Speaker order and Mayo connection
The Cathaoirleach explained how speakers were being called because of Covid-related rota limits, and Senator Dolan then welcomed Biden and his Mayo connection.
Before I call on Senator Dolan, I wish to explain the order in which Members are being called. I have done so previously. I know Members have noticed Senators coming into the Chamber and being called ahead of other Senators who have indicated. Normally, when Members come in, they go on the rota but, because of Covid-19, we cannot have all the Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael Senators, for example, showing up at the same time because there simply are not enough speaking slots or microphones available for them. I have asked the party Whips to send in a list of speakers in advance of the start of the Order of Business in order that Members know when they will be speaking and that seats will be available for them.
Comment on this
As a real advocate for the Mayo Roscommon hospice, I too send congratulations to President-elect Joe Biden. When he visits the Seanad and the Dáil, he will be representing the west of Ireland. Another person to fight for that region is sadly lacking. It is to be hoped that we will have another representative for the region in the Government and Oireachtas. Who knows, we might even ask President-elect Biden to be an honorary Senator. It is wonderful. It lifted my heart when I heard it. He is an immigrant to the United States, with his family coming from Mayo and Louth.
The poem on the Statue of Liberty reads:
Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.
It speaks about the importance of diversity in the US but also in Ireland. We can even see the value and importance of diversity in Germany with the new vaccine brought forward by Pfizer and BioNTech. The two German scientists are children of Turkish migrants so it shows the value of migrants and immigrants coming to our country and the importance of diversity.
Last week, I spoke about the challenges we had in Ballinasloe. I am delighted to see that Galway County Council has returned the application for the permit to operate the waste transfer station. This is an absolute win for Ballinasloe and for the Ballinasloe says No group. I thank everyone who supported the Ballinasloe says No campaign. The council's decision means the application did not meet the validation criteria set out in the waste facility permit regulations and allows the community in Ballinasloe more time to prepare a campaign, as needed, in the months ahead.