The Order of Business is No. 1, Appropriation Bill 2020 - all Stages, to be taken at 11.30 a.m. or 15 minutes after the conclusion of the Order of Business, whichever is the later, and to conclude after 60 minutes by the putting of one question from the Chair which shall, in respect of amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Government, contributions by Senators to the debate on Second Stage shall not exceed five minutes and the Minister shall be given no less than four minutes to reply, Committee and Remaining Stages to be taken immediately afterwards; No. 2, motion for the earlier signature of the Appropriation Bill 2020, to be taken on conclusion of No. 1 without debate; No. 3, Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Bill 2017, also known as Coco's Law - all Stages, to be taken at 12.45 p.m. or 15 minutes after the conclusion of No. 2, whichever is the later, contributions by group spokespersons to the debate on Second Stage shall not exceed eight minutes, those of all other Senators shall not exceed five minutes and the Minister shall be given no less than six minutes to reply, Committee and Remaining Stages are to be taken immediately thereafter.

My comments will be confined to discussing the end of the year. This time last year, little did those of us who were in the Chamber think we would have the year that has just gone by. It has been a strange and tough year for many families, especially those who have lost loved ones along the way in difficult and strenuous circumstances. It has also been a very tough year for many in the business community, who struggle each day and will continue to do so for some time to come. Nevertheless, it is a time of year for families. I extend a happy Christmas to the Cathaoirleach and commend him on the job he has done since he took the Chair. He has been fair and impartial and I thank him and congratulate him for that. To the Leader and the rest of my colleagues in the Chamber, I wish for them a happy and healthy Christmas and, hopefully, a brighter new year. I cannot speak highly enough of Martin, Bridget and all the staff in the various sections of the Houses in the context of the courtesy they extend to us and for how helpful they are to us. I extend a happy and healthy Christmas to them and, hopefully, a brighter 2021.

I take this opportunity to say a few thanks. What a year it has been. Little did we think this time last year that we would be facing into a 2020 general election and Seanad election and a huge intake of new Senators - what an honour and achievement for them, personally. I remember the people who contested an election but did not succeed on that occasion. I hope we will see many of them here in future. It is important that we acknowledge the difficulties and challenges of contesting any election but that is the great thing about parliamentary democracy.

I thank Martin, the Clerk of the Seanad, Bridget and all the people in the background in the Seanad Office, and in the Leader's office, Orla Murray and how she co-ordinates the work behind the scenes among Departments, Ministers, speakers and the schedules every week. I thank the Cathaoirleach, Grace Coyle and all the others who work behind the scenes. This has been a difficult year for all of us. It has been a challenging year for business, as has been noted. I acknowledge the people involved in the Community Call. Local government shone brightest when people stood up and responded to the Community Call and I acknowledge the councils and local government throughout the country.

Finally, I pay special thanks to Senator Flynn. Anyone who saw her last night could not but be moved by this most wonderful Senator and by the journey she has taken through her life and personal experiences to be rightfully here, sitting in Seanad Éireann.

Anyone who watched it could not but be moved by the extraordinary journey that Senator Flynn took. It shows that anybody can do anything they want if they set their mind to it and they are determined. I acknowledge her work. I also acknowledge the Members in this House and the great diversity of our membership.

I will leave the Leader with one ask. I hope that early next year we will have the two by-elections for Seanad Éireann. It is too important and it should not become a political issue or be divisive. There are vacancies for two seats in this House. I ask the Leader to engage with the Government to see if the early writ could be moved for both of those vacancies to have the election and to have, rightfully, two more new Senators in place in Seanad Éireann. I thank the Leader personally and wish her well for Christmas, as I do with all the Members in this House.

I join others on behalf of the Labour Party group in wishing all colleagues across the House well for the Christmas break and the new year. In particular, I wish you well, a Chathaoirligh, and Martin, Bridget, Grace and all in the Cathaoirleach’s office, the Leader and all in her office, Orla Murray and others, who make the Seanad run so smoothly. I thank them all for their hard work this year. Undoubtedly, it has been a very tough year. At this time, we also remember the many who have been bereaved or whose health and livelihoods have been so badly affected by the Covid pandemic. We look forward to a better year for us all in 2021.

Today is International Migrants Day. I look forward in the new year to making rapid progress on our citizenship law, being brought forward by the Labour Party group in memory of our dear colleague, Cormac Ó Braonáin. In keeping with our Born Here, Belong Here campaign, I met this week with the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee. I thank her and her officials for their engagement with me and I look forward to further engagement in the new year and to making progress on that issue.

