The Order of Business is No. 1, Air Pollution (Amendment) Bill 2025 - Report and Final Stages, to be taken at 1 p.m. with proceedings thereon, if not previously concluded, to be brought to a conclusion at 2 p.m. by the putting of one question by the Chair which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Government; No. 54, motion 1, Private Members' motion regarding maternal mental health supports, to be taken at 2 p.m., with the time allocated to this debate not to exceed two hours; and No. 2, Private Members' business, Maternity Protection (Child Bereavement) (Amendment) Bill 2026 - Second Stage, to be taken at 5 p.m., with the time allocated to this debate not to exceed two hours.

I support the Order of Business as outlined by the Leader. I extend the sympathies of my own party and indeed the House to the people of Tumbler Ridge in British Columbia. It was absolutely shocking to wake up this morning and listen to the breaking news that ten people have been killed and 29 injured in a school shooting in a small community. We know how absolutely devastating this is for the community. I was in Canada just before Christmas, and had the opportunity to meet some terrific Canadian people. Our ambassador there is doing a wonderful job. I extend our very deepest sympathies.

The original building at St. Paul's Secondary School in Monasterevin was an old building at the centre of town. Thankfully, the school got a new building after a 12-year campaign. The new building, which was opened officially the year before last, is absolutely fantastic. It is a wonderful asset to the whole school community, and indeed, to the people of the broader community. There was a question regarding what the old school building would be used for. I had tentative discussions with the Minister, Deputy Lawless, on having an apprenticeship school there. North-west Kildare and south Kildare do not have an apprenticeship school. I learned last week that the actual building and the site have been sold to Lidl. That is not bad news in itself, because the town needs a new large shop. That is good news for the community, but I am concerned that the Department of education sold a building without scoping it out for an educational purpose. I would really like to see that money being used for community purposes, such as the purchase of Moore Abbey, which was the home of John McCormack and is up for sale. That would be a wonderful premises to be acquired by Kildare County Council, with support nationally of course, to be used for the community. Not alone is there a very fine house and grounds at Moore Abbey, which is actually beside the new St. Paul’s Secondary School, but there is a swimming pool there as well. The Muiríosa Foundation has used this premises for residential purposes. A swimming pool would be a great boon to the people of Monasterevin, Rathangan, Kildare town and the hinterland. It is important to raise that and to look for support from the Seanad.

I wish to raise two issues this morning. First, I would like to refer a report that has been prepared, Violence against Persons with Disabilities in Institutions. This report is about institutions in Ireland. It was funded by the European Fundamental Rights Agency and conducted by Dr. Lucy Michael and Dr. Rosaleen McDonagh. It is a very disturbing report in terms of the safeguarding of adults with intellectual or physical disabilities in community settings or congregated settings. They have no protections. There is no legislation here to provide for safeguarding for these adults. The authors are particularly alarmed that there is no data gathering of incidents of abuse involving disabled citizens. They point to one very disturbing statistic, which is that 71% of the 13,700 individual safeguarding breaches reported to the HSE applied to disabled citizens. The timer is not set, so I might lose my way here.

Do not worry, I will tell you when your time is up.

Thanks very much. Dr. McDonagh and Dr. Michael have identified that a legislative gap in Ireland for safeguarding sets us apart from our European partners. They have said that we really need to put in place adequate legislative supports for safeguarding, particularly for disabled citizens. They have reported on the appalling abuse that is routinely experienced by disabled citizens - I am sorry to use the word "routinely", as I do not mean to be facile - including physical abuse, peer-to-peer abuse, staff abuse, and sexual abuse. I have raised here repeatedly cases of young adult women-----

He has.

-----who have been raped in State-funded care services. I have drawn attention to restrictive practices, such as people being restrained physically or chemically by inappropriately prescribing drugs to sedate them. I have spoken about financial abuse, where the financial affairs of disabled or vulnerable citizens are exploited, and about neglect. I heard this morning on "Morning Ireland" that some HSE facilities have a limit of four continence pads for 24 hours. I am going to introduce safeguarding legislation in this House during this term. I hope that I get the support of my colleagues on this side of the House, but I also hope that, as has been the case in the past, I get support from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael Senators and that they co-sponsor this Bill.

I will conclude on a second point. The Minister for Defence, Deputy McEntee, has confirmed there will be no free vote on the deployment of Irish soldiers overseas after the abolition of the triple lock. We have to be very careful about this. The word "peacekeeping" is used over and over again. There will be no peacekeeping missions in our lifetime. It is going to be peace enforcement, which is de facto war fighting, stabilisation forces and coalitions of the willing. The Government is setting its face against the will of the Irish people. We need to have some constitutional guarantee of military neutrality in our Constitution, as they do in Austria and Switzerland. We need to be very careful. I agree with Senator Craughwell that the triple lock, despite the risks, is not the most important thing. The most important thing is investment in the men and women of our Defence Forces. We need to focus on our defence and security capacities

This morning, I would like to highlight the issue of a very important respite and day services centre in Navan, County Meath, called Clann Mór. I had the absolute privilege of going out to visit the Clann Mór centre on the Commons Road in Navan last year and got to see the wonderful service it provides. My goodness, it really does. The people within the service are just so happy to be there. However, although Clann Mór welcomes the increase in the budget for this year for disability services, it is under massive pressure. Obviously, there have been inflationary pressures and the introduction of statutory auto-enrolment pension contributions. Additional day service supports are needed. It has an increasing number of people looking to go there. In addition, waking night staff for fire safety to comply with evacuation requirements for three houses in a designated centre are a measure essential for safeguarding residents. All of this is adding to the pressure.

