Maria Byrne (Fine Gael)
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Before I move to the Order of Business I welcome our guests in the Public Gallery, Senator Mary Daly, and Senator Michael Johnson and family, Deputy Malcolm Byrne and Seán Tierney, guests of the Minister, Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill and guests of Deputy Aidan Farrelly. They are all very welcome.

Anne Rabbitte (Fianna Fail)
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The Order of Business is No. 1, motion regarding Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) Regulations 2026 – referral to joint committee, to be taken on conclusion of the Order of Business without debate; No. 2, motion regarding Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) (No.2) Regulations 2026 – referral to joint committee, to be taken on conclusion of No. 1, without debate; No. 3, motion regarding Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) (No.3) Regulations 2026 – referral to joint committee, to be taken on conclusion of No. 2, without debate; No. 4, motion regarding Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) (No.4) Regulations 2026 – referral to joint committee, to be taken on conclusion of No. 3, without debate; No. 5, motion regarding Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) (No.5) Regulations 2026 – referral to joint committee, to be taken on conclusion of No. 4, without debate; No. 6, motion regarding Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) (No.6) Regulations 2026 – referral to joint committee, to be taken on conclusion of No. 5, without debate; No. 7, motion regarding Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) (No.7) Regulations 2026 – referral to joint committee, to be taken on conclusion of No. 6, without debate; No. 8, motion regarding Planning and Development (Licensing of Outdoor Events) Regulations 2026 – referral to joint committee, to be taken on conclusion of No. 7, without debate; No. 8a, Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2026 – Second Stage, to be taken at 11.30 a.m. and to conclude at 12.45 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 ten minutes, and all other Senators not to exceed five minutes, time may be shared and the Minister to be given no less than ten minutes to reply to the debate; No. 9, Regulation of Artificial Intelligence Bill 2026 – Committee Stage, to be taken at 1 p.m. and to adjourn at 4 p.m., if not previously concluded; and No. 9a, Housing and Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026 – Second Stage, to be taken at 4 p.m, with the time allocated to the opening remarks of the Minister not to exceed ten minutes, group spokespersons not to exceed ten minutes, and all other Senators not to exceed five minutes, time may be shared and the Minister to be given no less than ten minutes to reply to the debate. On conclusion of business, the House shall adjourn to 12.30 p.m. on Tuesday, 14 July 2026.

Margaret Murphy O'Mahony (Fianna Fail)
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I dtosach báire, déanaim comhghairdeas leis an Seanadóir Garret Ahearn mar Threoraí nua an tSeanaid agus leis an Seanadóir Cathal Byrne mar Príomh-Aoire an tSeanaid. Tá súil agam go mbeidh an t-ádh leo beirt.

Sport is very topical at the moment. There is a lot going on in the GAA and also in the world of soccer. Sport brings us all together. It alleviates stress and it is fun but, unfortunately, one team wins and the other team does not. You will notice I do not say "lose" because to me, anyone who puts themselves out there on the pitch is a winner. Unfortunately, the team that loses often gets severe abuse. The sacrifice these team members have made is not ever taken into consideration. They often miss social events and family events because of their training. No one goes out on a pitch to lose and the commentary, particularly on social media, is just shocking. In a world where you can be anything, be kind. These lads and lassies are feeling it already without people rubbing it in.

The weather is great at the moment and it is great to have such sunshine but along with that we all lose the run of ourselves a bit. I would like to highlight that we all should be more conscious of safety; in the water, on the roads, in the sun, and to just have a spark of sense through it all. Enjoy the weather but people should mind themselves and one another.

Tuesday is D-Day in regard to a decision on Skyclarys and the Acting Leader has been very involved in this issue. I hope and pray that the right decision is made. This is a life-changing drug and people deserve to get it. I hope and pray for it and we in the Fianna Fáil Party are really spurring it on. I thank the Acting Leader, Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan, Senator Teresa Costello, Deputies Erin McGreehan and Martin Daly and the others involved in all of this.

Michael McDowell (Independent)
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I want to make one point. It is a pity that running towards the end of this Oireachtas term, the usual thing is happening, which is the guillotine is being deployed with abandon. The length of time given to individual items in the proposed Order of Business today is inadequate.An hour and a quarter is given to the Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2026, of which 20 minutes is given to the Minister. The remaining time is divided between the groups in this House, with ten minutes for each group and five minutes for each Senator. There are six groups in the House, so there is not enough time. The planning and development Bill deserves a little bit more time than that.

The second thing I want to deal with is to say it is a sad day today because the very private funeral of Martin Naughton is taking place. I put on record my appreciation, which I am sure is shared by everyone here, of the immense contribution Martin Naughton has made to Ireland in so many different ways. He and his wonderful wife, Carmel, have been tremendous philanthropists. Quietly and effectively, they have endowed many institutions. They gave €25 million to Trinity College Dublin. They endowed Irish-language faculties in the University of Notre Dame in Indiana. They made a huge contribution towards the rebuilding of the Lyric Theatre in Belfast. Carmel has served as chair of the board of governors of the National Gallery of Ireland. The things they have done for education, for science and research and places such as Kylemore Abbey have supported so many good causes in Ireland. It is an endless list and I could not possibly do it justice here just from memory. Over and above all of that, Martin ran a very substantial business. He and Lochlann Quinn built it up to be a tremendous employer in the north-eastern region of this country. Martin did so with kindness, fairness, extremely hard work and business acumen which was a joy to behold. Martin was a totally decent, kind man. He was a pleasure to meet. He was a friend to me and my wife. He was such a generous host. He always thought the best of people with whom he dealt and, for all his wealth, which was significant, he was not spoiled by it in any way. Many people who accumulate huge amounts of wealth go off into the stratosphere and live a life unlike that of the rest of us, but he remained Martin Naughton; a thoroughly decent, kind and gentle man - humble in many ways but also realistic about the things he could do to benefit his country.

