Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I call on the Deputy Leader to outline the Order of Business.

Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail)
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I extend my welcome to our esteemed visitor, and wish him well for the celebrations this evening. Many of us were hoping to get there. Unfortunately, we are going to have votes but I have no doubt there still will be an excellent representation from the Houses of the Oireachtas.

The Order of Business is No. a1 on the Supplementary Order Paper, motion regarding Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) (No.3) Regulations 2026, referral to committee, to be taken on the conclusion of the Order of Business without debate; No. 1, Postal and Telecommunications Services (Amendment) Bill 2026 - all Stages, to be taken at 2.45 p.m., and the proceedings thereon shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at 3.45 p.m. by the putting of one question from the Chair, which shall, in relation to recommendations, include only those set down or accepted by Government, with the time allocated to the opening remarks of the Minister at the debate on Second Stage not to exceed five minutes, all Senators not to exceed five minutes, and the Minister to be given no less than five minutes to reply to the debate, with Committee and Remaining Stages to be taken immediately thereafter; No. 2, Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2026 - Committee and Remaining Stages, to be taken at 3.45 p.m., and the proceedings thereon shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at 5.30 p.m. 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; and No. 3, Housing and Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026 - Committee and Remaining Stages, to be taken at 5.45 p.m., and the proceedings thereon shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at 8.15 p.m. by the putting of one question from the Chair, which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by Government.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Is Senator Rabbitte or Senator Flaherty leading off for Fianna Fáil?

Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail)
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Senator Rabbitte.

Joe Flaherty (Fianna Fail)
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I could never fill those shoes.

Anne Rabbitte (Fianna Fail)
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I am wearing sandals today.

Good afternoon to everybody. I warmly welcome the Minister for justice's bringing his memo to Cabinet where he seeks to criminalise extreme violent pornography.For too long, this has been a glaring gap in our criminal law. The High Court has confirmed that possessing extreme pornography material is not an offence in this jurisdiction. This is simply not acceptable in 2026.

The evidence before us is stark. Research from the Sexual Exploitation Research and Policy, SERP, Institute shows that the vast majority of our 15- and 16-year-olds have been exposed to violent pornography, most before they have even left primary school. On Ireland's most popular pornography website, almost two thirds of the video titles indicate content of concern, including sexual violence, extreme misogyny and material that mimics child sexual abuse. This is not on the fringes of the Internet; this is mainstream, free and one click away from every child in this country. It is distorting health and sexual development and fuelling misogynistic attitudes that, far too often, end in real-world violence against women and girls.

I pay particular tribute to two people today, namely, Mick Moran from the Irish Internet Hotline and Fiona Jennings from the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, ISPCC. They have been strong advocates since I was on the Front Bench in 2019. I also worked with the Leader in this regard when he was a member of the education committee. I also acknowledge the role of Deputy Cathal Crowe in the Lower House and that of Senator Rónán Mullen whose Bill, which was before Seanad Éireann last week, spoke to this very issue. It is something we should all get behind and support to ensure we have the law to protect our young people.

I also wish to bring up Skyclarys. In approximately 20 minutes' time, the HSE will meet to undertake its drugs review. Skyclarys is on the agenda for that review. I appeal to the HSE for a positive result in this regard. I am also appealing to the HSE management board, which is due to meet in the coming days. Regardless of the outcome today, I ask it to give a strong recommendation of approval. We need that recommendation. We must look at the humane side of this.

I only need to refer to Craig Coadywhen he talks about his son. He said that we should not deny his son the chance to hold onto his voice, even if it is just to be able to ask for a glass of water. That is the parent of a child with Friedreich's ataxia, who has already lost a child to Friedreich's ataxia. We have 200 such patients in this country. It is incumbent on the HSE management drugs company to meet as soon as today's meeting is over to give us a positive decision for all the families seeking support.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Before I call the next speaker, I welcome Sheila Nix and Emma Coughlan to the Gallery, who are guests of Senator Joanne Collins. They are both welcome to Seanad Éireann today.

Gareth Scahill (Fine Gael)
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I too wish to be associated with the welcoming of the deputy head of mission from the French Embassy. I wish him a happy Bastille Day and the best of luck tonight. I am not going to be as blatant and pick a side before the game, but it is hard to go against France on a night like tonight. I also acknowledge a colleague from Roscommon, Dympna Daly-Finn, who is in the Gallery. I welcome her to the House. She is a guest of Deputy Clendennen.

I am calling for a debate in the House on the regional spatial and economic strategy, or the RSES as some of us know it. It is important in delivering balanced regional development. The RSES is far more than another planning document; it is the blueprint that guides our county development plans. It influences where homes are built, where businesses invest, where infrastructure is delivered and, ultimately, where Government funding is directed over the next decade and beyond.

If a project is not reflected in the regional spatial and economic strategy, it becomes significantly harder to include it in future county development plans, and it is much more difficult to secure investment for it. That is why the RSES is so important. In my home county of Roscommon, I want to see an ambitious submission from our local authority that looks beyond today's challenges and plans for tomorrow's opportunities. This means prioritising the continued upgrade of the N61 as the backbone of the county, linking Athlone to Sligo through Roscommon town, Tulsk and Boyle. Investment in this route would unlock housing, enterprise, tourism and development opportunities right across the centre of our county.

We also need to recognise the N60 and the long-term need for a relief road in my home town of Castlerea to improve road safety, which I heard about with Councillor Ruth Conboy last Friday when we visited the Corlann services in Castlerea.The users of that service highlighted the desperate need to have more road crossings at the centre of Castlerea. Development of the N61 and a relief road would also support businesses and make the town a more attractive place to live and invest in. To put this into context, 15 years ago, many people described the M5 as a pipe dream. Today, it has become a reality because people had the vision to include it in the long-term planning and continued to make the case for it.

Going back to the RSES, we need to show ambition today. If we truly believe in balanced regional development, we must have the courage to plan for it. We need a debate in this House on the strategy to ensure every local authority is encouraged to make an ambitious submission that will shape stronger communities for generations to come. I look forward to having that debate in September if we have the chance.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I also welcome Dympna Daly-Finn to the Gallery. She is most welcome to Seanad Éireann today.

Rónán Mullen (Independent)
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I also welcome our French dignitary and say, Vive la France ce soir et vive le Chemin de St. Jacques en France, I would say, à titre personnel.

I do not think I was the only one in this House who was very shocked and upset by the news of the murder of Ann Widdecombe last Friday. I did not know her well but I did know her personally and met her on a few occasions. She visited these Houses back in 2015 when she was a guest of the Oireachtas human dignity group. The Deputy Leader's former colleague Senator Jim Walsh was here to meet her alongside me. She was in Ireland to speak at the annual dinner for pro-life education at the time. She was a woman of great conviction. Those who knew her would say that whether you agreed or disagreed with Ann, knowing her you found her to be very honest, forthright, matter of fact, humble and fun. The fun side of her personality certainly came out during her participation in "Strictly Come Dancing". I think she had the humility to see that even if on occasions she could be seen as cutting a slightly absurd figure, she used that to generate affection and attention for the points of view she held a deep conviction for. I am one of the many people who admired her courageous championing of human dignity at the very beginning of life in her defence of the unborn.

