I call on the Leader to announce the Order of Business. I will do the welcome after he has done so.

The Order of Business is No. 1, International Protection Bill 2026, Second Stage, to be taken at 4.45 p.m. and to conclude at 6.45 p.m., if not previously concluded, with the opening remarks of the Minister not to exceed ten minutes, group spokespersons not to exceed eight minutes, all over Senators not to exceed five minutes, time can be shared and the Minister to be given no less than ten minutes to reply to the debate; and No. 2, Health Information Bill 2024, Committee Stage to be taken at 6.45 p.m. or on conclusion of No. 1, whichever is the later.

Ba mhaith liom cuir fáilte to the Distinguished Visitors Gallery the ambassador from Bulgaria. The ambassador is here to mark the Bulgarian national day on 3 March. It marks the date of national liberation and restoration of the Bulgarian state after nearly five centuries of Ottoman rule. The Irish connection dates back more than 100 years. A County Limerick man, from Bruff, no less, James Bourchier was a champion of national interests in Bulgaria. He led the delegation from Bulgaria that was involved in the negotiations on the Versailles Treaty. Such was his national fame and in honour of his efforts, a boulevard and a metro station in Sofia were named after him. His resting place is in a monastery, a privilege granted to very few foreigners.

Bulgaria and Ireland are both members of the European Union. We work together to strengthen our relationships there. There are nearly 8,000 members of the Bulgarian community in Ireland. They live in Cork, Dublin, Ennis, Shannon, Tullamore, Monaghan and Waterford and are involved in academia, IT, engineering and the medical industry. We welcome the ambassador on Bulgaria's national day. Happy Liberation Day. Fáilte go dtí Seanad Éireann.

I add my voice to the welcome for the Bulgarian ambassador.

I congratulate the Local Authority Members Association, LAMA, and its president, Damien Ryan, general secretary Brian Lawlor and executive. We had a really excellent evening on Saturday. A number of Fianna Fáil Senators and I were delighted to be there to support the local authority members from all around the country. It is the 20th year of the LAMA awards, the 40th year since the establishment of LAMA and the 100th year of IPB Insurance. As a result, there were three celebrations. There were 533 projects submitted, which showed a huge breadth of ambition and vision throughout the country. These were in six different categories, namely community, economic development, infrastructure, collaboration, environment and national impact. Well done to all of those who won awards and, indeed, to all of those who submitted. Because it is the 40th year of LAMA, we should organise something. Maybe the Seanad could write to the Ceann Comhairle and ask her to host a reception for LAMA.

We were all shocked when we saw the events unfolding in Iran over the weekend. We acknowledge the years of oppression and torture under the current regime in Iran. What has happened there in the past was absolutely shocking. At the same time, bombing a country and killing innocent civilians was incredibly heavy-handed. We absolutely need to call out the fact that 85 schoolgirls were murdered. There is no doubt that we want to see regime change and an end to the oppression that women and citizens in Iran have been facing daily. We certainly do not want to see the oppressive regime of the Shah back in Iran either. The women of Iran have lived through years of subordination. We would hope that with the top level of the regime now gone, there will be an opportunity for democracy and a future founded on a democratic republic and that the current dictatorship will be rejected and that there will be no return to what happened under the Shah.

I want to mention Maryam Rajavi, who brought forward a ten-point plan calling for freedom of expression and assembly, separation of religion and State, gender equality, abolition of the death penalty and free and fair elections. Thousands of innocent people have been murdered, and we certainly hope that a fairer and more democratic future for the people of Iran will happen. The bombing needs to stop. This is not the way forward.

This week is foster carers awareness week. I acknowledge the work Foster Carers Ireland does to support around 4,000 foster carers and families who care for about 5,600 children across the country. I want to raise the decision by Tusla to discontinue the funding of the St. Bernard's therapeutic fostering support service in Fethard as part of its move to a standardised national model. Foster carers in south Tipperary have expressed real concern about the removal of this specialised therapeutic, relationship-based support. St. Bernard's provides integrated support to foster carers and children, particularly those in complex placements that involve trauma and neurodevelopmental needs. They deliver an invaluable service to foster carers and foster children in Tipperary. The fostering support service is one of three services operated by St. Bernard's Children's Services. It is a community-based service that works directly with specially identified foster carers and the children placed with them who are 12 years old or younger on referral. From the commencement of the service in September 2014 until June 2021, they provided a 24-hour, seven days a week service to families.

In June 2021 that operation was reduced to a five-day service because of financial cutbacks. Since 2014, 133 foster carers and families have completed their two-year programme. Some 196 children were supported as part of their participation and 28 foster families are currently on the two-year programme, with 40 children being supported. However, the carers have been informed that the services that will now cover the area are being moved to north Cork. I am seeking clarity on whether sufficient capacity exists in north Cork to absorb the additional demand without delays. Has there been an impact assessment carried out regarding placement stability and foster carer retention? Given the State's role as corporate parent, therapeutic continuity must be protected during that reform. Will the Minister for children reconsider the termination of this service for St. Bernard's in Fethard? Tusla will not confirm to me if the service provided in Cork will be of the exact quality as that in Fethard. St. Bernard's provides support for carers and children. This will have a real impact on people who want to get into foster caring. We are desperately crying out for more people to put up their hands. Vocation is what we are asking for to support really vulnerable children. We are now removing services from a region for those parents and adults willing to do it. It can have a long-term impact on people who put up their hand and say they will do it. Foster Carers Ireland is a great support network to support and encourage people to get into foster caring. However, if the wider supports Tusla provides are not in the region, why would people do it?

