Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail)
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The Order of Business is No. 1, motion re proposed approval by Seanad Éireann of the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (Designation of Meath County Council) (Parts of Administrative Area) Order 2026, to be taken on the conclusion of the Order of Business without debate; No. 1a , Media Regulation Bill 2026 - Second Stage, to be taken at 12.15 p.m., with the time allocated to the opening remarks of the Minister not to exceed eight minutes, group spokespersons not to exceed six minutes and all other Senators not to exceed three minutes, with the Minister to be given no less than eight minutes to reply to the debate; No. 2, Údarás na Gaeltachta (Amendment) Bill 2024 - Second Stage, to be taken at 1.15 p.m. or on the conclusion of No. 1a , whichever is the later, with the time allocated to the opening remarks of the Minister not to exceed eight minutes, group spokespersons not to exceed six minutes, all other Senators not to exceed three minutes, with the Minister to be given no less than eight minutes to reply to the debate; and No. 3., Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) (Amendment) Bill 2025 - Committee Stage (Resumed), to be taken at 2.15 p.m. or on the conclusion of No. 2, whichever is the later, and the proceedings thereon shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 90 minutes by the putting of one question from the Chair which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Government.

Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail)
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Today I would like to draw the attention of the House to the latest report from the European Union Drugs Agency. The drug trends report for 2026 makes for very stark reading from a European perspective but also from an Irish perspective. Ultimately, what it tells us in very clear language is that our challenge with drugs is increasing every day. Drugs are more available, more powerful and more dangerous right across Europe but also here in Ireland and not just in Dublin, but right across the country. It is really important that we understand that message and accept it. We cannot continue to try to police our way out of what is a public health emergency.

The report is available online. It was released this week. There are some very key, stark findings in it. The lives of more than 7,600 people in Europe ended because of drug use. In Ireland, according to the latest statistics, there were 343 drug poisoning deaths and in eight out of ten of those deaths, there was more than one drug used. What that tells us is that polydrug use is now more common.

We also need to accept that cocaine, and increasingly crack cocaine, and synthetics are dominating. Drug use and drug abuse is not something that is confined to marginalised, at-risk, hard-to-reach individuals, cohorts or communities. It is a universal, society-wide issue. Middle-class people holding down full-time jobs are engaging in regular drug use and abuse and our water testing in Dublin shows that. It shows spikes at weekends. It also shows, and we do not need "Prime Time" to tell us this but will see it if we go through any of our streets, that young people's lives are being robbed from a very young age. They are being groomed and used to courier cocaine and other substances. It is a real issue. The report gives us statistics but more importantly, what we have within this House is the Oireachtas drugs committee which is approaching the conclusion of its work. It is really important that the report of the committee and these Houses endorse a comprehensive, health-led to our drug problem. We must recognise that this is not just a criminal justice issue and we cannot police our way out of this public health crisis. We need to adequately resource both universal and targeted prevention measures. Our prevention measures must be properly resourced, evidence-based and both universal and targeted. We must do this as a child-protection measure, a public health initiative and a whole-of-community response. The community safety partnerships offer a huge opportunity for communities to bring together the health services, the gardaí, the teachers, parents and the wider community to deliver health-led responses in our communities. I ask that the House would debate the report.

Mark Duffy (Fine Gael)
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This weekend in Ballina there will be two very big 40th anniversary celebrations for two very special organisations that I would like to highlight on the floor of Seanad Éireann. The first is the Ballina Arch Club, a voluntary social group for adults with special needs. It has been a brilliant source of joy down through the years for parents, family members and adults with special needs, bringing them together in social settings. It provides brilliant opportunities for people to hang out together, go to events together and develop friendships throughout adulthood. It is also a great vehicle for parents to socialise and connect. The club is having its 40th anniversary celebrations tomorrow in the Great National Hotel in Ballina. I look forward to joining them in celebrating their incredible achievements down through the years. The club has brought so much joy to so many families.

On Saturday evening the Moy Singers are also celebrating their 40th anniversary, having been founded back in 1986. Recently they took part in a brilliant concert at Knock Airport to celebrate the airport's 40th anniversary. The group has brought so much joy to the town and the county of Mayo, singing at different events. They will have a big night of celebration on Saturday night, again in the Great National Hotel, and I look forward to joining them in their celebrations. The line up includes the Lions Male Choir, PJ Duffy, Martin Moser, Mark O'Donnell, Damian Evans, Keif Mullis and Iarla Dunford, all of whom are taking part to support the Moy Singers. I wish them well and thank them for all they do in contributing to community life. They raise funds for so many different organisations every time they host an event. They bring a lot of joy to the community as well as a lot of benefit to voluntary organisations across the town and the county. I thank them and acknowledge their 40 years and look forward to celebrating it with them on Saturday evening.

