Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail)
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The Order of Business is No. 1, motion re Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (Designation of Fingal and Wexford County Councils) (Parts of Administrative Areas) Order 2026, 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 eight minutes, group spokespersons not to exceed ten minutes, time can be shared and the Minister to be given no less than seven minutes to reply to the debate; No. 2, statements on the delivery of the broadband plan, to be taken at 6.15 p.m. and to conclude at 7.45 p.m., if not previously concluded, with the time allocated to the opening remarks of the Minister not to exceed ten minutes, group spokespersons not to exceed eight minutes, all other Senators not to exceed five minutes and the Minister to be given no less than ten minutes to reply to the debate; and No. 3, Public Health (Single-Use Vapes) Bill 2025 - Second Stage, to be taken at 7.45 p.m. and to conclude at 9 p.m., if not previously concluded, with the time allocated to the opening remarks of the Minister not to exceed ten minutes, group spokespersons not to exceed eight minutes, all other Senators not to exceed five minutes and the Minister to be given no less than ten minutes to reply to the debate.

Evanne Ní Chuilinn (Fine Gael)
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I want to speak about a wonderful group of students I met in my community yesterday. I visited St. Audoen's National School in Dublin 8 and sat down with the children from the older classes in the school. We had a great chat and spoke about life, politics, sport, writing and journalism. We chatted about the importance of democracy and the changes they brought about in their school as a result of their student council. I was delighted to spend my morning with the best and the brightest of us and I am grateful to Principal Geoff and his teachers for inviting me in for a chat.

Unfortunately, we are failing those children and their families and teachers because people who live in the south-west inner city of Dublin are dealing with some of the most alarming socio-economic realities. A report launched last week by Sporting Liberties told us the crime rates in the area are double those of the national average, as are drug-related deaths. The research for the report, produced independently by Barra Roantree of Trinity College, told us that four in ten of the children I met will go on to secondary school in the area. Some will leave the area to go to secondary school, but unfortunately many leave school altogether. The progression rate to third level is 36%.Education opportunities are curtailed; health provision, both physical and mental, are negatively affected; and we are back to a postcode lottery. Being born in Dublin 6 does not make you any more worthy of a vibrant community, a local education, a football pitch or a swimming pool. Yet, the children of the south-west inner city have nowhere to run around and emulate their heroes. The girls' football team at St. Audeon's has won multiple trophies and they look up to our women's national football team but they have no chance of honing their skills on the postage stamp of a yard I saw at the school yesterday. In fact, half of the primary school students in the area never participate in organised sport outside of the school. That is because there are no facilities in their area. This in turn leads to poor health outcomes and poor social outcomes.

Luckily for us here in the corridors in the power, we have an independent report with a set of recommendations. I put on record my support for those recommendations. We need a south-west inner city task force, not dissimilar to the north-east inner city task force. We need ring-fenced funding of €8 million per year and a programme implementation board with an independent chairperson. Former Taoiseach Enda Kenny set in motion the wheels of the very successful north-east inner city, NEIC, task force, which has seen €61 million of well-spent public money. I call on this Government to do the same for the south-west inner city. This is not party political, nor should it be. I know this will be supported by all reps in the area, most of whom attended last week's launch in Griffith College. Our children in Dublin 8 deserve the same access to health, education, community and sport facilities as much as the children in Raheny, Rathgar or Ranelagh.

I thank the Deputy Leader. I want a debate on this issue in the Seanad and I intend to bring this request directly to our Cabinet Ministers.

Alison Comyn (Fianna Fail)
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I begin by marking Workers' Memorial Day today and remembering all those who lost their lives or were seriously injured through going to work. A ceremony was held today in the Garden of Remembrance in Dublin, which was a really important reminder that workplace safety can never be taken for granted. The figures are quite stark. Last year, 63 people lost their lives in workplace incidents, which was a 75% increase on the previous year. Thankfully, fatalities are lower so far this year but even one death is one too many. Behind every statistic is a devastated family and a community left grieving. Many of these incidents, as we know, happen in sectors that are hugely important to rural Ireland, including farming, fishing, transport and construction. Today should also be about renewing our focus on workplace safety and awareness.

I also welcome the fuel support measures announced today by the Taoiseach, Deputy Micheál Martin, for farmers, hauliers, contractors and fishers. These sectors have been under enormous pressure recently, as we all know, due to rising fuel costs. Practical supports like this are very important. Up to 120,000 farmers and 1,500 agricultural contractors will benefit and, combined with previous excise reductions, the measures amount to a reduction of €274 on every 1,000 litres of green diesel purchased.

