For the record, Garron Noone came off social media himself for his own mental health. I, for one, am delighted to see him back on social media. He is absolutely great craic. I am a very big fan of his. Last night, when he came back, he was thanking the migrants in this country for reaching out to him and supporting him. I want to put that on the record, instead of giving the misinformation that he was forced off. He decided to come off social media himself. He was not forced off. He decided it was the best thing fo…

I speak in support of the Health (Scoliosis Treatment Services) Bill 2024, which aims to create a proper national service for scoliosis treatment. It will make the HSE legally responsible for finding and treating people with scoliosis quickly. I do not want to repeat what others have said. I welcome the Bill and thank Senator McDowell and his team for bringing this important Bill forward. Last September, there were 249 patients on the waiting list, with 11 waiting between 18 and 24 months and seven waiting between …

I call for a debate on special places in education. There are still hundreds of children who have no access to special education. Every child should have a right to education but what we are seeing is that, if a child has special needs or severe autism, that right is no longer accessible to that child or the child's family. I am working with a family from rural Donegal who cannot get their child a space in the school for September. It is a serious discussion we need to have in this House. I would welcome a debate o…

Yes.

The Minister is very welcome to the House to discuss women’s health. I have heard many Senators speak about period products being available in toilets it, and it really annoys me. I have never in my whole life heard a poor woman give out about not having period products. It does not fix the health inequalities within Irish society. I welcome it of course, as do poor women, but this is not my first time to say in the House that we should stop being the do-gooders and saints of poor women within Irish society. Give u…

This morning as I was coming in, I thought about next week and International Women’s Day. For the last four years in this House, and this year will be the fifth, it will be a day off for the boys and us women will be up talking about equality for women, including many women who do not have a clue about some of the inequalities that women on the margins of society go through - women who are homeless, who are escaping domestic violence and who struggle every day to feed their children as they live in the depths of po…

On 1 March 2017, Enda Kenny recognised the Traveller community as an ethnic minority group. Since then, we have seen pure tokenism for our community. We are not truly recognised in Ireland as an ethnic minority group. This brings me to the issue of the joint committee which focused on matters that impact the Traveller community, such as health, mental health, education, employment and accommodation. During the last term, the committee also focused on Travellers in the justice system. That committee, of which I was …

The Minister of State is very welcome to the House. Senator Gallagher spoke about the need for more prisons and more community service during the Order of Business. I have done work over the past four and a half years in prisons, with members of the Traveller community and others. I say, as would people who are in prison, that we do not need more prisons. What we need is more community development and investment in our communities. I have heard a lot about law and order over the past two weeks in these Houses. For …

Many of my speeches begin with, "I remember my mother used to say..." and I do remember her saying, "Never take on a job you can't handle." As Frances Black said, before I ever came here I dedicated my whole life to human rights, equality, diversity and justice. Today I am standing up and I cannot even ask for Members' votes because the Seanad does not work that way. The question to be put is if they support Senator Maria Byrne as Leas-Chathaoirleach and Government Members will say "Yes". Where is the justice in th…

It is so surreal to be elected to the Houses of the Oireachtas. As a member of the Traveller community, to have missed out in the last Seanad by a vote and a half but then to have been nominated by the then Taoiseach, Deputy Micheál Martin, I will always be grateful and thankful to him for that opportunity. I can now walk down the corridors of Leinster House and no longer be stopped and have people say, "We put you there" and "There is the Traveller Senator. There she is, there. She was nominated by Micheál Martin"…

I know. It is not me,-----

-----but he would have been absolutely delighted that I am here in the Seanad. It is such a privilege for me. Nearly 40 years ago, in 1982, Nan Joyce set out on a journey. She was the first member of the Traveller community to run for office. She got more than 500 votes. Back then, there was only Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael but she managed to get votes from ordinary people in Tallaght, which was absolutely incredible. Today, that journey has been completed. It is not that we have equality - it is far from equality. I…

It is difficult to believe that today's Order of Business is the last one in this Dáil and Seanad term. Something that is very close to my heart is services supporting women and children who are going through domestic violence. I have spoken numerous times about being in a refuge myself as a child. There will be an event on 16 November in Drogheda. One of the ushers, Brian Howard-Andrews, is hosting a Tina Turner lip sync event in Drogheda. Last year, they raised approximately €8,500 and this year we hope to raise …

I second Senator Warfield’s proposed amendment. I also second Senator Black’s amendment. I am delighted to be a co-sponsor of that legislation. Senators are aware from our interactions with them that local councillors’ workload has increased greatly over time. This has been recognised in some respects by increasing the representational allowance in recent years, but Senator Black’s Bill would provide councillors good supports. Why not give county councillors basic workers’ rights and support on the ground? Many cou…

I am seeking a debate on Traveller accommodation. The Traveller committee is launching an interim report on the Traveller caravan loan scheme. I would like a discussion in the House on this. I would also like a wider discussion on illegal camping and what it means for people who are on lands. In 2000, Travellers were banned from travelling with the trespass legislation that stopped us being Travellers, hence our name. On the piece of legislation that was brought through by Senator O'Loughlin, the Curragh amendment,…

I thank the Cathaoirleach. I want to talk about children in direct provision. In February 2021, the Government published a White Paper to end direct provision and to establish a new international protection support service. The White Paper included a commitment to introduce an additional monthly payment per child in international protection. However, here we are, more than three years later and the payments have still not been made. The Government committed €4.7 million under budget 2024 to develop a payment to chi…

I understand that the Minister of State does not have responsibility in this area but the reply is not good enough. He went into the issue of accommodation and the €30 per week that families in direct provision get but my question was about the implementation of the payment of €140 per month. If it is not good enough for white, settled children then why is it good enough for children living in direct provision? Why is the Government not supporting children in direct provision? Mark my words, if we are alive to see …

I thank the Minister of State for his time this morning.

I call for a debate on Traveller accommodation on the back of Fianna Fáil's Bill in Private Members' time yesterday to protect land. Not once did I hear yesterday in this House any Senator speak about protecting people who have no choice but to live or stay on the Curragh of Kildare. Not once have I heard the Minister for housing, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, propose a solution for the people living on the Curragh of Kildare without any sustainable facilities. I know the Leader's heart is in the right place, and this is…

That was not my question-----