I move:

Tuesday's business shall be:

- Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of meeting of the Joint Committee on the Irish Language, Gaeltacht and the Irish-speaking Community in Galway city (without debate)

- Statements on the Second Anniversary of Russia’s Full-scale Invasion of Ukraine (not to exceed 1 hr 52 mins)

Tuesday's private members' business shall be the Motion re Paediatric Orthopaedic and Urology Services, selected by Sinn Féin.

Wednesday's business shall be:

- Motion re Consideration of Estimates by Committee (without debate)

- Motions re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022 (Section 4(2)) (Scheme Termination Date) Order 2024 (to conclude within 57 mins)

- Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024 (Second Stage) (if not previously concluded, to adjourn either at 5.30 p.m. or after 1 hr 46 mins, whichever is the later)

- Human Tissue (Transplantation, Post-Mortem, Anatomical Examination and Public Display) Bill 2022 (Amendments from the Seanad) (to commence no earlier than 5 p.m. and if not previously concluded, to adjourn after 2 hrs)

- Court Proceedings (Delays) Bill 2023 (Report and Final Stages) (if not previously concluded, to adjourn either at 8.30 p.m. or after 1 hr, whichever is the later)

Wednesday's private members' business shall be the Motion re Healthcare Provision in Rural Communities, selected by the Rural Independent Group.

Thursday's business shall be the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024 (Second Stage, resumed, if not previously concluded) (if not previously concluded, to adjourn either at 4 p.m. or after 2 hrs 16 mins, whichever is the later).

Thursday evening business shall be the Second Stage of the Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2023.

Proposed arrangements for this week's business:

In relation to Tuesday’s business, it is proposed that:

1. the ordinary routine of business as contained in Schedule 3 to Standing Orders shall be modified to the extent that private members’ business may be taken earlier than 6.12 p.m. and shall in any event be taken on the conclusion of the Statements on the Second Anniversary of Russia’s Full-scale Invasion of Ukraine, with consequential effect on—

(i) the commencement times for the items following in the ordinary routine of business, namely, oral Parliamentary Questions to the Minister for Social Protection, and topical issues, and

(ii) the time for the adjournment of the Dáil; the proceedings on the Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of meeting of the Joint Committee on the Irish Language, Gaeltacht and the Irish-speaking Community in Galway city shall be taken without debate; and

2. the Statements on the Second Anniversary of Russia’s Full-scale Invasion of Ukraine shall not exceed 1 hour and 52 minutes and the following arrangements shall apply thereto:

(i) the arrangements for the statements, not including the Ministerial response, shall be in accordance with the arrangements agreed by Order of the Dáil of 30th July, 2020, for 100 minutes, and the Resolution of the Dáil of 20th September, 2023, providing for two minutes for non-aligned members;

(ii) following the statements, a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a statement in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes; and

(iii) members may share time.

In relation to Wednesday's business, it is proposed that:

1. the ordinary routine of business as contained in Schedule 3 to Standing Orders shall be modified to the extent that the weekly division time may be taken earlier than 8.45 p.m., and shall in any event be taken on the adjournment of proceedings on the Courts Proceedings (Delays) Bill 2023, or where those proceedings conclude within the allotted time, on the conclusion thereof, with consequential effect on the time for the adjournment of the Dáil;

2. the proceedings on the Motion re Consideration of Estimates by Committee shall be taken without debate;

3. the proceedings on the Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022 (Section 4(2)) (Scheme Termination Date) Order 2024 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 57 minutes, and the following arrangements shall apply thereto:

(i) the order of speaking and allocation of time shall be as follows:-

- opening speech by a Minister or Minister of State - 10 minutes;

- speech by representative of Sinn Féin - 10 minutes;

- speeches by representatives of the Labour Party, Social Democrats, People-Before-Profit-Solidarity, the Regional Group, the Rural Independent Group and the Independent Group - 5 minutes per party or group;

- speeches by non-aligned members – 2 minutes; and

- a speech in response by the Minister – 5 minutes; and

(ii) members may share time;

4. the proceedings on Second Stage of the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024 shall, if not previously concluded, be interrupted and stand adjourned either at 5.30 p.m. or after 1 hour and 46 minutes, whichever is the later, and shall not be resumed on Wednesday;

5. the proceedings on the amendments from the Seanad to the Human Tissue (Transplantation, Post-Mortem, Anatomical Examination and Public Display) Bill 2022 shall commence no earlier than 5 p.m. and shall, if not previously concluded, be interrupted and stand adjourned after 2 hours, and shall not be resumed on Wednesday; and

6. the proceedings on Report and Final Stages of the Court Proceedings (Delays) Bill 2023 shall, if not previously concluded, be interrupted and stand adjourned either at 8.30 p.m. or after 1 hour, whichever is the later, and shall not be resumed on Wednesday.

In relation to Thursday's business, it is proposed that:

1. the ordinary routine of business as contained in Schedule 3 to Standing Orders shall be modified to the extent that topical issues may be taken earlier than 7.24 p.m. and shall in any event be taken on the interruption or conclusion of any resumed proceedings on the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024, or where Second Stage of that Bill concludes before Thursday, immediately following the SOS, with consequential effect on the commencement time for the Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2023, and on the time for the adjournment of the Dáil; and

2. any resumed proceedings on Second Stage of the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024 shall, if not previously concluded, be interrupted and stand adjourned either at 4 p.m. or after 2 hours and 16 minutes, whichever is the later, and the Bill shall not be resumed on Thursday.

Is that agreed?