In my remaining time, I will briefly raise the decision by my own local radio station, LMFM, which is based in Drogheda but broadcasts right across the north east, to discontinue its Sunday morning mass broadcast. I have received a huge number of messages from listeners, particularly older and more vulnerable people who are sometimes those who are taking care of somebody else or have mobility issues themselves. They are deeply upset by this decision. For so many people, especially those living alone or unable to attend church, this was not just a radio programme. They actually set their clocks to it. It was at nine o'clock on a Sunday morning and they wanted to hear their own local priest. It was part of their weekly routine and a really important source not just of communication and connection but of comfort. We have been told that online services are available but I know many elderly listeners to the radio station simply do not have the technology to try and stream something online. They were panicking looking for email addresses and everything. Turning on that radio station on a Sunday morning was a simple, familiar and accessible way for people to stay connected. As somebody who started their broadcasting career - dare I say it - almost 40 years ago in what was called Boyneside Radio at the time, it provides an amazing service with incredible current affairs, community services, etc. I would hate to see this one go by the wayside. I hope that some alternative arrangement could possibly be made, particularly for those people right across the north east because this service really was a lifeline.

Sharon Keogan (Independent)
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A story reported this morning in the Irish Examiner relates to the announcement that the HSE has launched an investigation into the alleged transfer by the charity Autism Initiatives Ireland of over €1.5 million to the UK.The transfers are alleged to have taken place as far back as 2019. Rather than dwell on the specific details of the case, which are to be investigated, I want to address what this story reveals about the wider state of public infrastructure and support in this country, or more accurately the alarming absence of it. A cursory glance at the autism service landscape reveals a system defined by fragmentation and disorder. Dozens of NGOs and charities operate in this space, many almost entirely funded by the taxpayer. They often deliver overlapping services with little evidence of co-ordination, strategic planning or enforced efficiency. This is just one area - autism - and we could also touch on homelessness, disability, mental health and other marginalised groups more broadly.

What we are seeing is a State that has offloaded the delivery of core public services to NGOs without building the institutional architecture required to govern such a model properly. Responsibility has been blindly outsourced. We had that responsibility when Benefacts was there but they got rid of it back in 2023. Oversight exists largely on paper. Service level agreements measure activity rather than outcomes. Audits occur after money has been spent. Regulators are focused on compliance rather than value for money. There is no single authority tasked with ensuring the basics of governance. This creates a system where inefficiency is tolerated, waste goes unchallenged and risk accumulates quietly until it emerges as a headline like the one we read today. The problem here is not charity and it is not goodwill; the problem is a hollowed-out State that no longer designs, manages or disciplines the system it funds. Until we rebuild real public institutions capable of doing that work, controversies like this will not be the exception; they will be inevitable. We would like a debate on this matter.

Conor Murphy (Sinn Fein)
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I join my Seanad colleague in acknowledging the events for workers this week. This is trade union week, leading up to the May Day celebrations. We acknowledge the workers who have lost their lives in very dangerous circumstances. As she says, such instances have thankfully lessened over the years. Yesterday, there was a similar ceremony at Stormont which I had the privilege of speaking at over a number of years. It is important on both sides of the Border to acknowledge that and to acknowledge the sacrifices workers have had to make at times to pledge to ensure conditions continue to improve for workers right across the island.

Earlier, there was a presentation in the audiovisual room from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions about its quality employment and good jobs document and the promotion of a new economic model. It made the case that good jobs should be at the heart of the economy. It is not simply about pay; it is about conditions and having a supported and fulfilled workforce, which is a key component for any successful business. The quality jobs argument includes a legal right to collective bargaining, a legal right for trade unions to access workplaces and greater supports for workplace representatives. As I said, that not only improves the conditions of those in the workplace but has been proven in many studies to give a much more effective, motivated and collaborative workforce. It is of benefit to public sector or private sector businesses to ensure workers are treated correctly in the correct fashion. The ask of the Government is to fully implement the EU adequate minimum wages directive. The programme for Government committed the Government to publish an action plan for collective bargaining in 2025 as part of the fulfilment of the EU directive. That remains outstanding. We are midway through 2026 so I would appreciate it if the Leader would raise a query as to where we are with that with the relevant Government Ministers and what the cause of that delay might be.

The trade union leaders from ICTU also made reference to the fact that even though we often lag behind on a number of things on the Northern side of Border, in this case my colleague, Caoimhe Archibald, is beginning to bring the good jobs Bill through the Assembly to put it into legislation.It will put the rights of workers and unions in the workplace at a much more advanced stage than is the case across the rest of Ireland. There are some lessons that could be learned from that legislation. It moves things in advance of anything that obtains in Britain as well. There are good measures that can be brought in. ICTU is an all-Ireland body and it wants to see standards collectively raised across Ireland for all workers. I ask the Leader to specifically check those points and to offer our support and solidarity for all workers in this trade union week.

