I wish to raise the issue of apprenticeships in the furniture industry. Some say that the great wind of 1839 was the start of the furniture industry in Navan, County Meath. The big wind occurred on the afternoon of 6 January and swept across Europe causing major damage and resulting in several hundred deaths. We had a plentiful supply of trees, the tools were there on the ground and we were ready to go. Fast forward to the 1960s and 1990s and furniture in Navan was huge. Upholsterers and cabinet makers were members…

I want to speak about the safe routes to school programme. I find myself speaking about road safety quite a lot in the Chamber. I am sorry if I am driving colleagues mad, but it is very important to me and to many people in County Meath. A fantastic road safety opportunity is provided through the safe routes to school programme. In fact, it is a no-brainer. My colleague Senator Rabbitte mentioned the programme a few weeks ago when she was discussing safe routes outside day services. The National Transport Authority…

Yes.

Yes. I will take six minutes and Senator Ní Chuilinn will take four minutes.

It is fantastic to be splitting my time with Senator Ní Chuilinn. I also have a contribution from Senator Lynch, who cannot be here today. The definition of "childcare" is the care of children, especially by a crèche, nursery, or childminder, while parents are working. I found a lovely quote which says that children are not a distraction from important work; they are the important work. Thank you for allowing us to use our voices today. I always say I am very privileged to stand here and use my voice, but that is e…

I raise an issue that affects many people, which is newspaper articles on inquests and the sheer stress and heartache this causes many families. When I speak, I like to use real-life examples. I will talk about a woman I know who lost her father on 5 October 2022. This man was also known as Daddy Cool because he was loved by his daughter and granddaughter so much that, in their eyes, he epitomised Daddy Cool. This man had a sudden death – a fall at home. It was unimaginable heartbreak for his family. His life was c…

I wish to raise a point I raised last week. I hope I am saying this right. Section 2(1)(a)(ii) of the principal Act refers to "a sole trader, partnership, trust club or charity ... with an annual turnover in its previous financial year ... of €3 million or less". I ask that the amount would be raised to €5 million.

Next Tuesday.

I thank the Minister of State for coming in. I really appreciate it. This issue is something I raised last week and I am delighted that it was selected as a Commencement matter. Over the past year, I have canvassed in three elections and without a shadow of a doubt the biggest issue at the doors was the speed on our roads, whether that was on a housing estate or a rural road. People are living in fear that someone they know will be injured or, worse, killed. That is the fear of people living in Kilmessan, County Me…

I thank the Minister of State very much for his very thorough response, which I appreciate. I know the Government is working well on reducing speed limits and everything else we are trying to do. With regard to speed limits, we do not even have a Garda station in Kilmessan. It was closed a good few years ago. A garda comes to the village only once a week. It is hard to reprimand people for speeding. I will take up the suggestion on the safe routes to school programme and I thank the Minister of State for it. With r…

Retail businesses on streets all over our towns have been dramatically affected by parking spots being taken away. I raised this among my colleagues yesterday evening and I was not surprised by how many said that the same was happening in their towns. This morning, I will use my town of Navan, County Meath, as a prime example. Navan is going through its plan of Navan 2030, the introduction of which says: Navan is an attractive town, with historic streetscapes ... and a rich cultural and landscape heritage on its su…

Hear, hear.

I will not need ten minutes.

I welcome the Minister of State. Our paths have crossed a few times. I harp on about insurance issues. He is great in that sphere. I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill as I feel I have first-hand experience of the ombudsman's office. I am here to stand up for businesses and for people who feel aggrieved about financial services providers or their insurers. I was in a position five years ago, practically to the day, where I had to contact the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman's office out of utter…

I have one point on the €3 million.

I thank the Minister of State.

It might need more staff.

I welcome Sarah and Darren Hennessy to the Gallery. I welcome any conversations about special education. I am on the board of a fabulous special school, St. Ultan's, in Navan, County Meath. I am delighted to discuss all of this with the Minister of State. Like everyone in this room who are working with many children trying to access school places, this issue is very close to our hearts. I wish to talk about Willow Carroll, whose mum, Tracy, would knock anyone out in a boxing ring such is her determination to fight …

Many of us will be aware of the publication today of the report of the national claims information database, NCID. The establishment of the NCID was one of the recommendations made by the cost of insurance working group, which was established in 2016 by the then Minister for Finance. Today's NCID liability report may surprise you. Why? It states the average legal cost is less than €1,000 for cases finalised through the injuries board but in excess of €23,000 once cases enter litigation. Even more surprising is that…

I concur with my colleagues. No abuser or rapist should ever be given any platform whatsoever. That is a matter we need to debate in a more thorough manner in the future. I raise a local issue that is relevant to every village and town in the country, that is, the dangerous issue of the speed of traffic and the potential for fatalities. There is a particular issue in Kilmessan village in County Meath. I will refer to a message I received while I was having a lovely St. Patrick's Day. The message stated that at 8.15…