I welcome also guests of an Seanadóir Fiona O'Loughlin: Franziska Klien, Daniel Dowling, Elio Rabbitte and Joey Long from Avista CLG. Thank you for being here.

Anois, I ask the Acting Leader to outline the Order of Business.

I too welcome our friends from Ukraine. It is a pleasure to have them here, and I hope they are being treated as well as they treat us when we visit Ukraine. They are in the first Parliament in the world that hosted Ukrainian MPs in person to speak to politicians. That was at the request of the Cathaoirleach, I think back in 2023.

It was at your request, Senator. It was your idea.

Well, I requested it and you approved it, which was the most important thing.

You came up with the idea.

It was a very special day, and those four MPs are still very good friends of all of us in this House.

The Order of Business is No. 1, statements on the priorities and progress of the Office of Public Works, to be taken at 4.45 p.m. and to conclude at 6 p.m., if not previously concluded, with the time allocated to the opening remarks of the Minister not to exceed eight minutes, group spokespersons not to exceed ten minutes, time may be shared, and the Minister to be given no less than seven minutes to reply to the debate; and No. 2, International Co-operation (Omagh Bombing Inquiry) Bill 2026 - Committee Stage, to be taken at 6 p.m. and to adjourn after two hours, if not previously concluded.

I welcome the ambassador, the First Vice Speaker and my good friend Yevheniia from Ukraine. We must use every occasion we can to condemn the illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

I am also delighted to welcome three young people from Avista whom the Cathaoirleach mentioned and who join me today in a job-shadowing experience in the Seanad, so a very special welcome to Elio Rabbitte, Danny Dowling and Franziska Klien. Franziska works in a bakery in Clondalkin and Blackrock.

She promises the next time she comes in to Seanad Éireann, she is going to bring cakes in for all of us. Danny is working in Elverys Sports in Blanchardstown and he has promised us all discounts when we go in, so there is going to be a big rush in. I thank Joey Long for bringing our three special guests in. It is really important we have opportunities like this to promote inclusion and participation. I really hope the four visitors enjoy their visit today. They will be doing a tour. They were working really hard in my office this morning. We are going to go for coffee and if anybody wants to join us at around 4.15 p.m., they are more than welcome. This is Avista's 100-year celebration. Happy birthday to Avista, all who work there and all who use the services. They do tremendous work supporting people with intellectual disabilities to develop independence, life skills and trying to ensure they have opportunities to find work. Elio tells me he is available for work so if anyone here wants a good worker, he is a good man.

It is sad that employment rates among people with disabilities are very low. However, I know from conversations in the last few weeks that both the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Deputy Norma Foley, and the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Dara Calleary, have very clearly said this is going to be a priority during the Irish EU Presidency. It is something we really want to focus on because we all love the opportunity to come in here and work every day. Everybody should have that right. I also want to mention the OWL programme, which is an excellent programme in the Houses of the Oireachtas.

I want to give a shout-out to the Irish women's rugby team. It was an absolutely incredible performance from them on the weekend. I send my congratulations to them.

I have exceeded my time. I wanted to speak about a young girl called Maxine Maguire, who I taught in junior infants and who sadly passed away nine years ago. There has been a long journey for justice and she deserves more than just the next few seconds so I will save it for tomorrow's Order of Business.

I am starting on a sad note today. I offer my condolences to the families and friends of the three people who lost their lives on the roads in Donegal over the weekend. It was heartbreaking for the county during the weekend. My thoughts are with the families affected and with their friends.

I also want to recognise national organ donor awareness week and highlight the importance of organ donation. Organ donation saves lives and gives hope to people and families waiting for transplants. It is a truly generous gift that is the gift of life and it can make a huge difference in someone's life. I encourage every family to speak to their loved ones and let their wishes be known around organ donation. One simple conversation can help so many lives and can give the gift of life.

I know personally how it can make a big difference. My late mother-in-law received two kidney transplants, one from a living donor and one from a deceased donor. Her family was so grateful. She had so many great years because of organ donation. She saw her two daughters grow up and her grandchildren, who she doted on, make their first Holy Communion and their confirmation. Sadly, my wife has been waiting five years for a transplant. I see first hand what she goes through every day. She never complains. As she always says, you have to keep going. Organ donation will make a big difference to families with sick loved ones, so I ask people to please have the conversation with their family and their loved ones. Have the conversation. On the darkest day for families, a loved one can make so much of a difference to save lives by donating organs. Keep other people alive. Please, let families have their conversations and give the gift of life.