On my behalf, and I think I speak for everybody in this House, we send our deepest sympathy to his beloved and loving wife Carmel, to Fiona, Neil, Fergal and their partners, and to his grandchildren whom he loved so much on the loss of, not a patriarch, just the most decent man one could hope to meet.

Finally, if his death brings an end to all of the friendships he made, that is bad enough. However, his career, his kindness and his personality should never be forgotten and should be a model for everybody who has the luck and good fortune to be in a position to engage in patriotism on behalf of his country. He served on the Council of State when I was a member of that. I remember he was appointed to it by then President Mary McAleese and he was a really effective member of that body on the one occasion that I was there when constitutionality and the necessity for legislation was considered. In every sense, he was a true patriot and a real example for us all.

Maria McCormack (Sinn Fein)
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The first issue I would like to raise is a matter of growing concern locally around the design of cycle lanes. The National Transport Authority's guidelines for councils need to be reviewed. Many residents, families and businesses in Graiguecullen are baffled by the proposed Church Street pedestrian and cycle scheme. I absolutely support investment in active travel, safer roads, better footpaths and cycling infrastructure where it is needed and where it is backed by evidence and by the local community. That is exactly the issue here. Many people living in Graiguecullen are asking the simple question, "What problem is this scheme actually trying to solve?" Residents are worried that a €3 million project could reduce road capacity, increase congestion around schools, make life more difficult for old people and people living with disabilities and negatively impact local businesses that rely on customer access and parking. What is particularly concerning is that many parents believe the proposed cycle lane could actually make cycling less safe here for children. Due to the number of side roads, driveways and commercial entrances along Church Street, motorists would regularly have to cross the cycle lane, creating additional conflict points rather than reducing them. People are asking where the evidence is here. The Road Safety Authority collision data shows no recorded incidents involving cyclists on this stretch of road. Residents have not been shown the traffic studies, projected cycling numbers or cost-benefit analysis that would justify a project of this scale. Many local people believe there are higher priorities for investment, from road resurfacing and footpath repairs to progressing the long-awaited southern relief road, which they believe would genuinely reduce congestion while also providing opportunities for future active travel infrastructure. There are also legitimate concerns regarding the proximity of the proposed works to the historic Croppies Grave site, a site of immense historic importance that deserves the greatest level of archaeological protection and respect. We need a debate on cycle lanes and whether the NTA guidelines are sufficient. I urge the Minister to have a look at them to be sure these schemes work to improve active travel in communities rather than creating chaos. There is a petition locally with nearly 800 signatures from local residents in Graiguecullen which can be reviewed for evidence here. If active travel schemes are to succeed, they must bring communities with them and not divide them.

With the indulgence of the Cathaoirleach, I would like to take a moment to address another issue. We have had very sad news in my little town of Portlaoise this week with the tragic loss of Adina Constantin. More women have been killed in Ireland in 2026 than in the whole of last year, and it is only July. We cannot keep coming into this Chamber and expressing sympathies as one woman after another lose their lives, without asking what more we can do. I am very conscious that we are all going on recess very soon, but I would like a commitment from this House that this will be an urgent issue on which we can look to see - more than statements - what we can do to address this emergency, because that is what it is. Violence against women and the resulting deaths of women in our society has to be treated for the emergency that it is. My thoughts and prayers are with the family of Adina Constantin.

Joe Flaherty (Fianna Fail)
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We are all excitedly looking forward to the opening of the sports capital grants. It is a very important scheme for sports clubs and organisations right across the county. Traditionally, in County Longford we have done very well out of this scheme. However, there is a note of caution in relation to this year's scheme because the Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnois recently issued a diktat that schools will not be allowed to make their grounds available to community groups to use outside of school hours. As my colleagues know, one of the conditions of the sports capital funding is that the facility needs to be open to other sports groups to use outside of school hours. Obviously, I am disappointed with the bishop's position on this. It is a retrograde decision from him. I am aware of many communities where people were hoping to put in applications on their school grounds, linking in with other community groups. They are in the shadow of curates, parochial houses and churches that were funded and built by the hard graft of our ancestors back in the 1920s and 1930s when we did not have a proverbial penny for the pot.I do not think the bishop is for changing on this, and that is hugely disappointing. I ask the Minister not to penalise those groups that are at an advanced stage with their projects and ready to submit an application. Bishops come and go. I am not wishing any ill on the bishop and maybe he will be promoted and we will have a new bishop. These projects normally take a number of years to get started and get to fruition. I hope that consideration and some concession can be given to the schools in County Longford and the wider Ardagh and Clonmacnois diocese. It would be extremely demoralising for these small rural schools and communities that are totally dependent on sports capital funding. I appeal directly to the Minister to make an exception for the Longford applicants.