Last year, the centre was operating at a loss of €60,000. This year, it is expecting a loss of €160,000. As the Leader can imagine, that is unsustainable. The board fully appreciates, as do I, the pressures in public funding. It remains happy to collaborate with the HSE, but it feels at this stage that it cannot compromise its residents, their care or its legal responsibilities. Without extra funding for Clann Mór in Navan, they will be forced to consider measures that will negatively impact the most vulnerable in the county of Meath who use the service. I urge the Leader to please speak to the Minister of State with responsibility for disabilities - I will be writing to her myself about this very urgent case - to see what can be done for the residents of Clann Mór and the people who run it. They really are fantastic. I would also like the Leader to speak to the Minister for children, Deputy Foley, about this very urgent matter.

I want to raise a very serious issue regarding special needs assistants, SNAs, and the reality unfolding in our schools across the country. The new opening of special classes is needed and is very welcome. Families have fought long and hard for appropriate school places and additional provisions. What is currently happening, however, is deeply concerning. While Government Members pat themselves on the back for announcing new special classes, mainstream classrooms are being quietly stripped away. In my constituency, Cork North-West, there are now three schools and counting - Bweeng, Ballyhass and Kilmurry. I spoke to the principal this morning, and she told me something really concerning. They are almost wary of appealing the decision. When they gathered their documentation for the review, they were warned that if they appealed, they could risk losing more SNAs and were told, essentially, to make do with what they have. Imagine being a school leader or principal advocating for children and being made to feel that seeking fairness could make things a whole lot worse.

We are now in a position where unless a child is categorised as level 3, meaning he or she has severe medical, toileting or feeding needs, he or she is unlikely to qualify for SNA support. However, what about children who need support every single day in a mainstream classroom? I refer to children with learning difficulties, children with Down's syndrome, children who have diagnoses but are not in special classes, and children waiting years for assessments because the system cannot provide them for them and, therefore, they cannot access the supports they actually need. These children are being squeezed out and it is happening in all of our constituencies. Members in this House will know that. Opening special classes without ensuring adequate staffing levels across the board is not a solution; it is robbing Peter to pay Paul. It is giving with one hand and taking with the other. Schools are being told to absorb growing complexity, increased diagnosis and larger needs with fewer adults in the classroom. That is not inclusion; it is not fairness at all. It is certainly not supporting the children we claim to be supporting.

I have spoken to the Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, on this issue and he has indicated a willingness to engage, which I welcome, but that engagement has to lead to action. Schools should not have to feel threatened for appealing decisions and parents should not have to fight every single year for basic supports. Principals should not be left managing fear instead of actual resources. We need transparency on how SNA allocations are being reviewed. We need proper staffing models that reflect the real needs of mainstream settings as well as special needs settings. We need immediate assurance that schools that appeal will not be subject to punitive reductions. It is ridiculous that schools are afraid to appeal a decision in case they lose more SNAs. It just beggars belief. This is about children and whether we are supporting them to thrive or letting them struggle. Right now, a whole lot of children and families, especially in my area but across the board, are struggling and crying out for supports. I have been inundated with emails. This needs to be looked at immediately.

I welcome Sviatoslav, son of Zoriana, who is here with Samantha Long on work experience. I can tell him that he will not be idle any time he is working with Samantha and Senator McDowell and all the team. I also welcome to the Gallery Michael from Boyne Community School in Trim, who is on transition year work as well. I hope they enjoy their time here in Leinster House.

I have two issues I want to raise. We have had a lot of discussion on modern methods of construction. We have potential in Ireland to grow a crop here that could be used in many applications through paper and packaging, construction and building materials, agriculture, gardening, bioplastics and composites, health and nutrition and environmental and industry applications, and that is industrial hemp. There does not appear to be any interest in the Department of agriculture or in government more generally about this absolute wonder crop that could be grown at scale in Ireland. A number of farmers are growing it in trial crops, and there have been certain attempts through Teagasc in Oak Park to grow it. I really think the Government should be giving active consideration to the growing of industrial hemp at scale in Ireland. It has huge potential for embodied carbon but also from environmental growing of the crop. I would welcome an opportunity to have a debate with the Minister for agriculture about this.

There were calls in the Chamber last night to have the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment in with us. I ask that there would be a specific debate on energy poverty. We have statistics from EnergyCloud this week. In the 314 days since the programme for Government was enacted, 1,169 GWh of renewable energy has been wasted in this country through what it calls dispatch down. The approximate retail value of this is €414 million, equivalent to 390 million tanks of hot water that could be deployed to low-income households. This is a scandal. All it requires is the Minister to make a political commitment that the Government would look at this dispatch-down energy and work with EnergyCloud. EnergyCloud does really wonderful work with energy retailers at pilot scale in bringing dispatch-down energy to households, but it could be done at a much larger scale given that 380,000 households up to November 2025 were in energy arrears, and approximately 410,000 households are receiving the fuel allowance. This energy could be used but it is being wasted. We need a debate on energy poverty in this House. I would welcome the opportunity for the Minister to be invited in to do so.

Hear, hear.

For the past seven months, I have worked closely with the Office of Parliamentary Legal Advisers, OPLA, on a detailed and careful Bill to tackle fake sexual images created by artificial intelligence, AI. Other parties have brought forward strong and important ideas on this issue. My Bill builds on that work and adds extra tools to protect people. It makes it a clear crime to create fake sexual images of a person using AI without the person's consent where it causes him or her harm. It also makes it a crime to ask or pressure someone to make these fake images even if the image is never actually made. It gives victims new civil powers to find out who is behind the anonymous accounts and has shared or posted these fake images.