Joe Conway (Independent)
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I raise the proposed Ireland-Israel fixture and call on the Deputy Leader to arrange for the Minister for justice to come before the House to address serious and growing safety concerns. This issue was highlighted on Tuesday last by Senator Clonan and many other Senators. The potential implications for public safety for supporters, players and staff are becoming impossible to ignore. There is clear and mounting public concern. Polling and representative voices within the game indicate a significant majority of Irish supporters do not believe this fixture should proceed. Alongside that, trade union representatives have already raised serious safety concerns for workers, players and officials, pointing to the duty of care that must be upheld. We have seen evidence of how strongly this issue is resonating in practice, including protests at recent matches and growing public mobilisation. That should serve as a warning sign. There is a risk of disorder, disruption and significant security challenges arising if this game proceeds as planned.

Even setting aside the wider political and humanitarian issues powerfully articulated by colleagues across the House, the safety dimension demands urgent and serious attention. While there has been some suggestion that fixtures may be moved to a neutral venue, that does not resolve the broader issue. It does not eliminate risk or address the strength of public feeling. It may simply shift the burden elsewhere while carrying significant logistical and financial implications.

Most concerning is the apparent absence of a clear and transparent Government response to escalating safety concerns. For that reason, I ask the Deputy Leader to request that the Minister for justice come to the House as a matter of urgency to outline what risk assessments have been conducted, what engagement has taken place with An Garda Síochána and what steps the Government intends to take to ensure the safety of all involved. We have the legacy of Amsterdam, Cyprus and Athens. We have the logo of eff the Arabs and the chant of no children left in Gaza. This is indicative of many supporters who are members or reserve members of the IDF and trained battle combatants, and who would not be welcomed by civilised football supporters.

In the few seconds I have left, I want to draw attention to the Seanad Independent Group's growing concern about guillotining legislation in the House. We had a meeting this morning. We are very exercised by it. For a revising legislative House to be repeatedly guillotining proposed legislation is not good enough. It is an interregnum at the moment but when the new Leader is finally confirmed, we will be asking for a meeting so we can iron out this unsatisfactory situation.

Maria Byrne (Fine Gael)
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I welcome Rush National School. They are guests of Deputy O'Donoghue. I hope they enjoy their visit to Leinster House. As is customary here in the Seanad, no homework for the rest of the week.

Conor Murphy (Sinn Fein)
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I raise again - it was raised yesterday and in the Dáil Chamber - the second night of rioting and disturbance in Belfast and some other areas of the North. All of us were shocked and appalled by the images of the attack on the man in Belfast on Monday. A man has been charged and will face judicial process in due course. The response to that has been absolutely outrageous. The North has the unenviable record of being the area with the highest level of violence against women, and has had it for many years. We have seen some horrific murders of women in recent years. The community response to all of that has been dignified vigils and solidarity with families of victims, including the family of Natalie McNally from my county of Armagh, who have politically called out the racist pogroms we have seen in response to the attack in Belfast. People from ethnic minorities, many of whom provide vital services, particularly in the North's health service, have been attacked and had to flee burning homes with their children in loyalist areas of Belfast. It is reminiscent of anti-Catholic pogroms that happened in many decades over the last century.

We have to be clear and unequivocal in calling out racist thuggery for what it is. Political leaders have spoken collectively in response to this and that is to be welcomed but political leaders cannot stand shoulder to shoulder with masked loyalists who are shouting racist and sectarian abuse in Scarva on Saturday and decry the same elements as they go on a racist pogrom and rampage a few nights later. Leadership means stopping the poisonous narrative of fear and loss that has been fed to loyalist communities for a generation and which makes them easy prey for right-wing agitators in Ireland and abroad. It also means calling out the burning of religious effigies, our national flag, images of non-unionist politicians and mock-ups of refugees on boats on loyalist bonfires next month. It means promoting an honest dialogue based on respect and tolerance that equips communities to meet the many challenges that lie ahead.