I do not mourn the passing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He was a man who slaughtered tens of thousands of his countrymen and hung beautiful young men and women. I think of my 21-year-old daughter and the thought of her being hung by the neck for revealing her hair. It is a disgusting regime. I do not mourn his passing. What I do mourn, however, is the passing of the international rules-based order. That is something that impacts everybody in this room, our children and our grandchildren. Trump, in case anybody has failed to notice, did not consult Congress. He sought no legal justification or cover whatsoever. He and Netanyahu launched this attack like medieval kings decapitating the king of another warring province. That is where we are now.

The UN is the only system we have to regulate international conflict. It was set up by our grandparents after the slaughter of World War II to prevent this type of international polity. Yet, when Deputy McEntee, our Minister for Defence, was asked if she felt the invasion was illegal, she was either unable or unwilling to say so. I would like to give her the benefit of the doubt and say she was unwilling because if she is unable to tell that is an illegal act, how can we trust her in the absence of a triple lock to make sensible decisions about where we send our troops?

At the moment, the Americans and Israelis have completed the suppression part of their mission. The next part, once they have full control of the airspace, will be the absolute and complete destruction of Iranian military facilities and command and control centres. We will see an escalation, and in that context our people are trapped. The French are sending an aircraft carrier. The British are sending two frigates - two destroyers - to Cyprus. What are we sending? A message to stay indoors. That is good advice, but we have no means of getting our people out and this will continue for some time. Due to the Shia concept of martyrdom, this war is not going to go as planned. It is one thing to kill a nuclear scientist; they are hard to replace. When you kill zealots and martyrs, however, there is no end of replacements. This conflict is going to spiral out and spread into places like Lebanon and other countries. We, as a neutral country, should be using our voice, as Senator O'Loughlin said, to call for a de-escalation. I know my Fianna Fáil colleagues here are very uncomfortable with the idea of abolishing the triple lock. They know that is not what the Irish people want. Last night, Dublin City Council voted by a big majority to retain the triple lock. I know my colleagues in Fine Gael ultimately favour us joining NATO.

They have been intellectually honest about that.

That is not true.

That is not true.

Fine Gael's MEPs published a document on this a number of years ago. It is there in black and white.

Please, Senator Clonan.

Senator Ahearn interrupted me.

Your time is up.

Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael need to think very carefully. I am asking for a debate about this in this House because we see a Minister who is unable or unwilling to tell the difference between a legal conflict-----

Senator, tá an t-am istigh.

-----and an illegal conflict. She wants us to trust the Government to make decisions in the absence of the triple lock. We need a proper debate in the House. This is an inflection point for Irish people.

You should be more honest.

I am as honest as you are, Garret.

Ciúnas, más é bhur dtoil é. Glaoim ar an Seanadóir Conor Murphy.

I wish to continue on the same theme in relation to the attack on Iran, which was clearly unjustified and, more importantly, represents a violation of the United Nations Charter and the multilateral system. These attacks were undertaken at a time when there were ongoing negotiations between the United States and Iran. Western powers' track record on military interference in the Middle East has been disastrous. Decades of invasions, occupations and bombardment have resulted in immense loss of life and long-term destabilisation. The actions of Israel towards the people of Palestine, which are ongoing despite a ceasefire being in place, are clearly a continuation of the genocide. The attacks in recent days serve to create instability in the Middle East and to deflect domestic investigations away from the leaders of the United States and Israel - in the case of Trump, the investigation of his potential links to the crimes of Jeffrey Epstein, and in the case of Netanyahu, to take the focus off his ongoing trial for bribery and fraud. Despite earlier promises by the British, they have decided to join the war by permitting the United States use of their naval bases.

It is clear that being part of a military alliance brings with it its own peer pressure. Being uncomfortable with the morality or, indeed, the legality of the actions does not count when you have signed up to the club. There is a stark lesson for us in that. I agree entirely with Senator Clonan's analysis of Iran's treatment of its own people, but if anyone for one minute thinks that is the justification for Trump and Netanyahu, they are living in cloud-cuckoo-land. If that were the case, a multitude of countries across the world would be invaded. When we see how the United States and Israel treat their own people, we can understand that while that may be the reason put forward, it is certainly not the real reason behind this.

There must be a cessation of attacks and a return to diplomacy. I call on our Government to condemn these actions and to speak out as a neutral, credible voice against unprovoked military aggression. I share the unease of many about the Taoiseach's recent statement that Ireland is militarily standing with Ukraine. Ireland is militarily a neutral country, not from the position of opting out of international conflict and disputes, but reflecting the contribution we can make to peace and dialogue based on our experience.