Like her friend Sir David Amess MP, who was murdered a few short years ago, she was also a convinced advocate for animal welfare. There was much to admire in Ann Widdecombe even if many of us here would not be on the same page as her on Brexit-related matters and so on. Just to let colleagues know, there will be a mass for her tomorrow for those who would like to attend in St. Teresa's in Clarendon Street at 12.45 p.m. It is time for us all to reflect on the risks people in public life face, not just during their parliamentary careers but afterwards as well. Let us hope for a more secure and safer society for us all where people can express their ideas in a forthright and honest way and not be harmed for that.

I also welcome, as did Senator Rabbitte, the announcement by the Government that it proposes to criminalise extreme and violent pornography. I thank Senator Rabbitte for being so strongly supportive of my own Private Members' Bill last week, which proposed making it a criminal offence not to have strict age verification to prevent young people being able to access pornography. This Bill, I think, is the opportunity for the Government to recognise that it is not just extreme or violent pornography that is the problem. In fact, it is very hard to know at what point pornography becomes violent and extreme, for the very reason that many of those who are caught up in it have come from backgrounds of disability, poverty and sometimes sexual abuse. Nobody really freely enters the world of pornography. I will table amendments to urge the Government that not only should we have the criminalisation of extreme and violent pornography, but we really must close off the possibility for pornographers to make their content available to persons under the age of 18. This will be our opportunity to do it. There will be arguments about privacy and about the EU's jurisdiction but strong, clear criminal law in this country will send out the message that will, I hope, help us to build a better future.

Pauline Tully (Sinn Fein)
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I too would like to extend a fáilte romhat to our dignitaries from France and wish them a happy Bastille Day.

I want to raise an issue regarding social welfare payments.People on jobseeker's allowance or on farm assist may sometimes have to come off those payments if they receive some work. They may be working on a part-time basis, so they notify the Department of Social Protection and the payment is ceased. Sometimes the work, especially if it is seasonal, finishes up and when the person reapplies for the payment, the delay can be excessive.

One person who recently contacted me has a small farm and was in receipt of farm assist. They had been doing seasonal work for a number of months and when that ceased, they contacted the Department and reapplied. That was in early April. It was not sanctioned until early July. It took three months for the payment to be made and their circumstances had not changed. I can understand the Department had to do a quick check and make sure things had not changed, but given that they had submitted everything and had previously applied for and been granted this payment, it should have been seamless to allow them to do the seasonal work for a number of weeks or months and then resume the payment. In the meantime they had no money, so they were borrowing off family members. It was taking so long and the Department was looking for extra information and arranging visits but not turning up for them. This person asked me to contact the Department, which I did and then the payment was granted. I am not saying it was not going to be granted anyway - maybe it was - but three months is far too long.

I have heard the same situation for people who are on disability allowance, where they might undertake a community employment, CE, scheme. They might come off the disability payment, do a CE scheme and really enjoy it as a chance to work, meet people and get out of the house. However, there are many now who do not want to take up the offer of a CE scheme because it takes so long once the CE scheme ends to get their disability payment back. I brought this up with the then Minister, Heather Humphreys, who said it should be seamless. I agree that it absolutely should be seamless but it is not. It still seems to be causing a problem. It is a pity to see people on these payments not taking up the opportunity to do a CE scheme or part-time work because of the fear that their payment will not be resumed in an expedient way.

I ask that this issue be raised with the Minister, Deputy Calleary. It needs to be addressed as fast as possible.

Laura Harmon (Labour)
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I want to raise the issue of Bessborough again today. There will be a rally next Saturday in Cork at 2.30 p.m. People are calling for the site to be preserved as a site of conscience, historical importance and, above all, a memorial for survivors and their families. It was heartening yesterday to see cross-party support from across the Government, the Opposition and Independents outside Cork City Hall, calling for the land to be acquired by the State via compulsory purchase order. I ask all Senators to put on pressure within their parties on this issue. It is really important that we secure this site and bring it into public ownership.

The second issue I wish to raise is the issue of access to safe swimming in Ireland. I have been campaigning for a number of years for a lido in Cork City. When I was a Cork city councillor, I had a motion calling for a lido within the city. Unfortunately, the Lee baths, which were hugely popular, closed the year I was born, back in 1986, 40 years ago now. There has never been anything like it since.

Rónán Mullen (Independent)
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What is a lido?

Laura Harmon (Labour)
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It is an open-air heated swimming pool.

Rónán Mullen (Independent)
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So, it is not a beach along the Lee or anything like that.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Senator Harmon, without interruption.

Laura Harmon (Labour)
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This is something that would provide access to open-air, safe swimming and give people an opportunity to learn how to swim. It would provide employment for lifeguards and it would certainly add to the communities.

Currently, in Britain there are over 160 lidos in place and in Ireland, unfortunately, they have been decreasing. There are campaigns in Dublin and Galway for more facilities. This is something I would welcome a discussion on in this House with the relevant Minister to discuss access to swimming in Ireland. Unfortunately, a lot of people with mobility issues cannot often get to the beach or the seaside. There is no transport available to them. Particularly now, during a heatwave, temperatures are rising, and a lot of private swimming pools are expensive and often very full. Swimming should be accessible to everybody. We should bring it into the community. We need more amenities that do not involve alcohol where people can go to enjoy themselves and meet.This is something I am campaigning for in Cork. I commend the Cork Lido campaign on all the work it has been doing to try to secure a site and secure the funding for this. I believe the State should work with the city councils to provide these amenities for the public. I would welcome a debate in the House on swimming, water safety and access to safe swimming in general.

Rónán Mullen (Independent)
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Well said.

Joe Flaherty (Fianna Fail)
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Regrettably, I have to raise this issue for a second time. It relates to Dr. Booth, who has taken over a GMS contract for two surgeries servicing Lanesborough and the larger Longford town in County Longford. It is now very clear in the satellite town of Lanesborough that there is a concerted effort to close the Lanesborough surgery and maintain a five-day, walk-in service in Longford town. The matter has been continuously raised by local councillor, Sean Mimnagh.

Dr. Booth was given the GMS contract for Longford town and also for Lanesborough, which is ten miles away. In fairness, the doctor has responded to specific concerns via a response from the HSE, but I have to say those responses are not satisfactory. To his credit, the responses are skilfully crafted, and if you were not familiar with the situation, you would say there is nothing wrong here, move along. However, that simply is not true. The entire Lanesborough community is aggrieved and feels that it is now being used as a mere pawn.

The doctor says he is operating a centralised appointment booking service and was forced to cancel the Lanesborough clinic on the last three Fridays as there were no appointments on two Fridays, and on the third Friday, there was just one patient looking for an appointment. I find it incomprehensible that there was no demand for a surgery in Lanesborough on a Friday, coinciding with pension day and arguably the busiest day of the week in the Shannonside town. Patients tell me that, in many cases, they are not given the option of booking the surgery in Lanesborough, but instead are being encouraged to attend the Longford clinic.

