On behalf of the Fianna Fáil group, I welcome and thank Senator Clonan for his very generous words coming into this House, that is, that he wants to work with everyone. I can assure him that there is that spirit of collegiality within this House. Senator Clonan has been a tireless campaigner on disability issues and we want to work with him to ensure that all citizens in this State are treated equally. I appreciate that he is joining two excellent Senators from Trinity College, although I will say that this will not prevent us from seeking to enact the seventh amendment, move to extend the Seanad franchise much more broadly and engage in Seanad reform. However, I look forward to working with him, as do my colleagues.

Déanaim comhghairdeas le Raidió na Gaeltachta ar 50 bliain de chraoltóireacht. Is seirbhís an-tábhachtach sa tír seo í Raidió na Gaeltachta. The Government announced the basic income scheme for artists today. This is something about which a number of Senators have spoken. It is particularly welcome as a three-year pilot. I know the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media has been to the fore in arguing for this but I was very happy to see the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and the Minister talk about how this could be a real game changer for our artists and arts workers. Obviously we must see the detail of the scheme and I hope the Leader will facilitate statements or a debate around that. This country is rightly proud of its artistic tradition and its artists. Imaginative schemes like this can be transformative. I believe it has the potential to be one of the most creative and imaginative schemes since Charles Haughey introduced the tax exemption for artists during the 1960s. After two very difficult years for our arts community, we need to be able to continue to recognise the contribution it makes and support it, particularly during the fallow periods.

The other issue I wish to raise is the latest report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC, where it made it very clear that it is now or never in terms of the action we need to take. We will increasingly see populist rhetoric around not facing up to dealing with our obligations on the climate. We cannot get away from the fact that climate change remains the biggest existential threat we face. We cannot ignore the findings of the IPCC report. I ask that we have a full debate on this issue. I know it is an issue we have spoken about previously but in terms of European energy security, it once again strengthens the case that it is better for us to have Irish wind rather than Russian oil or gas.

Ar mo shon féin agus ar son Pháirtí Fhine Gael, déanaim comhghairdeas leis an Seanadóir nua, Tom Clonan. Cuirim fíorfháilte roimh a bhean chéile, Aideen, a chlann agus a chairde agus déanaim comhghairdeas leo. Is lá iontach, lá ceiliúrtha agus lá bródúil é seo. Cuirim fíorfháilte roimh an Seanadóir.

On my behalf and that of the Fine Gael Party, I congratulate our new Senator, Tom Clonan, and welcome him here. I pay tribute to him on his victory in the Seanad by-election and congratulate all the candidates on a competitive by-election, as noted by Senator Chambers. I pay tribute to Tom's family and friends, who are here today. We can all learn from his social media videos and he will see plagiarism at its best in the next general and Seanad elections. We look forward to working with him during his tenure in Seanad Éireann. Today is an important day for the Clonan family and I hope they enjoy and savour it. We have all had the pleasure of a first day in Seanad Éireann and the collegiality he experiences today will continue. We look forward to working with Senator Clonan.

I might end the collegiality at this point by asking that the Deputy Leader invites the Ministers for Health and Public Expenditure and Reform before us to explain how it is that the position of the public health strategy leadership professorship in Trinity College Dublin, TCD, is being funded by the taxpayer and the State. I congratulate the outgoing Chief Medical Officer and I take no issue with his appointment to the job or him personally. This afternoon in the Dáil the Taoiseach said he had "no hand, act or part" in the secondment of Dr. Tony Holohan to the position in TCD. Who had such an input? How did it happen and why? How is it the Taoiseach, as Head of Government, had no hand, act or part in that process? Who did? Who said it is okay for the outgoing Chief Medical Officer - I will not personalise the matter - to go on secondment to Trinity College and for this to be paid for by the taxpayer via the Department of Health? Who signed off on that and why?

We need a debate on the role of the Chief Medical Officer after this appointment. Will it be an acting Chief Medical Officer position? Will it be for a particular period? Will the post be advertised and will the new person in the role be the Chief Medical Officer of the country? This is recognising that we have just come from the teeth of a pandemic. Again, I pay tribute to the current Chief Medical Officer for his work, the advice he gave to the Government and the tremendous job he did. My remarks should not be taken as personal in any shape or form. I hope we can have this debate as a matter of urgency.