I offer my support to the family of Pat Finucane who have finally, after 37 years, secured an inquiry into Pat's murder. I had the privilege of knowing Pat and I met him on a number of occasions. The family has fought tooth and nail for 37 years. This was the one inquiry and investigation the British Government tried its best to prevent happening. Now that they have finally got that inquiry, I hope we all wish that they get the truth behind his murder that has been hidden for many years and the family gets some degree of closure. That will make a significant contribution to ongoing challenges in dealing with the legacy of conflict in the North.

Ollie Crowe (Fianna Fail)
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I raise the Galway city outer ring road. After a long process, planning permission was finally granted in April, which was welcomed by all, for this vital and much-needed infrastructure. The ring road is not a silver bullet that will magically solve all Galway's traffic woes but it is an essential piece in finally addressing the daily traffic nightmare across our city. Thankfully, the Government has recognised and supported the project and funding in excess of €800 million has been granted.

Unfortunately, a number of judicial reviews have been filed in recent weeks. It is important to note these reviews are being taken by directly impacted homeowners who are well entitled to fully use their legal options. The homeowners have said they would like to engage in talks with the decision-makers and I encourage the Department of Transport to do so. Mediation was used recently during legal proceedings involving the MetroLink project in Dublin and that could help here, too, to limit delays for a vital project. For businesses and communities across the region, further delays would be a significant blow. The ring road should have happened many years ago and the negative impact of its not being built has been considerable. Galway and its surrounds cannot afford for this uncertainty to continue. I ask the Deputy Leader to write to the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, requesting his Department examine the matter and agree to meet with affected homeowners.

Evanne Ní Chuilinn (Fine Gael)
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On 28 January, we at the Oireachtas joint committee on sport heard about safeguarding in sport. We heard from Sport Ireland, Rowing Ireland and the Federation of Irish Sport. There was one athlete manager in place, as we learned from the federation at the time. This one individual at the federation was the only person athletes could go to with concerns around training, balancing sport with commitments to education or anything else. It is a broad remit. The CEO of the federation, Mary O'Connor, told us that athlete support manager could be dealing with up to 250 high-performance athletes at one time across 25 national governing bodies. The CEO had been appealing to Sport Ireland for one more athlete support manager - or many more athlete support managers - for quite some time. She reiterated that call at the committee, as did I, when we heard evidence of what had transpired and could have been better dealt with - maybe even avoided - at the Rowing Ireland high-performance programme.That was why I was encouraged to see news yesterday of a post boarded by the Federation of Irish Sport for an athlete support executive. It is 30 hour per week position and is certainly a step in the right direction for the safeguarding and welfare of our athletes. Gymnastics Ireland also advertised for an athlete framework service manager, so I really think we are going in the right direction. We need to go further long term. We need a sports integrity unit. Having said that, however, we are definitely moving towards understanding that we need to be a little bit more proactive instead of reactive in terms of safeguarding our athletes. I want to mention one other thing before I go because I did mention Gymnastics Ireland. I want to congratulate 13-year-old JJ Peters from Douglas Gymnastics Club who competed at her first international competition this week in Slovenia for Ireland. She is 13 years of age in a high-performance programme and she finished eleventh out of 86 gymnasts across Europe. I want to call that out and say well done. Gymnastics Ireland obviously has a pathway that is working very well at the moment. I congratulate JJ on her first time competing for Ireland at just 13 years of age.

Maria Byrne (Fine Gael)
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I call Senator Keogan.

Manus Boyle (Fine Gael)
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Today, I want to start by wishing the Cully Coders from County Donegal a safe trip. They are travelling to Canada next week to represent Ireland in the First Lego League Canada Cup of robotics. The Cully Coders are aged from 11 to 14. They are Zoe McElhinney, Abby McElhinney, Rebecca McElhinney, Sienna Deane and Georgia Green. They are coached by Stephen and Adele McElhinney. I wish the girls the very best of luck in Canada. I know they will do Donegal and Ireland proud. It is a great achievement for these five girls.

I want to raise the ongoing shortage of taxis affecting people across the country. Last week, I spoke about the WAV grant and how it is not working properly. The grant is supposed to help people to buy wheelchair-accessible taxis, but the funding runs out almost immediately. Many drivers cannot access the support they need. The rules are that new taxis must be wheelchair accessible. It is now making the market too expensive for new drivers to join the industry. These vehicles can cost up to €60,000. Without proper financial support, many people simply cannot afford it. At the same time, taxi numbers continue to fall. We have fewer taxis now than in 2009. People are waiting long times for taxis. Workers, older people and people who are trying to get home safely at night from pubs are affected. Nobody is saying accessibility is not important; it really is, but the system is not working. We need a balanced approach to protect accessibility while increasing the number of taxis on our roads. The Government needs to increase the WAV grant significantly and review the current rules for new taxi licences. More importantly, we need a proper national taxi strategy to deal with the shortage and improve the services for people across our country.