The lesson in recent days, certainly when we see the British Government's very quick move from opting out to opting in, is that being part of the club, being part of a military alliance, as some people would have us be, does not give you a veto over the motivation or the justification created by others for prosecuting their wars. We do not have to go too far back in history to see that people's survival in political terms and people's financial interests in evading prosecution have been behind many a war being started or the lengthening of many wars which should have come to an earlier end. We need to be protective of our neutrality. It is a very precious thing for us and it gives us a standing in the world which removes us from that type of behaviour.

Before I call on the next speaker, I welcome the students from St. Kilian's German School, Clonskeagh, to Seanad Éireann. I do not know what the German for "No homework for the rest of the week" is, but níl aon obair bhaile don chuid eile den tseachtain. That is the Irish version of it.

I welcome, for the second time, Bobby Nealon, who is a guest of Senator Mark Duffy. He was here earlier. He is on the list. You are welcome back, Bobby.

I want to address the issue of civil legal aid. It is an issue that deeply impacts women experiencing domestic violence. Two weeks ago, Women's Aid painted for the justice committee a stark picture of the barriers to justice for survivors of domestic violence because of the long-term systemic failure to resource the Legal Aid Board. Legal aid should, in theory, remove barriers for accessing justice, but it does not work like that in practice in Ireland. In 2024, FLAC answered over 11,000 queries, of which 500 were for domestic violence cases. Shockingly, it had the capacity to deal with only about 21% of those queries for support.

Civil legal aid is not an abstract administrative scheme. It is the bridge between vulnerability and justice. Access to justice must be available to everyone whether they have the ability to pay or not, particularly in contexts of domestic violence. For survivors, fear of the unknown, of an alien court system, about where she might live, about whether she will have custody of her children and about financial uncertainty are all challenges that affect people's access to justice. Legal aid should be a system that helps women to escape violence, to secure safety for their children, to protect their home and to rebuild their lives but today the system is totally overwhelmed, under-resourced and unable to meet the demand. Waiting lists are long and the financial thresholds are rigid. Those who earn more than €18,000 per year do not qualify for legal aid. As a result, far too many women are left navigating complex legal proceedings alone. When we apply a gendered lens, this failure becomes stark because women are disproportionately applicants for civil legal aid in family law and domestic violence cases. They are the ones seeking protection orders, custody arrangements, maintenance and safe housing. When the system does not work, it is women and children who suffer first.

The financial means test in particular is failing survivors of domestic violence. A woman who is fleeing abuse might share her income and assets with her abuser. That is a technicality and it will count in terms of the threshold for accessing legal aid support. However, we know that those assets and bank accounts are often used as tools of coercive control. On paper, a woman might be ineligible but in actual reality she has no safe access to those resources for legal support. She might not even have knowledge of where to look to find out the current family financial picture.

Access to justice requires proper resourcing. Legal aid centres must be adequately funded and staffed to meet demand. Practitioners working on family law and domestic violence cases must receive specialised training in coercive control and trauma-informed practice. Critically, mediation should never be required when domestic violence is present because it risks retraumatisation and reinforces power imbalances. Mediation is often used in these cases but that goes completely against any understanding of trauma-informed responses. Access to justice is a cornerstone of equality and I ask for a full debate on civil legal aid reform because it is a significant barrier for women and children in upholding their right to safety and justice.

Finally, I also want to lend my voice to those requesting condemnation from the Irish Government of those engaging in breaches of international law. No matter what country is doing it, we have to call it out in every single instance.

Four years is a long time in the life of a child, yet that is how long the young players of Drogheda Boys and Girls Football Club have been without permanent changing rooms or toilet facilities since an apparently malicious fire destroyed the building at Marley's Lane in 2021. This is a club with more than 300 children playing regularly, alongside schools and visiting teams. Four years on, though, there are still no proper sanitary or changing facilities on site. For anyone, never mind for young children, changing in a car or, worse again, behind a fence or mammy's coat is not acceptable.

The club's committee, all of whom are volunteers, have spent well over a year trying to get a modest modular building delivered. They have secured planning permission and funding. They have engaged architects and engineers and have followed every statutory step asked of them. Applications for fire safety and disability access certificates were lodged in early February and still they wait. Of course, safety standards and accessibility requirements matter, and so they should, but we also have to look at the impact of this delay on a volunteer-led organisation and, more importantly, on the children themselves. Toilets and changing spaces are not luxuries but basic infrastructure and participation in any sport for any age group should come with dignity. I ask that the relevant Minister engage with the appropriate authorities to ensure that, within the statutory frameworks, this long overdue project can move forward without any further unnecessary delay.

