I welcome everyone to the meeting. I will go through some formal notices. I remind members of the constitutional requirement that they must be physically present within the confines of the place where Parliament has chosen to sit, namely, Leinster House, in order to participate in public meetings. I will not permit members to participate where they are not adhering to this constitutional requirement. Therefore, any member who attempts to participate from outside the precincts will be asked to leave the meeting.

I propose that the petitions considered by the committee at this meeting, and at subsequent meetings, will be published, and that the replies from Departments and other bodies may also be published. Is that agreed? Agreed.

We have eight petitions. The first petition is entitled "Travel grievance for short stay and tourism purpose within Common Travel Area for residents". As members can see there has been an extensive exchange of correspondence. We now have correspondence from the petitioner, which I propose that we forward to the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration for comment within 14 days. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Petition No. P00006/25 is entitled "To give practical application to the right not to attend religious instruction in school". Again, this has been the subject of some exchange of correspondence. The recommendation is that the correspondence from the Department of Education and Youth be forwarded to the petitioner for comment within 14 days. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Petition No. P000012/25 is entitled "Justice for those abused in the homes run by the State". Unfortunately, after an extensive exchange of correspondence and based on the latest response received from the Department of Education and Youth, I propose that we close this petition and advise the petitioner that this petition cannot be progressed any further by this committee. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Petition No. P000015/25 is entitled "Flawed Legislation relating to Pensions and Social Security" and I acknowledge the presence in the Gallery of Mr. Frank Moran. There has been an exchange of correspondence between the parties and this latest. Deputy Buckley, at our last meeting, advised of a recent court case, the result of which we felt was material to consideration. The secretariat forwarded this correspondence to the Department of Social Protection. The Department of Social Protection is of the view that this matter belongs with the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation. On the basis of that, I propose that we write to the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation. Obviously that Department will be aware that it has received the correspondence. We will ask that Department to give the correspondence some detailed consideration and reply to us within 14 days. That correspondence can be shared with the petitioner. Given that the Department of Social Protection is not in a position to deal with it, that Department has sent it to the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation. I think it would be in order for the committee to correspond with it and seek an answer at the earliest possible opportunity. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Petition No. P000022/25 is entitled "Reform of Seanad Éireann", from Mr. Tomás Heneghan. There has been some correspondence already exchanged. The latest correspondence is from the petitioner. I propose that we forward the correspondence to the Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann for comment within 14 days. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Petition No. P000043/25 is entitled "Cannabis regulation and expansion of the Medical Cannabis Access Programme", from The Futures Green Project. There has been an extensive exchange of correspondence. I propose that we forward the correspondence from the Department of Health to the petitioner for comment within 14 days. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Petition No. P000062/25 is entitled "Mandatory Mental Health Breaks in Schools". As members can see there is correspondence from Mr. Jonathan Howe. He is anxious that we hear this petition and I am inclined to agree that would be a good thing. We will forward the correspondence from the petitioner to the Department of Education and Youth, and invite the petitioner to the next meeting, which is likely to take place on 28 April, assuming that date works for all parties. Is that agreed? Agreed. That will be a good session and I very much look forward to hearing from Mr. Howe.

Petition No. P000085/25 is entitled "Equality for Parenting Standards in Ireland around Benefits". This concerns what happens when there is a 50:50 custody arrangement in place. There has been correspondence exchanged already. The proposal is that we will publish the correspondence from the Department of Social Protection and forward it to the petitioner for comment within 14 days. Do members have any views?

No, just to say that it will be interesting to see the response.

Yes. I, too, am interested to see the response because sometimes there is a lag between the State catching up with the modern family set-up.

Yes.

Let us see what the correspondence says and we might take a decision at the next meeting on whether we hear that petition in terms of the timeframe.

That concludes our consideration of public petitions for this evening. I invite members of the public to submit petitions via our online portal, which is available at petitions.oireachtas.ie. A petition may be addressed to the Houses of the Oireachtas on a matter of general public concern or interest or an issue of policy.

Do members have any other business or issues they wish to raise?

No, Chair.

Our decisions have all been agreed. The committee is adjourned until 14 April at 11 a.m. when we will meet in both private and public session. Go raibh míle maith agaibh.