The piece of work we have done over the last seven months on AI has taken on board other parties' ideas. I know this is a topic of the day, if you like, but we have worked on it and we have a Bill that is ready to go. I am not looking for the support of the Civil Engagement Group; I know I have that. I am looking for Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin, the Social Democrats, the Green Party and the Independents to stand with me on this legislation.

As I said, we have worked on this legislation for the last seven months. It values and looks after the victim and puts the victim at the centre. From reading other legislation, I know parties are looking to make it a crime but it does not talk about what will happen. We will know it is a crime but it does not talk about the courts system, whereas our Bill talks about that. It has taken seven months of hard work and it is an opportunity. Sometimes, we bring Bills forward and Senators may say that we should have asked them, as they would have put their names to it. I would love for my colleagues here to work with me to bring this legislation forward.

I commend Senator Flynn. It sounds like very logical legislation. I am sure our Leader and Deputy Leader will have an interesting conversation with the Senator.

Today, I bring up a topic that is seldom discussed. It might not apply to the Leader or the Cathaoirleach just yet but it is about men's health and a national men's health check from 40 years of age onwards. Our compatriots across the water have a system in place whereby men in the UK between the ages of 40 and 76, without existing conditions, are entitled to a check to assess their heart, diabetes and the possibility or likelihood of having a stroke or being susceptible to stroke. This is not in place in Ireland. As we know, you can get it if you go to a doctor or through any of these private assessment companies but this is very basic.

In a modern, well-educated country, which has great access to everybody - particularly if you want to pay your tax, the State will be fairly aware of where you are - this is a basic. From the age of 40 onwards, there should be an assessment and an outreach to make sure every man in the country has had some contact with a doctor and basic assessment of their general health. Further down the line, it could save the State a considerable amount of money if we put people on the right track as they might not be aware. The first step with this would be to have an awareness day for men's health and dovetail it with assessment from the age of 40 onwards. It would be well worthwhile doing.

Today, I bring up the chronic overcrowding levels in the hospitals in the west and north-west area. The Letterkenny hospital accident and emergency department has been operating under sustained and extreme pressure for the last while. According to INMO figures, there are 40 waiting in Letterkenny, 52 waiting in Sligo and 68 waiting in Galway. Looking at the figures in the west and north-west area, they are a lot worse than other areas, which seem to be performing a lot better. I want to find out from the Minister why is this. Is it down to management, funding or staff shortages? Is it because delayed discharge or inadequate bed capacity? People are waiting anything from eight to 16 hours on trolleys. Can the Minister look into this for me? This morning, I saw the INMO said industrial action may be needed to highlight the hospital overcrowding in the west and north-west area. We cannot allow this to happen. The Minister might clarify what the problem is in the west and north-west area and come back to me.

While I am on my feet, I will mention another issue I brought up last week about Donegal Airport and the PSO contract. A total of 15,000 people signed a petition over the weekend. Yesterday, the Department of Transport decided to proceed and sign the contract. It is talking about a three-month review. To me, this is totally wrong. It was something that was working - and working well. It should never have been changed. To be honest, since the news broke yesterday, the phone has not stopped ringing. People and patients travelling to Dublin are really annoyed about this. Something has to be done about it. All am I getting since yesterday evening when this broke is commentary that Donegal is left behind, the Government does not care about Donegal and if this was Kerry, it would be sorted.

We need urgent action on this. I know the Department is talking about a review in three months but the Leader knows how reviews can go on and on. Could we get the Minister in here for a debate to see if we could decide something to get this moving forward. The people of Donegal need this service. We should not be left behind.

In the newspaper today, I read that the Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, condemns negative noise over defence and security. What a hard neck. He presided over this State for the past 20 years, in one way or another, as Taoiseach, Minister for Defence or Leader of the Opposition. He is culpable for the defenceless state of this country. He then lauds the co-operation there was in Copenhagen during the EU Presidency when Denmark suffered a drone attack and how all the neighbouring countries came to support Copenhagen. Does he realise they were all members of NATO and were obliged, under Article 5, to support each other? Is he that out of touch that he does not know that?

I now read we will have a French ship looking after our security during the EU Presidency. Will the Taoiseach bring that to this Parliament? Article 29 of the Constitution is very clear: the Taoiseach has two choices when it comes to the security of this country. One is that he can properly equip and set up the defence of this country through the Defence Forces and the Garda or the other is he can bring this plan to hire in security from foreign countries to the Dáil and have it debated in the Dáil, as is required under Article 29 of the Constitution. If you set aside any part of the Constitution at any time, you can set aside the entire Constitution. Is there no respect whatsoever for the Constitution that was put in place by the people of this country?

I believe the Taoiseach should come into this House and explain what he means about negative noise to me and to the other people who speak on defence in this country. We do not do it for the good of our health. We do it because we care deeply for this country and we are watching our country become the laughing stock of Europe. The Taoiseach has been in power, supporting power or the Minister for Defence over the past 20 years. He has questions to answer himself and should stop blaming those of us who call attention to the disastrous state in which they have left this country on coming into the Presidency of the EU.

I welcome guests of Deputy Matt Carthy from the Lisdoonan women's group. They are most welcome here today. I also welcome guests of Deputy Robert Troy from Emper National School. There is no homework for the rest of the week, just so they know. Make sure the teacher knows that. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan is most welcome with his guests as well.