Finally, I wish Donegal all the best against Cork in Ballybofey on Sunday.

Chris Andrews (Sinn Fein)
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I agree with Senator Fitzpatrick's comments in relation to the RTÉ "Prime Time" report entitled Cocaine Kids. For anybody living in the inner city, it was nothing new and revealed nothing new to them. As she said, it is really important that we have a health-led approach to drug use. I agree with and acknowledge that.

Last week, I went to visit My Lovely Horse Animal Rescue. It was an incredible visit. There are horses, pigs, goats and donkeys - everything is there. It was incredible for two reasons. It was incredible because the number of horses there was shocking and depressing. I have never seen so many horses in one place. Maybe I am a city person, but I do not think-----

Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail)
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The Senator should come to Kildare.

Chris Andrews (Sinn Fein)
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Even in Kildare we would not see that number of horses in one small area. It was absolutely shocking to see so many horses, and they were all rescue horses. We hear a lot about how we are a horse-loving nation but, sadly, a visit to My Lovely Horse Animal Rescue would suggest that this is not true. When we see the horseracing industry getting €80 million per year and then we see the huge number of horses in rescues, we know something is not working. The cruelty of horses that is tolerated in this country is shameful, whether it is sulky racing, plain neglect of horses that do not run fast enough or just sad neglect. The Government allows this to happen. There are no laws, and there is no enforcement. Every one of those horses and donkeys represents a failure of the Government in animal welfare. My Lovely Horse Animal Rescue spends almost €2 million every year and gets less than €100,000 in Government support. My Lovely Horse Animal Rescue and rescues like it all around the country are picking up the tab for the failure by the Government in animal welfare. Everyone in the Dáil and Seanad should visit My Lovely Horse Animal Rescue. It should be almost compulsory. The other reason it was an incredible visit was because of the commitment, compassion and kindness the staff there show. It is a 24-7 operation. The work they do is so important and it has to be acknowledged more by the Government.

Aubrey McCarthy (Independent)
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I want to speak about something I believe we are not taking seriously enough and that is the growing impact of cannabis addiction and cannabis-related psychosis, particularly among young people. As the Leader knows, I have been involved for many years in rehabilitation for people who have addictions. We have seen that there has been a perception that cannabis is harmless and that it is somehow different from other drugs and carries little risk. However, when we talk to addiction centres, such as Cuan Mhuire, Merchant's Quay Ireland, etc., and psychiatrists and youth workers, they tell a very different story. The reality is that more and more young people are presenting to services with issues linked to cannabis abuse, including psychosis. Young people are turning up at the centres and accident and emergency departments with psychosis and it is from cannabis.

Many years ago, there was a Minister called Pat Carey who was a very capable drugs Minister. He was from the Leader's own party. I remember we were talking about the people who were on the waiting lists. He said that cannabis is seen as harmless, but what is coming down the track is synthetic cannabis that will destroy people's minds. That was like a prophecy; it has come to pass. It is not about demonising young people or trying to criminalise young people. This is about being honest and seeing what cannabis can do. Often, people have the perception that they grow it in their back yard and it is harmless. I am telling them that the services are seeing people in their waiting lists who are in terrible trouble and their heads are being fried. Many of the young people who are arriving at the mental health services are not bad kids. They are vulnerable kids and young people who are struggling and, often, cannabis has become part of their everyday lives.We need a mature, evidence-based conversation about the risks associated with cannabis use. We need to listen to the front-line people who are saying that there is an issue. We need to make sure that the resources are properly funded. If the people who are working on the ground are saying that there is a problem, then there is a problem. Ignoring it will not make it go away.