Margaret Murphy O'Mahony (Fianna Fail)
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It is with deep sadness that I stand here today to pay tribute to my good friend and former colleague Councillor Joe Carroll from the Skibbereen local electoral area, who we laid to rest yesterday. Anyone who knew Joe or ever met him would have known he was a larger-than-life character. Joe played hard and worked hard. You always knew where you stood with Joe. Sometimes that was good and sometimes it was not so good, but it always came from a good place. He was full of advice, friendship and fun. It is so sad and so ironic that he went so close to our other colleague, Councillor Patrick Gerard Murphy. They travelled the length and breadth of the world, not to mind the country, so it is nice that they are back together again. No doubt "The Old Dungarvan Oak" is getting a good rendition up in heaven.

Joe was elected to Skibbereen Town Council in 1999. He was elected to Cork County Council in 2004. His greatest political honour was to be elected mayor of our great county, County Cork, in 2024. He did this with great honour and prestige and he did an excellent job. He really made it his own. I would like to pay tribute to my good friend today.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I join with Senator Murphy O'Mahony and all colleagues in expressing our sympathies to the family and huge number of friends of Joe Carroll. He was a character in every sense of the word, but he was also a great servant to all the people down in west Cork. Obviously, it was a great honour for him and his family that he was the mayor of the county, and as the Senator pointed out, he did so with distinction. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

Mark Duffy (Fine Gael)
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Today I would like to raise DEIS status for schools. It is a brilliant programme for schools that benefit from it. I got a benefit from it in my own time in primary school. I call for the Leader's support in arranging a discussion with the Minister for education on schools that have missed out on either DEIS status or the home school community liaison element of DEIS support. I think in particular of Scoil Naomh Bríd in Ballycastle, an area that I raise regularly on the floor of Seanad Éireann. It is a three-teacher school with 73 students. A third of the school comprises students from international protection. It is a very rural, isolated area that, according to the Pobal index, has areas of deprivation. While it is a very vibrant community and school with brilliant staff and students, they do need support. There are vulnerable students, be they locals or recent arrivals, as well as students with additional needs and they need to be supported. DEIS status is there to support those most in need and those most vulnerable. I ask that schools like Naomh Bríd would be considered for support through the DEIS support initiative, in particular for home school community liaison officers and supports. While I think in particular of the inclusion of Ballycastle's national school, Scoil Naomh Bríd, in any future support, I would welcome a broad discussion on DEIS schools.

Gerard Craughwell (Independent)
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Yesterday, we read in the Irish Examiner that defence spending is still at 0.2% of our GDP, the lowest in the entire European Union. The tiny island of Malta spends 3% on defence. We also note that the Garda has been awarded an additional €165 million for the Presidency of the EU. There is no word whatsoever as to what will be provided to the Defence Forces for the Presidency of the EU. In light of the constituency she lives in, the Deputy Leader will have some understanding of where I am coming from. She is probably one of the few in the Oireachtas who fully understands what goes on within defence. Given that the current central focus of the EU is defence and security, how can we take on the Presidency when we are spending 0.2% of GDP or 0.3% of GNP, which is more or less the same as GNI? How can we credibly take on the European Presidency and guarantee the safety of the senior government leaders who will be coming to this country?

I ask the Deputy Leader to use her own influence to have the Minister for Defence come in here to discuss the security of the State over the period of the EU Presidency. The public has the right to know how we will behave as a sovereign nation to defend not just ourselves, but our colleagues and friends from Europe who will come to this country. At this point in time, I see nothing to reassure me. It is almost certain that we will suffer massive cyberattacks and that we will have other issues to contend with. Sadly, as a result of the Zelenskyy visit, we cannot run around the place clapping ourselves on the back and saying how prepared we are. We are ill prepared. I ask the Deputy Leader not just to use her offices here today to call for a debate, but to use her influence within her own parliamentary party to raise the matter and put more focus on it.

Mike Kennelly (Fine Gael)
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I raise the issues surrounding the operation of the targeted agriculture modernisation scheme, TAMS, which is a farm investment grant scheme run by the Department of agriculture, and how we can make the system more accessible and workable for farmers. There is growing frustration across the sector with the current ranking and selection process. That is the main barrier. Many farmers applying for slurry storage, solar PV and other essential investments are being ruled out, even where they are trying to meet new environmental and regulatory requirements. In some cases, only 10% of solar applications are being approved. Delays in processing are adding further uncertainty for the farming community.