I have one final point, if the House could facilitate me. I want to remember a young lady who passed away in the parish of my colleague Senator Brady this week. Máire Lillis was a 24-year-old young woman with a heart bigger than this House. She was a young woman who opened that heart to so many people and was involved in so many aspects of her community, most notably the Irish Girl Guides. She got a wonderful send-off by the good people of Drumlish and Ballinamuck yesterday in the glowing sunshine. It was a farewell befitting a young woman with such an enormous heart. My thoughts and my prayers are with her parents Mary and PJ, her brother Pádraig and her sister Niamh on what will be a difficult time ahead for them. On a day when the sun is shining brightly, no heart shone brighter than Máire Lillis's.

Paraic Brady (Fine Gael)
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I, too, would like to be associated with the thoughts for Máire Lillis. I thank Senator Flaherty for such kind words. I hope the Lillis family can find some comfort in the joy they had for the 24 years that Máire was on this earth.

Today, I rise to speak about the Longford Agricultural Show that was held last Sunday in Councillor Gerry Hagan's field. It was a spectacular show. I would like to wish Ballinamuck Olde Fair Day, which is taking place next Sunday in my own village of Ballinamuck, continued success. It is run by the locals and represents old traditions on old fair day. It has been very successful for the last number of years and I wish it well this year. It seems that the weather is going to hold up for people.

I also rise to welcome one of the largest rooftop solar projects to take place in County Cavan at the Mannok building, which was Seán Quinn's old site. The size of three football fields, it shows what can be done when people come together. I raise this issue because many solar farms are being fitted at this moment in time on agricultural land and we are losing land that is needed for food production. Given the amount of roof space that is available on all large buildings, including industrial ones, a discussion is needed regarding State intervention, with the ESB, so that we can come up with a State-led pilot project whereby we invest in solar panels on farm roof sheds and industrial roofs and envisage generating electricity without taking up good agricultural land. We have seen this all over Ireland. It galls me to say this but I unfortunately am trying to farm marginal, poor land in County Longford. However, the likes of Offaly, Meath and Kildare - this is no disrespect to counties down south - have lovely green fields that are taken up with these solar panels. Really and truly, it is not the space we need to be going to. We need to think outside the box. This is land that should be used for the production of food, whatever it may be, but when solar panels are put on it, it is gone for all time. There should be some discussion on the use of roofs and marginal areas. Anywhere we see good land, there should be no solar panels. That is my thinking about where we are going with this. I would welcome that discussion, which we need to have.

Patricia Stephenson (Social Democrats)
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I want to raise the issue of the number of women who have been killed since the beginning of this year. It is disturbing and devastating that eight women have now been killed in Ireland, which is higher than the total number of women killed in 2025. Forty women have been killed in Ireland since the tragic killing of Ashling Murphy in 2022. Women do not feel that they can flee. There are no appropriate housing supports. We still have many counties without a refuge. Even when women are in a refuge, where is the long-term suitable accommodation for them? Accessing justice remains incredibly difficult. The challenge of the legal aid threshold is too high when financial abuse becomes part of domestic abuse. The specialist support services that are out there are stretched. How can we expect women, survivors and victims of domestic violence to flee to safety when the appropriate supports are simply not there? We need to explore giving An Garda Síochána the power to remove abusers from the home rather than the victim survivors. We talk about having a zero-tolerance approach to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, but counselling notes will still be available in the courts. Toxic, misogynistic online culture is still rife, as are toxic algorithms, perpetuating a normalised culture of violence against women. That is where we are. Instead of going forward, we are going backwards.

I also want to raise the issue of a Palestinian doctor in Israeli detention who has been there for 559 days with no charges. "This is the last time you'll see me ... They brought me here to kill me ... This is the end." These are the words of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya to his lawyer just days ago. He asked his lawyers to rouse the world, and many have. I am adding my voice here today. He was the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital and he is the doctor who refused to abandon his patients in Gaza while hospitals were under attack. Even after he lost his own son, he stayed because he believed his duty was to serve the sick and injured. His courage is a symbol of humanity in the darkest of times. Now, reports and videos show him in detention and they are really difficult to comprehend. He is completely unrecognisable, a man who has been beaten repeatedly - beaten with hammers and batons, and left with injuries across his face, head and body - and he is being denied medical care. He is so physically weakened that he struggles to breathe and is showing severe signs of trauma and psychological distress. He is being denied adequate food, clean water and medical attention. He now fears he is going to die in custody. It is just sadistic and unconscionable how he has been treated. No one should be subjected to torture or cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment, never mind a doctor who has dedicated himself to saving lives in the face of such human suffering. I would like us to appeal to the Department and Minister for foreign affairs to outline what diplomatic and urgent action Ireland can take to secure independent medical access for Dr. Abu Safiya, to press for accountability for these disturbing allegations and images we are seeing, to do everything in our power to ensure his release, and to advocate for all medical staff in a humanitarian context who are delivering crucial aid but are under huge attack. We have seen medical staff actively targeted and murdered in Gaza and it is just unfathomable that we can allow this to continue without adding our words to it.

Gareth Scahill (Fine Gael)
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The Minister for Transport, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, was in the House yesterday talking about the Dublin Airport (Passenger Capacity) Bill 2026. The discussion suggested that removing the cap for our national airport would have a detrimental effect on a lot of our regional airports. The Minister made a very good point that it would increase capacity in our areas and the numbers are showing that already, and hopefully will continue to do so.