I would be more than happy if Dr. Booth wants to continue his five-day service in Longford, but it cannot be at the expense of a rural surgery. The two pharmacies in the town are very much dependent on that GP surgery. I ask the HSE to revisit the contract, let Dr. Booth continue in Longford and re-advertise the Lanesborough section of the contract for the specified hours. We cannot have a situation where GPs are simply cherry-picking the aspects of a contract that are more profitable or better suit them. If we permit this, we are failing our patients and our communities. The consultants at the Rotunda were quickly brought to heel when they were not complying with their contractual obligations. It is critical that we do not allow this situation to continue any longer in Lanesborough. A contract is a contract, as I said. What we are seeing here is a concerted effort to close a rural surgery by stealth. We simply cannot allow it to happen.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I remind Members about public utterances and, obviously, the balance between the public good and the right of individuals, and to make sure that we do not cause injury or harm as they are not here to defend themselves. However, the public good is of the utmost importance to all Senators in their contributions in the Chamber.

Linda Nelson Murray (Fine Gael)
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It was about a year ago that we had a very emotive debate in the House when Senator Nicole Ryan brought suggestions for a Bill on miscarriage leave. I was on this side of the House. It was very hard to actually be debating it when I think everybody in this House wanted to see something like that happen. However, the advice was that it was under the wrong Act - it was under the working time Act - and we had a promise from the Minister, Deputy Peter Burke, that this would be worked on over the year, and that we would be coming back with something a year later.

This is such a positive day because, today, the proposal for miscarriage leave was brought to Cabinet by the Minister, Deputy Peter Burke. Senator Nicole Ryan and I, with other Senators, including Senators Patricia Stephenson, Tom Clonan and Evanne Ní Chuilinn, and many TDs - it was a complete cross-party Oireachtas group - came together and have been working on how to actually do this over the last year. Today is a very positive day for all of us in our group. We have all worked together as a cross-party group. It goes to show that cross-party groups can really work because today is a very positive day in bringing forward miscarriage leave.

It means that women who have baby losses under 23 weeks will be able to take five days of paid leave. That is a very positive day. As somebody who has suffered miscarriages myself, I can say that it is such a positive day. I thank everybody in that group, particularly the Senators in this Chamber who worked on the group, because it is a day to be acknowledged. Hopefully, we will see it come through quickly. I want to follow on from that by asking the Leader to speak to the Minister, Deputy Calleary, who is working very hard on a baby loss register. This will allow people who may have been unable to get scan pictures in the first 11 or 12 weeks to voluntarily register that they were pregnant and lost a baby. I imagine that would very much help in the grieving process. The Minister is working on that. Will the Leader write to him to ask where we are on that? Officials have been keeping in touch with me and our group, and they have been good. A register would follow on nicely from the proposal for miscarriage leave being brought to Cabinet. I thank everybody in the House today and the Senators and TDs who worked in this group. It is a positive day as we can now say that we will soon have five days' leave for people who suffered a miscarriage under 23 weeks.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Senator for sharing her story and for recognising all the work of Senators and others on this important issue.

Sharon Keogan (Independent)
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The future of European border security is being decided right row at the European Commission. It is currently drafting the renewed mandate of Frontex, the EU border police force. As Ireland holds the rotating EU Presidency, the Minister for justice cannot simply pose as a disinterested broker while our European borders are compromised. We must proactively shape this agenda. It is worth noting that the Government pushed ahead with committing Ireland to the EU migration pact, despite widespread national sovereignty reservations from both Houses, on the ground that the EU approach would be better. Added to this, we now have Ministers posturing before the electorate as they try to project a tough stance on migration. They must put their actions where their rhetoric is, and they must do so on the EU level they have signed our nation to.

Holding the EU Presidency gives this Government massive agenda-setting leverage at the Council of Ministers. The Minister must use this chairing power to strip out counterproductive rights promotion provisions. Under the guise of good intentions, these provisions and their enforcers have defanged and undermined Frontex. We must stop internal activists from harassing front-line border guards who are simply trying to enforce our laws.

Furthermore, we must demand an end to bureaucratic data-protecting red tape. It is absurd that Frontex is blocked from sharing critical human trafficking intelligence directly with Europol or national police forces. The Minister should use Ireland's platform to mandate seamless intelligence sharing and expand offshore third country return hubs.

We do not need a bloated, humanitarian NGO. We need a highly effective, technologically advanced border policing force. If this Government wants to prove its tough stance on migration in real terms, it must use its unique presidential powers to push these common-sense governmental reforms onto the Brussels negotiation table.

I also want to second the comments made by Senator Mullen on the death of Ann Widdicombe. It is a dark day for all those who serve in public office.

Alison Comyn (Fianna Fail)
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Having, I daresay, bored my colleagues to death prior to the semi-final in Croke Park on Saturday, I want to thank the gentlemen of the Louth senior team for providing such an uplifting time for us in Louth over the last months and weeks. I also congratulate Mayo, worthy winners on the day, and the Cathaoirleach's county of Kerry. I look forward to an exciting match and hopefully the curse will be broken.

Mark Duffy (Fine Gael)
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I second that.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I would have intervened last week.

Alison Comyn (Fianna Fail)
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I thought I might have said that under my breath.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I should say Senator Comyn, without interruption, but she may work away.

Alison Comyn (Fianna Fail)
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Croke Park was a sea of red on the day. Many of us wanted to take public transport and it was under immense pressure. However, that was not just because of the semi-final. Dundalk and Drogheda railway stations are under serious pressure every day. One of the main reasons is the lack of parking. I have raised this issue before, and it is not getting any better. We have two of the largest towns in Ireland and we now have railway stations that are at capacity. If you are not there at a quarter past six in the morning, there is not a puck's chance of getting parking, and there is no public transport to get you there on time.I live a 45-minute walk away from the railway station. Much as I would love to get the train, I simply cannot. Over the last week or so many passengers have come to me mentioning the heat on the train. I know it might be very unusual, but there is no air conditioning and the windows may not be operational. Therefore, using public transport is extremely difficult at the moment, particularly in our part of the country. I call for a debate on the state of our trains and the state of our parking. At certain levels of population we should be getting expanded parking, or, as I have had said many times, in our particular case, a railway station on the north side to ease the pressure of such demand on our public transport.

Cathal Byrne (Fine Gael)
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I wish to begin by acknowledging Councillor Marie-Thérèse Duffy from Ballina, who has joined us in the Public Gallery. She is the sister of our colleague, Senator Mark Duffy, and does a fantastic job in representing the people of the Ballina area.