Dee Ryan (Fianna Fail)
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I rise to raise the issue of the proposed wastewater treatment on the Dunlicky Road in Kilkee, County Clare. Kilkee is a beautiful spot on the Clare coastline. It is beloved by both Clare residents and people from all around the country, but it is particularly beloved by Limerick people, as the Leas-Chathaoirleach will well know. I have been contacted by councillors in County Clare and the chair of the Dunlicky Road residents association to raise concerns. I am conscious that this matter is before the courts. Clare County Council had initially refused planning permission for the site that was chosen. That decision was appealed to An Coimisiún Pleanála and overturned. The residents group is now taking a judicial review of the appeal decision. What the chair of the residents group has raised with me and has been raised extensively in local media is what they feel was a lack of sufficient public consultation on the site selection. As I understand it, there were not enough consultations done with the residents in the area. I ask that this matter be raised with the Minister and that we ensure that when Uisce Éireann is doing its very valuable work in future - everyone in Kilkee acknowledges that there is a huge need for an upgrade in the wastewater treatment to end the discharge of raw sewage into the ocean nearby - sufficient public consultation on site selection is done so that everyone is satisfied with the end result.

Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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I wish to indicate the concern of myself, my colleagues and, indeed, everyone in the Opposition about the growing practice of guillotining legislation. I do not want to make an issue of it today other than to flag it. We need to all sit down constructively. There is an Acting Leader in the Seanad currently. After that situation is resolved, there would be no harm every now and again in us all sitting down outside of this Chamber to share our concerns. I wish to flag a concern on behalf of my group's Members and all other members of the Opposition. The growing practice of guillotining is not followed by all Ministers, which is interesting. I engage and have a fairly decent working relationship with nearly every Minister. I have conversations with them about this. I am not 100% sure who is making the decisions. Do all the different facets of our organisation know what is happening? I will park that there and flag it, but I do not want to make an issue of it today.

Could we organise a meeting on forestry with our new Minister of State with responsibility for forestry, Deputy Collins? There are some key asks in terms of objectives to flag to keep it focused. I will circulate this information to the Deputy Leader later, but they are that we would discuss the allowances for the agroforestry premium rates for our afforestation schemes, the native tree area scheme, the allowances for the deer fencing scheme, a review of the climate resilience restoration pilot, the forestry roads scheme, and forestry training and education. We have to have younger people coming up with the necessary skills. There could be an apprenticeship. It would not necessarily be an academic forestry degree, but people who are involved in the physical labour of forestry management, planting, sawmills, etc. It may not be this side of the summer, but I ask that this matter be put on the list as a future possible area of discussion and for statements.

Sarah O'Reilly (Aontú)
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I wish to speak about the events in Belfast recently. I am very concerned about the way events are being reported on after the attack in Belfast and in the context of the riots. Our role as politicians and legislators should be to talk about the difficult cases, the gaps in our legislation and how policy is shaping the state of our country. It cannot be the case that if we speak about violence in this country, such as an attempted beheading or a woman being killed in Galway, there are claims that we are adding to the problem by shining a light on it. There are always thugs waiting for an opportunity or a moment to create chaos and violence in the aftermath of a tragic event. These events follow the same pattern every single time - an horrific act of violence happens, people condemn it, protests happen and then people who rightly condemn the violence are targeted as inciting hatred or stoking the flames. That can be a calculated attempt to create a chilling effect to stop people from speaking up. It is the sanitised way that some politicians and media are dealing with these events, which is creating greater suspicion and fear in communities. The Government is not adequately checking people who are claiming asylum. We do not have the capacity to assess or deal with complex medical issues and-or post-traumatic stress syndrome.

I feel so sorry for immigrants who are living here and working hard only to find themselves the subject of discrimination because of this kind of policy. We should be advocating for the voices of the victims who become lost in all the chaos of the riots. Speaking about violence and trying to improve public policy and safety should not be framed as inciting hatred. It is wrong. All it does is push people to the outer edges and the extremes.

Martin Conway (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the announcement yesterday of our priorities for the upcoming EU Presidency in the whole area of security and AI. I also welcome the county pairings that were announced by the Minister, Deputy McEntee, and Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, this morning. That is great because it creates buy-in with schools, community groups and sporting organisations into the whole Presidency. This is a huge opportunity for our country to showcase everything that is good about it. I am delighted that my own county of Clare is paired with Croatia. I certainly look forward to engaging with the Croatian ambassador here in Ireland. Hopefully, we will have some Croatian parliamentarians visit the county. That is good news. Every county is paired. I believe that the Leas-Chathaoirleach's county is paired with Germany. That is sehr gut. I am sure that there will be a lot of interesting things in the city of Limerick during that period.