While the Minister was in the Chamber, a press release came out that €2.3 million had been approved and spent through the Government's regional airports programme on the delivery of a state-of-the-art aerodrome for fire service training at Ireland West Airport Knock. It is an important investment in infrastructure in the west and a vote of confidence in that particular facility. I have often raised the issue of being proactive with our fire services. Recently, we had the housing infrastructure investment fund, which in all our counties was set to unlock between 700, 900 and 1,500 houses, yet we will wait for a lot of those houses to be delivered before we start reacting to what other services we need to deliver on the ground.I hope counties in the west of Ireland might be able to utilise the state-of-the-art training facility at Knock Airport to upskill the members of our fire services across the region. I also hope we will be proactive in the delivery of new fire services when it comes to both personnel and new fire stations. That includes restoring old fire stations which closed in the past. I refer to those stations in Acting Leader’s area of Ballinasloe and my area of Castlerea. The opportunity is now. We are creating and unlocking the potential for housing, but we need to be a lot more proactive in the delivery of the supporting services.

Chris Andrews (Sinn Fein)
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I again want to raise the shocking animal welfare and transparency concerns relating to the greyhound racing industry. Every year, the industry is handed millions of euro by the State. There is no expectation of accountability or efficiency in how that money is spent. It is handed to the industry on the assumption that it contributes to economic activity and that Greyhound Racing Ireland has a functioning system for protecting greyhounds. Unfortunately, the truth in that regard is far from clear-cut.

The greyhound industry has essentially been allowed to make up its own figures regarding its economic and financial importance. Unsurprisingly, it grossly overestimates its relevance. Analysis of the most recent figures from 2021 shows that the value of the industry was overstated by upwards of €60 million. This is as a result of dogs outside the State being included in the calculations, dead and exported dogs not being excluded, the career length of racing greyhounds being overestimated and hare coursing litters being included in the costings relating to the breeding and rearing of pups.

There is also the issue of the greyhound care homes set up by the industry. There was a commitment in 2021 for Greyhound Racing Ireland to open four care homes. However, only two such homes have opened to date. There is a shocking lack of value for money in these homes. They only manage to care for a tiny number of dogs in comparison with voluntary rescues and dog shelters despite having vastly more funding. When it does care to rehome rescues, it costs Greyhound Racing Ireland’s care homes €6,000 per greyhound to do so.

What is worse than that, however, is the completely broken traceability system. Disgracefully, it cannot account for thousands of greyhounds and has failed to cut down on the hundreds of greyhounds dying as a result of racing every year. The current State policy of unconditional funding for the greyhound industry undermines efforts to improve transparency, welfare standards or value for money within this industry. I urge the Minister for agriculture, Deputy Heydon, to initiate an independent review of Greyhound Racing Ireland in order to assess its economic viability and record on animal welfare.

Niall Blaney (Fianna Fail)
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I want to refer to the work of Horse Sport Ireland and to wish Team Ireland every success as it prepares for the world championships in Aachen, Germany, which commence on 11 August. Horse Sport Ireland is the national governing body for equestrian sport. It is responsible for every aspect of the sport, from riding centres where thousands learn to ride horses for the first time each year to Olympian and Paralympian teams competing in showjumping, eventing, dressage and para-dressage. These upcoming world championships offer the first opportunity for Ireland’s equestrian athletes to qualify for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. This is a significant milestone in the Olympic cycle. I extend my best wishes to our teams competing in showjumping, dressage, eventing and para-dressage. They will represent Ireland at the highest level in one of the world’s primary equestrian competitions.

Equestrian sport is one of the few Olympic sports in which men and women compete together on equal terms and where athletes from across generations compete at the highest level. Ireland punches above its weight internationally in this regard, reflecting the quality of our athletes, horses, owners, breeders, coaches and support teams.

Horse Sport Ireland is one of the finest examples of practical, all-island co-operation in Irish sport. Working in partnership with Sport Ireland and Sport NI, it supports athletes from every part of the island, as well as Irish riders across the world, who come together proudly as Team Ireland. I particularly acknowledge Daniel and Jordan Coyle from Derry and international event rider, Susie Berry, from Down, who were all nominated in the world championships, as well as Jessica Kürten from Antrim, who leads a high-performance jumping programme. Together, they reflect the strength of our 32-county equestrian community and the international reach of Irish sport.

As Ireland holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union, Horse Sport Ireland will welcome international equestrian delegates to Dublin by hosting the European Equestrian Federation’s general assembly in September and the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses’ general assembly in October. These events will bring leading organisations from across Europe and the world to Ireland, showcasing our international standing in equestrian sporting and breeding.

I recognise the commitment of the management, board and staff of Horse Sport Ireland. They work behind the scenes supporting athletes, developing high-performance programmes, administering breeding and coaching initiatives and a world-class studbook and promoting Irish equestrian sport nationally and internationally. They are fundamental to the success we see in the arena. I congratulate Horse Sport Ireland on all it continues to achieve. I wish the organisation every success with its upcoming international events. Above all, I wish Team Ireland every success in Germany as it begins its journey towards Los Angeles 2028.