I am sure the Leader is aware that this is enterprise week. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to attend the enterprise awards in Roscommon and I want to acknowledge some of the winners. In the social enterprise category, we had Triest Press in Roscommon, an organisation providing a great service to the community while The Upholstery Company, Dunbar Pharma and Waldron Family Meats were also recognised. Tully Forge, an engineering company in Ballaghaderreen, was the overall winner in Roscommon and will now go on to represent the county in the national finals in June. I would like to acknowledge them all and encourage everybody to go out and support our local enterprise offices, LEOs. I also encourage businesses to get in touch with their LEOs and to look at the national enterprise hub where the Minister, Deputy Burke, has collated all of the supports for businesses throughout the country under one banner and in one location.

I also want to raise the issue of road signs, direction signs and speed signs throughout the entire country. We still see destruction following Storm Éowyn last year, with signs pointing in the wrong direction. As well as this, the general maintenance and upkeep of signs throughout the country are in a very poor state at present, especially in country areas. Some of them are very hard to read. Some of them are overgrown and some of them have fallen back. Considering that €8 million was allocated in 2025 for the replacement of speed signs, a not insignificant sum has been invested in these roadside signs. Perhaps we could have a debate, or perhaps a directive could be issued to local authorities that ahead of the summer season, when we will have a lot of tourists visiting our lovely island, an extra effort may be put into ensuring the signs are pointing in the right direction, are legible and that nothing is obstructing them.

This week, the world has been shaken by the escalating conflict in the Gulf involving Iran, a conflict that will drive prices sharply upwards. Once again, Ireland stands exposed. Why is this? It is because we are nowhere near prepared for this reality. This is not simply an external crisis but a mirror held up to our own failings at home. For years, warnings have been sounded about Ireland's vulnerability to global energy shocks but successive governments have chosen a path that leaves us more exposed and not less. We have enormous natural gas resources lying untapped off our own shores. We have not even had a conversation about whether technology such as nuclear power could play a role in securing our long-term energy independence. These are not fringe ideas. They are part of mainstream energy planning throughout Europe. Here in Ireland these discussions are shut down before they even begin.

Instead of strengthening our domestic capacity, the Government has actively dismantled what little resilience we had. Our peat harvesting industry, which once sustained communities and could have served as a carefully managed transitional resource, has been shuttered without a viable replacement. Families, workers and entire regions were left behind in this decision. To make matters worse, the taxes and charges placed on fuel and energy, from carbon levies to VAT to excise, remain untouched. They are not being reduced or reconsidered. In the real world they compound the pressures now facing households, hauliers, farmers and small businesses. They turn an international crisis into a domestic burden shouldered by the very people least able to absorb it. A resilient nation prepares for uncertainty. Ireland deserves a real energy strategy, not avoidance or delayed action.

I want to comment on the MEK, as someone referred to that organisation earlier. Last year, the Department of foreign affairs came out with a statement that the group was linked to terrorism. Here we have a Senator commenting on it taking over the government in Iran. The people in Iran would be horrified to think this could happen.

Horse Sport Ireland was back before the agriculture committee in January. While the issue discussed was primarily the issuing of passports, it failed to address the contentious issue of a new high-performance levy for our top athletes. In the face of outrage from the sector, the sporting body subsequently backed down on its initial €60 charge and instead implemented a new €45 fee. It is hard not to see this move as little more than a money-making exercise from our equine sports body. Arguably the most telling criticism came from Barry O'Connor, owner and leading showjumping supporter, who also sits on the HSI showjumping advisory group as the riders' representative. He said he was disappointed but not surprised and that it is typical of what happens that people who run out of ideas go and levy their clients. He said it shows a lack of understanding of the cost of running horses. He warned that the HSI has no corporate partnerships, engages in no effective lobbying and appears indifferent to other revenue streams. Making everything more expensive is an old-fashioned, amateur way of doing business.

Then, we had a sequel earlier this year when the HSI announced increased fees for the registration of foals, of up to €155 online and €190 for paper-based applications.

This body has now implemented two substantial price increases for 2026. Representatives from the HSI had the perfect opportunity, at that agriculture committee on 24 January, to explain the rationale for the new fees for registration but they did not avail of that opportunity and instead rolled out the contentious price increases less than four weeks later, further incensing an angry, disbelieving and frustrated breeding community. At a time when our international athletes are to the fore in every equestrian discipline, the agency we rely on the most for promoting and developing the sector is clearly at odds with the industry.

HSI is now out of touch with its owners, riders, breeders and producers. It has succeeded in uniting the equestrian community for all the wrong reasons. I have previously said it is time to stop funding this agency and I will repeat that call here today. I ask the Minister, Deputy Heydon, to directly intervene. At a very minimum, he should take the registration function from HSI and hand it back to the Irish Horse Board.

In light of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, it is very disappointing to see how quickly both retailers, petrol pumps and home heating oil providers are instantly jacking up prices. It is totally unfair because it has been already outlined that a spike in crude oil prices should not result in an immediate knee-jerk reaction or an increase in the price of wholesale fuels at petrol pumps and from home heating suppliers.

