocidal Israel? The Taoiseach and the Tánaiste need to stop pretending that football is somehow above politics. This view is utter nonsense and ignores the reality that exists. They need to grow a backbone and stand up to the normalisation of the Israeli regime by UEFA.

Over 400 footballers were targeted and killed by Israel in Gaza. Israel turned many of the sports facilities there into graveyards, so it clearly does not see any issue with mixing politics and sport. Some of the children, footballers who were killed by Israel, did play football here in Ireland with the Al-Helal football club in 2017 and 2018. If the game does go ahead – and I sincerely hope it does not – then the Israeli players who served in Gaza or played on teams which play on occupied land should be arrested when they arrive here for the war crimes in which they participated. The same applies to the supporters. Israeli supporters must be security screened to ensure that any IOF members who arrive here are arrested and charged in respect of the war crimes they committed in Gaza. Last year, young kids from Palestine and the West Bank,were looking to come here to play hurling and GAA. They were prevented from doing so by the Department of justice. The IOF participants in genocide who arrive here must be security screened to ensure that they have not participated in war crimes. They must also be dealt with in accordance with the law.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I remind Members that when they are making charges or accusations, they have to be mindful of Standing Orders in the context of the operation of the Seanad.

Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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I wish to raise two matters. There have been some contributions in respect of SNAs. I was also in the Dáil this afternoon to listen to Taoiseach’s Questions. This is not over yet. I will not quote what the Taoiseach said, but I ask people to have a look at his responses, including to some of his backbenchers. This is huge campaign. I welcome that is has paused for the moment. What we need is absolute clarity on the issues involved. I do not doubt that everyone, all parties and none, support the need for additional SNAs. SNAs are critical to our schools and support our pupils in their learning and their personal and educational development. This is a space we need to watch. When people mobilise in communities, things happen. This is a classic example. I commend the Minister for education on agreeing to the pause. We do not want a pause for too long, however. We want absolute clarity on what the issues involved and the changes needed are in order that there will be no ambiguity.

I know that things do not happen over night, but I raised a particular matter last week. A report on Mountjoy Prison was compiled by those responsible for inspections, the detention of people there and the atrocious conditions, especially for those with psychiatric issues who find themselves in the prison, and was laid before these Houses. One of the functions of laying reports before the Oireachtas is that Members can seek to have debates or request that the relevant Minister come before the relevant House to discuss it. I again with to make such a request. I would particularly like it if the Minister for justice, Jim O’Callaghan, would come to the House to discuss the report that was laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas on 4 February.

Mike Kennelly (Fine Gael)
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I wish to highlight a very real and deeply felt loss for the people of County Kerry, namely the lack of a paediatric dermatology consultant in Kerry University Hospital to serve our children. There is no dedicated paediatric dermatology consultant who covers Kerry. This means that children suffering from chronic skin conditions, including severe eczema, psoriasis and rare complex disorders, must travel long distances to access care. Families are being referred to Dublin, where ten paediatric consultants are currently employed. What does that mean in reality? It means long journeys for sick children in Kerry.It means parents taking unpaid leave from work. It means additional travel expenses, accommodation costs and emotional strain. It means delayed appointments and prolonged discomfort for young patients who deserve timely specialist care close to home. For families in Kerry, healthcare should not depend on geography. Yet, right now, access to paediatric services clearly does. Recruiting a paediatric dermatology consultant to University Hospital Kerry and employing that person would not simply be an administrative decision. It would be a statement that the children of Kerry matter as much as those of the capital. It would reduce waiting times, ease pressure on the Dublin service and, most important, provide care in a setting that is accessible to and humane for families from Kerry.

I call on the Minister and the HSE to indicate what steps will be taken to recruit and appoint a paediatric dermatology consultant for University Hospital Kerry and to outline a clear timeline for delivering this essential service.

Aubrey McCarthy (Independent)
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I will briefly bring up an issue that is a huge opportunity for Ireland and the Houses of the Oireachtas. It is something we could be genuinely proud of and should not miss. On 12 August 2026, there will be a rare and remarkable solar eclipse. It will be a total solar eclipse off the Atlantic coast. While it will not be possible to see it in its totality from the land, an extraordinary Irish-led scientific mission is ready to bring that moment to life for all citizens of Ireland and the world. It is simple. An Irish aircraft would fly west over the Atlantic to capture the first images of the eclipse, working alongside leading scientists from the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, DIAS, the European Space Agency, ESA, Trinity College Dublin and the Technological University Dublin, TUD. They are using specialist imaging equipment that is usually deployed in space. Irish science and Irish aviation will work in collaboration to capture this unique moment. It is an opportunity that should not be missed, but has been paused because the planning cannot move forward without permission from the Department of Defence. That approval is needed for the necessary flight tests to take place. An application was submitted last June and time is now moving on. It is nearly the end of February.