Today, I wish to speak about an act of heroism that took place off the coast of Wexford down in Rosslare on Sunday evening. When a child got into difficulty swimming, a man jumped into the waters to try to rescue the child. That man then got into difficulty himself and four more people got involved in the rescue. Thankfully, due to a combination of the efforts of the Coast Guard, the RNLI, and Rescue 117, joined by members of the National Ambulance Service, some off-duty nurses and members of An Garda Síochána, there was no fatality. While those six individuals were taken to Wexford General Hospital they are ultimately in a stable condition, which is a massive relief to everybody. It does show the importance of Rescue 117 and in particular the important work of the Coast Guard and the work it does in a costal county like my own of Wexford, which has such busy ports like Rosslare Europort, but also such a long stretch of coastline up and down its side. Particularly with the hot summer weather we have at the moment, it shows the importance of recognising that the sea can be a dangerous place and that it has cost many people - fishermen and many others - their lives. In this spell of fine weather when so many people want to visit the golden beaches of Wexford, it is important to always be cognisant of the difficulties and the dangers the sea can bring.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I join with the Senator in welcoming Councillor Duffy to the Gallery. She is most welcome. In a strange twist of events I think I spent an extended period of time in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with her sister. There is a whole story behind that but I will buy Councillor Duffy a coffee and explain that one to her.

Shane Curley (Fianna Fail)
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I would also like to welcome former Senator Ned O'Sullivan who I see in the Gallery as well. He is very welcome. Tá fáilte roimhe. It is high time, in the next few months if at all possible; this side of Christmas in particular, to have a debate in the House with the Minister to urgently address the issue of extra time in exams for students with learning difficulties. In a very welcome move, the Minister gave an extra ten minutes across the board to every student with specified learning difficulties in this year's State exams, junior and leaving certificate. That is welcome. It is a good step in the right direction and it acknowledges the issue that exists, but it does not go far enough. Every expert I talk to tells me that. In the UK, if you have the same learning difficulties you get an extra 25% on the time limit of each exam. In Ireland, you get ten minutes even if the exam lasts three hours and 40 minutes in the case of the likes of English paper 2. In third level in Ireland, the lecturers who are currently carrying out a review on the process that was undertaken by the SEC give ten minutes per hour of an exam to their students. I have said this before in this House and I feel I am at risk of repeating myself ad nauseam, but it really needs to be looked at that we are now spending money as a State to pay lecturers to research what happened this year in the leaving certificate when those lecturers already give ten minutes per hour to students at third level with the same learning difficulties. I do not know why we have not just gone with their advice and done it as a cost-effective, research-led decision that could have been done instantly. Those review findings need to be urgently published to inform what will happen next year because it is pretty evident we need to expand on the ten minutes that was given this year. Not alone is the leaving certificate itselt not fit for purpose as an exam in a modern society, but then time pressure is added on top of it for a whole host of students who cannot deal with that type of pressure. Their brains are not designed to process information under time pressure but we expect them to do it anyway. In a modern society, I do not think it is good enough and we need an urgent debate.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I welcome my colleague from Kerry, the former Senator Ned O'Sullivan. It is great to see him back in the Seanad. I am sure he is missing us but, as he would know, it was Pádraig Kennelly of Kerry's Eye who used to say that a day outside Kerry was a day wasted. I am sure Ned is enjoying life in Listowel and an active retirement with the Listowel Writers' Week Literary Festival and everything else. It is great to see him back here in Seanad Éireann. Anois, an Seanadóir Andrews.

Chris Andrews (Sinn Fein)
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I have consistently raised the issue of the Irish Glass Bottle site on behalf of residents there. The Irish Glass Bottle site offered huge hope for families in Ringsend, Pearse Street and Sandymount. The residents fought really hard to have homes for the local community. However, the homes they hoped and fought for were undermined by the Government's bond with the big developers and the commitment to the market, as if the market was ever going deliver homes for the local community and those who need to secure a roof over their heads.

A relatively small number of homes on the site have recently been allocated to social housing applicants but, in the last few days, details have emerged that the future of affordable and social housing on this site is at risk. Lots of people and residents have contacted me really worried that their new beginnings will go up in smoke. It is important, in light of these revelations, to reassure those who have already been allocated their homes that those homes will be safe. The contract has been signed and they should be moving into those homes in the coming weeks. The existing social homes are safe. It is really important to stress that.

What is happening for the next phase of social and affordable homes is very unclear. Negotiations are ongoing and the article in the newspaper was referring to the next phase rather than the current phase of allocations. However, this is, in itself, a real worry and there are supposed to be 550 affordable homes on site to give relief to working people. The Government already undermined this by making these affordable rental as opposed to affordable purchase, which was a huge disappointment to residents. Of course, affordable purchase would have been a far better option for working families looking for long-term stability. Now, it is looking increasingly likely that affordable rentals will not be delivered.

This is beyond disappointing and very unfair on the residents and those who fought for the local community to get a fair share of those homes on the site. Once again, the community has been let down by the Minister and he still refuses to meet with the residents of the Irish Glass Bottle site. It is so disrespectful. It is hard to understand why he would not just sit down with, meet and speak to the residents of the Irish Glass Bottle site. The housing action group, which has worked really hard, is open to discussions and to finding solutions but the Minister has been disrespectful to them from start to finish and refused to meet them. He should agree to meet them.

Mike Kennelly (Fine Gael)
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First, I welcome Councillor Marie-Thérèse Duffy from Mayo, a proud footballing county. I think they are starting to gang up on us already, a Chathaoirligh. I also welcome the former Senator Ned O'Sullivan from Listowel, my home town. He has just left the Chamber.

I congratulate Kerry and Mayo on reaching this year's All-Ireland senior football final. I want to pay particular tribute to the Kerry team and Jack O'Connor on their outstanding semi-final victory over our great rivals Dublin at the weekend. Despite all the boos and the bahs, it was a tremendous performance and one that has filled the kingdom with pride and a lot of excitement ahead of the All-Ireland final. I also want to wish our Kerry ladies' football team, who face the same opposition again on Saturday evening in Semple Stadium, Thurles, for the All-Ireland semi-final. I wish Mark Bourke, the Kerry manager, all the ladies and the management team the best. I also commend Mayo on their excellent campaign. I wish both teams all the very best on 26 July. However, the excitement is being overshadowed by the lack of transport being provided for the Kerry supporters and, indeed, the Mayo supporters. These are two remote counties facing into an all-Ireland final. Last weekend, three additional rail services were provided for Kerry supporters travelling to Dublin, the third of which was filled in 15 minutes, and we still did not have adequate public transport provision. I call on the Leader to urge the Minister for Transport to do whatever he must do, and not to wait until next Wednesday or Thursday to do it, to put a plan in place to transport the Kerry and Mayo supporters safely to the all-Ireland final in Dublin by way of an adequate service of which we can be proud. Both Pádraig Kennelly and John B. Keane said that being from Kerry gives people a head start. I ask the Leader to contact the Minister for Transport to ensure all the Kerry supporters get up to Dublin safely.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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It is said that a Kerry person with a footballing inferiority complex is a footballer who thinks he or she is just as good as everybody else.

Mike Kennelly (Fine Gael)
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Hear, hear.

Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail)
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I will refrain from joining in the Kerry celebrations. I wish both Kerry and Mayo well. I am hugely disappointed for the boys in blue. We were robbed, obviously, but I will not dwell on that point.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I will need to check the Standing Orders but I do not think the Senator can make such an accusation.

Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail)
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I really hope the Dublin women will achieve justice in Thurles next weekend for the Kerry triumph against the men's team.

Last week, the Government announced that Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, had acquired the Carlton site on O'Connell Street. I welcome that news. Anybody arriving in Dublin from Mayo, Kerry or any part of the country will come up O'Connell Street. For almost 30 years, that site has been more or less derelict. The Government has a massive opportunity now to develop the site. It has been acquired for the MetroLink project, which will transform public transport infrastructure in the city.

However, there is also potential to deliver affordable homes on the site. It was previously in private ownership but now it is owned by the State. TII has a transport remit. I am calling on the Government to engage the Land Development Agency, LDA, which is, in essence, the State home-building company, to deliver affordable housing on the site. If we put the Carlton site together with the Government-funded work on the national monument at Nos. 14 to 17 Moore Street and the up to €500 million earmarked for investment in the GPO under the national development plan, the transformation that is already taking place and that will continue on O'Connell Street represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity. As part of that once-in-a-generation opportunity, the State must take the opportunity to deliver affordable homes.

I would appreciate if the Leader could arrange for the Taoiseach to come to the House early in the new term to update us on the Dublin city task force, which falls under his Department's remit, and all the great work being undertaken on O'Connell Street and its environs.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I welcome to the Gallery, all the way from the Roughty Valley in Kerry, Mr. Christy Hussey. He has soldiered long and hard on hurling fields in Kerry in matches between our nearest neighbours, Kilgarvan and Kenmare. I have participated in some of those battles myself. I use that word because they were far closer to being battles than hurling matches.

Eileen Flynn (Independent)
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Travellers know what it means when politicians make a habit of standing outside our sites, pointing cameras at our homes and speaking as though true criminality is somehow written in our blood. When a Senator invokes Garda patrols in the same breath as warning Travellers, it does not feel like a concern for safety. It feels like a collective punishment and an attempt to mark a whole community as dangerous because of who we are, not because of individual actions. That is an unethical abuse of power. The Garda is supposed to police behaviour, not identity.Senators are supposed to hold the State to account and be part of making positive laws and policies for all people in this country. Today, I want to make it very clear that using the platform of a Senator to imply that Traveller problems can be solved by extra patrols and public warnings is not courage. If a Member believes Travellers are equal citizens, then they should stop talking about us as a problem or risk within society and start talking with us as partners in shaping the policies that are affecting our lives.

Travellers moved into a wee space and a serving Senator in this House came out and said there are more patrols and that our friends were going to leave very soon. That is really patronising, horrible and disgusting behaviour. If it were Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil, it would be all over the media and they would be called out on this. This Senator has years of experience and apparently is all about equality and equality for the Irish people, but obviously not for Irish Travellers. Members cannot use their platform in these Houses to promote hate towards our community. We are more likely to not get jobs, receive bad schooling and have so much ill-treatment towards us as a community. We do not need a public representative who sits in our Houses, where I am as a proud member of the Traveller community, to keep putting us down. Instead of putting us down they should use their platform in these Houses as a positive towards our community. Stop with the cameras and social media. She was not even brave enough to put in on her own social media.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I said this already in relation to Standing Order 52 about the public interest and that balance. I want to remind all Members of that issue.

Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail)
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I will raise an issue that affects thousands of people in this country but, in my opinion, does not get the attention it deserves. That is the shockingly poor return Irish people are getting on their savings in Irish banks. On top of that is the fact that inflation is also having a negative effect on the few pound people have put away for the rainy day or to help them in their retirement. A recent report highlighted that and showed how over the last ten years the purchasing power of the savings people have has decreased by something like 21%, which is shocking. That clearly illustrates that a programme of education is required in this country in relation to savings and how best to make a return for those people who have been disciplined and managed to put a few pound away for that rainy day.

Currently, there is something like €175 billion on deposit. It is quite shocking that €156 billion of that is in what are called demand deposit accounts or current accounts, which earn little or no interest whatsoever. People have worked hard all their lives and have been disciplined to put a few euro away for that rainy day, to help them in retirement or get kids through college or whatever, and clearly the banks need to be doing more for people in this space. There is a responsibility also on Government to have a public awareness campaign to show people how best they can make their money work for them - the hard-earned money they have managed to put away - to make sure it is working to its full potential because it clearly is not. I would welcome if, before the end of the year, we could have the Minister of Finance into the House so we can have a discussion on this very important issue.

Mark Duffy (Fine Gael)
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I want to acknowledge the Mayo GAA team on their great win at the weekend.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Senator Duffy's sister is in the Visitors Gallery.

Mark Duffy (Fine Gael)
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I was getting to my sister. Senator Duffy without interruption.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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In the world of priorities, your sister comes first.

Mark Duffy (Fine Gael)
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Can I restart the clock-----

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Do not worry, I will give you extra time.

Mark Duffy (Fine Gael)
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-----and acknowledge my sister, Councillor Marie-Thérèse Duffy, in the Visitors Gallery? I thank her for being here, for being willing to replace me on Mayo County Council last year and for her support to date.I appreciate it.

I also appreciate the achievement of Mayo GAA, which has really united the county. I acknowledge Andy Moran and the team. I also acknowledge our friends from Louth and their supporters. They are a formidable team and a team on the up. We are looking forward to taking on Kerry once again. Senator Fitzpatrick encapsulated it when she referred to the Kerry celebrations. The Cathaoirleach and Senator Kennelly have it in the bag. It is just a matter of going up and collecting the trophy. I wish them well in their celebrations and look forward to being there to witness it.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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It is Mayo's to lose.

Mark Duffy (Fine Gael)
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I acknowledge the community in Crossmolina. I attended a public meeting last night that was attended by over 200 people who are very dissatisfied with the proposals by Bord na Móna to build a route around the town of Crossmolina. Crossmolina has a vibrant, active community. There has been a lack of public consultation on this proposal. We all have experience of the different projects that are delivered by State or semi-State bodies. I checked my emails to see that the last correspondence I had with Bord na Móna was in 2024. It has had no engagement with the community. The community is very concerned about the impact of the proposed route and the biodiversity impact it will have. The lack of consultation is totally unacceptable and not fair.

I call on Bord na Móna, which has powered the community down through the years but is at risk of dividing the community now, to step up and engage effectively with the community. It should not be using community volunteers as a front to push its own agenda. Things need to be done in a consultative way and in a process that listens to people in the community and responds appropriately, not by riding roughshod over a community that has been very facilitative of different projects through the years. The community needs to see a return on investment and not be ignored. I would like to see that their asks are facilitated and that there is proper engagement with the community.

