Senator Lynch is next and she is wearing the Cork colours.

Before we suspend, I would like to welcome Deputy Michael Cahill and his guests to the Gallery. I hope they have an interesting visit.

I echo Senator Fitzpatrick's good wishes to the Pride community. Happy Pride to everyone; it is going to be a great celebration. I raise again the FAI's shameful intention to support apartheid Israel’s sportswashing. It recently announced that its upcoming fixture with genocidal Israel will be played at a venue abroad instead of at the Aviva Stadium. Using some bizarre, twisted logic, the FAI has tried to make this out to be some sort of concession to appease pro-human rights and pro-Palestinian activists, as if pl…

I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Seanad Éireann" and substitute the following: “: - resolves that sections 2 to 4, 6 to 12, 14 and 17 of the Offences Against the State (Amendment) Act 1998 (No. 39 of 1998) shall continue in operation for the period beginning on 30th June, 2026 and ending on 29th June, 2027; and - calls on the Minister for Justice to bring forward legislation to give effect to the recommendations of the Independent Review Group without further delay.”.

Sinn Féin welcomes the fact that the Government has finally come round to Sinn Féin's position that the offences against the State legislation should be overhauled. It is disappointing that three years after the publication of the review of the Offences Against the State Acts, the Government is once again renewing the existing provisions because it has been so slow in bringing forward new legislation to provide for the recommendations of that review. The independent review group, chaired by Mr. Justice Michael Pear…

And no homework.

I move amendment No. 17: In page 19, between lines 9 and 10, to insert the following: Amendment of section 19A of Criminal Evidence Act 1992 16. The Criminal Evidence Act 1992 is amended by the substitution of the following section for section 19A: “19A. (1) In this section— ‘competent person’ means a person who has undertaken training or study, or has experience, relevant to the process of counselling; ‘counselling’ means listening to and giving verbal or other support or encouragement to a person, or advising or …

I move amendment No. 19: In page 23, to delete lines 18 to 21 and substitute the following: “(b) there would be a real risk of an unfair trial in the absence of such disclosure.”,”.

I move amendment No. 20: In page 23, between lines 21 and 22, to insert the following: “(g) by the insertion of the following after subsection (11): “(11A) Where an applicable record containing analysis, opinion or interpretation by the record-maker is adduced in evidence in proceedings before a jury, the court shall give a warning to the jury outlining the nature and limitations of such evidence, including that it may constitute a third-party interpretation and not a direct account of fact.”,”.

I move amendment No. 21: In page 23, after line 34, to insert the following: “ Review of operation of section 19A of Criminal Evidence Act 1992 17. (1) The Minister shall, not later than 2 years after the coming into operation of section 16 , cause a review to be carried out of the operation of section 19A of the Criminal Evidence Act 1992. (2) A review under subsection (1) shall include an examination of— (a) the effectiveness of the provisions in protecting the privacy rights of complainants, (b) the extent to wh…

I move amendment No. 22: In page 23, after line 34, to insert the following: “Annual reporting and publication of anonymised data 17. (1) The Minister shall, in respect of each calendar year, cause to be compiled and published a report containing anonymised statistical data relating to the operation of section 19A of the Criminal Evidence Act 1992. (2) A report under subsection (1) shall include anonymised information in relation to— (a) the number of disclosure applications made, (b) the number of such application…

I agree with the comments on the Committee on Drugs Use's report. I acknowledge the work that everyone has done on that. As Senator Black said, Senator Ruane's fingerprints are all over it, and it is the better for that. It is important to ensure that we have a health-led drugs policy. On Monday, the housing Minister, Deputy Browne, made particularly bleak commentary on the housing issue. He said he had no idea when homeless numbers might finally begin to fall. He also said that he did not know if the Government's …

And old people-----

-----like me.

I thank the Minister for attending. I agree with Senator McDowell's comments on the civic offices in Camden Yard. He made a number of various points on it, and all were very fair. I have a real concern about the way the funding was put in place for all of that. It felt like it was overnight, but as I have said before and will continue to say, funding for the redevelopment of flat complexes around the city has not been as quick to be found. Pearse House is one example. It is disappointing that the Minister has not m…

I congratulate the Leader. For the last couple of weeks, we were not able to do that from this side of House. It was not going to help him or anything. I really wish the Leader well. Obviously, we have our political differences but we have a lot of shared interests. I wish the Leader and his family well. It is a great honour for Senator Ahearn and I know that he has the qualities that are needed to maintain this role. In 2023, Gary Ward, a young man, died by suicide. That is three years ago. Last March, I raised hi…

I second the amendment.

I second the amendment.

I second the amendment.

I thank the Minister for coming in. I welcome that the Department of agriculture has published a draft general scheme of a Bill to amend the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010. Ireland is the puppy farm capital of Europe and this is obviously nothing to be proud of. Nearly six years since policy change in this area was first considered by Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, this is the first meaningful legislative contribution that has been made. The Bill is intended to introduce long-awaited measures regarding breeding p…