Farmers are also raising concerns about the exclusion of domestic farm dwellings on the same MPRN that is included on the application, the financial risk of paying non-refundable grid assessment fees and the wider issue of outdated rural grid infrastructure. These are practical barriers that are preventing farmers from investing in renewable energy and compliance measures. This is affecting dairy, dry stock, tillage and mixed farms across the country. I call on the Minister for agriculture to come to the Seanad to make a statement and to have a debate on this issue, on how the system can be streamlined, how delays can be reduced and how we can ensure that farmers who want to invest in sustainability can do so effectively, making the scheme genuinely accessible to the people it is intended to support.

Chris Andrews (Sinn Fein)
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Dublin is in the midst of what is arguably the worst housing crisis since the establishment of the State. Private rental tenants are under huge pressure to make ends meet. Absolutely no progress has been made. Rents are going up every year. Rental property is only getting more difficult to find. Properties available under HAP, which has unfortunately become the backbone of our broken social housing system, are practically non-existent. Prospective tenants need to be making six-figure salaries to come anywhere close to affording rent in any new-build apartment complex in the city. In the docklands and elsewhere in the city, apartments and buildings are lying empty because only a miniscule proportion of the population can actually afford to live there and the developers will not lower the rents as that would reduce the speculative value of their properties.The buildings lie empty while people sleep on the streets outside. In the middle of a housing crisis, homes are being treated like commodities that are built, bought and sold solely in the interests of the wealthy. Behind all the statistics, communities are being divided, split up and forced out from where generations of their families have grown up. Three and four generations of families are being forced to move out not because there is no housing in the area, but because the Government's policy on housing has meant that local inner city families cannot afford these insane eye-watering prices. What we have now are homes without people and people without homes in this city.

When the Government talks about its housing plan, which is called Delivering Homes, Building Communities, I find it ironic. The homes that the Government are delivering are not being delivered to inner city communities like the families of those in Mercer House or Digges Street Upper. These communities cannot afford to pay these eye-watering prices. It is dividing communities, not building them. We need the Minister for housing in here who, certainly for residents in the inner city, Pearse Street and Ringsend, the invisible Minister. We need to see him here to explain what he is going to do to support inner city communities.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I welcome to the Distinguished Visitors Gallery, Mr. Gordon Prentice, who is a former Labour Party MP from Britain and represented Lancashire back in the day. I am sure he is sorry to be missing out on all the action in Westminster today.

Pauline Tully (Sinn Fein)
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I also want to raise a housing issue, which is the social housing income thresholds. Currently, there are three bands. Band 1 is for city areas and commuter counties around Dublin and €40,000 is the threshold, band 2 is €35,000 for a number of other counties and band 3, which County Cavan is in, is only €30,000. I was contacted by a person yesterday. She is a single parent with four children who is working and she is above the social housing income threshold for Cavan. She has just received an eviction notice even though she has been renting the same house for 11 years. She has not got a hope of getting another rental at a price she can afford. There is very little available and what is available is priced out of the market. She cannot look for housing supports, such as HAP. Single people do not have a hope if they are working. It is not much over the minimum wage. Most families also get the working family payment, which they need, but it pushes them further over the threshold. It is means that they have nowhere to live. They are forced to go back and live with other family members or to seek homeless accommodation.

We need a proper debate on the social and affordable housing targets and having a good look at what is happening in each area. I call on the Minister for housing to come in here to address this issue, so we can have a good debate and really look at what is happening around specifically social housing, thresholds for social housing and supports for people who are just above the threshold. There is nothing there. They do not have the option of getting a mortgage and buying. We need to see a lot more affordable houses available and vacancy rates addressed.

Sarah O'Reilly (Aontú)
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I would like to raise the issue of overcrowding in our prisons today. The current state of our prison system is concerning. Overcrowding has been flagged for years by the Irish Penal Reform Trust. The situation is deteriorating rapidly. Recent figures show that approximately 66% of prisoners - 3,586 out of a total prison population of 5,463 - have previously served time. That tells us that the system is not rehabilitating effectively. People are being released within one day of entering the prison system simply because there is not space. In 2024, over 1,000 prisoners were released within 24 hours on temporary release. There are even warnings from within the Prison Service that overcrowding is increasing the risk of violence and rioting. We need to address the strange inconsistency in sentencing. We regularly see repeat offenders receiving suspended sentences. Let us imagine the frustration of our gardaí who make the arrest, complete the paperwork, send the file to the DPP and when the case goes to court, the individual walks free. People know that they can flout the law without a fear and continue to do this in a revolving door system.Years ago, we saw a man imprisoned for six years for falsely labelling Chinese garlic as apples to evade high customs duties. Yet, every week or so, we see individuals who are found with the most horrific child sexual abuse material being given suspended sentences. Where is the sense of justice when financial crimes are treated more harshly than the abuse of children? Who are we looking after? We have cases like Detective Garda Eamonn Cunnane, a respected officer who, during the lockdown, lent an unclaimed bicycle to an elderly neighbour in rural isolation. As a result, he faced a criminal investigation, suspension and a four-year ordeal that took a profound personal effect on his life. Meanwhile, serious repeat offenders are cycling through the system with minimal consequences and laughing. Is the Minister concerned with sentencing? Does he believe prison overcrowding is influencing these decisions? Will the Government build a new prison or will we be debating overcrowding in another ten years?