The field in question is home to the Crossmolina Agricultural Show, which I was at last year and support every year. It is a brilliant festival and show. It needs to be supported. The volunteers in the community need to be respected and engaged with appropriately, not in a tick-the-box exercise. It is a live planning application. Bord na Móna needs to take a step back and get people on board before it tries to move ahead with these proposals.

Pat Casey (Fianna Fail)
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I was in my office when I heard a lot of GAA talk, so I said I could not miss this opportunity, as a man from Wicklow, which does not often get the privilege to play in Croke Park. To actually walk the steps of the Hogan stand and to lift the Tailteann Cup was a huge day for Wicklow. It took a huge commitment by the players, the management and the county board to achieve that success. In a year that was disappointing in that we did not get promotion from division 4 this year, like last year, to turn it around and win the Tailteann Cup was a unique experience and one that will live long in Wicklow's memories.

Public transport was mentioned at some stage. While the Senator was talking about not having car parking spaces at the train station, we do not even have trains in Wicklow, never mind train stations to get people to Croke Park. There is a huge deficit in public transport in Wicklow, whether for bus, rail or road. Today, I acknowledge the work of the Wicklow GAA, the county board, the management team, the players and, indeed, the sponsorship, which was a deal I had a hand in putting together three years ago. It has helped because it was invested in the development squads as opposed to the senior squad. Congratulations to Wicklow today.

Patricia Stephenson (Social Democrats)
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Today, there is going to be a meeting of the HSE drugs group with those living with Friedreich's ataxia and their families, who have travelled to Dublin. They are desperate for Skyclarys to be made available on the scheme. The drug is the only one that can slow down the cruel and debilitating disease that is Friedreich's ataxia. I have spoken on this before. I hope today brings an end to the fight of these families for access to the much-needed drug. I also raise the issue of legal aid. We are confronted yet again with another stark reminder that words from this Government do not mean much if people cannot access the services they need when they need them. Free Legal Advice Centres, FLAC, warned yesterday that there are now legal aid deserts across the country. These are places where people cannot access legal aid, with not enough solicitors available to represent people seeking domestic violence orders and fleeing domestic violence.

We have a situation where survivors who find the courage to take the terrifying decision to seek protection discover that there is simply no solicitor available to stand beside them in the court or even answer the phone when they reach out for help. We hear from the Government that we have a zero-tolerance approach to gender-based violence, but zero tolerance must be reflected in the experience of every person who turns to the State for help. That is currently not what is happening.

For someone escaping abuse, every delay carries consequences. It means remaining in fear and at risk. The numbers are stark. Only 21% of calls that were made to FLAC last year could be answered. How many of the unanswered calls were related to domestic violence and made by people who did not receive the support they needed? We cannot allow this situation to continue.

There is a broad debate happening in the public realm at the moment around legal aid. This is an incredibly vulnerable group of people who are not getting the support they need. Survivors of domestic abuse deserve immediate access to legal aid and representation, regardless of what part of the country they live in. I ask the Seanad to have a debate on this as a matter of priority in September. The Minister must urgently outline what emergency measures will be put in place to address these legal aid deserts, recruit and retain more solicitors and ensure that no victim is left behind facing the courts alone.

I recognise that a committee on domestic gender-based violence, in which Seanad Members will participate, is to be set up in the coming months. We are facing a moment of crisis in this country and if we do not get ahead of it as legislators, it will only get worse. This is a part of that.

Aubrey McCarthy (Independent)
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I thank the Cathaoirleach and the Deputy Leader. I hope they are enjoying the wonderful weather we are having. I was down in Wicklow last weekend where I had the pleasure of attending the Taste of Wicklow festival in the Abbey Grounds. I acknowledge this fantastic example of what a local authority can do, as well as the social enterprise that was in action there.

As the Deputy Leader knows, Tiglin set up various social enterprises, and we have seen how social enterprise can transform a community. The Rise at the Cove café in Greystones is a wonderful example of how we brought employment and opportunity to people who were simply overlooked before. Now, however, thanks to the vision of Wicklow County Council, and together with Fáilte Ireland and the Wicklow town team, we have set up a new social enterprise in the grounds of the old abbey in Wicklow town. It is more than just a café. It is a place where people gain confidence, skills and dignity through meaningful work while creating a fantastic amenity for the community.

The Taste of Wicklow festival showed exactly what is possible. Brian Gleeson, deputy chief executive of Wicklow County Council, was joined by thousands of people who filled the Abbey Grounds and enjoyed food made by local producers. There were demonstrations by the likes of Rachel Allen and Catherine Fulvio. If it has anything to do with food, I will be there anyway.

I encourage everyone to visit Rise at the Abbey, support this new social enterprise and see for themselves what local authorities can do when they join with tourism bodies, charities and communities. It really works and I commend those involved on that.

I also highlight Vision Ireland, which is calling for a national vision strategy. Over 300,000 people live with some form of vision impairment in Ireland. That includes 31,000 with severe sight loss and 70% of sight loss is preventable through early detection and treatment. Ireland has national strategies for cancer and dementia, but it still does not have a national vision strategy. Vision Ireland is calling for a national strategy. This would save the State in costs and also provide faster access to treatment and lead to prevention.

Eileen Lynch (Fine Gael)
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The all-Ireland road bowling championships were held in my local village, Ballinagree, over the weekend. Many Members may not be familiar with the sport of road bowling.It is very much a minority sport. It is very popular all over Cork, in many parts of Northern Ireland and some western counties. The gathering that was there at the weekend was of hundreds of people. There were six major competitions varying from under-18 men and women, to junior men and women and intermediates. It was such a fantastic display of our community and of the sport. I commend Ballinagree Bowling Club which was the club hosting the competition.

A lot of these minority traditional Irish sports do not get the recognition they deserve. I attended a score last week which was the senior ladies' Munster final where our local lady, Denise Murphy, was unfortunately defeated, but to see the number of people out in support was just incredible. I commend Denise who, as I said, is from home. She is from Ballinagree. She has an under-18 world title and an intermediate all-Ireland title and she is a fantastic representative for women in sport. We are also lucky that Briege Corkery, who has numerous all-Ireland medals for Cork camogie and football, officially opened the competition on Saturday. These women in sport need to be promoted an awful lot more than they are. My colleague, Senator Ní Chuilinn, does a lot of work on this. I ask that we would have the Minister come in to discuss minority sports, and, more particularly, the role of women within minority sports and the way in which we can promote them more. Road bowling, for instance, is a fantastic sport. I really would like to see more young people going out getting involved in it. It is a serious test of skill and is really a community endeavour. Finally, it would be remiss of me not to wish both Kerry and Mayo the best of luck in the All-Ireland final. I have decided not to pick a side.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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How about the French and the Spanish? Let us not forget Argentina and England tomorrow. I cannot wait to hear everybody's comments on that one. Before I call on Seanadóir O'Reilly, I welcome H.E. Dennis King, ambassador of Canada to Ireland. He is most welcome to Seanad Éireann. I also welcome my good friend James Maloney, MP, head of delegation for the Ireland-Canadian friendship group, along with Senators Raymonde Saint-Germain and Manuelle Oudar; and Elisabeth Briere, MP; Patrick Bonin, MP; and Kevin Waugh, MP. We also welcome the association's secretary, along with Anne-Marie Therrien-Tremblay, here as association advisor, and Jackie Ellis. They are all heading to Valentia Island for the great twinning between Valentia Island and Heart's Content in Newfoundland in Canada where the cable from Valentia connected the new world with the old, transformed the way we communicated and brought our two countries closer together. To James and all the delegation, we are delighted to have them back so soon. This is going to become a monthly event, I think. James was here last month with the Canadian Prime Minister. We look forward to the Prime Minister and a delegation coming back again soon. I thank them for being here today.

