Déanaim comhghairdeas leis an gCathaoirleach Gníomhach. On behalf of the Fianna Fáil group in the Seanad, I send our best wishes to all those in the Defence Forces who are involved in the evacuation of Irish citizens from Sudan.

Our hearts and minds are with the people in Sudan. We hope for an early resolution to the unrest and the troubles there and most importantly we hope for a safe return of our Irish citizens. We commend the Defence Forces who are working with other European forces, led by the French, in this exercise. They will travel to Djibouti and Sudan and we wish them a safe journey and a safe return. It reminds us all of the importance of our EU membership and of being partners in security agreements. It is important that all those who need to be rescued are rescued. We thank those who will do the rescuing.

It has been reported that the Cabinet today considered a report by barrister Marie O'Shea on the review of the 2018 abortion legislation. We call for that abortion legislation review to be published as soon as possible and to be referred to the Joint Committee on Health in order that the findings of the report can be given appropriate and due consideration and any recommendations can be brought forward by the Joint Committee on Health.

We hope that the Government will have given approval at the Cabinet meeting this morning for further measures under Housing for All to increase the affordability and supply of housing. Housing for All is already the most ambitious and comprehensive housing plan in the history of the State. Some €20 billion has been assigned to it to massively increase the delivery of social and affordable homes. The enhancements to the existing programmes under Housing for All we hope will have been approved today, will further fund the delivery of affordable homes. The fastest and most sustainable way of increasing our housing supply is to reuse existing vacant and derelict properties. I hope the Cabinet will this morning have approved an increase in the grant that has been already welcomed by people who want to turn vacant and derelict properties into their homes. The increase will help to cover the increase in construction costs. We all know construction inflation is running at in excess of 30% over the past two years. The waving of levies and costs that are in the control of the Government and the State is to be welcomed and supported, especially in order to trigger the construction of new homes. A subvention to cover those costs and make those homes affordable and affordable cost-rental homes available, especially in urban areas, is welcome.

My thoughts too are with the Defence Forces personnel. It is a pity only 12 of them have gone to Sudan. It is a humanitarian mission. The triple lock does not apply. We should have many more people there. The need for heavy-lift aircraft has once again been exposed.

On 18 May 1988, 02789H, prison officer Sean O'Brien was on duty in Portlaoise Prison. I have been given permission to use his name today. Members will recall that this was at the height of the Troubles. I have been informed that during an escape attempt by Mr. Paddy McVeigh of the Provisional IRA, the deputy governor of the prison, gave O'Brien an order to pursue the prisoner. Senators might remember that a large crowd was outside Portlaoise Prison at that time waiting for McVeigh to be released because he was to be rearrested when he came out. Allegedly, the deputy governor pushed O'Brien in the direction of the escaping prisoner and told him to "go and get him" while remaining under cover himself. Events resulted in some shots being fired beside and over the head of O'Brien. On 14 June 1988, O'Brien was called to the Department of Justice for a meeting. I am informed that at that meeting he was congratulated for his bravery and informed he would receive a medal and possibly a promotion. Immediately after the event, however, the prison management set in train a process which O'Brien and others say attempted to cover up what had actually occurred on the day. I am informed that statements were prescribed and prison officers were asked to sign them.

O'Brien refused to sign. O'Brien says he was illegally dismissed insofar as the Prison Service procedures for dismissal were not complied with. I understand that O'Brien has never been provided with an official dismissal notice, despite multiple requests for same. O'Brien has worked tirelessly to get full records of what happened on the day. This would include the shooting incident and the promise of a medal. All requests for information have been refused with the replies stating that they fell outside freedom of information legislation. Much of what O'Brien says has been corroborated, which is the reason I bring it to the House, by none other than Martin Ferris, the former Sinn Féin Deputy for Kerry.

I am sorry, Senator, but I have to caution you about mentioning somebody who is not a Member of the House and is not here to defend themselves.

That is fine; no problem.