Shane Curley (Fianna Fail)
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Earlier this week, Gaelscoil Riada and Coláiste an Eachréidh received the great news that they have been issued with a letter of intent to go to construction, which is huge news for them. Déanaim comhghairdeas leo. Tá mé an-sásta dóibh. However, this was met with dismay by other schools, such as Carrabane National School just outside Loughrea, which has been waiting a long time – over 20 years – to get to construction phase. Four months ago, the announcement was made that it was sanctioned to go to stage 3 which, in my opinion, should be the green light to see diggers on the ground and construction commenced. This is a 20-year saga. The school is in a dangerous condition and teachers are teaching in dangerous conditions. Students are not in fit-for-purpose classrooms. This needs to be sped up urgently.

The process already collapsed once many years ago and the school was sent back to square one. The builder at the time pulled out. The school is now faced with going back to square one again after having gone through the entire process a second time up to stage 3. We do not need to see a third round of going back to square one for Carrabane National School. I am asking the Deputy Leader to talk to the Minister, Deputy Naughton, and ask her to directly intervene with the buildings unit in Tullamore of the Department of education. This is genuinely urgent because the builder is about to pull out for a second time. We do not need to see Carrabane National School losing out for a second time.

Nessa Cosgrove (Labour)
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This week is trade union week. It was a pleasure to attend an informative session in the audiovisual room by Owen Reidy of ICTU and Neil McGowan of SIPTU. They set out their vision for a new economic model that puts quality jobs at the centre of all development. Sinn Féin’s good jobs Bill is currently before the Northern Assembly, which will hopefully be enacted before the next Assembly elections in May 2027. Not only will this put it on the record and stop the scourge of zero-hour contracts but it will also provide much stronger protections for collective bargaining in the workplace. The absence of similar legislation here shows us that we need to update our employment legislation. The Labour Party has put forward four different pieces of employment legislation so far between the Dáil and the Seanad that have not been supported. We are supportive of Sinn Féin’s Private Members’ motion that is being discussed today in the Dáil.

The cost-of-living crisis is having an impact on the daily lives of ordinary PAYE workers. Inflation is having a negative effect on the living standards of all workers, particularly on those earning the least. This can be felt. People’s wages are not going up, even for those who might have got a pay rise, because there is no indexation with inflation. We seek a mini-budget to address this that includes a double indexation of tax bands and credits. We see this being paid through the withdrawal of the VAT cut to hospitality giants and multinational corporations.

Employers often peddle the line that trade unions are no longer relevant, but a new research study has shown the opposite is true. The Working in Ireland Survey 2025 found that 44% of workers in Ireland are not in a union, while 52% of young workers have said that they want to be part of a union. However, Ireland continues to lag farther behind. It is frustrating that during trade union week and in the run-up to May Day on Friday that Ireland lags behind every other country in Europe when it comes to our collective bargaining rights.

Maria Byrne (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the announcement last week from the Minister, Deputy O’Callaghan, that there will be an implementation plan for the Family Courts Act 2024, which represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to fundamentally improve how we deliver family justice in this State.The move towards dedicated family court divisions with specialist judges and more accessible structures is both necessary and overdue. It is essential, however, that the first phase of implementation is grounded in locations that can best demonstrate the model's effectiveness from the outset. In that context, I want to strongly advocate for Limerick being one of the initial phase 1 venues. Limerick is already one of the State's most significant judicial centres outside Dublin and Cork. Limerick hosts a substantial volume of High Court and Circuit Court sittings with more provincial High Court and Circuit Court sittings than any other location. Limerick has clearly demonstrated its capacity to support complex and high-level court business. This is further reinforced by the fact that the Central Criminal Court now sits in Limerick on a full-time basis alongside two sitting Circuit Criminal Courts. These developments reflect a clear recognition of Limerick's capability, infrastructure and strategic importance within the judicial system.