I too give a big céad míle fáilte to the good ladies from Lisdoonan, County Monaghan. They are all very welcome to the Chamber. I will take today's opportunity, like I have done on a number of occasions, to raise the chronic condition of local and regional roads in both counties Monaghan and Cavan. Unfortunately, there has been a lack of substantial development and funding in the road section, the net result of which is many local roads in both Monaghan and Cavan have reached a state where they are impassable. I am sure the ladies in the audience will know exactly what I am talking about when I mention that. We in County Monaghan and County Cavan are totally dependent on the local road network. We do not have trains and we do not have a great bus service so we are totally dependent on the local roads. Be it families going about their daily business, the farming community or the business community, the only show in town for them are the local and regional roads. They are in chronic need of substantial funding.

I have raised this particular issue with the new Minister for Transport, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, on a number of occasions to stress to him how important it is that when he is making his annual allocation in the next number of weeks, substantial funding will be given to both counties Monaghan and Cavan to address the chronic condition of our local and regional roads. I understand that announcement is imminent. I sincerely hope the Minister will come good on his word and that substantial funding will be given to counties Monaghan and Cavan - and elsewhere - to address the substantial condition these roads have deteriorated into.

I raise an issue that has been highlighted to me by many people in my home county of Mayo. It relates to funeral expenses and recent developments regarding columbarium walls in cemeteries and church grounds. During a recent discussion on "The Tommy Marren Show" on Midwest Radio, Eddie Clarke of the Ballindine cemetery committee spoke about how it was a more effective and affordable option for community groups and organisations. There is an increased demand for it. I wished to highlight the issue here in the House. I have raised the issue previously on Mayo County Council. We should ask the Minister to consider a grant for the development of columbarium walls for those who have a loved one who is cremated. They sometimes do not know where to put the ashes. Columbariums offer people dignity in their final place of rest. It is somewhere people can go. I would like us to discuss this with the Minister. Consideration should be given to a grant for their development in towns and villages across the country. It would be welcome and it would also be more affordable. As we all know, funeral costs are incredibly expensive for families who have sadly lost a loved one.

Reporting by Aoife-Grace Moore in The Journal last week highlighted the disconnect between what women are advised to do following a sexual assault and how the process of getting support and justice through our legal system operates in practice. As reported, a woman was sexually assaulted by a stranger in a car park. She escaped and immediately ran back to the hotel she had just left. She reported what happened and engaged fully with An Garda Síochána. She did everything the State asks survivors to do. Despite this, the case did not proceed because the DPP said the issue of consent could not be demonstrated to the high standard of proof required for trial even though there was CCTV footage of the attack. If an assault by a stranger recorded by CCTV followed by immediate reporting cannot satisfy the evidential threshold of consent, we have to ask ourselves whether our system truly understands the reality of sexual violence.

The 2025 sexual offences Bill is in progress. I welcome that legislation, which we hope will introduce an objective reasonable standard regarding the confirmation of consent. This reform is crucial if we want to empower survivors to seek justice. The legislation must be robust enough to deliver that justice. Survivors engaging with the system in search of justice need to have confidence that, when they come forward, the system will be capable of dealing with their case fairly. Reporting sexual violence is, in itself, traumatic. To go through that process only to be told what happened to you does not mean the legal test of non-consent is devastating.

Reporting last week highlighted that Ireland has a sexual offence rate 43% higher than the European average. That figure should give us all pause and cause to reflect on why Ireland has such starkly higher figures than our European counterparts. We need to have a conversation about the rates of sexual violence in Ireland. Many women still do not report it when they are assaulted. As few as one third of sexual offence cases submitted to the Garda are pursued for prosecution. That is really low. This is a bleak picture when it comes to justice for survivors.

I would love for us to have a debate in this Chamber about strategies for stamping out sexual violence and about which strategies are working and which are not effective. We have our zero tolerance strategy but, with these figures, we cannot say we are anywhere close to achieving that.

Before I call on Senator Kelleher, I welcome Seán O'Gorman from the Abbey School, Tipperary. He is on transition year work experience with Senator Kelleher this week. I hope he enjoys his time here.

Ba mhaith liom rud éigin a rá mar gheall ar líon na ngardaí i gCorcaigh go háirithe. On previous occasions, I have listened to the Leader speak about disproportionate capital investment in the Northern and Western Regional Assembly area. I have made the same point in relation to the Southern Regional Assembly area. When compared to the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly area, this area receives disproportionate capital investment, which is very important for infrastructure. The allocation of gardaí in our areas is also very important. With regard to the recent announcement of probationary gardaí to be allocated around the country, while it is fantastic to be in a position to welcome the successful passing out of 168 probationary gardaí from the Garda College in Templemore, it is concerning that a disproportionately high number of those 168 gardaí have been allocated to the Dublin metropolitan area. Cork city and county, the population of which accounts for about 11% of the overall population of the country, received an allocation of five probationary gardaí, two for the city area and three in the county. The two in the city are to be based in Togher and Gurranabraher and, of the three for the county, two are going to Midleton and one to Mallow. If Cork were to receive a proportionate share of the probationary gardaí, it would receive 18 or 19. By comparison, Dublin received 62% of the overall allocation when its population is less than 30% of the country's overall population. The Cork Development Forum recently visited Leinster House. The group commented on how great a visible Garda presence is for confidence in the city centre in Cork and in businesses in the city. We need more gardaí in Cork. All we are asking for is our proportionate share.