It is not agreed. I ask that the Government provide time to discuss the Children's Rights Alliance report card to which reference was made on Leader's Questions. The Taoiseach engaged in a great deal of spin regarding a range of areas in the context of the report that was given to the Government. One area where the Government was given a failing grade, namely, an E grade, was in mental health and children in adult psychiatric services. That should come as no surprise to anyone in this House because we have failed far too many of those children for too long. It is not just this report; reports from the children's ombudsman, the Mental Health Commission and many other entities have criticised the Government in this regard. An E grade is an absolute disgrace, particularly when we are talking about extremely vulnerable children. Given that the Taoiseach engaged in a great deal of spin and he thinks he has a story to tell - I do not believe he has - I am making a reasonable request that the Government provide time for a debate on this matter this week. If that is not possible, I ask that we do it next week. It is really important that these issues are properly debated.

I also extend my sympathy and that of the Labour Party to the family and friends of Michael O’Regan and pay tribute to him. The news of his untimely death is very sad.

I join the call for a debate this week on the aspect of the Children’s Rights Alliance report referred to. This is the third consecutive year in which the Government has received an E grade - an unacceptable grade - in respect of children’s mental health issues. In particular, the report highlights the waiting lists for child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS, and the continued practice of having children kept on adult psychiatric wards. That is a failing in the context of one of the commitments contained in the programme for Government. I remind the House that this time last year the biggest news story was the report into CAMHS showing that children and young people had been lost in the mental health system. In one catchment area, 140 so-called lost cases were found within the local CAMHS team. I have the Minister for Health’s statement from January 2023 in which he told the House that the issues with CAMHS were not acceptable and that he was treating them as a priority. One year on, with another E grade from the Children’s Rights Alliance, we need time this week for a debate.

I join with others in asking for a special debate this week on the Children’s Rights Alliance report card in respect of children’s mental health services. For three years in a row, the Government has received an E grade. This is based on the fact that children are still being moved into adult mental health units and the number of beds relating to children’s mental health services has decreased from 70 to 50. It is also based on the Government’s hopeless performance in relation to CAMHS whereby more than 4,000 children are waiting for access to services. Last summer, the Mental Health Commission compiled an in-depth report on the operation of CAMHS. It made 49 recommendations, the principal one being that the Mental Health Commission must provide independent regulation of CAMHS. When are we going to address this issue in a comprehensive way. There is a serious responsibility on the Government to tackle this matter. We were promised that vulnerable children would have additional services as a result of the work of the unit in the Taoiseach’s Department. We are yet to see any improvement at all in those services. We need a debate urgently.

I ask the Minister for a debate on the Children's Rights Alliance annual report card. It is quite damning that 4,000 children find themselves in homeless accommodation. The effects on those children who do not have a voice here is incalculable. It is very important that we have a debate very soon on the effects on children who are in homeless accommodation.

I speak on behalf of my colleagues in the Rural Independent Group on the lack of gardaí in our country. Since the trouble in Dublin, gardaí are coming up from Tipperary and every other county to man the situation here in Dublin. Places like Carrick-on-Suir, Clonmel, Tipperary Town, Cahir and Roscrea are very short of guards. They have pathetic numbers if people knew the real numbers, when sickness and gardaí confined to barracks and working night duties are taken into consideration.

We see this morning another sticking plaster from the Minister for Justice where she is looking to bring the number of Garda reserves up to 1,000. This is a serious situation where we need a proper debate here because our people do not feel safe. We had a number of incidents at the weekend in Roscrea and in towns and villages all over the country which are being investigated. There is fear in our communities and there is no response from gardaí because they are simply not there. We need the numbers.

The Government keeps telling us in answers to questions that we have the numbers. We do not have them because they are on office or court duties and are on everything else but they are not able to serve the public, and the public are worried. We need a proper, honest and open debate here about our Garda numbers.

On behalf of the Independent Group I support the calls which are being made here for a debate on the Children's Rights Alliance annual report card which is important in terms of responsibility for the mental health of our children. It is very important we have such a debate and it is in this House that this should be discussed and addressed. I echo those calls which have been made in that regard.

It is also vitally important that we debate the ongoing situation in Gaza and that it should be on the agenda again this week. I thank the Ceann Comhairle.

First, I want to be associated with the statements which were made in expressing condolences with the family of Michael O'Regan. I have been in this House for nearly 26 years and he has been a feature of political commentary all of that time and longer. He was a great storyteller, someone with a great sense of humour, someone who loved an argument but who also listened to other people's perspectives. He will be missed by many people close to him and his family. I want to be associated with the condolences and comments which have been made.

On the understandable requests for a debate in this House on the Children's Rights Alliance report and score card, there are positives and progress but also areas where there is serious work to do. I share the concern, as I think everyone in Government does, that there are still children in adult psychiatric wards. That needs to change and we would welcome an opportunity to have a debate on those issues and to update the House on the Government's response. I do not believe it will be possible to do it this week but I hope it can be arranged in the Business Committee for either next week or the following week. If Opposition parties would be agreeable, we will certainly try to accommodate that as best we can.

On Deputy Mattie McGrath's request for a debate on Garda numbers, there has been a great deal of discussion around security, crime, making our streets safer and on Garda numbers. The Minister, Deputy McEntee, is making significant progress in this space. Garda recruitment is accelerating. There is strong interest, I am glad to say, in joining An Garda Síochána at the moment and, of course, we are now going to set more ambitious targets in terms of the Garda Reserve. There is much happening there, I say to the Deputy, and there are plenty of opportunities for him to raise concerns, whether it is through parliamentary questions, through Leaders' Questions or during Private Members' time also. That is something I would encourage the Deputy to raise at the Business Committee if he wants to create time and space for that.

Are the proposed arrangements for the week agreed? Agreed.