I welcome the students and their teachers to the Chamber. I hope they have a very enjoyable day and I am delighted the Cathaoirleach gave homework off for this week. This morning, I welcome the brilliant news and announcement by Boston Scientific of the €75 million investment in research and development expansion in Galway city yesterday. It is fantastic news for Galway and for the west that, at a time of global uncertainty, Boston Scientific is once again investing in Galway and Ireland. As Members will be aware, …

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Dillon and his officials to the Chamber this afternoon and I also welcome my friends in the Public Gallery, Val and Eileen Hanley. I hope they have a very enjoyable afternoon. I particularly want to welcome this Bill which, as the Minister of State has outlined, provides for Microfinance Ireland to be transferred from the remit of the Social Finance Foundation to the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment. Microfinance Ireland plays an essential role in the State sup…

Next Tuesday.

I wish to pay tribute to Michael Lyster. Michael was ever-present in Irish households for decades. He was an outstanding Gaelic games presenter and a tremendous ambassador for County Galway. He will be missed. My deepest sympathies to his family and friends. The issue I wish to raise is the firebombing of social homes as a drugs-related intimidation tactic. Earlier this week, the head of Dublin City Council's antisocial behaviour unit stated that this has become an epidemic in Dublin. It is also an issue in inner-c…

Now.

I welcome the Minister of State to the Chamber this afternoon. Fianna Fáil welcomes and supports this Bill, which will make changes to the insolvency payments scheme that protects employees' pay-related entitlements if their employer becomes insolvent. As the Minister of State outlined, the Bill strengthens the safety net for employees when their employer goes out of business. It ensures that workers are not left without pay or legal remedies simply because a company collapses in an unexpected or irregular way. Und…

I raise the issue of the new savings scheme which the Tánaiste said this week will come before Government in the coming months. This is a hugely positive move. Anything that can be done to build awareness of such a scheme among people from all financial backgrounds should be welcomed. As members will be aware, there are a number of countries which have schemes that may be worth examining. In the UK, for example, the individual savings accounts, ISAs, allow savers to put a maximum of €20,000 away each year with retu…

I welcome the Minister, Deputy Naughton, to the Chamber. I especially welcome Sophie, Shane and everybody in the Gallery. Senator Shane Curley cannot be here this evening, so I will speak on this topic. The Senator was a teacher prior to his election last year and I spoke to him while preparing these words in order to benefit from his extensive experience in the sector. I have also spoken to teachers and SNAs, particularly those in special education settings. The picture they describe is clear: the demands of the j…

Tomorrow at 9.30 a.m.

I thank the Minister, Deputy Burke, for joining us this afternoon in the Chamber. Fianna Fáil welcomes and supports this Bill, the purpose of which, as the Minister outlined, is to address a gap in the Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000, as amended, due to the incorrect transposition of an EU copyright directive. The gap was identified following a European Court of Justice decision delivered in September 2020 and a subsequent High Court decision in February 2021. The case was essentially about the distribution o…

I want to raise the issue of the research published by Revolut this week that estimated that social media platforms earned €32 million from serving scam advertisements to Irish users in 2025. Those who fall victim to such scams in Ireland tend to lose approximately €1,500 and Irish users are seeing over 160 scam ads per month. There is also the psychological effect on victims to consider, as they tend to suffer from a loss of confidence and a lack of certainty. The Revolut report concluded that these platforms shou…

I raise the issue of the Galway city ring road and the urgent need for clarity on whether it will be granted planning permission. As Members will be aware, this saga has been going on for decades, during which time the other major cities of the country have all seen significant upgrades to their roads infrastructure. Galway remains reliant on the same limited road network it relied on 40 years ago, which results in gridlock across the city on a daily basis. The most recent revised planning application was made in 2…

I welcome the Minister of State. She is a regular visitor at this stage and is doing an excellent job. The Government has taken a logical approach to ensuring we maximise the use of AI to ensure we fully realise the benefits. As members will be aware, in 2025 the Minister of State, Deputy Smyth, advanced significant AI policy initiatives related to the programme for Government's commitment to harness the digital and AI revolution for modern public services and economic growth. There is huge scope and potential for …

Tomorrow morning at 9.30 a.m.

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I move: That Seanad Éireann approves the exercise by the State of the option or discretion to which Article 20 of the Treaty on European Union relating to enhanced cooperation applies to establish enhanced cooperation as described in the draft Council Decision authorising enhanced cooperation on the establishment of a Loan for Ukraine, a copy of which was laid before Seanad Éireann on 21st January, 2026.

Fianna Fáil welcomes this debate and, in line with the recommendation from Government, we will be opposing the Bill. As has been outlined, the Bill seeks to include young people, apprentices and interns within the full application of the National Minimum Wage Act 2015 and to extend entitlement to remuneration of the full national minimum wage to these groups. The National Minimum Wage Act allows for lower or subminimum rates of the minimum wage for employees aged 20 years and younger. Those aged less than 18 can be…

As Members will have seen, it was reported yesterday that the US customs and border protection is adding social media as a mandatory data element of the electronic system for travel authorisation applications which tourists from dozens of counties, including Ireland, require when travelling to the United States. The data element will require applicants to provide their social media for the last five years. The criteria as cited on the US federal register are so wide-ranging that tourists or business visitors could …

Now.