Just this morning, I was talking with a bus driver who said that yesterday, to fill a tank, compared with today it has increased by €60 already. It is totally scandalous that we have this predatory approach by retailers who are taking advantage of the perception of an increase in fuel prices. There is obviously ongoing unrest in the Middle East but the people who are being charged unfairly now are being charged for oil that was bought at a much cheaper price. There needs to be a wider conversation about this, where we encourage and write a letter to the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, CCPC, to investigate this.

There is a wide range of different prices at different pumps and fuel stations around the country currently. It causes huge dissatisfaction. I have had a number of people contact me. I have seen a lot of people commenting on it online and there is huge frustration and dissatisfaction that prices are being increased so quickly when this fuel was bought at a much cheaper price. The prices go up very quickly but they do not always come down very quickly. It take a long time for the benefits and knock-on effects to be felt by customers. We need to have a statement from the CCPC on it and I would welcome the Leader's support on that.

Before I call on the next speaker, I welcome Seamus O'Brien, the former County Longford footballer and a recent retiree, to Seanad Éireann. I do not know if he has retired from football or work but either way, we wish him a happy retirement. Anois, an Seanadóir Sarah O'Reilly.

People right across the country are worried about paying more at the pump because of global instability that will inevitably push up fuel prices and this is on top of already struggling to pay for basic necessities like energy bills and groceries. The Economic and Social Research Institute, ESRI, has estimated that around 29% of households are living in energy poverty. Some 320,000 households, or one in seven homes across Ireland, are in arrears with their electricity bills. The Government cut energy credits from budget 2026 with no plan in place to support families who they knew would struggle to afford paying their energy bills. The Tánaiste has said that help is on its way but surely the Government was aware of the impact that cutting energy credits could have on households.

The programme for Government states that the Government will explore ways to reduce energy poverty by diverting surplus renewable energy to these households. This would be life-changing for many families who simply cannot afford to heat their homes. We had representatives from EnergyCloud in the social protection committee and they are doing brilliant work in this space. You could feel their frustration.

EnergyCloud has an excellent product, the know-how, the costings and the technology but it is still getting no buy-in from the Government for this. It has a product that costs cents to manufacture and will divert surplus energy into homes at risk of energy poverty. It is already in some social houses. We have a really simple idea that is cost effective and a solution that is ready to go. It needs to be rolled out countrywide. I would like to get feedback from the Department of the environment and climate action and the Minister on this initiative and on whether they are actively trying to implement it.

I apologise, as I could not read my own handwriting. I got the running order mixed up. Seanadóir Tully should have been next. After her is Seanadóir Costello.

I am a member of the committee on further and higher education. Last week, we published a report on apprenticeships that looked at how to improve apprenticeships for young people but also how to improve it for everyone involved. Part of that was how to encourage them not to go abroad or encourage those already abroad to come back and work here in Ireland. Quite a lot of money has been spent on adverts by the Government abroad encouraging Irish people to come back to Ireland to work. I was talking to one young man who had qualified as a mechanic, went to Australia to work for 18 months and decided to return home. He had bought tools over there because they were not provided by the employer - some of them were new, some were second-hand - and decided to bring them home because if he had gone to sell them before he left, he would have got very little for them. He has been hit with a customs bill of €2,000. Can the Minister not look at some sort of incentive so that this does not happen to people who are returning here and bringing the tools of their trade home, not to sell on, but to use in this country? Other governments will advertise here for Irish people to go abroad and all sorts of incentives will be offered, such as free travel and so forth. Irish people who are returning pay for their travel and that is fine, but he has been hit with a bill of €2,000. He has no option but to pay it because if he does not, he will be charged for storage until he gets the money together and pays it. He will pay it and I think there may be some sort of an appeal process, but he is not happy to rely on that and feels it is an issue that should be highlighted and have something done to address it. It is a cost that young people returning here should not have to pay.

I begin by congratulating the organisers of the 2026 Local Authorities Members Association, LAMA, all-Ireland community and council awards on what was a truly fantastic event on Saturday night. It was a wonderful celebration of the people and projects that make such a difference in communities right across our country. For me, the night had very special significance because South Dublin County Council won not one, but two awards. It was recognised for the best enterprise and start-up hub for WorkIQ, but most importantly of all, it was named council of the year. If ever there was a time when I felt the right decision was made, it was Saturday night. I feel I genuinely know what South Dublin County Council is about and what it stands for. My dad worked there, my uncles all worked for the council, I worked for the council many years ago, I served as a member on the council and I am a resident of the area, so I can say without a shadow of a doubt that this recognition is truly deserved. The chief executive, Mr. Colm Ward, is a progressive, empathetic and forward-thinking leader who is always willing to listen and engage. His leadership sets the tone for the entire organisation. We are incredibly fortunate in south Dublin to have some of the best amenities in the country from our green flag parks to our excellent libraries, our community centres and local facilities. In South Dublin County Council, there is a constant drive to do better and raise standards for everyone who lives and works in our area. I can also say from first-hand experience that staff go above and beyond every single day to help and support the public.