I had to make that point.

I find it strange that no evidence can be found in national archives, military archives or in the Department of Justice of this escape attempt in Portlaoise Prison. O'Brien has been diagnosed with a severe form of post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD. Has the State got a duty of care to this man? Is he entitled to be looked after? I ask the Deputy Leader to perhaps put that question to the Department of Justice, because nobody else can get an answer.

Finally, the Irish Aviation Authority, IAA, is due to split into two organisations at the end of the month. We have an urgent request for that not to happen because many issues have to be resolved. I ask that the Minister for Transport to be contacted and asked to postpone this.

It is most appropriate the Seanad has set aside time later to discuss the crucially important report of the independent review group on dignity and equality issues in the Defence Forces. I thank the Women of Honour for speaking out about their experience in the Defence Forces. Their courage and bravery in sharing their stories has brought to light the urgent need for change within our military culture. It is because of their voices this report was commissioned and because of their voices we can, I hope, take steps towards creating a more inclusive and respectful Defence Forces. The report describes a culture rife with harassment and other grave, reprehensible behaviour.

I welcome the Government's speedy and full acceptance of the recommendations of the review. The report calls for the establishment of an independent complaints mechanism, as well as the development of a comprehensive training programme to educate personnel about dignity and equality issues. These recommendations need to be taken seriously and must be implemented as soon as possible. We cannot allow a culture of fear, intimidation, or reprisal to exist in our armed forces. The report reiterates many recommendations made last year by the Commission on the Defence Forces, including the need for equity across defence healthcare services, the critical need for HIQA to be given the statutory authority to independently oversee defence healthcare services, the need to reduce barriers to the entry to the management ranks of the organisation, the need for family-friendly working conditions and the need for significant cultural and organisational reform.

The Defence Forces are a proud institution and today we are thanking them for their role in safely evacuating citizens from Sudan, with the assistance of other members of our European family such as France and Spain. They are an essential pillar of our State and our democracy and its members are part of the fabric of our communities up and down the country. As we can see right now in the Horn of Africa, they have a vital role to play in protecting our people at home and around the world. This report can be an important step towards creating a more inclusive and respectful culture within the Defence Forces, but only if implemented effectively, resourced adequately, supported with external expertise and scrutinised rigorously by the Houses of the Oireachtas. On a day when we thank the Defence Forces, it is appropriate to set aside time for a stand-alone discussion and I commend the Leader on scheduling this.

Last Friday, I attended the launch of a legal and academic report on making a case for Irish unity in the EU.

I commend Professor Colin Harvey and Mark Bassett on their outstanding work on this important report and other reports. As we all know, in 2017 the Irish Government asked the European Council to acknowledge two matters: that the Good Friday Agreement provides the mechanism through which a united Ireland will be brought about through peaceful and democratic means and, significantly, that in accordance with international law the entire territory of a new united Ireland will become part of the European Union. First and foremost, the responsibility of planning and preparing for Irish unity rests with the Irish Government. Constitutional change and Irish reunification is the defining issue of our generation. Such things as the cost of unity, the future of our health service, governance, taxation, public services and pensions, and the all-important place of unionists in a new Ireland should be discussed by a citizens' assembly.

There is also work that can and should be undertaken in Brussels. The European Parliament could explicitly endorse the European Council decision made in 2017. It could also consider the level of representation that a united Ireland would have in the European Parliament, how we could ensure voting rights and indeed movement for British citizens here in Ireland, and what transitional arrangements would be needed in the event of a united Ireland. Work on those questions can start now because the return of the North to the European Union remains underexplored. If Irish unity offers the only pathway back to EU membership for people in the North of Ireland, which would include all of the rights attaching to EU citizenship and indeed the North once again making a full contribution to the democracy of the EU and contributing to and receiving European funds, I wonder whether there is a role that the Seanad can play in supporting our colleagues in the European Parliament. I suggest that we develop that conversation in this Chamber.