I thank all Members who contributed to the Order of Business. Senator O’Loughlin, like many others, wished the junior certificate students well today as they get their results. It is an important milestone for those young people as they move along in their academic journey. The Senator also spoke about the section 39 workers and the strike that was averted yesterday. She welcomed the fact the strike did not go ahead and that a deal was done in the early hours of the morning. The Senator also drew our attention to Breast Cancer Awareness Week and some stark figures. Some 3,700 new breast cancer diagnoses are made annually. The Senator also acknowledged that today is World Menopause Day. Later, we will be taking the Private Member’s motion on HRT.

Senator Boyhan spoke about Irish Rural Link. He attended its briefing earlier at which the Tánaiste launched its report. He offered support for the HRT motion later today and drew the Houses attention to the ongoing issue and plight of those being trafficked – human trafficking – into Ireland for prostitution and slave labour. The Senator also spoke about the women in Irish agriculture report launch earlier.

Senator Warfield spoke about Israel and Palestine and praised the President.

Others had other comments to make on that. I am informed by the Cathaoirleach that there is a little bit of ambiguity or confusion as to what is permitted in this House in terms of commentary on the Office of the President. I am informed that it is founded on the constitutional provision that the President shall not be answerable to either House of the Oireachtas for the exercise and performance of the powers and functions of his office or for any act or purporting to be done by him in the exercise and performance of these powers and functions. It is possible that one might argue that if somebody strays beyond the performance or exercise of the powers or functions of their office, that there is a grey area as to what can and cannot be commented on in these Houses. There is-----

I like your interpretation Leader, but Article 13.8.1° is quite clear. Anyway-----

I have read it verbatim. That is what I have here in black in white. I am making the point that it could be said by Members that potentially there is a little bit of a grey area when one might suggest the President may have strayed beyond the article. I will just leave it at that. Perhaps it is something we will have to come back and look at because it is an unusual situation that we find ourselves in. It is quite an unprecedented situation within the country that we are having this conversation because it has not arisen under former Presidents.

There is another year left.

Thank you, Senator O'Sullivan.

I will leave that alone. Senator Warfield also spoke about Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. There was criticism of her actions. My view is that she has cleared that up and there is a particular context for Germany in all of that. That is probably enough said on that as well.

Senator Moynihan asked that No. 127(7) not be taken, which is the motion before the House. I will not be accepting the amendment that was proposed by Senator Moynihan and seconded by Senator Flynn. I want to acknowledge that the situation is changing almost by the hour. There was a view by the majority of Senators in the House that we wanted to have a motion in the House to put our views on the record. We will of course have a more substantive debate tomorrow. We have a two-hour Private Member's slot tomorrow where the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs will be in the House. I organised that on foot of a request from many Members. Most Members in the House will know that outside of the Chamber, there has been considerable effort across parties to try to agree a motion. There are different views on the conflict in the Middle East and that is accepted. The motion as put forward by the Government Senators is balanced. That is my view. It caters to both sides. The reason for the very late amendment this morning was to try to update the motion and amend it to reflect the bombing of the hospital which I would assume most Members would like to see included in the motion; it is a reference to and an utter condemnation of the bombing of that hospital in Gaza. That was the reason for the very late amendment. Events overnight took over. When we circulated the original motion, we did not have that information. We were trying to move as quickly as we could so that the motion the House will take today reflects the updated situation which, as I said, is changing at an alarming pace.

Senator Gavan specifically stated that there was no reference to the 1,000 children who have been killed. That is included in the updated motion.

There is no condemnation.

That is included.

There is no condemnation of-----

I will respond to that.

I am just correcting the record.

The Leader to reply please.

In the first line, the word "condemns" is there. In the second line, the word "condemns" is there.

Not in relation to-----

It also specifically references the 1,000 children the Senator mentions. That is in the updated motion. I appreciate it was circulated only very recently and not everybody would have had a chance to go through every line in the detail that we normally would. No one party or public representative has the moral high ground on this conflict. Everybody is deeply concerned and affected by what is happening in the Middle East. There may be slightly differing views on certain elements of it, but there is utter condemnation across both Houses for the killing of innocent civilians on both sides of the conflict. There is a call in this motion for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire to get aid to people who need it. I hope there is no suggestion that somehow Government Senators do not condemn the killing of children and innocent civilians because that would be outrageous. It does not reflect what is in the motion or the spirit of the motion. I have made contact with several Senators on the other side of the House over the past number of days to try to move forward on this. My record and the record of Government Senators will stand on this particular issue. We will have an opportunity to debate this further after the motion is tabled and also tomorrow. There is a tendency by some Members of the Oireachtas to brush over what happened on 7 October. I do not think that should be brushed over.