At District Court level, the case for Limerick is equally compelling. The city carries a significant family law caseload alongside a high volume of cases involving the child and family agency, Tusla. This demonstrates an established and ongoing demand for family justice services in the mid-west and highlights the importance of locating one of the initial family court divisions in the region where it will have an immediate and meaningful impact. Importantly, Limerick also benefits from having two court houses for criminal and family law at Merchant's Quay and Mulgrave Street. This is a critical, practical advantage. It allows for a more appropriate and sensitive environment for parties before the family courts, many of whom are dealing with deeply personal and often vulnerable circumstances, by avoiding the overlap with criminal proceedings that can arise in shared court settings. Such a separation is entirely consistent with the objectives of the Family Courts Act in creating a more humane and user-focused system. I have written to the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, about the delivery of this, but I also ask for the Leader's support in relation to it.

Rónán Mullen (Independent)
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I welcome the fact that the British Government has now committed to introducing social media restrictions for under-16s. It is going to consult on whether to introduce an outright ban, but what is guaranteed is that some form of age or functionality restriction will be brought in. The first point I would like to make is that this has come about as a result from pressure from the House of Lords, which on four occasions voted for amendments to the UK Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill that were brought forward by Opposition members. I would like to point to what a healthy sign that is of a democracy. For us in the Seanad, also in a review Chamber, it would be a very positive development if we kept the ball pucked out to the Government in the same way on legislation from time to time by insisting that certain issues be visited and revisited. We did with some considerable success some years ago in the context of hate speech, but we should do more of it in this House.

My second point has to do with the merits of the case for a social media ban. I worry that our Government could be too deferential to big tech in all of this. I am also unimpressed by supposed defenders of children's rights and welfare, such as the Children's Rights Alliance, who seem to me to be sometimes more interested in vindicating children's rights even if it comes at the expense of their welfare. The kinds of excuses I hear for not introducing some kind of ban have to do with putting pressure on parents or children, or children finding other sources, maybe more unregulated spaces. All that seems to do is mirror the talking points we get from big tech about this. What needs to be focused on here is not a blanket ban on social media access for children per se but, as they have done in Australia, a ban on accounts being created by children because it is when accounts are created that children on social media can be particularly targeted. Of course, such a social media accounts ban is a necessary but not sufficient condition for improvement in this area. We need to look at design integrated functions that cause problems like infinite scroll, recommender systems, algorithms and so on. I say "well done" to the British House of Lords.We should follow its example if our Government proves, as I fear, to be too timid on this issue.

Martin Conway (Fine Gael)
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I call for a debate on the regional airports strategy. We hear a lot of talk about Dublin Airport and the removal of the cap and so forth. I am of the view that a cap in Dublin Airport does not necessarily benefit regional airports anyway, so lifting the cap, if it is good for Dublin, can be good for Ireland. That said, however, I am a big believer in our regional airports, particularly Shannon Airport. The debate taking place concerning the cap in Dublin Airport means there may be a lack of focus on our regional airports. We have had huge success with Knock Airport. We have seen Ryanair recently announce additional flights. Cork Airport is part of the DAA group so it is not considered a regional airport, but certainly Shannon and Knock, as well as Donegal and Kerry, are regional airports.

We need to refresh the regional airports strategy. We need to explore new and innovative ways of developing additional business. I commend the management team at Shannon Airport on the phenomenal work it has done in driving the airport through Covid and to its remarkable success to date, but a huge amount more can be achieved. We are all looking forward to the Ryder Cup next year, when Shannon Airport will be the base, hopefully, for a significant amount of activity, but I believe that tourism in this country is an all-Ireland business, particularly in the west of Ireland. Our airports are our connections to the rest of the world. Our airports along the west coast, particularly Shannon, can and should be used an awful lot more. I would like to hear from the Minister as to what his thoughts are on the next four or five years for our regional airports.

Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail)
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I thought I was going to have a quiet afternoon. That was not to be, but I thank the 19 Senators who contributed this afternoon.

We started with Senator Ní Chuilinn, who spoke about St. Audoen's. I think the children who go to school there are across Dublin 6 and Dublin 8. She spoke about a very pleasant morning spent with the children talking about the importance of democracy and about issues and concerns they had. Many of us have spoken in the past about our engagements with young people. Every time I have that within a school I come away enthused by what they are thinking about and talking about. It is just wonderful to see how engaged they are. Obviously, there are concerns such as those Senator Ní Chuilinn spoke about in relation to Dublin's south-west inner city and the report that was launched last week stating that only about four in ten primary school pupils in the area go on to secondary schools in the area. Some, obviously, go to secondary schools outside of the area, but that statistic is quite alarming. Only about 36% go on to further education. There is a huge lack of sporting and education facilities. That leads to poor health and social outcomes. It is clear from what the Senator said that clear recommendations have been given and that a task force and ring-fenced funding have been requested for the area. Every child, no matter where they are, whether they are in a deprived urban setting or a deprived rural setting, deserves access to good-quality facilities. It seems, certainly from what Senator Ní Chuilinn said, that we need to have a task force set up for that particular area. We will look for a debate with the Minister about that.