Senator Davitt raised men's health earlier. I support the call for awareness campaign on that. At the recent young scientist of the year exhibition, I met two exceptional ladies from Coláiste Mhuire, Ballygar, Zofia and Emma. I committed to raising their project with the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. A discussion is also needed in this House. It relates to women's health, particularly their menstrual and reproductive health. It remains one of the most underdiscussed areas of healthcare despite its clear impact on physical health, mental well-being and educational outcomes. This is especially concerning for school-going teenagers, many of whom experience symptoms from a younger age but who may not have the knowledge, confidence or support to recognise when something is wrong. These ladies' research showed that many adolescent girls experience painful, heavy or irregular periods. In some cases, symptoms are severe enough to affect school attendance, concentration, sports participation and social life. Conditions such as endometriosis and ovarian cysts can begin in adolescence yet diagnosis is often delayed for years. During this time, symptoms may be dismissed or normalised, leading to unnecessary suffering and possibly long-term health consequences. The survey also highlighted that most secondary school girls believe menstrual health is not spoken about enough and that many want to learn more about it. At the same time, a significant number feel uncomfortable discussing these topics. This shows a clear gap between the need and support and highlights why education and open conversation are essential.

Poor awareness does not just affect health. It affects education, confidence and equality of opportunity. Period-related symptoms are a major cause of school absence, which can impact academic progress and well-being. There is a strong case for a focused debate on raising awareness of women's health and women's disorders, particularly for school-aged teenagers. Greater education, open discussion and better support systems can empower young people to understand their bodies, seek help earlier and live healthier and more confident lives.

I rise today with a deep sense of outrage. I am not concerned or irritated, but outraged at the steady interference of the European Union in democratic elections, including our own. In the recent report on communications between big tech and the European Commission subpoenaed by the US Congress, the facts are clearly documented. Ahead of the 2023 election in Slovakia, TikTok, under EU pressure, censored statements such as "There are only two genders" and “We need to stop the sexualization of young people". These are mainstream political positions yet the EU machinery branded them hate speech. That is ideological policing. The patterns repeat. In Poland, regulators sought the removal of a post stating that electric cars are neither ecological nor economical, which is a simple policy view.

Germany labelled calls to deport criminal offenders as incitement to hatred and pushed for a deletion. This is not moderation. It is the silencing of one side of a political debate. The Digital Services Act guidelines further demand that platforms alter algorithms, suppress disinformation and limit generative AI political content during election periods, rules that applied here not once but twice in 2024 and 2025 for our candidates and voters.

Who decides what counts as harmful for Irish people to hear? It is not the Irish electorate and it is not this Oireachtas. It is unelected officials in Brussels who have shown that they are more than willing to censor speech that is subjectively deemed unacceptable, whether it is on gender, migration, energy or public safety. Democracy cannot function when one side of the debate is muzzled. Ireland’s elections belong to the Irish people, not the EU regulators, not the ideologically aligned NGOs and not the Commission bureaucrats, who believe they can curate political speech for an entire Continent.

There is a need for a once-off emergency roads budget for County Wexford. We have suffered enormous devastation from flooding, and I have previously raised the Enniscorthy flood relief scheme in this Chamber. I want to reflect for a moment on the impact of the floods on our roads network right across County Wexford. On Christmas Day 2021, when I was a county councillor, five bridges in my parish vanished as a result of flooding. There was devastation across the roads network. The then Minister for Transport provided a once-off stimulus measure of €4 million to reflect the impact and the damage the extreme weather event had had on the roads network, including funding for bridge repairs. Wexford County Council is carrying out an assessment of the scale and likely cost of the damage done by the recent flooding to the roads network. I met with the head of the roads section on Friday and he said it is going to take a bit longer to fully get to grips with the situation because there has been so much damage to roads right across County Wexford.

I implore the Minister for Transport to take seriously that request from Wexford County Council when it comes and to provide the funding. It is going to take the crews and repair workers an enormous amount of time to get the roads back to where they were, and to be honest about it, they were not in a great place to begin with. We must have a stimulus package when that request comes in to ensure we can put the roads back to the condition the people of County Wexford rightly deserve them to be in.

Dublin City Council is looking to make Dublin an autism-friendly city. Of course, that is really welcome and important, particularly for our neurodiverse community. I would like to highlight an issue my party colleague Councillor Kourtney Kenny raised at the council meeting when this matter was discussed earlier this week. She has been to the fore in fighting for neurodiverse communities. At the meeting, she highlighted an issue impacting a significant number of families with neurodiverse children. When children are diagnosed with a disability, they receive a payment to help them access services that they will need as part of their health. A significant number of families have contacted Councillor Kenny and me about a delay in the payment when children turn 16. At least in the cases of the people and families who have contacted us, it can take one and a half to two years for that application to be processed.

These families are clearly holding on by a thread. They are already struggling to access services and activities for their children, and the last thing they need is delayed access to this payment. It really adds to their stress. At every turn, families with neurodiverse children face obstacles. I think that is acknowledged by everyone. This situation contrasts with the big bonuses being dished out to semi-State CEOs by the Government. In the recent budget, people with disabilities were left worse off. Neurodiverse children who turn 16 are being made to wait for the payments they desperately need. Groups like Neurodiversity Irishtown, Ringsend and Pearse Street, NIRP, and Involve Autism do such fantastic work in picking up the pieces left by Government failure. If it was not for groups like them, neurodiverse children would just be forgotten about, as was the case in the past. The Minister needs to come in here and explain what is being done to ensure the disability payment is not delayed when a child turns 16.

I recently had a meeting with a gentleman called Andrew McGinley who lost his three children to familicide. We were discussing the Mental Health Bill 2024 and how it has been addressed in this House. He noted that three areas were glaringly missing from the legislation, and these were basically at the heart of child safety, parental responsibility and basic safeguarding.