I commend the Minister of State, Deputy Byrne. In recent weeks, he has been in here. He gave a fantastic overview of the preparations that had gone into the Presidency and, indeed, the programme of activities and work that will surround it. It is not all about business. There will be cultural and sporting initiatives and so on as part of the Presidency. It is such a wonderful opportunity. I hope the whole country buys into it, particularly schools, both primary and post-primary. I propose that we would have some specific debates around the Presidency. Ministers are going to be very busy, but hopefully we will have the Minister of State back here in the autumn to give us an update on quarter 1 of the Presidency. I ask for other Ministers as well to come in here and address us, particularly on the themes that are the priority of our six-month Presidency. I am looking forward to that. I hope that can be facilitated in the autumn.

Paraic Brady (Fine Gael)
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I rise to discuss the current problem that is in our beef sector. We have seen the price of beef fall again this week and last week. It is a sector that is in grave danger. We have farmers losing, on average, between €300 and in excess of €500 on animals that they have purchased and fed over the past six to eight months. The beef sector is really in crisis.Since Bord Bia has been stood down, we have seen beef prices fall at a rapid rate. I would like Bord Bia to come out and give a statement about where our markets have gone. Is Bord Bia still in operation? Who is looking after our markets at this moment in time? Since the review of Bord Bia, the Larry Murrin incident and whatever has happened, we have seen beef prices fall month on month. I hope Bord Bia will come out and give a statement about where our markets have gone because we have farmers who will actually go to the wall. They will not exist after this year. They made profits last year, invested in their farms and now, they are seeing huge losses this year. It is a sector that is really in trouble. I hope somebody out there can give me an answer about why the factories keep pulling beef at a time when the market for beef, with the World Cup in America taking place, will see the consumption of beef on the rise. There is something wrong. Some questions need to be answered here regarding why month on month, week on week, we see beef prices falling between 5 cent and 10 cent. It is a sector that is really in trouble and I do not think people here realise that farmers will actually go to the wall because of this one.

Maria Byrne (Fine Gael)
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Before I call the Leader to respond, I welcome Ashbourne Women's Shed and their guest, Maura Farrell. They are guests of Deputy Darren O'Rourke. I hope they enjoy their visit today. They are very welcome.

Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach and the 16 Senators who contributed to the Order of Business this morning. We started with Senator Fitzpatrick, who spoke about the EU report which was issued during the week about the challenges we face in Ireland and across Europe with increasing drug use. It is a concern. Senator Fitzpatrick is absolutely correct in saying that we have to view it as a public health crisis, not just a criminal justice issue. In Ireland alone last year, there were 343 people who passed away from drug poisoning. That is almost one person per day. Of course, there is an impact not just on those who have sadly passed away but also on the lives of the loved ones of those who are using and abusing drugs. Eight out of ten of those deaths showed more than two drugs used. It is very clear there is a cohort of people using a number of different drugs. It is very concerning, particularly when we see young children's lives robbed when they are used to peddle and deliver drugs. It has to be a huge concern for us. There has to be a universal, targeted approach. There has to be a whole-of-community approach. The solution cannot just be with the gardaí or indeed, with the Government. All sectors of society need to work together. Senator Fitzpatrick is right. We need an opportunity to debate this report. I know that the Joint Committee on Drugs Use will be finishing its work quite soon. The report will be laid before both Houses but I will ask, as a priority, that we have a debate in this House about the European report.

Senator McCarthy also spoke about drugs, cannabis and the strong connection with psychosis. It is very concerning. He spoke about all of the different agencies across the board that are talking about this. I visited Cuan Mhuire, which is one such agency, recently with the Minister of State, Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor, Nicola Kelly and the chair, Paul O'Donoghue. They do incredible work there and we spoke about exactly that issue. This weekend, Cuan Mhuire, which was set up by Sr. Consilio, is celebrating its 60-year anniversary. I congratulate Cuan Mhuire on all the work it is doing and continues to do, the lives that are saved and the lives it will continue to save in the future. Senator McCarthy asked for a mature debate and to look at resources across different Departments.

Senator Duffy will have a very busy weekend in Ballina with two really big celebrations happening this weekend. One is for the Arch Club, which is celebrating its 40-year anniversary. Arch Clubs do incredible work, along with the Special Olympics, and many of the same young people are involved in both. They provide a terrific place for social connection for young people with intellectual disabilities and also provide support and connection for parents. I congratulate the Arch Club in Ballina and also the Moy Singers, who are celebrating their 40-year anniversary on Saturday evening. They were also part of the celebrations to mark 40 years of Knock Airport over the past few weeks, which celebrated Monsignor Horan and his incredible vision, dream and reality at Knock Airport.