This is not just about the images. It is about curiosity and education and putting Ireland at the forefront of what will be a phenomenon. In moments such as this, we have to act fast and not miss out. I simply ask that the Minister look at this proposal and give it urgent and positive consideration so Ireland can play its full part in capturing a moment of wonder. In August, this will be world news and Ireland can play a key role on the stage.

Linda Nelson Murray (Fine Gael)
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This morning, I had the privilege of going to Meath Travellers' Workshop with Maria Walsh MEP. I had been there a few times previously, but sitting and listening to the people there today was a real eye-opener. It was a good experience. Something I am ashamed to say I did not know as a public representative is that every year we have a week called "Traveller Pride Week". This year, it will happen in late May. I think it will be around 25 May. Listening to some Travellers this morning, we discussed how education and communication are key and how in many of our primary schools we learn about different cultures. My children come home and say they had Spanish or French day, where they might eat some Spanish or French food. There is plenty of Irish culture in the schools as well, but the Travellers spoke about how nothing is ever done in primary schools about the old Irish culture of Travellers. Being able to explain to people who are Irish or of different nationalities some parts of what the culture is like is important. I took that on board today. One of the Travellers there mentioned he was born and reared in Navan. He is working in the Travellers' workshop, and is its chair.He spoke about how people of different nationalities can get into local restaurants and pubs and sometimes he might find it difficult to do so. It is back to the education piece. We should take it up with the Minister for education. We are looking at the primary curriculum at the moment. Perhaps there is an opportunity to bring awareness of what Traveller culture is like to young children to appreciate this culture. It could help to break down some barriers between people and Irish Travellers. I would appreciate if the Leader brought that up with the Minister. I intend to do so too. I wanted to say that today, having been at the workshop this morning.

Seán Kyne (Fine Gael)
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I thank all Senators for their contributions, starting with Senator O'Loughlin, supported by Senators Tully, Scahill and Boyhan, who spoke on the pausing of the cuts to SNA numbers. The Minister has indicated that SNAs play a crucial role in our schools, that she knows what they mean to school communities, parents and the children they support, and that she has listened carefully to all of the issues raised by parents and school communities in recent days. She reiterates that there were no cuts to SNA numbers. She wants to ensure that SNAs are with the children who need care the most. To that end, she is pausing the review of SNA allocations. She, the Tánaiste and the Taoiseach are engaging intensively to ensure all of the concerns raised are understood and children with special educational needs are fully supported. No further letters on SNA review outcomes will issue until these engagements have concluded in the coming weeks. I welcome that, as have Members. We look forward what comes from this. We all know the importance of special needs assistants and the work they do in our schools.

Senator O'Loughlin also raised the issue of women working on building sites. We has a debate last week on apprenticeships with the Minister of State, Deputy Harkin. The Senator highlighted that up to 3,010 women are involved in apprenticeships, some in construction. She mentioned some of the issues they may have which need to be addressed. I will request a debate with the Minister for further and higher education, Deputy James Lawless, on that matter. The Senator also acknowledged the work of volunteers around the country and the work of Kildare Volunteer Centre.

Senator Duffy raised the Love 30 km/h campaign by Culleens National School in Mayo and spoke about the benefits of the safe routes to school programmes, reduced speed limits and the investment in relation to this. Roads programme funding was announced today. I hope there is scope within that for additional safety works at Culleens National School. I acknowledge the Senator's advocacy on this issue.

Senator Clonan gave an impassioned speech regarding disability and the cancellation of spinal surgeries, with some 500 cancelled in the past four years. From the reports, I understand there were a number of reasons, for example, issues with children getting sick, emergency cases taking priority, clinical decisions or personal, parental and guardian reasons. During the pandemic, 15% of cancellations were due to Covid. There were also cases where intensive care unit beds were not made available. I will request a debate on this matter. There has been a lot of investment in this area and there have been improvements. Additional people are being seen for scoliosis procedures but there has also been increased demand. I acknowledge Senator Clonan's advocacy on this matter. I will bring it to the attention of the Minister for Health.