The first was co-parenting rights. When clinical decisions are being made about a parent that could impact their children, the other parent cannot be left without that critical information. Parents share responsibility for their children under the Children First Act 2015, but it is not possible for parents to protect their children if they are not given the information, are not told the truth, and if it is not transparent and the risks are not shown. When information is withheld, a parent is not just uninformed but prevented from safeguarding their own children, and that cannot happen.

Second, on the control of prescription medication, where clinicians know that a patient is accessing medication that has not been prescribed to them, especially where suicidal ideation has been recorded, there is a clear duty to intervene. We need statutory safeguards for return of medication after a person dies and clear legal consequences where prescription drugs are supplied outside proper clinical care. These are simple protections that could save lives.

Third, children must come first. The law is clear. The best interests of the child must come first. If one parent’s capacity to protect their children is impaired, then the system itself must ensure that the other parent is fully informed so that children remain safe. Children cannot be invisible in clinical notes or in decision-making and only visible when tragedy occurs. It is not about looking backwards but about making sure the law is strong in this regard to protect children in the future. In the end, the mental health system is judged not only by how it treats mental illness but by how well it protects the most vulnerable, and in this case children.

Before I call on the next speaker, I welcome Deputy Noel McCarthy and the students and teachers from Ballyhooly national school. They are most welcome to Seanad Éireann today. I thank them for coming in. I hope they enjoy their day. As I am sure the Deputy informed them, when they visit Seanad Éireann, there is no homework for the rest of the week. It is one of the benefits of coming to this House. I call on Senator Brady.

A couple of issues have arisen in the county town of Longford over recent weeks. A person in their 30s and a person in their 20s have been stabbed, which is shocking. One of them was stabbed and dumped outside our local Garda station. Everybody locally knows that it is feuding among families and it is drug related. In fairness, County Longford had two Garda superintendents at one time. We had one in Granard, our second largest town, and one in Longford town. Unfortunately, we have one superintendent there now and, in fairness to him, he is after coming into a position that has been very tricky. His engagement locally has been wonderful, but our Minister for justice, Deputy Jim O’Callaghan, certainly needs to visit the station in Longford and listen to the concerns. We are lacking in numbers. Even though we have seen increases in the number of gardaí on the streets in both the daytime and night-time, we still do not have enough coverage in the county to cover all the activities going on.

The Criminal Assets Bureau, CAB, and several other entities have investigated what has been going on in our county town. After the highlighting of what has gone on this weekend, and to give our citizens a bit of belief that they are protected, I urge the Minister to engage with the superintendent and perhaps even visit Longford to address and highlight some of the issues that are there.

I want to raise the urgent need for an emergency winter payment for people with disabilities. Many people are facing a choice between eating and heating. That is what we have heard at committee from people who have disabilities. All their testimony is backed up by evidence.

Over the weekend, the Minister of State, Deputy Niall Collins, said that the Government will introduce a permanent measure to address the cost of disability, but not until budget 2027. When it comes to disability support, the Government always speaks in the future tense. It is always that it is going to bring in something or it will implement a measure and there will be a support payment. The Government suggests another citizens' assembly or task force. People cannot wait for that. They cannot decide not to pay for their food shopping or heating until budget 2027.

While vulnerable people are being told to wait, the Government has found no difficulty approving bumper pay rises for top executives. Ministers recently signed off on salary increases for senior semi-State CEOs. There is a €75,000 pay rise for the CEO of Iarnród Éireann, a €50,000 increase for the CEO of Bus Éireann and a €35,000 increase for the head of CIÉ. I would love for some of those CEOs and the Minister to imagine what it is like to live off €250 per week. Imagine sitting in your home, dreading every heating bill or putting off doing your shopping because you simply cannot afford it. How can the Government justify this when CEOs already earn six figure salaries and are now to receive thousands more at the expense of the taxpayer? If people want to know about the Government's priorities, they must look at where the money is going. If the State can afford to hand out massive pay increases to people already in the top bracket, it can afford to provide an emergency winter payment. I ask the Government to please listen to the voices of people with disabilities. I ask for statements on this issue.

I ask the Leader to arrange on some occasion a discussion in this House on what is happening to the chair of Bord Bia. Mr. Larry Murrin is a competent and devoted businessman who has done his best for his industry. He has the confidence of the board of Bord Bia. He is a man who has never taken a cent from the Irish taxpayer in expenses or salary for the position he holds.

Mr. Murrin was called before these Houses' joint committee on agriculture and subjected to a barrage of half-thought-out criticism, mainly inspired by people who appeared to be operating to the common theme of trying to discredit him and put to him questions that were wrong. He was subjected to many things, including questions about his political support in the past. He was asked about the shareholdings of his family and children in the food business. He was subjected to a grilling that was wholly unacceptable.

Today, I was driving to the House and passed Bord Bia's headquarters on Pembroke Road. There is a rolling occupation taking place by members of the Irish Farmers Association, IFA. There is a portable loo on the pavement. Other interest groups in Ireland do not have the licence to conduct rolling occupations of Government buildings or State agencies.

I put on the record my admiration for Mr. Murrin. I am grateful for all he has done during his period as chairman of Bord Bia. My strong view is that the Government should under no circumstances buckle in the face of a politically motivated and personalised campaign against a decent businessman.

Bord Bia is not simply about agricultural output. It is there to represent the food processing industry in general. That is a hugely valuable industry in Ireland. The idea that one or two organisations can attempt to drive a man out of office is wholly unacceptable to me. I hope the Government has the courage and honesty to stand up for him and make it clear to those who are trying to get rid of him that their tactics will not work and are counterproductive.

