Fair play, Senator O'Flaherty.

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and thank him for being here to take this Commencement matter. In a way, this feels like Groundhog Day. Several times every single year I have to stand up and talk about the Curragh Plains and the illegal encampments there, causing all sorts of damage and stress. This year, despite previous commitments, I have to do so yet again and I will continue doing so to express the level of frustration people in the area who are impacted feel. This is an important matter rega…

I thank the Minister of State for his response. I acknowledge the good intentions of the Minister. I also acknowledge those in the Department whom I have been liaising with. They are very prompt. They put in place the system that is currently there. However, it is not rectifying the problem because even when the court proceedings are issued, there is a period in which those who are there illegally can occupy that land, and during that period there is damage done and an awful lot of waste left there. While I acknowl…

I wish to give a shout-out to all of those involved in the Kildare Inclusivity Festival, which took place on the Curragh racecourse last Sunday. It was the brainchild of Councillor Bernard Caldwell, and it is such a positive and uplifting community event. It celebrates diversity, accessibility and the power of inclusion. Kildare County Council is very involved, as is the County Kildare Access Network and a whole range of local organisations. It is a free festival and it celebrates people of all abilities through li…

The Order of Business is No. 1, Fourth Report of the Committee on Parliamentary Privileges and Oversight on the amendment of Standing Order 87, to be taken on conclusion of the Order of Business without debate; and No. 57, motion 1, Private Members' business motion regarding domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, to be taken at 5 p.m., with the time allocated to the debate not to exceed two hours.

I thank the 15 Senators who contributed to this morning's Order of Business. We started with Senator Kennelly speaking about the GAA, the upcoming match between Kerry and Donegal and the fact that it is behind a pay wall. There is no doubt that it will be spectacular match. It is sad that the volunteers who spend their time week after week helping support their local clubs, training, washing gear and providing food, may be precluded from watching the match because it is behind a pay wall. The GAA is made up of the …

We need to spend a proportionate amount of time to make sure that we get it right. I think Senator Clonan is completely wrong in what he says. Senator Sarah O'Reilly spoke about the Social Democrats' Bill in the Dáil. I acknowledge that it is a very difficult situation for any woman who has a crisis pregnancy. Our first thought must always go to that woman in relation to difficult decisions facing her. It is a difficult situation. There is no other area of healthcare where practitioners are exposed to criminal liab…

Of course his wife, too. Senator Andrews spoke about the committee this morning at which My Lovely Horse Animal Rescue was present and the horrific situation in Rathcoole where a horse died while giving birth and both were sadly lost. It is shocking where we see neglect all over the country. My Lovely Horse Animal Rescue does incredible work in rescuing horses. Our animal rescue centres and the volunteers there do amazing work in rescuing animals, supporting them and trying to find new homes. From the figures the S…

I move: That the Fourth Report of the Committee on Parliamentary Privileges and Oversight on the amendment of Standing Order 87 be adopted, laid before the House and printed.

The Minister is very welcome to the Chamber to discuss an increasingly important topic. When we look at the figures in Ireland, we see that there has been a 34% increase in domestic violence since 2021. There has been roughly a 3% increase year on year right around the country. That is quite shocking. We might feel that some of this is due to better reporting but we must always encourage and support victims in reporting domestic violence because it is only then that they can actually get help. Some of the measures …

At 10.30 a.m. tomorrow.

I was at a very positive event last Friday in south Kildare that the Tánaiste, Deputy Harris, attended, and he was very welcome. Ballymore Eustace was proclaimed as the first age-friendly and climate-friendly town in the country at the event. Ballymore Eustace was chosen mainly because of its wonderful community spirit and because so many people are actively involved in the community. It was also chosen because among its 1,700 residents, it has the highest age range within the county. We had a wonderful event organ…

I thank the Minister for being here today. I know from previous conversations that he took this by the horns. I also thank my colleague, Senator Stephenson, for bringing this to the Minister's attention. My colleague Senator Rabbitte and I have worked closely with him, as have many of our other colleagues. There is no doubt that we have to put a number of different supports in place for those who are suffering from domestic abuse, which is an absolute scourge on our society. A cross-departmental and cross-governmen…

I so propose.

The Order of Business is No. 1, motion re Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (Designation of Fingal and Wexford County Councils) (Parts of Administrative Areas) Order 2026, to be taken at 4.45 p.m. and to conclude at 6 p.m., if not previously concluded, with the time allocated to the opening remarks of the Minister not to exceed eight minutes, group spokespersons not to exceed ten minutes, time can be shared and the Minister to be given no less than seven minutes to re…

I thought I was going to have a quiet afternoon. That was not to be, but I thank the 19 Senators who contributed this afternoon. We started with Senator Ní Chuilinn, who spoke about St. Audoen's. I think the children who go to school there are across Dublin 6 and Dublin 8. She spoke about a very pleasant morning spent with the children talking about the importance of democracy and about issues and concerns they had. Many of us have spoken in the past about our engagements with young people. Every time I have that w…

I add my welcome to the ambassador and our distinguished guests from the Netherlands. It is an honour for us to be able to mark the Dutch national day. The Order of Business is No. 1, motion regarding the proposed approval by Seanad Éireann of the State's participation in a Council decision to resume vehicle registration data exchange with the United Kingdom for the prevention and investigation of criminal offences, to be taken at 11.45 a.m. and to conclude at 12.45 p.m., if not previously concluded, with the time …

I thank the ten Senators who contributed to the Order of Business. Senator Rabbitte started with some observations and a request in relation to children in care. She referred to a report from the Irish Association of Social Workers about the system being reliant on ad hoc placements. I have been thinking about it a lot over the past 24 hours since a lot of these reports came out. We have so many good people working in Tusla. I find now when I meet somebody working with Tusla they are shy and reticent about saying t…

I want to raise a report that was issued yesterday in Northern Ireland in relation to approximately 500 women, many of whom were trafficked, who were available for prostitution on legal websites. While the selling of prostitution is illegal in Northern Ireland, as it is here, the websites are not illegal. Obviously, many of these women are very vulnerable. Many of them have come into the country through trafficking and some, sadly, have turned to prostitution because of addiction, poverty and other issues in their …

I welcome the opportunity to say a few words. I thank the Minister of State for being here to listen to us. It is important that we spend time, even during our Order of Business, raising specific areas about those living with disabilities. Always, we are talking based on the lived experience of people we know or people who have contacted us on these issues. I acknowledge that this is a key issue for Government. The Taoiseach has established the disability unit within his own Department to bring about a renewed focu…