I give my sympathies to Senator Boyle and all the family on the passing of his mother-in-law. It is a sad loss for them all. On the issue of organ donation, as Senators will know, last week we lit up Leinster House green in recognition of organ donor awareness week and the issue Senator Boyle raised around having the conversation, letting loved ones know your wishes and making sure that conversation is had well in advance of any unfortunate incident that might happen.

It does transform and save lives so I thank the Senator for raising that issue this morning.

Today, I want to address the issue of the Fianna Fáil Ard-Fheis that took place last week. I speak not just as a former member, but because the 100th anniversary of the founding of that party should be cause for reflection on the history and development of this nation not just for current and former Fianna Fáil members, but for us all.

What struck me most was the distance not just in time, but in purpose, between the party that was founded in 1926 and the party that gathered last weekend. Its original programme was rooted in economic independence and keeping families rooted in the land. It was a vision of a State that would stand firmly on its own feet and yet, 100 years on, we find ourselves presiding over a crumbling agriculture sector, fuel protests driven by real hardship and an economy that is abjectly dependent rather than self-sufficient. There is a disconnect there that cannot simply be brushed aside as a consequence of the passage of time. I do not say that lightly nor do I ignore the many people within Fianna Fáil who continue to work hard and who believe in public service. The councillors, activists and ordinary members deserve better than what they are being given. They have been let down repeatedly by a leadership that has too often been improvisational rather than principled and managerial rather than ambitious. The contrast with the party's own history is stark. This was a party that, in the 1930s, when the country was far poorer than it is today, had the ambition to build entire towns. Today, we have record homelessness and a State that struggles to deliver even basic housing at scale.

That brings me to what I found most striking about the Ard-Fheis itself. There was a sense that the party is no longer entirely sure what it stands for. In seeking to be everything to everyone, it risks becoming nothing to anyone. It is not just about policy, but about tone. There is a growing perception that the leadership is more concerned with signalling its progressive credentials to a small urban liberal audience than listening to the instincts of the party's traditional base. That base was never abstract or ideological. It was practical, local and rooted in communities, work and family life. When a party loses that connection, it loses more than votes. It loses its purpose.

There is an historical irony to all of this. Fianna Fáil was born out of a split with a Sinn Féin that had become inward-looking, fragmented and detached from practical politics. Lemass himself later described it as a movement that had drawn in "all sorts of queer cranks", losing sight of the central task of governing with "people making speeches in favour of vegetarianism and the single tax". The uncomfortable question is now whether that description sits more easily with parts of modern Fianna Fáil than it might like to admit.

Before I call on an Seanadóir Laura Harmon, I welcome her guests, Cleo Morrison and Ira Jai Singh. They are most welcome to Seanad Éireann. I also welcome members of the Lucan Active Retirement Association, who are guests of Deputy Shane Moynihan. They are also most welcome to Seanad Éireann.

I will speak about AI smart glasses. We need more regulation in this area. This is something I raised at the Committee on Artificial Intelligence this morning. In Cork, we have recently seen a number of instances where women were filmed without their consent. One woman was filmed in her workplace and other was filmed in a very vulnerable position, receiving medical care. This is of great concern. Responsibility in these cases always lies with the person taking the image or the video. We need more regulation. Meta current produces such glasses and Snapchat is apparently seeking to create its own glasses. As Snapchat has a wide youth following, this needs greater regulation. I would welcome a debate in this House on that specific issue.

I offer heartfelt congratulations to Togher Girls National School, which recently won the Sciath na Scol camogie competition.

I had the pleasure of meeting the girls at the school in Cork recently with Councillor Ciara O'Connor. I met the girls, the teachers and the school community. I congratulate them all and their coaches on a really significant and uplifting win for the school and for the whole community.

Today I want to thank the guests in the Gallery. Ms Cleo Morrison, graduate of University College Cork, is on work placement with me. I also thank Ms Ira Jai Singh who is on a transition year work placement from Lehenagh More in Cork city. We are delighted to have them here today.

