Just this morning the Government launched the new policy on overseas development aid, which is a major policy entitled A Better World. I commend that policy and, in particular, commend the emphasis within it on a number of issues that are of real importance. The Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence, of which I am a member, has been working on these issues and I am very glad to see them highlighted, namely, climate justice, gender equality, women's rights and women's empowerment. That is really positive to see. Looking at the language used in the A Better World document, I commend those involved in its drafting because there is a strong emphasis on sexual and reproductive health and rights, and some inspiring language. It is particularly notable as, this year, we mark 25 years since the international conference on population and development, the ICPD. I know the Deputy Leader is interested in this issue at international level, as am I, and we will be seeing quite a number of events at UN level to mark that 25th anniversary. It is inspiring to see Ireland taking a leadership role on this in our overseas development aid policy and also good to see us moving so firmly towards our 0.7% commitment on overseas development aid. I commend those involved. I look forward to scrutinising the report further at the foreign affairs committee. I ask that we might have a debate on this in due course in the House, now the document has been published, as I believe it would be worthwhile. Again, it is great to see the policy so strongly highlighting women's empowerment and gender equality.

On a less positive note, I express my strong concern, which I am sure others will share, on the issues highlighted in respect of Scouting Ireland and the letter Tusla sent to Scouting Ireland. The Minister, Deputy Zappone, raised concerns in the Dáil yesterday. This leaves parents in particular in a very difficult position because, essentially, what the Minister appears to be saying is that parents send children on scouting trips almost at their own risk, which is a very worrying development for parents, all those involved in Scouting Ireland and, indeed, for children. I hope we can have a debate in the House, when things become a little clearer, on child protection and the important issues this raises.

I welcome the decision yesterday in the Supreme Court on the powers of the Committee of Public Accounts. I think many of us had felt concern about some of the lines of questioning adopted by the Committee of Public Accounts in recent years and it is positive to see the Supreme Court has said the Committee of Public Accounts acted significantly outside its remit. There has been an unfortunate tendency towards, and an unfortunate culture had developed of, quite aggressive tactics in questioning witnesses before the Committee of Public Accounts, and it was not as effective as a result in terms of actual fact-finding. The Committee of Public Accounts in the past had a very positive and effective role in investigating and uncovering facts around misuse of public funds. In recent years, in some instances, that role has been overstepped. We await the final judgment in April but I welcome that finding as reported today.

I rise to highlight the fact today is anti-bullying awareness day, which is a campaign run by the HSE. If people are feeling unsafe in the workplace, in school or in any walk of life, a helpline is available. It is important that people are aware help is out there and somebody is at the other end of the line to help them.

Related to that, it was reported in my local newspaper during the week that a child of three years of age was on the mother's tablet playing a game called Momo Challenge, which is a cyberbullying game. The next thing, a face appeared on the game and asked the child: "Are you on your own? Go and turn on the oven and leave it on, and do not tell anyone." It is frightening when these things are happening. This is the first report of an incident in Ireland. While there has not been any serious incident in regard to this game, it is frightening to think a child of three years of age was told that. The child threw the tablet across to the mother and said there was a scary person on it. There should be some sort of regulation around these games, given what can happen and how people can hack into them.

Based on the release today of the Irish importation figures for grain and maize, I was startled to see that wheat imports in 2018 were up 40% to 428,000 tonnes, maize imports were up 43% to 1.6 million tonnes and barley imports were up 105% to 372,000 tonnes. The Deputy Leader will be aware the Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine last year produced a report on the crisis within the Irish tillage sector. That report was placed before this House but, unfortunately, like many of its predecessors, it has found its way to the infamous shelf somewhere. Based on the figures I have given today, that report needs to be taken down from the shelf and brought back in here, and the Minister needs to come in along with it to address these figures.

As I said, we have a crisis in the tillage sector and farmers are walking away from tillage and grain production, yet we are importing grain in the quantities I have just mentioned. The big debate within all sectors of agriculture at the moment is on climate change. Can we imagine the carbon footprint of this grain, maize and wheat that is coming from as far away as Russia to our shores? We have the people, the equipment and the land, and we are quite capable of producing it here ourselves. The irony in regard to barley, in particular, is that it is being imported in such vast quantities, it is being brewed and distilled by our native brewers and distillers, then being labelled on bottles as Irish and exported again. We need to re-address the crisis in the tillage sector. We need to take down that report from its infamous shelf and we need to get it and the Minister back in the House to have a serious debate on why we are not producing this grain ourselves, and not making it feasible for Irish farmers to produce the grain and maize we are importing in such large quantities.

I second Senator Devine's amendment. Last week, under the leadership of the Cathaoirleach, I was fortunate to be one of a small number of people, with Senator Mulherin and Deputy Brassil, to attend the United Nations in New York on Thursday and Friday.

It was a real eye-opener and a very important event. We met the Irish Permanent Representative to the UN, H.E. Geraldine Byrne Nason. Ireland has been a member of the UN since 1955 and a UN peacekeeping nation since 1958. Senator Craughwell's colleagues in the peacekeeping force have served every day since then. Irish lives have been lost as a result of the peacekeeping efforts. We are particularly proud of the help provided by our peacekeeping forces in other nations. It is one of the badges that makes us unique. We are the greatest contributor in Europe to peacekeeping and that is something of which we are very proud. We are privileged to be involved in it. We are indebted to our women and men who go on peacekeeping missions. I know people whose family members have given their lives to that cause.

I ask that we consider suspending Standing Orders for half a day and invite the ambassador, H.E. Ms Byrne Nason, and the Tánaiste, Deputy Coveney, to address the House and inform Members on the current state of the UN, its role and our relationship with and contribution to it.

As Members are aware, Ireland is seeking a seat on the UN Security Council. There is all-party support for that endeavour. I and my two Oireachtas colleagues who were in the UN last week strongly lobbied colleagues from other countries that Ireland should get a seat on the Security Council. This is an opportunity for us, a key democratic House of the Irish Parliament, to say we are supporting our people in the UN and our ambassador. When we visit foreign countries and colleagues in other parliaments, we can tell them we need their support for this. I ask for that to be considered by the Leader and the Cathaoirleach.

On the latter issue, the Senator should consider writing to the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. I rarely comment on trips made by Senators. However, I was very proud that Senators Ó Céidigh and Mulherin and Deputy Brassil spoke very effectively at the United Nations. I was very impressed by their contributions, which had a positive impact on our effort to be elected to the Security Council, among other issues. I am proud of what they achieved in that visit.

Go raibh maith agat.