Senator Joe Conway, who spoke about the Ireland-Israel match, wants a debate with the Minister for justice on mounting concerns about security challenges. I absolutely understand where the Senator is coming from. There are very many reasons we are all concerned about the possibility of this match happening in Ireland. It is a difficult situation for the FAI and the Irish players. I gather from recent conversations and items we have heard on the news that there is a very strong possibility that this match will be moved from Ireland to a more neutral venue. I certainly ask for and echo the call for clarity. If that will happen, the announcement needs to be made about that so we know what we are dealing with.

Senator Murphy spoke about the second night of rioting in Belfast. It is shocking to witness. It brings back memories of long ago when we saw this type of horrific activity. People are going around to houses and checking who is there. Really, they are checking to see the colour of people's skin. We know that. I saw some anecdotal evidence of people living in Belfast who are not from Ireland, Belfast or Northern Ireland but are providing incredible supports, particularly in the health sector. They have had to flee their homes and try to find safe homes in other places. It is shocking to see. We all need to be very clear and unequivocal in calling this out for what it is. It is blatant racism. The Senator spoke eloquently about what leadership means. He is right in saying that leadership is about honest dialogue, based on respect and tolerance. As a community, we all would have hoped that in Northern Ireland, and particularly in Belfast, they would have learned so much over the last few years about that. We certainly hope that things will improve there. Senator Murphy also mentioned that finally, after 37 years, Pat Finucane's family has secured an inquiry. I know that is something we have always supported here. The Irish Government has always supported that so I certainly welcome that and wish the Finucane family well.

Senator Crowe said that the granting of planning for the Galway city ring-road is not a silver bullet. When the ring-road is established, it will play a really big part in addressing the huge traffic challenges that are there. Very significant funding has been given by the Government; a figure of €800 million. The point the Senator made about judicial reviews is correct. People have a right to do that. Homeowners who are impacted absolutely have a right to question the process but it is important that we have mediation at this point in time to avoid waiting and waiting. That was effective during the MetroLink process. We will certainly bring that to the attention of the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, and ask him to look at it.

Senator Ní Chuilinn reminded us that the Oireachtas committee on arts, media and sport was told at its meeting on 28 January last that there is just one athlete support manager - one individual with a very broad remit - who is dealing with up to 250 athletes at any one time.It is so important that we look after our athletes and support them in whatever way we can with the myriad different issues that can arise. Senator Ní Chuilinn spoke about two different organisations that have now advertised to have athlete board executives, and that is important, as is the need for a sports integrity unit. We support that and will bring that message back to the Minister.

The Senator also spoke about JJ Peters, who, at the incredible age of 13, came 11th out of 80 representing Ireland abroad. That is incredible, so go, JJ. I think that is a name we will see for a very long time in sports.

Senator Keogan spoke about Tickets.ie, which went into liquidation. It is awful to see as regards several major festivals and the smaller gigs as well because they are incredibly important to small venues and to the artistes and the singers who use them. In fact, within a separate Senators' group, we are doing a whole review of small venues around the country to support these types of artists. It is shocking. We need to ask the Government to look at emergency supports, and I agree with that, but it is not fair to blame the Government in any way for what has happened to Tickets.ie. The Senator said that no accounts had been filed since 2022. That is, I agree, an issue, but there are Departments there and the CRO is there and they absolutely should be chasing this. It is unfair to say that it is a fault of the Government. I do think we need to work with those who have been impacted to try to support them and to be able to try to follow the money and chase it and see what we can get back.

Senator Manus Boyle spoke about five young girls aged between 11 and 14. I think three of them were McElhinneys and two were from a Green family. We wish them well as they go to represent Ireland in Canada.

The Senator also spoke about the ongoing shortage of taxis and the grants for accessibility. The new ruling is important. Well, it is not new now, but all taxis have to be accessible. That is a really important standard that we need to support. Certainly, we will look to see if there can be any flexibility around the closing dates in relation to the grants to be able to support the taxi drivers to get those.

Senator Andrews spoke also about what Senator Fitzpatrick spoke about and about the "Prime Time" documentary about cocaine kids. I did not see it myself but I will go back and look at it. In a non-political way and a non-adversarial way, we all really need to work on this. I know that the Taoiseach's Department has a special unit on disability, and that is really important, but the next special unit that will sit in a Taoiseach's office has to be around drugs. It is impacting - I will not say every home but certainly every community, every street, every village and many of our homes.