Just over a week ago I stood in this Chamber speaking about the incredible success of Rosenallis National School robotics team in County Laois who represented Ireland on the world stage at the VEX Robotics World Championships. They managed to bring home the judges' award. This is absolutely fantastic. Like so many people across Laois I felt immense pride seeing these young people from a small rural school compete internationally and achieve such remarkable success. It shows that innovation can happen in Rosenallis just as much as it can happen anywhere else in the world when the right resources are in place. This is exactly my point. I have since learned that the programmes that made this possible face an uncertain future as the funding through the just transition scheme comes to an end in June. It is deeply disheartening that there have been no reassurances from the Minister that another model of funding is being secured here. These programmes are not luxuries and funding for them should not just be a once-off payment. They are opening doors for children who may have never imagined themselves working in science, engineering or technology. They are helping young girls in particular to break barriers in STEM. After all the progress, the funding stream is now ending and no long-term solutions appear to be in place. This is really alarming. What message does it send to these children in counties like Laois who are finally beginning to see opportunities opening up in front of them? I call on the Minister to ensure that suitable funding is put in place before these programmes are lost. Once these opportunities disappear from rural communities, they are incredibly difficult to rebuild. It would be an absolute shame to lose something that is inspiring so many people across Laois and all over Ireland.

I am more than a little surprised that I am the first today to speak to the incident outside Arnotts on Friday. I certainly hope that I am not the last to actually recognise and acknowledge that man, who was by all means alleged to have been shoplifting. I do not know what on earth can be shoplifted out of any shop that would ever result in the death of a man-----

As the Senator is aware, with anything that could be the subject of a Garda investigation, I do not want anything to be said that might-----

I am speaking to the death of a man in Arnotts. That is true and it is in the papers.

I know but I am just cautioning Members. As Members are all aware, there is an ongoing investigation and I do not want to put any court proceedings in jeopardy-----

I have not-----

-----by anything said here.

I am going to continue because I have not accused anyone of anything.

Continue.

I am stating the fact that a Congolese man is dead who went into a shop and was accused of shoplifting. That is in all of the media reports. No amount of investigations can ever explain or give any sort of reason that would be acceptable that a man would go into the shop and end up dead for suspected shoplifting. Whether there is an investigation and due process, as a country and as people we should never ever be okay that excessive force would be used by anybody where somebody ends up dead. Regardless of investigations going on, the facts are the facts. There is nothing that can be found in that investigation, to my mind, that will ever make that okay. Regardless of crimes in this country, we do not have corporal punishment or the death penalty.

People can surmise and guess all day about what happened, why he was shoplifting or why he was there. Regardless of any of those variables, the man is dead. If this was anybody else who went into a shop, was accused of shoplifting and was dead at the end, everybody in this Chamber would be in here at least acknowledging the man, his family, his friends and the fact of his death. No investigation is going to change that. Whatever happened was completely wrong and should never happen again in this country.

Hear, hear.

I want to speak about the really stark report from the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre that was launched this morning, but before I do, I have to refute the opinion of Senator Keogan about Fianna Fáil, an incredible party that I am proud to be a member of. We are the longest-serving party in Europe. We were responsible for Ireland joining the EU. Seán Lemass and Countess Markievicz brought in some incredible programmes. Fianna Fáil introduced free education, free travel, Aer Lingus and, even to this day, the smoking ban. Ireland has the best education in Europe and a fantastic programme of supporting business. I am sure many of my party colleagues will speak of the same. It does not look like the same party that I heard of from Senator Keogan.

I was at the launch of the annual report of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre. The figures are very stark. Almost 24,000 contacts were made to its services last year. That figure is up on 2024's and almost a third higher than it was just three years ago. What is going on with our men and women? How did we get here in 2026? These are not just statistics in a report, but people, many of them women. However, we also heard this morning of the incredible stories of two brave male survivors of rape, Tom Ryan and Jordan Gregory. All who call this line are reaching out because something traumatic has happened to them or because something that happened years ago is now hitting home with them. As chair of the Oireachtas women's caucus and as someone working closely day by day on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, I find these figures heartbreaking, frightening and totally unacceptable. This is not a marginal issue. It is happening in every county, town and community and is too often hidden by shame and fear.

I am especially concerned by the rise in cyber abuse and image-based sexual abuse. The report refers to 119 callers affected by this, up 73 from the previous year, with young adults and adolescents heavily represented. This needs to stop us in our tracks, because these are crimes. Sexual violence is a crime. Image-based sexual abuse is a crime. We are sending a clear message to everybody that this is not acceptable. I will post a link to the full report on my social media. I urge people to read it, but I would just like to give the hotline number for the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre. For anyone experiencing any kind of sexual violence, recent or historic, please know that support is available. The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre 24-hour national helpline is 1800 778888. Go raibh maith agaibh.