Senator Comyn spoke about Workers' Memorial Day, as did Senator Murphy and Senator Cosgrove. It is important that we look back with sadness on those who died in workplace accidents. The fact that 63 people died last year, which was a 75% increase on the year before, was quite shocking.I knew one of them: John Maher, who was very fine man. When you know the individual, the family and the community, you see the impact on them. There is also the impact on their work colleagues and those who own the workplace. It has such a shocking impact. Sadly another person - Lukasz Prusik - from the same village of Rathangan died in another workplace accident just last month. I know only too well the impact of these incidents. We need to put a lot of focus on ensuring our workplaces are very safe places. I sometimes hear from local authorities that it can be frustrating when a third of all costs go on making a place safe, particularly when workers are out on the roads, but that is the way it has to be. We need to protect people's lives no matter what. We need to renew our focus on workplace safety. We will look for a debate on that.

Senator Comyn also welcomed the practical supports for farmers, hauliers and fishermen. I know there will be debates throughout the week about that. It is incredibly important.

I am sorry to hear from Senator Comyn about the decision that LMFM has made. I can appreciate how it will affect people who live not just in rural areas but maybe in urban areas as well who are unable to go to mass for mobility reasons. I understand the connectivity they have with their peers and with their brethren when they are able to listen to mass. I know the Senator will be doing her best to persuade LMFM to change its mind on that.

Senator Keogan spoke about funds paid by the HSE in the area of autism that are going to private companies in the UK, according to a particular report. She sought a debate on how funding for public infrastructure is allocated and spent. It is about looking for value for money but it is also about making sure it is the right decision for that individual. When it comes to people, particularly those who are vulnerable and have challenging needs, we have to find a system that is going to work best for the individual. We will ask the Minister to come in for a debate on that.

Senator Conor Murphy spoke about work safety. He said that this is trade union week on both sides of the Border. He mentioned a presentation that was given by ICTU in the audiovisual room earlier about quality employment and good jobs. It is important that we support our workers. Collective bargaining, which has always had success, is something we certainly want to see. The Senator asked for an update on commitments that were made in the programme for Government. We will look for that. We also offer our solidarity to workers. Where would any of us be without the workers who facilitate every part of our lives?

Senator Murphy O'Mahony spoke about the sad news of Councillor Joe Carroll's very sudden demise. He received a diagnosis four or five days before he passed away. He was an absolutely wonderful character who came into his own as mayor of Cork, a position in which he took huge pride. His death is an incredible blow not just to the community but to all the public representatives in the area, particularly those from Fianna Fáil who have lost Joe Carroll, Patrick Gerard Murphy and Brian Crowley in recent times. It is a very difficult time. We offer our very deepest sympathy to Joe's family, his many friends and all of the Fianna Fáil family in west Cork.

Senator Duffy spoke about DEIS status. The recent announcements with regard to DEIS plus status were certainly very welcome. All the DEIS plus schools seem to be in the cities, particularly Dublin. I do not doubt that those schools need it, but DEIS is needed in the country as well. There are schools that have missed out. We are talking about disadvantage from a rural basis and disadvantage from an urban basis.I certainly agree that the biggest disadvantage a school has if it does not have DEIS status is not having a home school liaison service. Last year, measures were put in place so that a school would not have to have DEIS status to have a home-school liaison service. It is incredibly important.

The Senator mentioned Ballycastle, where a third of the children are non-English speaking. I can appreciate that there are difficulties. We need to liaise with families to ensure everybody is on the same page.

Senator Craughwell noted defence expenditure is still at 0.2%. Although welcoming the fact that the Garda has received an additional budget of €165 million, he stated we are not seeing such an increase for defence. The Senator asked how we can take on the EU Presidency. I would say we are taking it on extremely well. The Minister of State responsible for European affairs, Deputy Thomas Byrne, has liaised on an ongoing basis with the EU affairs committee. We have had statements and debates in this House on the Presidency. The EU affairs committee had a debate with the Minister of State only two weeks ago. I thank all the staff in the Department of foreign affairs, but also staff cross-departmentally, for their preparations to showcase Ireland and to ensure the lives of people going about their daily business will not be impeded unnecessarily. We can certainly ask the Minister of State responsible for EU affairs to come back, but just because we do not necessarily see the preparations does not mean that they are not happening. On security, obviously much of the work has to be kept under wraps and will not be made public; however, we will ask the Minister for Defence to come to the House to speak about it.