I also thank colleagues for their support for the other Labour Party Private Members' Bill on which we have seen great progress, Coco's Law. We will be dealing with all Stages of the harassment Bill today. I know some colleagues have tabled a number of amendments. This Bill is being brought forward more swiftly than Bills are normally brought forward, with the agreement of all of us, in particular those of us in the Labour Party group and of my colleague, Deputy Howlin. We ask colleagues to bear with that and to engage constructively with us to ensure that it is passed before Christmas. There is clearly an urgency to this Bill, as we have seen in dreadful reports of breaches of privacy for people, and with their images being disclosed online. We heard that from Jackie Fox herself, whose daughter committed suicide after a campaign of online bullying. That is why we call this Bill Coco's Law. I look forward to the debate this afternoon. I thank the Leader for accommodating it on the last day of the term. It will be a positive note to be legislating on this important new law before we break for Christmas.

I thank Chloe Manahan in my office, who has done sterling work with me over the past year. I again wish everyone a happy Christmas. Nollaig shona dóibh go léir.

I echo the words of well wishes for Christmas and the new year. I did not wish to bring in a sombre tone but while we reflect upon what a year it has been, unfortunately, we are still in this year and it remains a very worrying and unsure period for people, not least heading into the Christmas break. I wish to use the platform afforded to me here this morning to encourage people to remain steadfast in adhering to the consistent and long-standing public health advice on the Covid-19 pandemic that is familiar to us all. I am sure the Leader saw in the North last night the introduction of comprehensive new restrictions, which I believe are necessary. I commend my party vice president and joint First Minister, Michelle O'Neill, for her clear communication of those new restrictions and her public engagement both last night and this morning. I understand there will be North-South engagement later this afternoon. I have said consistently that we need to see that clear, comprehensive all-Ireland strategy, planning, engagement and community, which will be key over the Christmas period.

That said, people in this State also need clarity. We are heading into a wind-down for the Christmas break. Businesses, business leaders, community leaders, healthcare workers, carers, families and private citizens all need to hear what, if any, new restrictions will be put in place. The Cabinet should meet as a matter of urgency over the weekend to ensure that the message is communicated, updated and co-ordinated in a way that meets the needs of people in the context of the ever-changing and ever-evolving situation.

We are just hours away from the Brexit deadline. It is something that we have worked on comprehensively as a Seanad in this term and in the previous term, not least through the work of the Seanad select committee on Brexit. I wish continued success and best wishes to the Government in its efforts on this, but in particular to the EU team. There is no good that can come from Brexit. There are only varying degrees of harm that will be caused to this island. At least we have a glimmer of hope with the adherence to the withdrawal agreement and the Irish protocol, but it is an unsure and uncertain time for people right across the island in the context of Brexit.

In closing, I wish everyone a Nollaig shona agus athbhliain faoi mhaise and wish everyone well. I look forward to seeing everyone in the new term, suitably refreshed and ready to go. It is a very busy time for us. It will be laden with expectation given what we are coming through at the moment. I look forward to working with all colleagues across the House and wish them all every success.

I wish a Nollaig shona agus athbhliain faoi mhaise to everybody in this House and to the staff. Since I have come in here, many people have surprised me with how much they are committed to public service, but one thing I have been amazed by is the people who transcribe the words of our debates, and do it so quickly. They often make us sound a lot better than we are. Their work should also be acknowledged.

Often in this House we complain and give out about certain things in society but sometimes we need to reflect on how much we have achieved. I welcome the publication this week of the United Nations Human Development Index, which placed Ireland second only to Norway. I accept that there is much about this Republic that needs improving and there are a lot of changes that we collectively in these Houses need to ensure happen, but let us look at what we have achieved. We have achieved much greater levels of participation in education and training and longer life expectancy. It is a safe country in comparison with many other parts of the world. It is important, in particular at this time, that we reflect on those other parts of the world and those who are not as lucky to live in as a safe democracy as this one.

What struck me about the UN Human Development Index and the report itself is that a lot of our success is being attributed to our investment in education. Over many years, successive governments have taken the decision to invest in education and it is what has led us to where we are today. Education does not necessarily mean that we get to see the results overnight. It is a long-term investment. I hope we learn from that and we appreciate what we have and that we continue to make that long-term investment in education, not just for young people but in lifelong learning.