Last week in this Chamber, I called for the Labour Court to get involved in the ambulance strike and support our National Ambulance Service. A planned 48-hour strike, which would have commenced today, has been stood down to allow those talks to take place. Plans remain in place for a 72-hour work stoppage on 26 May and there is also a work to rule by front-line ambulance staff that began last week and is continuing at the moment. From my experience on the ground engaging with ambulance services, some members have gone back to work while they have been striking to actually answer particular calls. I hope that the Labour Court talks develop today and that we have a favourable outcome for all parties involved.

I spoke to somebody over the weekend who had a family member who experienced an incident and they had to call the ambulance. That was at 10 a.m. on Sunday and by 11.30 a.m. they were at Hyde Park in Roscommon getting an air ambulance. They were accepted into University Hospital Galway where the surgical team was fully prepped and that individual was discharged to Portiuncula hospital in Ballinasloe last night. I want to commend the National Ambulance Service because when it works, it works very effectively. Even with the work to rule, I must commend the National Ambulance Service staff on the work they are doing. At the same time, though, we know that some areas of the country are not as well served as others.

Once again, I call for that further discussion within this Chamber on the National Ambulance Service and the distribution model, especially for areas that do not have an emergency department, such as my own home area.

I acknowledge that the Government has approved a €750,000 support fund for businesses impacted by the devastating fire in the Tycor Business Centre in Waterford that we talked about last week. That was a devastating fire. It clearly had an impact on the community, the businesses there, and the social activities and the community activities in that centre. I learnt much about them from my colleague, Senator Conway, who of course was a city councillor there for many years. It has had an impact on over 200 jobs, between 30 and 40 small businesses, and community and social enterprise and schemes that are there. Our thoughts and our hearts are with them.

We also want to see that centre rebuilt. We want people to get back there. Clearly, the Tycor centre is a hub and has a serious impact on the community, and on enterprise and business, in the heart of Waterford. I acknowledge that payments of up to €5,000 have been made available for businesses, which will have to submit full applications and then eventually a follow-up with possibly €30,000 in funding. This approval has clearly come about by serious engagement with the Ministers of State, Deputy Butler and Deputy Cummins, by all of the local TDs, Senators, and my colleague, Senator Conway. I also acknowledge the very significant work by Waterford City and County Council, the officials and the fire services. Senator Scahill talked about the services there. We are fortunate in this country to have an amazing ambulance service, an amazing fire service and all of the responders in the health sector. This could have been a more devastating and damaging fire. We know about the environmental consequences from it too.

My ask here today is that the Government keeps it under constant review. I fear this may not be enough money but I am not qualified to say that. Having talked to stakeholders and people involved on the ground, there is a view that the Government should keep it under review. I think it will do that. This is not a criticism but I think we need to be actively keeping it under review. These businesses and this community have been devastated by this fire. It has been a great effort by all people in the services, particularly the Government, which stepped up with and advanced this funding. Hopefully, we will keep it under review.

I rise today to talk about the centenary of Fianna Fáil and to say that I am a proud Fianna Fáil member standing here 100 years since our foundation. Our weekend Ard-Fheis was a great opportunity for us all to reflect on the progress we have made as a country and that Fianna Fáil has been central to that progress. While that narrative does not suit everybody, it is the truth. Fianna Fáil has always stood for progressive, centrist politics and politics that brought people together to find real and practical solutions to problems, to bring this country on, to develop it economically, and to have the vision and the unity of purpose to deliver for the people of Ireland, not to divide them but to deliver and bring people together. That is what Fianna Fáil has always stood for.

Fianna Fáil has been the centre of progress in Ireland, whether in women's health in recent years, in education or in housing. Our life expectancy is second to none across the world and that does not happen by chance. We were there when the State was founded. In its infancy, things could have taken a bad turn. They took a bad turn in many other countries across the world, but not in Ireland because Fianna Fáil was central to the stability of this country in delivering for the people. We brought this country into the EU and here we are on the cusp of taking up the Presidency of the EU. We are central to the European project and the vision of what a united Europe can deliver for the people. Let us be clear about it. It is the stability and the progress, and keeping war from our doors, that have been central.

Some people seek to divide people, stir up the politics of hate and division and push people apart for their own clickbait and their own agenda, but Fianna Fáil has never been and will never be that. I am a proud Fianna Fáil person. I am proud to be part of a party that is delivering and has delivered for the people of Ireland.

