Cuirim fáilte roimh an deis seo galtoitíní a phlé. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit as teacht isteach chuig an Seanad chun an t-ábhar tábhachtach seo a phlé linn. Mar is eol dúinn go léir, tá méadú mór tagtha ar úsáid na dtáirgí seo le blianta beaga anuas. Úsáideann daoine iad mar rogha eile ar thoitíní nuair atá siad ag iarraidh éirí as tobac a chaitheamh. Tugann fianaise le fios freisin go bhfuil daoine óga nár chaith toitíní riamh ag úsáid galtoitíní freisin agus is ábhar imní é seo. Tá fianaise leighis ag ta…

Molaim na Seanadóirí ó Fhine Gael as an rún seo, go háirithe an Seanadóir Maria Byrne. Is díospóireacht fiúntach í seo agus tacaím leis na bearta go léir atá leagtha amach sa rún. Táim ag súil go mór leis an mBille a fheiceáil nuair a fhoilseoidh an tAire, an Teachta Stephen Donnelly, é go luath. Táim ag tnúth go mór leis an gcuid eile den díospóireacht a chloisteáil. Caithfear smacht a chur ar na comhlachtaí seo; tá dualgas orainn.

Ná bí dána.

Tomorrow at 10.30 a.m.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. Níor theastaigh uaim í a chur faoi bhrú. Chuir mé an cheist seo isteach i mBéarla inné. Cé go bhfuil mé ag úsáid na Gaeilge anois, níl mé ag súil le freagra i nGaeilge uaithi ar an ócáid seo muna bhfuil sí in ann é sin a thabhairt. Glacaim leis nach raibh aon réamheolas aici faoi seo. Is mian liom labhairt faoi fhorbairt an ionaid nua cúirte dlí teaghlaigh ag Lána an Chrochaire, nó Hammond Lane mar a thugtar air i mBéarla, anseo i mBaile Átha Cliath. Tá an suíomh seo suite in aice lei…

Cathain a bheidh dul chun cinn déanta ar an suíomh sin? Níl sé soiléir ón méid a dúirt an tAire. An bhfuilimid ar an mbóthar ceart le hoscailt i gceann trí bliana? An bhfuil aon chonstaicí ann?

Chun a chinntiú, an bhfuilimid ar an mbóthar ceart fós?

Go raibh míle maith agat.

The Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, has four minutes to respond to the Senator.

I believe the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, will take Senator Boyhan's commencement matter as well.

That is a pity. The Minister of State would have enjoyed it.

I have been informed that no Minister is available to address Senator Boylan's Commencement matter, for which I extend the apologies of the House. I believe Senator Boylan has agreed to withdraw this Commencement matter and will submit it at a future date. Is that okay?

It is very disappointing but it is to be hoped the Senator's matter will be taken in early course. I take this opportunity to extend a very warm welcome to students from St. Mary's National School, Athlone, who have joined us in the Public Gallery. They came in at the end of Commencement matters, so I hope they got to see some of the action. They and their teachers are very welcome to Leinster House. Hopefully, they will enjoy their trip and it will inspire some of them to get involved in their communities and poss…

I almost missed my speaking slot because I was in my office fielding phone calls, text messages and emails from very happy people today. It was an excellent budget. There is a lot in it and we are all still going through what is in it. The really big headline measures that have jumped out for me are the IVF funding and the contraception scheme being extended, which are revolutionary steps forward. We were laggards in Europe with regard to IVF funding. This is excellent news and gives families and couples hope durin…

I wish to refer to the war in Ukraine. We are seven months into the conflict. I will focus on the sexual violence perpetrated on the women and children of Ukraine. We know sexual violence is a recognised weapon of war. There has not been much discussion in Ireland around this aspect of the war but we really need to have a conversation about it. Rape is recognised as a weapon of war. It spreads disease, destroys family ties, inflicts harm on generations and is used to terrorise, humiliate and subdue a population. It…

The Minister is very welcome to the House to discuss this very important issue. I am aware that she has been addressing it all day so I thank her for her attention and for the opportunity to discuss the school transport scheme. I am glad that a review of the criteria is taking place but I call on the Minister to confirm tonight that included in that review is the criterion of ethos. The school transport scheme does not allow children who are of no religious persuasion to avail of their nearest non-denominational sc…

When is it proposed to take Committee Stage?

Is that agreed? Agreed.

I welcome the Minister for Justice to the Chamber.

I welcome the opportunity to raise the excellent report that was launched this morning. I was very proud to be a member of that committee along with some very dedicated Oireachtas Member. It is unfortunate that Senator Mullen is not present to hear my comments. He raised the issue of the surrogacy report. We all came into it with an open mind and listened to the evidence from leading academic experts, legal experts, medics, surrogates, children born through surrogacy and families who have gone through that process.…