Sarah O'Reilly (Aontú)
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I also welcome the delegation from Canada. They are very welcome. I have three sons living and working in Manitoba, Souris and Brandon.

I bring up the issue of e-scooters. Imagine being afraid every time you step outside your own front door. That is a daily occurrence for a visually impaired woman living in Cavan town. I was speaking to Joanne yesterday. She is clinically blind. She says she is genuinely afraid for her life because of e-scooters speeding along footpaths. Instead of feeling safe using her white cane or crossing at a pedestrian crossing, she lives in constant fear that someone travelling at speed will fail to see her and knock her down. No one should have to live like that. For the past two years, Joanne says the problem has become steadily worse. She has already had two near misses, as she calls them, that left her badly shaken. She describes Cavan's footpaths as being like a racetrack and says she dreads leaving her home now. That should not be the case. This is not just about an inconvenience. It is about safety, accessibility and the right of every person, regardless of disability, to move around their community without fear. The law is already clear. E-scooters are not permitted to be ridden on footpaths. Yet, the rules are being ignored because many people believe there is little chance of being caught.Without proper enforcement, the law means very little. Many e-scooter users act responsibly but it only takes a few reckless riders to put lives at risk. We need greater awareness, stronger enforcement and respect for pedestrians, especially those who are most vulnerable. Everyone deserves to feel safe on their streets. Joanne's story should be a wake-up call for all of us. It is time to ensure our footpaths are places of safety and not fear.

Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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I welcome the Canadian ambassador to the Upper House in this bicameral Parliament of ours. I particular welcome his delegation here. Canada is a beacon of light in many regards and the Irish people and Government very much value the very special relationship with Canada. I wish the delegation the very best of luck and every success in its visit to the Oireachtas.

I will raise one issue with the Deputy Leader. We have exactly 949 city and county councillors in our country. Every week or two weeks I am up here on my feet asking the same question. Indeed, I asked the same question of the Deputy Leader the last time, which was that we would have a briefing in relation to the findings, outcome, recommendations and the plan for the implementation of the local government task force. There has been no progress that I am aware of. Nobody has come back to me. There has been no discussion in this House about it despite numerous requests. As we end our time this term, it is very disappointing.

To the 949 councillors, all I can say again when I communicate with them in my end-of-week letter is that there has been no progress. That is exceptionally disappointing in a House where the majority of people are elected through the franchise of our city and county councillors across 31 local authorities. It says something about our commitment to drive forward. We cannot predetermine the outcome of the task force but we can demonstrate on the floor of this House our determination to see it implemented, or at least published and its task force implemented. I will make another call: that we have a briefing and direct timeline for the implementation of the local government task force.

I will wrap up on a positive note by singling out the president of the Association of Irish Local Government, AILG, Councillor Mary Hanna Hourigan. I cannot thank her enough. I know I speak on behalf of many advocates in local government by referring to her exceptional work as the president of the Association of Irish Local Government. I wish her well on her successful tenure and I have great hopes for her for the future. I thank her, on behalf of our city and county councillors, for the amazing advocacy work she has done in Ireland, the UK, the islands and across the European Union in relation to local government. She has served local government well and with distinction. It is only right and proper we should acknowledge the absolute commitment she has given the job as uachtarán of AILG.

Sarah O'Reilly (Aontú)
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Hear, hear.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Anois, the Deputy Leader on the Order of Business. It is the last sitting and I have allowed time to slip, so the shortness of the reply will be mostly my fault.

Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Cathaoirleach. We have had 26 Senators today. I think that is a record, certainly in my time taking Order of Business. I will try to be as quick as possible while, in fairness, giving respect to all of those who did raise issues and deserve a reply. I will also add my voice of welcome to the ambassador and our distinguished guests from Canada, particularly to Mr. James Maloney, MP, who was so very kind to us when the foreign affairs committee visited just before Christmas. We certainly look forward to an excellent relationship going forward.

We started with Senator Anne Rabbitte, who spoke about the Minister for justice's decision to bring a memo to Cabinet in relation to dealing with extreme pornography. Stark research shows us why this is needed; 15- and 16-year-olds, particularly boys, have seen violent pornography. This is distorting attitudes and behaviours in regard to relationships. The Senator also paid tribute to Mr. Mick Mangan and Ms Fiona Jennings for their work in this area. Senator Mullen also spoke about the importance of this and we acknowledge the work of Deputy Cathal Crowe. When I was Chair of the Oireachtas education committee, it was one of the recommendations we put forward in a report at the same time.

Senator Rabbitte also spoke about the need for Skyclarys, which is on the agenda for the HSE meeting today. We hope for a positive result and that there will be action after that.Senator Stephenson also spoke about that matter.

Senator Scahill spoke about the need for debate on the regional spatial and economic strategy, RSES. As he said, it is a blueprint for investment in housing and industry. We need to see ambition across all our local authorities and we must encourage them to put forward very proactive submissions. We certainly will seek a debate on that issue when we return.

Senator Mullen spoke about the very tragic murder of Ann Widdecombe, who certainly came across as a person of great conviction and great faith. She was very forthright in her views. As in any situation, everybody's views should be treated with respect and tolerance. It is very sad that within a ten-year period, two sitting MPs and a former MP have been tragically murdered. We remember, of course, Jo Cox and Sir David Amess. There will be a mass at 12.45 p.m. tomorrow at St. Teresa's Church on Clarendon Street. I encourage those who can do so to attend.

Senator Tully raised a problem with the social welfare system whereby people who come off welfare for a short period either to take a seasonal job or a position on a CE scheme find it takes a long time to get back on their benefits. She spoke about a situation where it took three months. I certainly will bring that issue to the attention of the Minister, Deputy Calleary. It is not good enough and we need to change it.

Senator Harmon spoke about the redevelopment of the Bessborough site. That decision was taken by An Bord Pleanála, as she knows, but we absolutely empathise with all of those concerned by it. We must recall that there are 19 mothers and 859 infants still missing from that time. The Senator also spoke about the need to have access to safe swimming and for a new lido in Cork. I will ask the Minister of State, Deputy McConalogue, to come to the House for a debate on swimming as a sport and access to swimming, not just from a sport perspective but also from a health perspective. A new strategy was launched three to four years ago but, unfortunately, our facilities have not been kept up to scratch in terms of the ambition in the strategy.