We often take for granted the work of a local authority because so much of it happens quietly and seamlessly in the background, but behind every successful event, every well-maintained park, every community festival, every road improvement, every grass-cutting programme, every library service, every community centre and every match day at our football stadiums, there are dedicated people who make that happen. I want to say a very sincere "Well done" to Colm Ward and all of the staff of South Dublin County Council. As a resident and a public representative, I feel genuinely lucky to have such a committed and hard-working team looking after the place I call home.

I join Senator Costello in congratulating South Dublin County Council on being selected as the LAMA local authority of the year. It is richly deserved. I know Colm Ward, too, and he does an exceptional job.

That leads me to focus on the local democracy task force. Its report is complete. It has been signed off and is no longer with the task force. It is not the draft report; it is the report and it will be presented to the Minister tomorrow. Arrangements have been put in place for that to happen. I cannot speculate about the final report or its recommendations. However, I go back to when the Seanad published, under the Cathaoirleach's leadership, a Seanad Public Consultation Committee report on local government. We always intended to revisit it and we should.

While we have no veto on this report, it is important that we as Senators work closely with local government and it would be right and proper that we at some point engage with the Minister and the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage about it. We can have all the reports in the world - and there are many of them - but unless we implement and help to push along the key recommendations, they will go nowhere. I said earlier during a Commencement matter on the challenges around the Mayor of Limerick - a Mayor who received first preferences in excess of 27% of the vote; what an outstanding vote - that there will always be challenges, particularly when we are rolling out mayors. I welcome that the Tánaiste has given more momentum to a task force for Cork. There is a task force under way in Dublin. However, if we are to move from local administration to local government, there is a lot more work to do.

I commend the Association of Irish Local Government, AILG, the Local Authorities Members Association, LAMA, the County and City Management Association, CCMA, and the local government audit organisation, the National Oversight and Audit Commission, NOAC, on the work they have done. It is important we now proceed. I look forward, in due course when the Minister has discussed the report in his Department and brought it to the Cabinet, to having time to discuss it too and to continue to mentor reform of local government as we committed to do in the Seanad Public Consultation Committee for local government and local democracy.

I condemn what is happening in the Middle East and the actions of the US and Israel. It is a failing of the Government that it was not able to condemn the attacks that happened over the weekend. We have a responsibility as a State to be clear on where we stand on such matters.

Second, in relation to this, we saw a rise in heating oil prices in recent days. This is a blatant attempt by companies to take advantage of international instability, and the Government has to act. The Labour Party has been clear that the Consumer Protection Act 2007 can be used and we could set a maximum price based on last Friday's heating oil prices so that homes are not affected. This affects many people. We spoke in this Chamber last week about disabled people who have to choose between eating and heating. That is unacceptable. This will put more people into poverty, families who cannot afford this during a cost-of-living crisis. We need action from the Government and we need it to happen now.

I also raise the issue of Bessborough in Cork and state on the record my dismay and worry at the granting of planning permission for 140 apartments on that site. Survivors of mother and baby homes are in shock because of this decision. Appeals will be lodged. One of them will be by Councillor Peter Horgan whom I work with in Cork and others by survivors who object to it. There will be a vigil on the site on International Women's Day, which is fitting, to commemorate those who died and those who are still seeking justice.

I have three important visitors here today and will mention two of them in particular - Harris Devoy and Ava Neville from Leo Fitzgerald House, which is not far from here. The context for their visit is that I have raised the condition of the flats many times here. Between dampness, mould, rats and sewerage leaks, the condition of the flats is lamentable.

That is not why Ava and Harris are here today, though. They are here because when we were meeting residents, they said that there was a severe lack of play facilities for young people in the community and a lack of road safety. They felt unsafe out and about on the road. It is important to remember that the inner city is their home. There are thousands of families living in the inner city. There are young children and young people trying to grow up and parents raising families in the inner city. It is unsafe. There is a lack of investment in road safety and facilities for young people in the inner city.

Last night, Ava's mam was out playing football or running. There are skate parks. There is a variety of sports facilities and activities that kids can get involved in, but those are severely lacking in the inner city. Kids and young people in the inner city deserve more. They deserve investment. It has been sorely lacking. Young people like Ava and Harris have articulated what needs to be done. There needs to be investment and more facilities. We need to debate this with the Minister to hear the voices of young people like Harris and Ava.

I join the comments on the incredible disappointment regarding the decision on Bessborough. It was on the exact same day that the Government chose to vote down our legislation that would have expanded the remit and possibility for interventions in relation to inappropriate burial. A line that I still find shocking was that "high mortality rates could sadly sometimes be a feature of historical congregated settings". The context here is that, in Bessborough, there was a 75% mortality rate among children in one year. That is shocking. On the day in question, planning permission was granted. It is a disgrace.