Well done to Senator Andrews for going out to see My Lovely Horse Animal Rescue, which does incredible work. I know the Senator is passionate about animal welfare and he has spoken often about it. We certainly need to do more and, as he knows, we have asked the Minister to come here several times to discuss this. The Senator has spoken about the incredible volunteers we have, and we have to give a huge shout-out to all those who are involved in My Lovely Horse Animal Rescue, several of whom I have met, and in all our animal rescues, including the wildlife rescue centre. They are incredible people. However, it is not fair to collate the thoroughbred industry with the unfortunate abuse of horses. The Senator has questioned the supports that are going to the horse industry from the Government. The thoroughbred industry is one of the best in the country. It brings billions of euro into the country. We are internationally recognised for it. I have been to the rescue centres but I have also been to our stud farms, as many of us have, and I have been to different areas where horses are bred and looked after and have seen the care and the supports that are given on the stud farms. There are sadly always exceptions but, generally speaking, it is second to none. I just want to draw a division between the two. Definitely, though, the centres should get more funding. I agree with that.

Senator Dee Ryan spoke about the wastewater treatment upgrade at Dunlicky Road, which impacts Limerick and parts of Kilkee, and about the lack of sufficient consultation with those who live in the area. That is an issue. There absolutely should be sufficient consultation. We see that on an ongoing basis there is insufficient consultation. It is not good enough. We certainly will ask the Minister to come in in relation to it. The Senator rightly says Uisce Éireann is doing valuable and important work, but its communications are so bad. I know from trying to deal with it on issues around Kildare myself that it gives the wrong communications or it does not give communications at all. It does not respond to concerns from residents in some areas. It does not respond to issues that public representatives raise. It is not good enough, and that is something I have written to the Minister about because when there are problems with water it causes all sorts of issues in communities. At least if there is a little bit of preparation in relation to it and people have clarity about when they will have water and when they will not have water, people can prepare, but the present system is just not working and it is really wrong.

Senator Boyhan spoke about the growing practice of guillotining legislation. Senator Joe Conway mentioned it too. Both have asked that when there is a Leader - I am only Deputy Leader - we have a meeting between the leaders of the different groups. I am certainly happy to support that request. When legislation comes before the House, it is important that we all have honest debate about it. It is important that everybody, including the Opposition, has the opportunity to put down and to debate amendments. However, when there is filibustering for the sake of it, and that does happen, we need to call it out too. There have been recent situations where we have seen that. To be fair, Ministers have given of their time. There are three particular Ministers who have sat here for debate after debate and given many hours, as they should. It is important that their time is respected as well, but we will certainly look for that meeting.

Senator Boyhan also spoke about the need for a meeting with the new Minister of State with responsibility for forestry, Niall Collins, in relation to allowances, native trees, climate restoration, training and education. We will certainly look for that. We will have a lot of legislation between now and the summer recess, so I genuinely do not know whether we will be able to fit it in, but we will look for it immediately after the summer recess if we do not have it by then.

Senator Sarah O'Reilly also spoke about the situation in Belfast. She is right in saying that we need to talk about the difficult challenges we have and we need to support victims, but we also have to call out blatant racism where we see it.Senator Martin Conway spoke about the priorities for the EU Presidency, which is starting on 1 July. He talked about the county and country pairings. In his case, it is Clare and Croatia. Kildare is twinned with Austria. I have had the pleasure of meeting the Austrian ambassador three times up to now to discuss our plans. I encourage all of the Senators to contact the ambassadors for the country their county is twinned with. The Irish ambassadors for each country will be coming over as well to do cultural and school activities over a three-day period at the end of September. It is a great opportunity to showcase Ireland and its culture. Senator Conway praised the Minister of State, Deputy Thomas Byrne, for the work he is doing and the Senator has asked for the Minister of State to come back to give us an update. We will look for that to happen after the summer recess.

Senator Paraic Brady spoke about farmers and the cost of beef going down. It is awful to see this. I have taken many phone calls over the last few days in relation to it. Bord Bia has not been stood down. I know that there is an ongoing issue in relation to the chair of the organisation but it has not been stood down. It is still doing its work and it does an excellent job. The market has shrunk and it is of concern. It shows too that there may be a number of different reasons for that. This came up a little bit in this House a few weeks ago. We all have a duty to talk about the absolute integrity of the Irish beef we have in this country. We all have a duty to not scaremonger in any way. It happened in this House, albeit not by any Member here, two weeks ago. We will look for the Minister for agriculture to come to the House to address the matter. It is very concerning and we need to take it very seriously and to put in any supports we can for the farmers who are impacted.