Senator Comyn paid a lovely tribute to Tony Smith from Drogheda who has passed away. His garage is 90 years in business. Our sympathies to his wife Mary, his extended family and all who knew and loved him. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

Senator Brady raised the issue of sepsis, which is a real threat. I think we all know people affected by sepsis, some of whom, unfortunately, passed away. It is a silent killer at times and people might not realise they have it until they start to feel very unwell.

The Senator mentioned courses of antibiotics.I will request a debate with the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, on that matter also.

Senator Craughwell raised the issues of air traffic control and the boarding of shadow ships, and requested that the Minister for Transport, Deputy O’Brien come in, as well as a debate with the Minister for Defence, Deputy McEntee. Deputy McEntee will be in the House next Wednesday for statements on defence and I will request that Deputy O’Brien come in to discuss issues of air transport.

Senator Fitzpatrick shared her frustration and anger at An Coimisiún Pleanála’s decision to overturn the plans for the Rotunda Hospital. Clearly, An Coimisiún Pleanála is an independent body and she rightly calls out the cynical politics by some who are blaming the Government for this. The inspector’s report was overturned and Senator Fitzpatrick cast her ire at the Civic Trust and at architectural heritage needs being put over the needs of women and children. I certainly hope that those or similar plans can be resurrected to ensure plans at the Rotunda Hospital go ahead.

Senator Boyle raised the issue of seaweed and protecting our shoreline and I am familiar with this issue in Galway, in Connemara. The Marine Area Regulatory Authority, MARA, is involved in the licensing of seaweed, and former Ministers of State, Damien English and Deputy Kieran O’Donnell, did a fair amount of work in relation to this area when that section was in the Department of housing and local government. The former Minister of State, Damien English, raised the issue of putting a committee together to get best advice on this, and got advice and a judgment from the Attorney General in this regard. Where there are seaweed rights listed on a person’s folio, they are protected. There are also what are called appurtenant rights in relation to seaweed harvesting. It is a slightly complex area because some rights might not be defined, some might be part of the Land Commission or may not be available. There are historical rights and there is great attachment among those harvesters to the harvesting of seaweed. I will request a debate with the Minister of State, Deputy Dooley, on that matter.

Senator Keogan called for a debate on hauliers and the burden on the industry due to the pressures they are experiencing. I will request a debate with the Minister, Deputy O’Brien, on that matter.

Senator Maria Byrne called for people who have not availed of or applied to the pyrite resolution scheme to do so before it closes. I acknowledge her advocacy to have Limerick included in that programme as a number of houses there have been remediated.

Senator Andrews raised the issue of the Nations League and that UEFA is breaking its own statutes. He is right of course to say the players should not be the ones who ultimately have to make a decision on this. They cannot be put under pressure on this issue. They are there to play football and need to be allowed to do that. The FAI has made its call and UEFA disagreed and did not sanction it. It is obviously in the hands of the FAI and UEFA but I certainly hope that if the game is sanctioned to go ahead, there will be no blame attached to the players.

Senator Boyhan raised the issue of SNAs, which I covered, as well as the issue of the prison report for Mountjoy Prison. I asked the Minister for justice to come to the House for that debate, and also for a wider debate on prisons. He is dealing with legislation in the Dáil at the moment but I will remind him again of that report.

Senator Kennelly raised a paediatric dermatology consultant post in Kerry and the costs of travel and time of going to Dublin, and the pressure that that puts on services in Dublin. I ask him to put down a Commencement debate in relation to that particular issue because it is quite specific to the Department of Health.

Senator McCarthy raised the requirement for the Department of Defence to approve a request from the Irish Air Corps to capture images on 12 August of a rare solar eclipse. The Minister, Deputy McEntee will be before the House next Wednesday. He may wish to raise it with her on that occasion.

Senator Nelson Murray acknowledged the Meath Travellers workshop she visited with Maria Walsh MEP . I acknowledge the good work it does, especially of course in relation to Traveller Pride Week. I will request a debate with the Minister for education to coincide with that.I think I have covered all the issues raised today.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I welcome from Galway the guests of Deputy Albert Dolan. I think they are members of a youth club in east Galway. They are most welcome to Seanad Éireann. Senator Scahill, who is from Roscommon, has reminded me that for any young people visiting the Seanad, there is no homework for the rest of the week. I am sure the visitors will be delighted to hear that.