Linda Nelson Murray (Fine Gael)
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Through our offices, we all have the lovely honour of helping and supporting older people in our communities, particularly when it comes to filling out forms, which is a bit part of what they have to do. At present, people over 65 years of age repeatedly have to ask their GPs to certify similar information for things such as medical cards, housing adaption grants, mobility or travel schemes, respite care applications, living alone allowance, household benefit packages and other disability or care supports. There are a lot of examples in this regard. Each application can require another GP appointment and another fee, which is stressful and takes up a lot of time. These appointments all ask the same questions, however. I propose that we look at the possibility of an annual older person’s health passport. A GP would complete one comprehensive assessment each year. Departments and local authorities could accept that certified assessment, rather than requiring new medical evidence every time someone applies for another support. Obviously, if information needs to be added to the passport in the event of an emergency situation, that is grand.

For older people, it would mean one medical assessment instead of several such appointments. There would be less stress and paperwork for them, as well as fewer GP appointments, resulting in lower costs where GP forms are charged and faster access to supports. For GPs, there would be less repetitive administrative work and more clinical time for patients. We desperately need this in County Meath. We have the fewest number of GPs per capita in the country. It is very hard to get an appointment. People have to wait two weeks. What I am proposing would help that situation.

For the Government, there would be reduced duplication across Departments, faster processing of applications, lower administrative costs and better consistency in medical assessments. For the local authorities, the housing adaption grants and older supports with which they deal could be processed way quicker.

This matters because Ireland has an ageing population. We often talk about helping people age with dignity within their homes, but we have to make the system easier to navigate. An 80-year old living alone should not have to complete five or six separate medical forms in a year, repeating the same information for different public bodies. One trusted annual health certification could reduce bureaucracy, save public money, free up GP time and make life considerably easier for older people and their families. I will bring this matter to the attention of the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. I will push for this measure, but I ask the Acting Leader to request a debate or to write to the Minister informing her that the Seanad thinks it would be a great idea.

Laura Harmon (Labour)
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I do not even know where to begin. I will start by saying that I am sick to the pit of my stomach at the decision this morning to grant planning for apartments on the Bessborough site. Approval has been given for the building of 106 apartments there. We absolutely need to oppose this. The Taoiseach needs to come out of the woodwork on this issue. He cannot hide behind a planning process any more. The State should step in to compulsorily purchase this site.

We are putting shame on top of shame when it comes to survivors and their families. The whole country colluded against these women. Some 19,000 women, babies and infants passed through this site and the country as a whole acted like shame was justice. The shame lies with the State, however. This is Micheál Martin’s second time as Taoiseach. This is happening in his constituency of Cork South-Central. He needs to act on this issue. He needs to come out today and make a statement on the matter.He needs to make a plan to compulsorily purchase this site. It should be in public ownership. It is a site of conscience, historical importance and education and, above all, it is a memorial place. We know there are remains of babies in this site. We cannot allow apartments to go ahead. Can Senators imagine if we built apartments over Tuam? We see what happened in Tuam and what was uncovered. Can Senators imagine if we had concreted over that? That is what we are looking at, potentially, in Bessborough.

I will stand with survivors. I will not stop campaigning in relation to this. Everybody in Ireland now needs to come out and support these women, their families, the survivors and those affected. We need a collective response. We need all eyes now on this. We need Senators to speak to their political parties in relation to it. We need cross-party support. We need the Taoiseach and Tánaiste to come out on this issue. They have both made statements on it in the past. We do not need words; we need action.

Joe Conway (Independent)
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Chuala mé níos túisce ar maidin an Teachta Moynihan ag labhairt ar an raidió faoi chás na e-scooters agus an méid oibre atá déanta ag An Garda Síochána chun iad a bhaint de na sráideanna agus stop a chur leis an dainséar. It was a point very well made by Deputy Moynihan. I praise his initiative in gathering the statistics that highlight the very good work done by An Garda. As in all cases, there is much more to be done.

Practically every Member of this House spends a fair amount of time behind the wheel. In so doing, we probably come across in our day-to-day business much evidence of what can only be described as dangerous overtaking. Looking at the whole road safety argument and road safety question in Ireland, it seems to be ag dul in olcas at the moment. When we come back after the recess, we should have a comprehensive debate in this House with the Minister where we can ventilate our concerns about various road safety matters. I do not want to labour the point, but we can see that things are not getting better in relation to road safety. We need to have a good discussion here and a ventilation of the worries.

Sarah O'Reilly (Aontú)
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I, too, think today is a sad day. Yesterday, the Department of Health published its report on the abortion figures for 2025. There were 10,600 abortions last year - the highest yet since the eighth amendment was repealed. Since 2018, there have been 65,000 lives lost across this country to abortion. That number is equal to the entire population of Sligo. A few weeks ago, the Taoiseach and Tánaiste were pushing for and voted for removal of three-day wait. We were told about how women have made their minds up and do not need a paternalistic waiting period before having an abortion. A few weeks later, the Government proposed paid miscarriage and abortion leave. These are the same people who dismiss most abortion regret and trauma. The three-day wait could prevent a woman from experiencing that grief and ever needing abortion leave in the first place. It has to be said that miscarriage and abortion are not the same thing. A miscarriage is an unintentional and often unexpected loss. Abortion is a choice. In both cases a life has been lost, but the Government cannot have it both ways. It cannot acknowledge the emotional weight of a woman losing her baby, then, on the other hand, brush off the need for the waiting period that could have prevented that event.

The State's policy has made it difficult for people to have children or start their family. Due to tax individualisation, a dual-income household can earn more at a lower tax band than a one-income family. A parent might want to stay at home for a few years with their baby, but the Government has no interest in facilitating that. It will pay for the abortion, give the person a few days' leave and hope that they do not notice it has not removed any of the barriers to motherhood and parenting.