Senator Kennelly spoke about the operation of TAMS and the fact that it is causing concern among farmers owing to a lack of simplification and a lack of clarity over what is covered. We absolutely need to address this. It is a difficult year for farmers, no matter what sector they are in. The nature of farming is such that you can have a good year one year and a bad one the next. Given what is happening in the world, not just in terms of the affordability of fertiliser but also its availability, as well as in terms of energy costs and so on, this is a very difficult time. We need to have absolute clarity on the barriers in place under TAMS and on what is covered in respect of refunds. This affects farmers right across the country. We need to have a debate on this with the Minister for agriculture and I will certainly look for it.

Senator Andrews spoke about housing and the impact of the lack of rental housing, particularly in the city centre. I appreciate that this is difficult. For 2026, there has been a total of €11.3 billion in funding to directly support housing with about €9 billion of that going towards capital housing. We have approximately €2.9 billion going into social housing. There was a 20% increase in starter home supports delivered in 2025. In quarter 1 of 2026, there has been an increase of 184% compared with quarter 1 of 2025. By any standard, that is a huge jump. There was an increase of 293% in respect of new homes commenced in March 2026 by comparison with March 2025. As we have said repeatedly, the only way to have enough houses to rent and to try to bring prices down is by having homes available. Under the relevant Minister, Deputy Browne, we have seen a huge increase in this regard.

Senator Tully spoke about the rent thresholds available through local authorities and the three different bands that apply. For Dublin and the commuter belt, the threshold is around €40,000. The threshold for the second band is €35,000. I appreciate that in Cavan the amount is at the lower end of the scale, at €30,000. I am aware that the Minister is examining this and engaging with local authorities on the barriers and challenges people face in accessing supports. I expect the thresholds to go up significantly.Of course when the bands go up, that takes away from the available amount of money as well, so there is a difficulty either way.

Senator Pauline O'Reilly spoke about overcrowding in prisons, inconsistency in sentencing and the revolving door system. Obviously, we cannot speak about specific offences, but it is very frustrating to see repeat offenders. Any one of us who has been inside listening to cases in the court will have heard of people being up for their 50th or 60th time. It is really difficult. I have no doubt it is very difficult for the gardaí who are dealing with the same offenders as well. It absolutely needs to be dealt with, both in terms of the protocols that are there and in terms of the Judiciary.

Senator Curley spoke about good news and bad news. The good news is that two Gaelscoileanna in the Loughrea area have been issued with letters of intent. The bad news is that Carrabane National School, in the same area, is at stage 3 but still does not have the letter of intent after 20 years. I would suggest that Senator Curley put in a specific Commencement matter about that.

Senator Cosgrove spoke about workers and the cost-of-living crisis and the impact on PAYE workers. That is true, but we also have to remember that the same cost-of-living crisis has an impact on those working in the private sector. It is also a difficult time for employers in the private sector in terms of paying into the pension scheme and the increase in wages. There are certainly issues around the cost of living, but I would say it applies to PAYE workers and those working in the private sector and business and enterprise too.

Senator Maria Byrne spoke about the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan's, recent announcement about dedicated family provision in the courts and put a very strong case forward for Limerick to be considered as one of those areas. Any of us who has been to the family courts will know how difficult it can be. I remember being in Dolphin House one time. It is difficult. We need to have those family court situations when we see the increase in domestic violence alone, to take that as just one statistic. Obviously, those cases all have to go through the courts too, as well as so many other very civilised sets of arrangements, which can cause trauma to all of those involved. We need to see a good geographical location. I have no doubt the Senator will make that excellent case to the Minister and that he will take it on board.

Senator Mullen spoke about the British Government having committed to looking at social media measures for under-16s and having a consultation. Certainly, it is to be welcomed. The House of Lords had a lot to do with bringing that about. The Senator mentioned what is happening in other jurisdictions, particularly Australia. The Government has agreed to keep a watching brief on this as it is one of the huge issues of our time. The anti-bullying unit in DCU has done incredible work and research on bullying through social media among those under 16. I was fortunate enough through the education committee to get to see a lot of the unit's statistics and what it is doing. It would be no harm if we looked for another debate, particularly on what is happening in other jurisdictions because that is important to inform what we do here. It is a cross-departmental issue. It does not lie with just one Minister, which is the way it should be. There has to be accountability across government and across the Cabinet. We will look for a debate on that.

Senator Martin Conway called for a debate on the long-term strategy for the regional airports. It is not all about Dublin and the cap being lifted, and he is correct about that. He praised the excellent teams at Shannon and Knock. I will add Farranfore in Kerry because the team there does great work too. I have never flown into Knock but I have flown into and out of Shannon and Farranfore as well. The Senator is right when he says that for tourism, business and connectivity between families it is hugely important, so we will look for that debate.