The now five-month detention of Irishman Seamus Culleton in a Texan United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE, facility will have come as a bucket of cold water to people who thought it was only people with criminal records who would be the targets of ICE. The fact that his situation is already being considered in a US courtroom makes clear that his detention is not an aberration. It is an expression of the new tough application of what were, in fact, long-standing rules. It seems that if there is to be a solution it will have to be a political one. There is no one better than the Cathaoirleach to raise Mr. Culleton's plight with his extensive contacts in the US. I have been reaching out to whatever contacts I have. I have begun doing that and would encourage colleagues to do likewise.

In that context, I note with interest and concern the comments by John Deasy, former TD and Government envoy to Congress on the undocumented Irish. He seemed to be saying, quite frankly, that he does not believe that enough has been done to build and deepen relationships on all sides of the political divide in the United States. I do not know whether that is true. I thought the response of the former ambassador this morning was quite defensive. However, these are always fair questions to be tried. We need to ask whether our model of diplomatic engagement is fit for purpose in the very challenging environment that the US now presents. We must ask whether there is a need for more long-term people on the ground, meeting all sides and making sure that whatever the policy differences there might be at government level, there is relationship building, particularly with those who might have the ear of the President.

We see our Government working to strengthen relationships with the Chinese Government. I hope our Government will not forget the plight of that very brave man, Jimmy Lai. It was distressing to hear the glee on the side of the Hong Kong authorities at the terrible sentence that has been handed down to him.

We are in delicate and deep waters. We all need to take an interest and consider the question of whether we have the model right for our diplomatic engagement with the US at the moment.

I welcome to the Gallery guests of Deputy Newsome Drennan from St. Kieran's College, Kilkenny, in the Carlow-Kilkenny constituency . They are most welcome to Seanad Éireann. As the Deputy will have told them, there will be no homework for the rest of the day. Given the rate we are handing out no homework for the rest of the day, no school in Ireland will be doing homework by the end of today.

I call the Leader to respond on the Order of Business.

I thank all Senators for their contributions. Senator O'Loughlin acknowledged the killing of ten people and the injuries to 29 people in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, Canada. Our thoughts go out to the families of all those involved. We have had many visits to the country by taoisigh for St. Patrick's Day and other such business. Relations between our two countries are very important. Our thoughts go out to all involved.

The Senator also raised the new school in Monasterevin, which is an asset to the community. She raised concerns about the old school building, which has been sold to Lidl. She called for the funding from that sale to be made available to the community. She also raised the fact that Moore Abbey is up for sale. A Commencement matter might get a more direct response.

Senator Clonan raised violence against persons with disabilities and a disturbing report from congregated and community settings regarding safeguarding. Some 71% of complaints regarding safeguarding are in situations where the victims are disabled citizens. We will bring safeguarding legislation before these Houses, which I look forward to.

The Senator also raised the issue of peacekeeping, peace enforcement and the triple lock.

The Minister, Deputy McEntee, will be in the House on Wednesday, 25 February, to discuss defence issues and Senator Clonan will have an opportunity to raise the issue then.

Senator Nelson Murray raised Clann Mór disability service in Navan, which is under financial pressure. She asked me to speak to the Minister, Deputy Foley, and the Minister of State, Deputy Higgins, which I will do. She may wish to table a Commencement debate to get a more direct response on this matter.

Senator Nicole Ryan raised the importance of special needs assistants in mainstream classes and stated that they were being stripped away. She said that principals were afraid to enact appeals because they could risk losing more SNAs. We have approximately 23,000 SNAs, who do very important work. I agree with her on principals feeling threatened and it is not good enough. She may wish to table a Commencement matter and discuss this directly with the Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, to get a full response.

Senator Noonan raised the issue of modern methods of construction, including industrial hemp, and called for a debate on energy poverty with the Minister, Deputy O'Brien. I advise him that the construction technology centre in the University of Galway is the centre for new methods of construction and he may wish to engage with it on its role. I will certainly request a debate with the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, on energy poverty.

Senator Flynn is working with the Office of Parliamentary Legal Advisers on a Bill regarding sexual images and fake AI. She called for it to be a clear crime to make fake sexual images of individuals. She is working on a Bill and we look forward to her presenting it and for the Second Stage debate and engagement in the Houses on it. I wish her well with it.

Senator Davitt, supported by Senator Scahill, raised the issues of men's health and the importance of check-ups for men aged 40 onwards. They said that every man needed to have checks for his health and I certainly concur with this. Sometimes, it is the spouse or other family members who might encourage a man to get a check-up. It is certainly a worthy issue and perhaps Senator Davitt may wish to table a Commencement debate or a motion in the House to discuss men's health.

Senator Boyle raised the issue of the Letterkenny emergency department. He said that it was under pressure and he spoke about the possibility of industrial action. That would be regrettable. It is important that these issues are highlighted, as he is doing here today. Perhaps he may wish to raise this directly with the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, or table a Commencement debate on pressures in Letterkenny and what the medium-term plan is to resolve them.

He also mentioned Donegal Airport's PSO contract and said that it was working well and that there would be a review in three months. He may wish to table a Commencement debate with the Minister, Deputy O'Brien. It is ironic that this is on the day that legislation to remove the cap in Dublin Airport is being announced. Not that I have any issue with that, but here we have something positive being done in terms of Dublin Airport and the national economy while, at the same time, there are contract changes that will impact Donegal Airport.