Absolutely.

The horrific and barbaric scenes we witnessed, and that have been verified, cannot be simply brushed over. That is not to take from what has happened since then. All of it is equally horrifying. To try to bring some balance to the motion, the motion that was carefully drafted does reflect that. I take on board the comments made around the timing. There is an opportunity for debate today and tomorrow. Things are moving so fast that time is a luxury we do not have on these exceptional issues and in these exceptional circumstances. That is why I am not accepting the amendment and will proceed to take the motion today.

I will take the document from Senator O'Reilly to have a look at it. I take on board the comments he made. Clearly, he was quite struck by the meeting and wants to help those healthcare workers who are on the lower paid scale in the health sector.

Senator Flynn said there was no discussion with Opposition Senators. There was extensive discussion with her group.

No, not last night. My point was-----

In the past week there has been considerable discussion-----

The last-----

-----with the group. I did speak to Senator Black in person.

Last week, yes. Last night there was no discussion.

Last night the motion went in. That was the end of the discussion because the motion was submitted. It is not reflective of the events of the past week to suggest that there was not discussion across the House because there was. I was party to that discussion.

Senator Malcolm Byrne spoke-----

I had-----

The Senator already contributed to the Order of Business. The Leader is replying to the Order of Business.

I know, but the Leader is saying that there was negotiation last night.

The Senator can raise it tomorrow on the Order of Business. Thank you.

There was no negotiation last night.

I think I have dealt with the points made and have responded with my own view. That is my view as it stands.

Senator Byrne pointed to the fact that the war in Ukraine is still ongoing and that events in the Middle East have somewhat overshadowed that in the past ten days or so. It is important. He referenced the growing allegiance between Russia and China. The European Union has taken a much stronger stance on China and the acceleration of the expansion of the European Union is partly due to that geopolitical situation. It is something we are concerned with and will have to keep a watching brief on. Of course, we will show continued solidarity with and support for the people of Ukraine.

Senator Lombard referred to traumatic rainfall of 50 mm. I take on board his comments. Funding for local authorities might be a matter best dealt with via a Commencement matter. He also raised the issue of school transport and vaping, and managed to merge the two. We can deal with that. I do not think it is permitted for anybody to vape on public transport. I think it is a matter for a bus driver in that situation to ensure that the rules are enforced.

Senator Craughwell gave his views on the Commission President and our President. I think I have dealt with that issue.

Senator O'Sullivan spoke very passionately about Hamas. I concur with his remarks. It is a terrorist organisation and I utterly condemn its actions and what it has been doing. It is one of the biggest blocks to progress in the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Senator McGahon spoke about the audiovisual room briefing on missing people he will host at 1 p.m. today and urged Senators to attend if they can.

I have dealt with the comments of Senator Gavan on the motion, the amendment and what is covered in the motion.

Senator Davitt spoke about the loss of his parliamentary assistant, Damien O'Reilly. We spoke about our former colleague, Councillor Damien O'Reilly, in this House. I again want to extend our condolences to Aiden and all of Damien's family. It was a really shocking and sad passing of such a young man at the age of 40. It is a really tragic situation. The Senator also pointed to the situation in Gaza.

I have dealt with part of what Senator McDowell raised. We will have an opportunity after the Order of Business to debate the motion. Sometimes judging yesterday's actions by today's events is a difficult space to be in and is not often reasonable. That is not to take away from previous work done. We have debated the issue in the Middle East for years in the House. People's views are well established. We will have an opportunity to discuss that later.

Senator Conway raised issues around designated activity companies, in particular in regard to Clare.

Senator Carrigy spoke about section 39 workers.

Senator Cassells spoke about the scholarship launched by the former Irish internationals to try to support young people in sport.

The Senator made a very good call that consideration should be given to raising the betting tax to fund these bursaries and to fund young people getting into sport.

Senator Ahearn welcomed the investment in education by the Minister for Education, in particular Project Nore, which provides €250 million to build seven new schools across the country, one of which, importantly for the Senator, is in Tipperary.

Senator Dolan welcomed Josephine and Margaret to the Chamber. They are campaigning for the building of a new community centre in their area.

That concludes the Order of Business.