I offer my congratulations to Senator Bacik and her new husband, Alan, on their marriage. It took her long enough. It took Miriam Lord to tell us. I genuinely wish her, Alan and their daughters every happiness and congratulate them. I apologise for springing that on her.

Senator Buttimer is a divil.

I am not going to rain on the good mood this morning in the House but Senator Ó Donnghaile is correct. The nation holds its breath in the context of Brexit and the relationship between us as a people and Covid-19.

There is a need for the Government to bring clarity and certainty, and not to allow fear and wonder to continue over the Christmas period. Shops, pubs and gastropubs have reopened and there is an air of worry again this morning around when they will close.

I wish the Cathaoirleach and all his family a very happy Christmas. I thank all Members of the House for their courtesy and good humour during what has been a difficult year. I appreciate and thank the staff of the Seanad Office, every one of them, and all the men and women who work in Leinster House. Like Senator Byrne, I would particularly like to thank the unseen heroes of Leinster House: the people who transcribe, the people in the Bills Office, the people who put this place together, our cleaners, the porters and the ushers. I thank everybody. May they all have a peaceful Christmas.

I want to acknowledge that it has been six months since I became a Senator here. Reflecting back, I am proud of working with all my colleagues here to pass legislation that has had such an impact, particularly this year when dealing with Covid-19.

I will mention a few other things around Christmas. Again, I encourage people who are going home for Christmas and will be meeting their parents and grandparents to think about getting the children's nasal spray. We have one week. It will make a big impact and keep people out of hospital so it is a great thing.

Today is a chance to wear something sparkly. I wore my sparkly earrings as part of the Irish Cancer Society's #WearToCare initiative. We can encourage people and all our colleagues. Today is the day. I am sure there are many sparkly things we can wear to promote something today to raise funds. It has been a hard year for many charities to be raising funds.

Lastly, we are opening up counties now and many people will be going home. We can go back home to the west. Traffic is heavy, so be safe. I encourage people to think about shopping local when they get back to the town or village they left many years ago. Perhaps we can all think about buying and supporting something local. We should shop and look for local products because all of these things are important.

I am biased because Ballinasloe looks absolutely beautiful with its brand-new lights. I encourage anyone who is going back west to pop into Ballinasloe off the motorway and check out our lovely Christmas tree and reindeer. It looks absolutely stunning. People should bring the big and little kids and have a look. If we can do that, we are really going to have a great Christmas. I ask everyone to be happy and safe. There are a few more hard months to go but we have light at the end of the tunnel.

I join all my colleagues in particularly thanking those who work in the background in Leinster House and make this House work like a well-oiled machine. I wish the Cathaoirleach and the Leader a very happy Christmas. Senator Bacik has blown me away today. I congratulate her on her marriage.

This year will stand out in my mind for the coronavirus and everything that goes with it. What really stands out in my mind is the impact it has had on children. It is no secret I was locked down for a fortnight because my three-year-old granddaughter tested positive. I recall visiting the house after we were all locked down and going up to visit the grandchildren. The five-year-old, Ellie, stood in front of Isabel and shouted across the corridor to me to stand back as there is a virus here. That is what 2020 means to five-year-old kids. When she is with me going into a shop, she will frequently pull me back to say there is no social distancing and we should not go in there. I do not mean to put a downer on Christmas but if five-year-old children can see that, I must ask why adults cannot see the same. Last night, I walked into a gastropub not too far from here and it was thronged. I turned on my heel and walked out the door. It is not an awful lot to ask.

My colleague, Senator Dolan, spoke about people travelling west. Many people travelling west, south or north - it really does not matter - will be coming home to vulnerable grandparents or parents. I believe the HSE message going out today is the right one. Before people walk through the door, they should consider whether it is worth putting their lives at risk. It really is a serious time.

I thank everyone in this country who made it continue to work during a most horrendous year. I am talking about the truck drivers, the packers of shelves in supermarkets, the nurses, doctors, gardaí, and particularly, the love of my life, the Defence Forces, the guys who went out and set up tents and made this country work. I hope we look after them better in 2021 than we have in 2020. The Cathaoirleach is generous on the clock today.

I was smiling because I was going to correct the Senator by reminding him that his family is also the love of his life.

They already know that.

I wanted to make sure it was on the record. I do not want the Senator outside the door for Christmas.