I join with Senator Clonan in saying it is disappointing if our Minister for foreign affairs is not able to clearly identify the question of international law. We see in RTÉ's reports international experts talking about the perception that much of Europe - they do not include Ireland in it at the moment - seems to be abandoning references to international law. We need to be clear. I have repeatedly tried to raise human rights abuses in Iran with the foreign affairs committee. Regardless of one's position on that, international law is the safeguard for us all. This came up during the defence committee's hearings on the triple lock, which I sat in on, because the last time that Israel bombed Iran was during those. The experts were telling us not to worry if we were not going through the UN General Assembly, the Security Council or any other UN process. Bear in mind, the proposed removal of the triple lock is not a safety net if the UN process fails. It is to bypass the UN process in relation to decisions about military deployment. When bypassing the UN system, who will decide whether it is a matter of international law or relevance? We were told that it would be those who were taking the actions, which may include some coalition of the willing. However, even those who were advocating for this position had to admit it was not when we asked if they thought the last time Israel bombed Iran was in line with international law or appropriate. All of our many EU leaders were welcoming it, though. We are in that situation again. It is a very dangerous road if we start going into a parallel system where it is solely about might is right and not a situation of actual right and law and looking at it in a certain way. Ireland can be such a leader here.

When we talk about stepping up, it is about Ireland having the courage to champion international law. That includes the occupied territories Bill. These are the examples. If we do not champion international law and if we are worried about even referring to the idea that a big country we are friendly with might breach international law, then we are really in a dangerous position and on a slippery slope. I would not want a Government that is not able to be clear and strong on this issue to be in a position whereby it can make decisions about the military deployment of our troops and the removal of the triple lock. This is an example of why we need to be very careful, thoughtful and act in a way that allows us to genuinely champion de-escalation in a manner that is credible.

Go raibh maith agat. Tá an t-am caite. I call the Leader to respond.

I thank all the Senators for their contributions. Senator O'Loughlin, who was supported by Senators Boyhan and Costello, commented on the LAMA awards. It sounds like a very successful night. The Senator mentioned that 533 projects were submitted. She made the very sensible suggestion that the Ceann Comhairle host a reception for LAMA. I will certainly pursue that with the Ceann Comhairle. I also acknowledge, as Senators Boyhan and Costello did, South Dublin County Council being the successful winner.

Senator O'Loughlin also raised the events in Iran, as did Senators Clonan, Murphy, Keogan and Higgins. The situation is hard to fathom. From my engagement on the issue and on the basis of press reports, the horrific human rights abuses in Iran over the past number of year by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei certainly cannot be defended. Senator Clonan said he does not mourn his loss. As I said, however, we are a neutral country. There was a call for a debate on the matter. The Minister, Deputy McEntee, will be in the House to debate matters of international affairs in the coming weeks. That was planned before current events. It is clear that the United Nations has not been working and that President Trump, unfortunately, has not been paying any heed to the organisation in his second term. He has a cohort of people around him who are of the view that they can do whatever they wish in conjunction with Israel. The situation is very complex. I am not sure what the solution is. We will have a debate on the matter in the coming weeks.

Senator Ahearn raised the very important issue of foster carers awareness week. He is a strong advocate for fostering and foster carers. The Senator mentioned a specific issue concerning St. Bernard's therapeutic centre in Fethard and the removal of specialised supports for foster carers and children. The centre was previously downgraded in 2021, but now consideration is being given to moving it to north Cork. It is quite a specific issue, so the Senator might table a Commencement matter in order to get a more complete response from the Minister, Deputy Foley. It is an important issue.

Senator Stephenson referred to civil legal aid, the Legal Aid Board and the proper resources. I will request a debate with the Minister, Deputy Jim O'Callaghan. The Senator may wish to table a Commencement matter in order to get an earlier response.

Senator Comyn referred to a fire at Marley's Lane and the impact on Drogheda Boys and Girls Football Club. A committee has come up with plans. I am not exactly sure whether the application has been made to the local authority or the Department of sport. The Senator may wish to table a Commencement matter. The sports capital grant scheme is opening again. However, the Senator may perhaps be looking for something separate from that process, particularly as, I presume, it will be the end of this year or the beginning of next before that process is completed and the awards made. As a result, she may wish to table a specific Commencement matter to which the Minister for sport can reply.

Senator Scahill referred to the successful attendees at enterprise week in Roscommon. I certainly wish them well at the national awards. The Senator is a strong advocate not only for Roscommon but also for enterprise. These awards are a great recognition of the work done by individual companies in his county.

The Senator raised a valid point regarding road signs, including directional signs, speed signs and their maintenance and upkeep. Ultimately, this is a matter for local authorities. The Senator is right in that there are signs all over the country, as opposed to just in Roscommon, that are twisted, facing the wrong way, sideways, bent over or not visible.

As I said, road safety is ultimately a matter for the local authority, as is ensuring visibility of directional signs, road signs, slow down signs and in particular, school crossings and flashing lights. If the Senator wishes to put down a Commencement debate with the Minister for Transport to see whether there would be a national fund, it would be a worthwhile suggestion to engage with the Department of Transport on that matter. I will request a debate with the Minister for Transport on the overall issue of roads and roads funding. That might be an issue the Senator could raise at that stage.

