It is great to have the parents from CBS Dundalk here. I really appreciate that they get to come here and see our national Parliament.

I congratulate everyone involved with the Louth football team. What an incredible performance that was at the weekend. To come within the four points of arguably the greatest football team known was something to be really proud of for all those footballers from County Louth.

The issue I want to raise has been raised a couple of times previously. It is the Leave our Leave campaign, which is backed by the Irish Cancer Society. It is to make an amendment to the Maternity Protection (Amendment) Act 2004, which would allow women who have received a cancer diagnosis after giving birth to be able to defer their maternity leave. At present, approximately 60 women in this country have to have chemotherapy or radiation treatment and have to use up their maternity leave to facilitate that. Interestingly, if you are a man who is diagnosed with cancer and are on parental leave, you are able to defer that parental leave. That is catered for under an Act that was implemented in 2016. The Minister, Deputy Roderic O'Gorman, has been clear that he wants to fix this. He announced that last October.

My concern is that we are at the tail end of this Government's term of office. We are coming into the final furlong. All that is needed is a simple legislative amendment to the 2004 Act, which needs to be changed. The relevant legislation has been lumped in with other Bills. The heads have not even gone to Cabinet yet. Rather than putting it in with various other issues, I appeal to the Leader and the Cathaoirleach to, in turn, appeal to the Minister to fix this issue with a simple amendment. Let us amend the 2004 Act. Let us not lump it in with other legislative priorities. Let us get it done and have equality and fairness for women who are diagnosed with cancer after giving birth.

The Acting Leader may be aware that, at the weekend, the open finals of the RTÉ All Ireland Drama Festival took place in Athlone. The overall winner was Ballyduff Drama Group from County Waterford, directed by Ger Canning. It had a superb production of The Ferryman by Jez Butterworth. I had the privilege of seeing it when it was in Gorey as part of the festival circuit. Dalkey Players were second and Ballycogley Players from County Wexford were third. I am sure Senators will join with me in congratulating the Amateur Drama Council of Ireland for organising this event and all of the drama groups around the country that took part, particularly Ballyduff, on its success. It shows how amateur theatre continues to be very much alive right around the country. The Acting Leader will be aware of how strong it is in Kildare. We in Wexford certainly know how integral a part of our local community it is.

It is critical that, while State support was made available to the amateur drama movement and amateur musicals during Covid, that it would continue. I have raised in this House previously the possibility of the development of an arts capital scheme along the same lines as the sports capital and equipment scheme. This would be on a much bigger scale than the scheme that is currently administered by the Department that has responsibility for the arts. We know that our artistic and cultural infrastructure in all our communities is critical to our well-being, not just for entertainment purposes but for challenging us, making us laugh, and engaging us within our communities. After the GAA, the amateur drama movement has the largest number of members and people involved throughout the country. In congratulating those who have reached the pinnacle of amateur drama this year, I hope we would also look at the State continuing to support it at a local level.

Congratulations to all involved, and well done to Senator Byrne on treading the boards.