Aubrey McCarthy (Independent)
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I wish to raise an issue that affects that town that I come from, namely, Naas. It is to do with St. Corban's National School. Earlier this year, following engagement with the Department of education, the school was encouraged to open a third junior infant class. On that basis, 25 additional students were enrolled for this coming September. Parents accepted these places in good faith, believing that the necessary teaching resources that were promised would follow.

Now, just weeks before the new term begins, the Department has refused to allocate the additional teacher. It is not because the school failed to act. For four months, the principal, the board of management, the parents and the school's patron have all engaged and pursued every possible avenue, including an appeal to the primary staffing appeals board. They had a meeting with the Department's assistant secretary general. Every option has been exhausted but the request has been refused because of a technical staffing rule. The result is that one junior infant class in St. Corban's in Naas will have almost 40 children. These are four- and five-year-olds taking their first steps into education. We cannot say that we are committed to giving every child the best possible start in life when giving a pupil to teacher ratio of 1:40.

I acknowledge the professionalism of the principal, John Drewett, his staff and the board of management. They have gone out of their way and done everything possible to appease the situation and to manage an impossible situation. They have been clear that this is not an acceptable long-term solution. Sometimes common sense must take precedence over bureaucracy. I ask the Acting Leader to ask the Minister for education to urgently revisit this decision before the school year begins. These families acted in good faith. They had a promise and they acted on that. I sincerely hope that the Minister will do the right thing regarding St. Corban's.

Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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Listening to some of the contributions today on planning - I welcome that we will be discussing planning later with the Minister - I was reminded of a really good article published in The Irish Times during the week which had the subtitle, "Public participation and environmental scrutiny are not the enemies of progress [in the planning process]". I hope we will remember that today as we reflect on a number of issues.

I wish to raise the issue of items Nos. 1 to 7, inclusive, on the Order of Business.They all relate to exempted development. One has to ask why they are being dealt with today. Why not three or four weeks ago? I support the referral of these motions to the committee for its consideration, but Members will or should be aware that these are a substantive part of the legislation we will be considering later today. Members will also be aware that this legislation was guillotined in the Dáil last night and of the limited amount of time we have to discuss this issue. It all might be very well at the moment because the odds are stacked against meaningful opposition and that is what we have to live with at the moment, but time moves and is cyclical in politics. There are people on one side of this House who will be on the other side after the next election, and there are others who may not be here at all. Time moves on, but planning is a long-term thing. I welcome the fact that the motions are being referred to the committee, albeit late. I will be revisiting this later during the debate on planning. I contacted both Ministers yesterday and informed them that if the public consultation in relation to these matters was not published today, I would submit to the Department a series of freedom of information requests that I drafted last week. The Ministers and their officials are aware of that.

This is important. We have to be clear about what we are doing. We are referring this to the Oireachtas joint committee and that is important, but it is a pity it has taken so long and it is particularly important and significant that it is happening today.

Manus Boyle (Fine Gael)
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I concur with my fellow Senators' comments on water safety. It is an important issue, especially in rural counties like my own county of Donegal. With the weather being so good, the beaches are going to be full this weekend. There will be large amounts of people at them. I ask people to be cautious and vigilant of what is going on. Before they go into the water, they should please check the life ring buoys are in place because, when accidents happen, it is the first bit of equipment that everybody needs to know where it is, that it is there and that it is not damaged or tampered with. If there are any problems with it, people should notify An Garda Síochána or Water Safety Ireland. If people see somebody in difficulty, they should ring 112 or 999 and ask for the Coast Guard.

We have beautiful beaches all over this country and they are going to be inundated for the next few days, so I am asking people to please be careful. They should check the tides and the currents. Make sure that the ring buoys are all there and working. They are the one piece of equipment that is there to save lives.

Anne Rabbitte (Fianna Fail)
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I thank Senators for their sizeable contributions and attendance here this morning. It is greatly appreciated.

Senator Margaret Murphy O'Mahony spoke about sport and the values of sport. When we think about sport, not all of it is professional. There are a lot of amateur sports, particularly our national games. Nobody sets out to lose a game and everybody goes to participate. At the same time, we should be mindful that they are community men and women who are putting on their county or parish colours to represent their parishes, counties and in some cases their country. Social media is no made for anybody to be taking short jibes at people whatsoever. I completely agree with the Senator.

She also went on to speak about water safety, as did a lot of other Senators. We are all conscious that we have good weather but we also sometimes, as the Senator said, lose the run of ourselves and maybe forget our safety checks. Senator Martin Conway spoke about including on the curriculum a course on how respond in an emergency. Whether that is a course delivered by Water Safety Ireland or learning first aid, it is so important.

I also thank Senator Murphy O'Mahony for her contribution on Skyclarys. Next Tuesday is decision day and hopefully a positive decision will be made for the 200 patients waiting for positive news on that drug.

