I have received notice from the following Senators that they propose to raise the following matters:

Senator Teresa Costello - The need for the Minister for Health to provide an update on the status of the next national cancer strategy, as the current strategy expires in 2026.

Senator Martin Conway - The need for the Minister for Education and Youth to make a statement on increasing capitation funding for primary schools.

Senator P.J. Murphy - The need for the Minister with responsibility for housing, heritage and biodiversity to make a statement on the cessation of the turf cutting compensation scheme.

Senator Fiona O'Loughlin - The need for the Minister for Defence to provide an update on the management of the Curragh Plains, County Kildare, including the prohibition of illegal encampments on these lands.

Senator Joe O'Reilly - The need for the Minister for Health to make a statement on a review and extension of sick pay provisions for healthcare workers with long Covid.

Senator Mark Duffy - The need for the Minister for Transport to make a statement on the introduction of a temporary order, similar to the Recognition of Foreign Driving Licences (Ukraine) Order 2022, that would facilitate people returning temporarily from the Middle East due to the current situation in Iran.

Senator Nessa Cosgrove - The need for the Minister for Transport to make a statement on the provision of adequate funding to ensure the provision of the public service obligation on routes deemed not to be commercially viable, in particular the 64 bus route in Tubbercurry, County Sligo.

Senator Eileen Lynch - The need for the Minister for Transport to make a statement on the Code of Best Practice for National and Regional Greenways, in particular the use of compulsory purchase orders to acquire private lands for greenways.

Senator Tom Clonan - The need for the Minister for Education and Youth to make a statement on the criteria for enrolment in special classes for children with developmental language disorder or speech sound disorder as set out in Circular 24/2025.

Senator Pauline Tully - The need for the Minister for Health to make a statement on the surgical and emergency departments in Cavan General Hospital.

Senator Mike Kennelly - The need for the Minister for Health to provide an update on the opening of the new community nursing unit in Killarney, County Kerry.

The matters raised by the Senators are suitable for discussion and I have selected Senators Costello, Conway, Murphy and O'Loughlin and they will be taken now. The other Senators may give notice on another day of the matters that they wish to raise. For the benefit of the people watching and listening, Commencement Matters in the Seanad are an opportunity for Senators to raise matters of local and national importance, to put questions directly to the Minister or Minister of State, and to receive a reply. Senators who wish to put forward a matter have to submit it before 12 noon the day before the sitting. They are then reviewed and selected by the Cathaoirleach. Four of the matters set forward are put to the Ministers when they come to the Seanad the following day. Commencement Matters are ten minutes long generally, including four minutes of a question by the Senator, a reply by the Minister of four minutes, and one minute for the Minister and the Senator to raise further questions. It is an opportunity for the Senators here to raise those issues with Ministers and with the Government. I thank the Minister of State for being here this morning.