I raise the issue of workers' rights and public sector workers. I support public sector workers across the country who are beginning industrial action. The Government needs to engage with these workers in good faith to come up with a proper pay agreement. These are front-line workers across the country, including teachers, special needs assistants, healthcare workers, nurses, firefighters, public servants and civil servants, including people working in the Houses of the Oireachtas. I stand with them. The Government…

I want to raise the issue of personal leave for injuries for teachers and special needs assistants, SNAs. I had legislation that was debated on Second Stage in this House that was supported by the Government on Second Stage but we have heard nothing from the Minister for education in relation to this. Thousands of teachers and SNAs are affected if they are injured in the classroom. Many are left without proper pay and supports. Sophie Cole is one example. I have been campaigning alongside her. She was a teacher fro…

I echo what other Senators have said. Regardless of some political differences, we are well represented in Europe. I am a Labour Party Senator and we are very proud of our MEP and my colleague Aodhán Ó Ríordáin and the work he is doing to progress a progressive agenda within Europe. Aodhán mentioned housing and he is on the housing committee in the European Parliament. What does he think the Government needs to do to access more resources for housing? How can it work better with Europe on this? I am seeing figures …

I also want to extend my condolences to Senator Craughwell on the passing of his wife. My condolences also to the family of Enda Bonner. I want to talk about the issue of Bessborough, Cork. There have been significant developments in recent months in relation to this. We had a rally in July in Cork city with over 1,000 people attending from across the country. The evening before the rally, the Taoiseach said that he was going to intervene, which he did. Cork City Council is now engaging with the developer as a medi…

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit, an Teachta Harkin. I want to discuss Coláiste Daibhéid in Cork city, which is a fantastic school I had the privilege of visiting recently. Bhí an-áthas orm bualadh leis an scoil agus na daltaí le déanaí, chomh maith leis an bpríomhoide agus leis an bhfoireann, chun plé a dhéanamh ar go leor ceisteanna trí Ghaeilge. Tá súil agam go mór go mbeidh muid in ann dul chun cinn a dhéanamh maidir le foirgneamh nua don scoil. Ta géarghá leis an bhfoirgneamh nua. Ba mhór an t-ábhar imní é an…

I thank the Minister of State for her response. Will she call for a meeting in person with the school? Could that be facilitated to give the school an update in person? Does she have an idea as to a commitment on the timeline? In order that I have clarity on the timeline, did she say it will be considered in the next tranche in 2026-27 or will it be confirmed in 2028? I reiterate the value the school brings to Cork in the education it provides. It was a pleasure to meet the principal, Mr. Tadhg Ó Laighin, and the s…

I am speaking again about the issue of Bessborough in Cork city and to call once again on the Taoiseach to act on this. There is still time to do the right thing and to have a negotiation process with the developer now or, failing that, to look at compulsory purchase of this site. The burial records have been sealed in relation to this. There is an opportunity to legislate and publish these records. The Attorney General could instruct an inquest in relation to this site too. There will be a march on Saturday in Cor…

I welcome the Minister to the House. The Labour Party welcomes this Bill, which will allow pharmacists to prescribe contraception in certain circumstances. It is a sensible step that will help to improve access to the free contraception scheme, which was launched in 2022. We all know that many barriers exist in Ireland in terms of cost, geography or simply time for many people when trying to access a GP. That is particularly true in rural areas or socially disadvantaged areas. Empowering pharmacists to renew prescr…

I agree with colleagues on the points around services. I want to put on the record again today that we believe services should have been included in this Bill. We are very clear in our later amendments in relation to that. Services make up 70% of overall trade with the occupied territories. That trade, including financial services, tourism, tech and booking platforms, is a huge boon to the illegal Israeli settlements there and it must be tackled. It is hard to fathom that we would pass a Bill we know is not fully c…

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 press…

It is an open-air heated swimming pool.

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 Irelan…

I want to state from outset that we are opposed to section 7. The Labour Party was opposed to this in the Dáil and we are opposed to it here today. We are opposed to the new restrictions on emergency accommodation that this section will put in place. We are also opposed to the way the Government has managed this legislation, effectively tacking on a whole new Bill on Report Stage in the Dáil. The TDs there got less than 24 hours' notice of the wide-ranging amendments and the debate was guillotined after two hours. …

I move amendment No. 14: In page 15, after line 38, to insert the following: “(13) Nothing in this section shall be construed as— (a) restricting or qualifying any right conferred on a person by the Treaties of the European Union or by the Regulations of 2015, or (b) requiring a housing authority to act in a manner incompatible with the State's obligations under the Convention within the meaning of the European Convention on Human Rights Act 2003.”. This amendment is designed to safeguard European Union and human r…

Amendment No. 18 seeks to insert a reasonableness ground into the social housing appeals process outlined in the new section 20B, to be inserted into the housing Act 2009 by this Bill. In our view, the internal appeals mechanism does not go far enough but if the Minister is insistent on going ahead with that internal appeals mechanism, a reasonableness ground needs to be included. As it stands, under section 20B(4), a household can only apply on one of the limited and specific grounds listed, and there is no residu…

I move amendment No. 18: In page 16, after line 39, to insert the following: “(i) the determination was otherwise unreasonable having regard to all the circumstances of the household's application.”.

I want to make a general point. I know our amendment was ruled out of order and the reason was placed on record. What we sought to do with that amendment was to make sure there would be an assessment how the section would affect different groups in society that have a protected characteristic under the Equal Status Acts 2000 to 2018, in particular with regard to race, nationality, ethnic or national origins, family status and membership of the Traveller community. There is a lot of concern about how this legislatio…

I move amendment No. 21: In page 19, between lines 27 and 28, to insert the following: “Social housing assessment: transfer and recognition 15. The Act of 2009 is amended by the insertion of the following section after section 20B (inserted by section 12)— “Social housing passport 20C (1) Where a housing authority (in this section referred to as the ‘assessing authority’) has determined under section 20 that a household is qualified for social housing support, and a member of that household subsequently establishes…

If the Minister sees merit in the idea of a social housing passport, albeit not in this legislation, is it something that he would be willing to explore separately as an idea?

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