Senator McDowell spoke about the guillotine and individual items. We have the guillotine every day, but on those days, we would perhaps like to have more time to have more opportunities to speak on items. He then went on to talk about an honest, decent, hard-working gentleman, the late Martin Naughton from Dundalk. He set up his Glen Dimplex factory in Dunleer and provided so much employment and opportunity. He was a leader in innovation through many years. As he made his money, he continued to share opportunities for young learners, innovators, educators and researchers. He did not keep it to the engineering side of the house. He allowed Carmel to spread a little bit of it as well in the fields of arts and culture. I know a little bit about the Naughton family. My late husband came from Dunleer and my late father-in-law worked in Glen Dimplex. The Naughtons, as the Senator said, are good, honest and decent people. Martin left a great example in how to support young people coming forward in research and innovation. The Senator also said, as did Senator Murphy O'Mahony, that if we can be anything in this world, we should be kind, and that is one thing Martin Naughton was, and it is one thing we should always remember. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam. We think of him today.

Senator McCormack raised the issue of active travel. She is not present to hear my response but it would be fitting for a Commencement matter to be raised on that because it is a specific issue in Graiguecullen that she wishes to discuss. She asked specific questions that are for Transport Infrastructure Ireland and the National Transport Authority to answer. She should puts down a Commencement matter with the Minister to get answers to those important questions.

She also mentioned the tragic loss of Ms Constantin, who is one of many victims of violence against women this week. It is a sad reflection on society that the first thing I saw on my paper's headline this morning was the news from the National Women's Council that more women have died by femicide so far this year than in the whole of 2025. It is staggering. I am glad to announce, and I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach for sharing it with me, that when we return in September we will have an Oireachtas committee to discuss and address domestic violence as a stand-alone item. I welcome that news but there is still so much to be done in that area.

Senator Joe Flaherty raised the issue of sports capital grants and the instruction of the Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnois to schools that he is responsible for to not participate in the community element of the scheme. That is unfortunate. Where we have rural depopulation - and there are great reports coming from the GAA - the one thing we want to do is ensure a sense of community. That sense of community circles around a few things. It can be the church, school, post office or the pub. That is what we have in rural Ireland and if we remove one of those centres, it leaves the young people, as well as the families coming into those communities, wondering how we can support our young people, particularly when there are so many distractions when it comes to online safety, and when we think about how young people need other diversions. The sports capital fund has been one of our best resources. The Minister of State, Deputy McConalogue, has travelled the country, as has the Minister, Deputy O'Donovan, to ensure that the best opportunities are taken for our sports capital. It is unfortunate, and I would not like to think that contagion would take place in relation to that.

Senator Flaherty remembered Ms Lillis, as did Senator Brady. I did not know the lady, but they both spoke so fondly of her and about the huge contribution she made. I think of her and her family who are grieving her loss. We hope the fond memories they carry will give them the strength to go forward.

Senator Brady complimented the shows in his area. Longford show took place last week and Ballinamuck fair day takes place this Sunday. We wish them all the best down in Drumlish. I want to compliment the Senator on his contribution in relation to the roof-top solar farms. It is time that we had a check of ourselves in this country as to how we are using arable land. We cannot be using good, arable land for solar farms. I come from Galway - some Members might not have realised that - and we have marginal land in a lot of it.To put solar farms on good, arable land is absolutely disgraceful. We need to look at the alternative. The alternative needs to be - as the Senator put forward, and I would heartily support whatever debate or legislation we need to bring forward - to look to the UK. The UK is using grade 2 land. I thank the OPLA for helping me to draft legislation in this regard because we cannot compromise good, arable land for the sake of solar farms that will have 15 years of a lifespan. Food security needs to be our number one priority at all times. We need to be food secure. That would be a good discussion with whichever Minister wants to take responsibility and come here to talk to us. We certainly would welcome it.

Senator Stephenson has left but like Senator McCormack and all of us, also spoke on the amount of violence against women that has taken place since the start of the year, since the loss of Ashling Murphy but also in this particular week. We can all feel it. She asked whether we are going forward or backwards. It is very hard to feel as though we are making progress on this particular matter. I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach for the welcome announcement that we will have an Oireachtas committee to address this. The Senator also spoke about Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya who has been held for 559 days as a medical prisoner of war. The Senator has asked the Minister, Deputy McEntee, to intervene and bring assistance. We will liaise and bring her words to the Minister.

I was wondering where Senator Scahill was going when he talked about Dublin Airport coming from Roscommon but I see exactly where he landed on that in respect of the €2.3 million that was put into regional airports and what has happened at Ireland West. His point that the skills of our retained firefighters - because there are very few professional firefighters in the entire country and we predominantly work with retained firemen - are equally as important and need to be upgraded on a regular basis is valid. Why would we not call for them to have access to what is the new intervention at Ireland West Airport? This would ensure that their skills are upgraded at all times. The Senator talked about investment, and he was right to talk about our fire stations such as Ballinasloe and Castlerea. They are finding it very hard to get up that ladder of elevation for support and intervention. They are the first line of defence when there is a fire that runs on oil or the hay-shed that could take off, God forbid, at this time of year. We are dependent on them having the best equipment so they can do their job.

When we look at some of our fire stations, women cannot be recruited as retained fire officers because there are no changing facilities for them. It is time we have a proper root and branch review of where our retained fire officers and fire services can work from. In Ballinasloe, we could not recruit a woman because the fire station there does not have changing facilities, and it is the same in Portumna. Those are only two places either side of where I live.

