I welcome Senator Clonan to the House. I acknowledge the fundraising efforts for Ukraine all across our towns and villages. We had a coffee morning in Ballinasloe that raised €600 over three hours for families in Ukraine.

Groups are putting on plays and all of the funds are going directly to the Irish Red Cross's Ukraine campaign. It was devastating to see what has happened in Bucha on last night's "Prime Time". It is very hard to speak on it but there is a national volunteer effort in Ireland to welcome families and that effort, co-ordinated through groups in the education and training boards and through our counties, will be crucial in supporting those families when they get here.

I also congratulate our new Senator, Tom Clonan. I look forward to working with him in the coming years. I welcome the Government's announcement of a basic level of income for artists but I want to link that to what was in the news today with regard to our carers and how they deserve a basic level of income. No carer should be at risk of poverty because he or she is a carer. Everyone deserves some sort of financial security. A basic level of income for our carers is one way to provide that security and to help our carers. We cannot quantify the invaluable contribution they make to this country but we can start by giving them a basic level of income.