I welcome our visitors in the Gallery. Today I want to commemorate a significant anniversary in our nation's history. On this date 110 years ago the final two signatories of the Proclamation who had been sentenced to death were executed. They were James Connolly, founder of the Labour Party, my party, and an inspiration for many left-wing, inclusive ideas around the world, and Seán Mac Diarmada, who was a native of a small farmstead in Kiltyclogher in County Leitrim. These two men represent two very different faces…

I welcome the opportunity to discuss this motion and commend Fianna Fáil Senators on bringing it forward. I am sharing time.

That we are still discussing this issue and having a motion on it is depressing. That 32,144 women contacted Women's Aid last year is horrendous. I welcome that the motion recognises that violence is a scourge on society and that, collectively, we have to tackle it. It is good to see words like that in the motion. I also recognise the steps that have been taken, such as the progression of the sex for rent legislation and the introduction last month of the violence travel supplement. I commend Senator Patricia Steph…

No matter what way this is presented or dressed up, it could be the most damaging and dangerous Bill to pass through the Oireachtas, with far-reaching and long-lasting consequences. Of course the Labour Party supports trade and we know that trade between Ireland and Canada has gone up. We do not support investor courts, which we believe are completely unnecessary. These secret corporate courts allow corporations to sue Governments over laws that could impact profit, for example raising the minimum wage and protecti…

Labhróidh mise ar dtús. Tá trí nóiméad agam. Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. It is no exaggeration to say that the global economy we have built around extractor consumerism is totally dependent on the availability of cheap and reliable fossil fuels, and that the reliance on oil and gas has led the world into countless conflicts in modern times. We do not need to tell anyone that. It is not called black gold for nothing. Control of their own fossil fuel resources has genuinely brought independence and sovereignty to ma…

I welcome Deputy Joe Neville and his guests to the Gallery. He is very welcome. Tá fáilte roimhe.

Before I move on to our next speaker, I welcome Deputy Michael Cahill and his two guests, Seamus Farrell and Mary McKeever. Up an Cabhán and Cavan town. You are very welcome. Glaoim anois ar an Seanadóir Cathal Byrne.

I second the motion.

As a species, humans have been remarkably successful in adapting to our own surroundings and we have given a great deal of thought to adapting our environment to suit our needs. Unfortunately, we have not been as successful or given enough thought to ensuring our adaptations do not impact on other living creatures who share our planet. Human activity, whether thoughtless or deliberate, has had a catastrophic impact upon many other life forms living wild alongside us. Nature loves diversity, but through our pursuit …

The Home Youth Liaison Service, HYLS, has been helping young people and families in Sligo and Leitrim since 1989. The difficulties young people face often become identifiable in school through behaviour or academic performance but the root cause of the difficulty is rarely seen in school alone. It can originate at home and affect a young person's life there and within the wider society. The HYLS takes an holistic approach to a young person's difficulties. It is a one-stop shop for services. Support does not begin a…

I thank the Minister of State for recognising the wonderful work. It is outstanding and I am not just saying that because I worked there for so long but it is an incredible service. Like any service that operates on a yearly basis, it is very hard to plan. I understand that there will be Estimates and the fact that the CYPSC co-ordinator is liaising with HSE and the HYLS manager. It is all very positive and I welcome the fact that the Minister of State has recognised the impact it has. I just want to quote what peo…

This week is trade union week. It was a pleasure to attend an informative session in the audiovisual room by Owen Reidy of ICTU and Neil McGowan of SIPTU. They set out their vision for a new economic model that puts quality jobs at the centre of all development. Sinn Féin’s good jobs Bill is currently before the Northern Assembly, which will hopefully be enacted before the next Assembly elections in May 2027. Not only will this put it on the record and stop the scourge of zero-hour contracts but it will also provid…

Sligo Abbey has been described as the jewel in Sligo's heritage crown. Located in the heart of the town, the history of the abbey is the history of Sligo, both being founded in the mid-13th century. Built by the FitzGeralds, the centre of spiritual life was rebuilt following an accidental fire in 1414. Surviving the destructive reforms of Henry VIII and Elizabethan settlement, the abbey was abandoned following its desecration by the Cromwellian forces but it continued to serve as a place of burial for the people of…

I thank the Aire Stáit for his response and support. It is welcome that the season has been extended by six weeks but it leaves the staff in a precarious position. They have to sign on, which makes no sense, or else they have to get new jobs for that season. This could eventually lead to all that experience and knowledge being lost. Sligo Abbey has in the past few years been looking at festivals throughout the year. It has put on a huge amount of stuff around Christmas, working with things like Music Generation Sli…

Yes, four and four.

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. I welcome this debate. It has been said many times before that the Inspector of Prisons Mark Kelly has described the conditions in our prisons as "inhumane and degrading", which has led to the increase in deaths in custody. I did my social science dissertation in 1997 on the difficulties within the Irish prison system and very little has changed. There was overcrowding, drug use, too many remand prisoners, not enough community facilities for young people and not enough bail or supervisi…

I fully and wholeheartedly support and commend the Civil Engagement Group and Senator Higgins on continuing to push this. I was elected to this House just over a year ago. This was one of the first important pieces of legislation we spoke about when this Seanad was convened. I cannot understand how nothing has been done about it. The behaviour of the US Government since this Bill was last debated has proven that we need more than ever to reclaim our neutrality and disassociate ourselves completely from the US milit…

I will keep it very short. The Minister of State is very welcome. As we all know, job roles within disability services are extremely specialised and cover very distinct elements of care. I worked within disability as a community worker in the Irish Wheelchair Association many years ago and so I know there are different roles involved. There are personal assistants and care assistants, who provide intimate and personal care every day. Social care workers help to develop care plans and manage the day-to-day tasks des…

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. We all know in here that the production of meat and dairy for global markets is a key sector of our economy and provides about 7% of the total gross value added of our annual wealth, which is €16 billion annually coming in to our country through agricultural exports. Up to now, this existing free market economic model in the export of high value dairy and meat made sense but this model of working is over. The era of free market global trade is over. I do not want to be the prophet of do…

In fairness, Senator McCormack corrected herself.