Senator Craughwell condemned the Taoiseach's comments about negative noise on defence and security for the EU Presidency. He stated that the Taoiseach had questions to answer. The Taoiseach cannot answer questions directly in the House, although he does come in from time to time. The Minister for Defence will come to the House soon and Senator Craughwell may wish to raise these issues then. The Taoiseach, when Minister for Defence, did engage on the renewal of the Defence Forces and put in place plans and recommendations. We have seen budgetary increases in recent years also. I acknowledge his leadership on these matters.

Senator Gallagher raised the issue of local and regional roads funding in Cavan and Monaghan. Local and regional roads funding is due in the coming week. I certainly hope there is additional funding. There is never sufficient funding for roads, certainly with the weather we are having and the issues of drainage and the pooling of water. I certainly look forward to this.

Senator Duffy called for supports or grants for columbarium walls for those who are cremated. It is wonderful idea. There is a move towards cremations now and a grant for local and community groups to build attractive walls and settings in graveyards and cemeteries would be welcome. Perhaps Senator Duffy might wish to table a Commencement matter with the Department and the Minister for the environment on this matter.

Senator Stephenson raised issues regarding the high evidential threshold for consent and stated that the level of sexual offences in this country versus that in the EU was much higher. She mentioned that a sexual offences Bill was being worked on. I look forward to the Bill coming through the House. I am sure she will be proactive in her engagement on it.

D’ardaigh an Seanadóir Kelleher na gardaí i gCorcaigh agus dúirt sé nach bhfuil a ndóthain gardaí ar fáil ann. I acknowledge his raising of the issue of Garda numbers in Cork. He said that while 167 gardaí attested, there were disproportionately higher levels in Dublin, and that if the same proportion were to be allocated to Cork, there should be 18 to 19 gardaí allocated there. As I have said previously, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for Garda allocations, but there is likely to be engagement with the Minister as well, so the Senator may wish to raise directly with him the issue of Garda numbers in Cork.

Senator Scahill raised the issue of women's menstrual and reproductive health, particularly of school-going teenagers. This follows surveys done at the Young Scientist exhibition by a number of teenage girls. He has called for education on this and support. I suspect this starts in the home but it is also in the educational setting through social, personal and health education, SPHE, in schools. Senator Scahill may wish to reference this directly with the Ministers, Deputies Naughton and Carroll MacNeill.

Senator Keoghan expressed her outrage at EU interference in elections and spoke about ideological policing. If there are concerns about election interference in this country, she may wish to engage with the Electoral Commission, which is now charged with running elections in this country. She may also wish to engage with the committee on local government.

Senator Cathal Byrne called for one-off emergency funding for Enniscorthy and Wexford following the deluge in recent weeks. He spoke about five bridges being washed away previously and how funding had been provided. I concur with this. Once the package is received in the Department, I am sure he will engage with it on additional funding and some sort of stimulus package or one-off funding.

Senator Andrews raised the noble request to Dublin City Council for Dublin to become an autism-friendly city and the work of Councillor Kourtney Kenny on behalf of neurodiverse communities and child diagnosis of disability. Senator Andrews also spoke about the delay for 16-year-olds who applied for progression to disability payments and called for the Minister to come to the House. I will request an update from the Minister on this.

Senator McCarthy raised concerns regarding familicide, co-parenting rights and the protection of children where information is not provided to both partners, especially where there is suicidal ideation. He may wish to table a Commencement debate on this particular issue. I know he has mentioned a particular family and the issue was also raised in the other House. He may wish to pursue this with the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan.

Senator Brady called on the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, to visit Longford town and County Longford in general due to recent incidents of people in their 20s and 30s who have been stabbed in Longford town. I send my sympathies to them and their families. The Senator may wish to raise the matter of Garda numbers in Longford. He may also wish to write directly to the Minister to invite him to visit Longford to meet gardaí.

Senator Sarah O'Reilly called for an emergency payment for those with a disability. The Taoiseach has indicated a permanent payment will be looked at in the 2027 budget and that an announcement on how a cost-of-disability payment might look will be made in the first half of this year. The Government is looking at something to ensure there is a permanent basis for this rather than the one-off payments that have been made, as the removal of one-off payments causes concern. I acknowledge the change regarding the increases in the fuel allowance and the maintenance of the reduced VAT rate for gas and electricity.

Senator McDowell defended the chair of the Bord Bia, Larry Murrin, and said he had the confidence of the board of Bord Bia. The Senator spoke about his appearance at the meeting of the agriculture committee last week and the rolling occupation of the Bord Bia offices.

There is a vote in the other House on Private Members' business today. I hope that motion will be defeated. The Minister, Deputy Heydon, has invited all farming stakeholders to discussions on this matter on Friday. This can only be resolved with dialogue. I concur with the comment on the occupation of the Bord Bia offices. I do not believe this is productive or helpful if we want to encourage people to take up positions as chairs of boards. I have seen reports that Mr. Murrin is in charge of Bord Bia. He is not; he is the chair of the board. There is a CEO and whatever else in Bord Bia. As I said, he agreed to come before the committee. It was a grilling and he answered questions. It is now important that the vote is defeated, which I am sure it will be, and that there is dialogue and engagement. The IFA has genuine issues with Bord Bia, which is separate to the matter about which people are protesting.

Senator Mullen raised the case of Seamus Culleton and the tough new rules applying to deportations by ICE in the United States. Mr. Culleton is married to a US citizen but was still taken in and is being held by ICE. The Taoiseach has stated that he will raise the matter with Donald Trump. I am sure there are ongoing diplomatic efforts by the embassies and consulates in Texas and elsewhere to see that he is released. I certainly hope that happens soon.