Senator Keogan, as well as raising the issue of Iran, raised energy security and independence. She talked of the carbon tax. The moneys raised by the carbon tax go to quite specific projects, including supplementary welfare, the ACRE scheme for farmers and the retrofitting of homes. In budget 2026, €1.14 billion was allocated to uses of the carbon tax. I will request a debate on energy security. I have listened to Senators over the last year on a range of projects, when they were generally against wind farms, solar farms, battery storage facilities and onshore or offshore wind. There is a real issue in relation to energy independence. The Senator mentioned offshore drilling. Some years ago, I was Minister with responsibility in that area. We granted licences but a Government decision was made then to stop future exploration on foot of the issue of climate challenge and keep it in the ground. Even if there were licences, either for that or for mining, there is always a campaign against those as well. That is understandable. It is understandable in any community. None of this is easy in terms of energy independence. We have the cross-channel Celtic interconnector, which will provide some energy security as well, but real decisions have to be made, as our economy and population continue to grow, on where we are going regarding energy security and independence.

Senator Flaherty raised Horse Sport Ireland and issues regarding price increases there. He has asked for the Minister, Deputy Heydon, to directly intervene. I will ask the Senator to put down a Commencement debate on that matter because it is quite specific. If it is selected, I am sure the Minister will provide an adequate response and perhaps attend himself.

Senator Duffy raised the deplorable jacking up of prices of home heating kerosene, and at our petrol pumps, in light of the present conflict in the Middle East. This is totally unjustifiable and absolutely wrong. It is taking advantage of customers, homeowners, households, the transport sector - the Senator mentioned buses - including cars, the HGV fleet and all of that. It is wrong and not justifiable. The Minister, Deputy Peter Burke, has written to the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, CCPC, in relation to this. Hopefully, it can intervene and look into this. Retailers are possibly fleecing loyal customers, who have paid their bills over the winter period for kerosene. To treat them in this fashion is just not right. Such retailers have to be called out. As I said, the CCPC is looking into that on instruction of the Minister. The Taoiseach also met the commission yesterday. It is a very important issue. Price gouging is totally not justifiable in any fashion.

Senator Sarah O'Reilly raised energy credits and the cost of energy and heating. As she knows, a number of measures were put in place in the most recent budget in relation to fuel allowance and the reduced VAT rate for energy credits. These are things that always have to be kept under review as we prepare for the next budget. Thankfully, we are coming out of this winter. There are still maybe six to eight weeks left and while today is a sunny day, we have to recognise it is still cold and these are real issues. The Minister, Deputy O'Brien, has been doing a lot in getting advice on the best approach to take to target those who are in need of support on this issue.

As a member of the committee on further and higher education, Senator Tully raised the issue of apprenticeships and how to encourage apprentices not to go abroad. She raised a specific issue in relation to an individual who is coming from abroad with the tools he purchased while abroad and who got a customs bill of some €2,000.

She might raise that directly with the Minister for Finance. Customs laws are there so I suggest that nothing can probably be done retrospectively. If it is within the law going forward, perhaps amendments could be made to the Finance Bill if she were to engage on this matter or ask her colleagues in the Oireachtas committee on finance as well.

Senator Boyhan raised the local government task force. A report will be presented officially to the Minister tomorrow. He commended AILG, LAMA, the CCMA, as well as NOAC, and called for a debate on the key recommendations. It is in all our interests. I know many of us contributed to that. The Senator and I, as well as the Cathaoirleach and Senator Maria Byrne made presentations to the task force some months ago and had questions and answers on the matters after it. I look forward to the key recommendations and more importantly, to the Government's response and the implementation of those key recommendations. I will request a debate with the Minister of State, Deputy Cummins, in due course once, when he has initially received and digested that report.

Senator Harmon, supported by Senator Higgins, has raised the issue of the Bessborough decision. I heard an interview on RTÉ last Thursday when driving home. I am not privy to the details of that. I am not privy initially to the zoning of that land. Was it zoned residential or was there a debate on that? If there are more grounds at Bessborough, then the zoning of that should be looked at. That will be a matter for the councillors in that area. However, as I said, there are a number of objections going into that. It will be for An Coimisiún Pleanála to decide on that.

Senator Andrews had Ava and Harris in and talked of the concerns in relation to some of the flat complexes, as he has done on numerous occasions and stated that residents of the inner city deserve more facilities and more initiatives related to road safety and that so much is lacking within the inner city areas. I will request a debate on our capital city. I will request a debate on that matter and will see whether the Minister, Deputy Browne, will come in on that matter. Some of it is obviously cross-departmental but as regards housing it would be a matter for the Minister, Deputy Browne, and in relation to play facilities it would be for the Minister, Deputy O'Donovan. I know the Minister, Deputy O'Donovan, was visiting part of the inner city a number of weeks ago. Demand for additional facilities is an ongoing issue.

I welcome the guests of Deputy Willie Aird and Councillors Barry Walsh, John King and Paddy Buggy, all from County Laois. All the friends from Laois are most welcome to Seanad Éireann today. Thanks for being here.