Senator Flaherty referred to a situation regarding a GP contract in Longford, with a satellite surgery in Lanesborough. He is absolutely right to keep pushing that issue. I am dealing with a similar situation between Blessington and Ballymore Eustace, which has been going on for years without being resolved. I completely support Senator Flaherty. I will speak to him after the Order of Business to see what we can do to help the situation.

Senator Nelson Murray spoke about the announcement by the Government that there will be five days' paid miscarriage leave. I am reminded that our colleague, Senator Nicole Ryan, brought a proposal to us in that regard only last year. The Minister, Deputy Calleary, is working on the establishment of a baby loss register, which should help with the grieving process. Miscarriage is a very sad time for all those impacted. He is also working on the introduction of a certificate of early baby loss. All of that is very worthwhile work.

Senator Keogan referred to the EU Presidency, the EU migration pact and her concerns about border guards. We need to share intelligence and ensure we have a highly effective, technology-savvy police force.

Senator Comyn spoke about football and thanked the Louth team for all it gave. The Louth footballers certainly gave their all. The Senator congratulated the Mayo team on its win. She referred to the problems with people getting public transport from Dundalk and Drogheda to the match and the ongoing problem of the car parks at those train stations being full. I have often heard her speaking about that. We need a debate on this issue. Train transport is brilliant when it is available to people. Senator Casey noted that Wicklow and Sligo do not have that problem but people there wish they did. In Meath, people are still waiting for a train station at Navan. We need a debate on rail transport, including train services, parking facilities and the need for a train station on the north side of Drogheda. Senator Byrne welcomed Councillor Marie-Thérèse Duffy from Ballina, who has just left with her brother. The Senator spoke about the act of heroism at the weekend in Rosslare, where a man jumped into the sea to save a child. He got into difficulty and four other people jumped in, so the Coast Guard and other emergency services had to come together to pull six people out. I can imagine the complete panic of everybody witnessing it. Thank God they are all okay.

Recently, I was down at the Coast Guard station in Westport. It is incredible to see the work done by our volunteers. It is not just a matter of the sea because we heard about another fatality at a lake in Mullingar over the weekend. Our deepest sympathy to the family and friends of the 17-year-old man who sadly died.

Senator Curley spoke about the need to have extra time for those with learning difficulties during State exams. Fianna Fáil used its Private Members' time to debate a motion on this. We were given a commitment at the time in question that extra time would be made available. Sadly, it is only ten minutes. When we compare that with what is allowed in England, where there is 25% more time, we realise we certainly need a better system. A review has been carried out. We need the findings to be published and acted upon.

Senator Andrews spoke about the Irish Glass Bottle site and the social housing there. He wanted to emphasise that the houses there are safe but that there is concern about the next phase. We need clarity in relation to that.

Senator Kennelly spoke about Kerry football and how wonderful the Kerry team is. Of course it is wonderful. He also raised issues about public transport for the supporters. To be fair to Iarnród Éireann and Bus Éireann, they generally put on a lot of trains and buses. We are beseeching them, and we will ask the Minister to step in if necessary.

Senator Fitzpatrick spoke about her disappointment over Dublin. I have to say, it was some match. We were all absolutely glued to it. It was anybody's game. It was just a terrific match. The Senator spoke about TII acquiring the Carlton site. This will be for MetroLink, as we know, but there is a lot of space and a lot of potential. There is great potential there for affordable homes. Together with developments at Moore Street and the GPO, there is going to be a wonderful transformation of O'Connell Street. We certainly will ask the Taoiseach to come in and give us an update on the Dublin city task force. Beside the Carlton site for housing, there could be space for a cultural site. There has been a lot of talk always about the Abbey Theatre moving. This could be a great home for that also.

Senator Flynn spoke about the situation impacting the Traveller community, and said that sometimes there is collective punishment as opposed to concern about individuals' bad actions. She described a situation that I was sorry to hear about. Our legislation is to protect all of us, no matter where we are from or what ethnic group we are from, but also for us to live by responsibly.

Senator Gallagher spoke about the lack of returns on savings in banks. We need a public campaign to ensure that people are getting the best value for money that they have in savings, whether they are saving for a mortgage or for a pension. It is not too easy to have money in your bank account, so we absolutely need to have the best return for our money. We will ask the Minister for Finance to come in and discuss that.

Senator Duffy congratulated the Mayo team and spoke about the community in Crossmolina being very concerned about proposals by Bord na Móna to construct a route around Crossmolina. It appears there has been a lack of engagement and consultation. We need a proper process. I certainly agree with the Senator on that, and we will appeal to Bord na Móna through the Minister's office.

Senator Casey spoke about a wonderful victory for Wicklow over the weekend, on Saturday. We were all absolutely delighted to see Wicklow win the Tailteann Cup. He wanted to thank the management, players, county board and the supporters, and also the sponsor, which I know he helped to secure for the team.

Senator Casey mentioned the fact that there is a deficit of public transport.With so many people moving to Wicklow now, we need that to improve.

Senator Stephenson spoke about concerns from FLAC in relation to legal aid and concerns that those who are suffering from domestic violence are not getting the legal supports they need. There is engagement between the Minister, the Department and those representing the legal profession. It is important that room and opportunity is given to try to come to a conclusion.

Senator McCarthy raised the Taste of Wicklow festival in the Abbey Grounds in Wicklow. It is a new social enterprise in the grounds of Wicklow Abbey. It sounds like a great weekend. Rise is going to remain at the Abbey, supported by the local authorities. It is important that, where we can, we support these different types of social enterprise activities. The Senator also mentioned Vision Ireland's call for a national vision strategy. I agree that we need such a strategy.

Senator Lynch raised the all-Ireland road bowling championships in Ballinagree and the hundreds of people who gathered there. It is wonderful to see that. However, the Senator is right in that the minority traditional games are not getting enough recognition. We look for a debate with the Minister of State, Deputy McConalogue, about that. Likewise with women in sport such as Denise Murphy and Briege Corkey, it is wonderful to see that they gave their time to what was happening.

Senator Reilly raised e-scooters and the case of an older lady in Cavan who is visually impaired. As the Senator described, I can absolutely appreciate that it was a very difficult situation. We have legislation. The laws are being ignored. We need better implementation and awareness. We need people to respect the laws of the land that are there. That is so important.

Senator Boyhan raised the 949 councillors, who are concerned about not having updates on the findings and outcomes of the local democracy task force. He will no doubt appreciate that the Minister, Deputy Browne, has an incredible amount on his desk. The Senator has always been vocal about how much work goes into the new draft rural guidelines statement. It is important to acknowledge that. It took up a huge amount of time. When it comes through the next process and the local authorities do their development plans, that is going to make a real difference. I totally understand the disappointment. We will certainly ask for a briefing as soon as possible. The Senator rightly thanked the outgoing president of the AILG, who did wonderful work. Equally, I wish the incoming president, Aengus O'Rourke, the very best of luck during his term.