On the greyhound industry, Senator Andrews talked about the greyhounds and care homes and the industry not having what it signed up to, that is, a minimum of four care homes. He talked about adequacy in relation to what they provide for the greyhounds and of the industry's value being overestimated. I have no notes or anything else on it but it is a worthwhile debate. We saw last night there was a vote on hare coursing in the Dáil. At all times, when it comes to animal welfare, whether in relation to horse racing or other aspects, it is important that we have debates. We should respect both sides of the debate to have those conversations. If we do not have a conversation, we do not have awareness and we do not have an intervention. I thoroughly support the Senator on that.

Senator Blaney talked about the upcoming championships and Horse Sport Ireland. I wish all of the participants all the best in the various levels of equine sport. The championships are taking place in Germany. I compliment the fact that it is an all-Ireland body and Horse Sport Ireland works with equestrian sport North and South. It is hard to believe the organisation is on its first leg of the road to the Los Angeles summer games. We know the proud culture we have when it comes to equine affairs and the breeding and training of animals. We also know the investment that families have had. Senator Brady is aware of equine sports, as his young children participate a lot in them. The commitment that families instill in their children from an early age, through dressage for example, and the skill it takes is admirable.

The Senator mentioned the names of the people involved; they are recorded. I concur in thanking them for the work they do. I look forward to the various assemblies taking place under the European Presidency in September and October. If the Senator can organise that, some of us with a keen interest in equine matters could attend it. It would be absolutely fantastic because it is a really good part of our heritage and culture and for the various generations. I thank Senator Blaney for that.

Senator Nelson Murray proposed an older person passport. That is common sense when we think about it. GPs would be delighted. The local authority would be more efficient and most importantly, the older person would be at the centre of the proposal. Older people do not want to be going into the GP in October, November, January, or February, when the flu season is at its worst, but that is perhaps when their need is at its most. There are two relevant Departments here. The Minister for Health will certainly do her bit and I have no doubt but that the Minister for housing will do his. There has to be that recognition. We must tell the Departments this is how we are doing it going forward. A person will have a passport for 12 months or whatever time until change. We should certainly recommend that. As a nation that is getting older, we have to find more efficient ways of doing this. This cuts through some of that red tape that badly needs to be cut.

As Senator Harmon spoke, I absolutely could feel from her the upset that she is feeling about the granting of planning permission. When she compared it with Tuam, I knew exactly what she meant. No concrete is going to go on Tuam. It is going to be a memorial site and we will know our history. Painful as it might be, it is fitting. My father used to always say, "You never touch the dead”, and in these instances, sometimes that is what we need to think of. I am not taking either side in relation to the local authority’s decision but I would welcome commentary from our leaders on that. At the same time, it is a very sensitive subject and issue for Senator Harmon and for a lot of people who have family who went through Bessborough or are living in that area.

Senator Joe Conway spoke about e-scooters and Deputy Shane Moynihan. What would have been the Joe Duffy show that has been taken over by Kieran Cuddihy, spoke a lot about e-scooters as well this week. It is hard to believe that one e-scooter a commentator spoke about was going at 70 km/h. What chance do we have if we are buying e-scooters for kids and not regulating them? It is hard to believe 50% of the beds below on Temple Street are made up from the result of either a scrambler or e-scooter accident. These are not minor accidents. This is not a broken finger or elbow. They cause really life-altering conditions when a person comes off one of these scooters and has an accident. I also think of the poor, unfortunate person who is driving a car or is on another bike and who has that collision. They have to live with that accident as well. There is a comprehensive need for a debate when it comes to road safety. There is a deeper conversation around e-scooters and legislation, guidance and the filing and purchasing of them.

Senator O'Reilly spoke in relation to abortion and the 10,600 abortions which took place in 2025. She spoke as well on the recent vote that took place in the Dáil on the three-day waiting period, as well as the role of motherhood and the roles of mothers. Her viewpoint is there is an intertwined language concerning mums who lose their babies due to miscarriage, as opposed to the choice of an abortion. She does not view it as being equal.I hope I am reflecting the Senator's viewpoint correctly.

Senator McCarthy spoke about St. Corban's National School. I recommend that the Senator put down a Commencement matter on that. We have a week left before the Seanad rises. If we were to have a Commencement debate with the Minister, the Senator could perhaps get a more direct response than I am able to provide today and would not be obliged to wait for the Minister to come before the House for a debate on education. A ratio of 1:40 is not what the INTO speaks about or what is in our programme for Government. I encourage the Senator to table a Commencement matter.

Senator Conway spoke about water safety. I covered that comprehensively already. The Senator also spoke about training for first aid. There is merit in that. There was a time when we did a lot of that in our education system. I believe that a lot of it is done as part of transition year programmes, but swimming also has to happen in national schools. There is no doubt about that.

Senator Boyhan raised a number or issues in relation to the running order for today. However, he also stated that he will be supporting today's proceedings.

Senator Boyle spoke about Irish Water. The Senator and Senator Blaney come from Donegal, which is surrounded by beautiful seas. Senator Boyle is dead right to raise this issue. Anybody with access to a lake, a river or the sea should be vigilant. The issue relating to ring buoys is quite specific. In Galway, we lost a lot of ring buoys. We do need to have them. They are essential as a first means of intervention. Anybody who notices them missing, even a person out walking, should report it instantly. I fully concur with the Senator on that.

Maria Byrne (Fine Gael)
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Before we move on, I wish to acknowledge Deputy Cahill and his guests in the Visitors Gallery and our colleague Senator McCarthy and his guests from Picker Pals TV Club and the Links Project. They are all very welcome. I hope they enjoy their visit to Leinster House today.