Today, I rise to highlight the conclusion of the journey of two young brothers, the Adams brothers, Jordan and Cian, two young lads who are doing 32 marathons all over Ireland in 32 days.

It is a mammoth task. It is to remember their mother, Geraldine, but also bring about awareness about dementia. The response they have got from people in every county of Ireland has been immense. Senator Scahill and other Members of this House met with them in their counties, ran with them and encouraged them to continue. What these two lads have achieved and the response they have got from the Irish people is mind-boggling. Their relatives are from Drumlish in County Longford, where I come from, and Ballinamuck. We are proud of what they have achieved. They come to the capital in Dublin on 28 May. I hope that the people of Dublin and Ireland will come out. It is the last leg of their journey. I would like to see a huge crowd turn out for them. I welcome that the Tánaiste, Deputy Simon Harris, has invited them to Leinster House to acknowledge both their achievement and the awareness they have brought about in respect of dementia. Their efforts have brought people across all Thirty-two Counties together and brought about awareness dementia.

I congratulate the Adams brothers on what they have achieved over the past number of days. I would like this House to recognise that achievement and to congratulate them and their family.

I join the Senator in congratulating the brothers on their phenomenal attempt to run 32 marathons in 32 days. I would say that if each of us ran one marathon in a lifetime, we would be doing well.

I send my condolences to the friends and family of Yves Sakila. It is important that there is an investigation. No one should end up dead in this way.

I also raise the matter of the human rights activists who have been kidnapped from international waters. Once again, the Government has condemned the act without actually doing anything. It seems to repeat itself. There is condemnation and no action. Israel faces no consequences for the kidnapping of activists, who are trying to do what Government should be doing and hold genocidal Israel to account.

The Government's behaviour contrasts with that of Alan Dineen from Cork. Mr. Dineen is a para-athlete who plays wheelchair rugby for Ireland. He has taken the brave decision to boycott the upcoming game against Israel. Irish Wheelchair Rugby is due to play an European championship match against genocidal Israel on 27 May in Spain. Israel is a military, colonial, occupying regime currently on trial for genocide, apartheid and occupation and is in breach of multiple international laws. The United Nations has reported that Gaza has the highest number of child amputees per capita in the world. There are a total of 4,000 child amputees in Gaza. That is why Alan is boycotting the game against Israel. He sent me a message about the reason he is boycotting the game against Israel and stated that he is doing so because he cannot separate sport from the reality of what is happening in Gaza and Palestine. He also stated that through his work fundraising with ACLAÍ Palestine in the Aida refugee camp, he has seen first hand the impact that occupation and violence have on people's daily lives. He further stated that Gaza - as I just noted - has the highest number of child amputees per capita in the world, with thousands of children there having lost one or more limbs. Alan also stated that he believes what is occurring constitutes genocide, and is described as such by numerous human rights organisations and legal experts. He noted that sport is a powerful platform that can create social change and that he believes that athletes have a responsibility to take a stand when fundamental human rights are at stake.

It is great to see an individual take action and highlight the Government's inaction.

I was unaware that Senator Keogan is such a renowned historian.

I am.

I want her to know the Fianna Fáil family is a very broad church. We have room and space in our party for everybody, even her, but obviously we did not have room for her gigantic ego.

Leaving that aside, the Senator engaged in an outrageous diatribe against the Fianna Fáil Party. This party and all its members stand very proud of its achievements. My grandfather fought in the War of Independence, was subsequently imprisoned and went over and spent time in prison in the UK. He came back emotionally and mentally harmed from that, but he did his bit for Ireland. He was embedded in Fianna Fáil, celebrated Fianna Fáil and realised what Fianna Fáil was going to do. The Senator may smirk all she wants, but Fianna Fáil always made the hard decisions and we have never once set out to build our reputation on a history of bile, hatred, bitterness or hatred of women or women’s rights.

Hear, hear.

Hear, hear.

The Senator is an insult to women. If she had her way, we would have a marriage bar. We would not have women working. We would not have same-sex marriage in this country.

Sorry. Can I just say political-----

I am telling the Senator exactly how I feel. She engaged in a diatribe against every member of Fianna Fáil in this House.

I did not.

She speaks for what she stands for in this House. All she stands for is bitterness and hatred, and all she seeks to do is sow division and hatred in this country.

Senator-----

Her only political ally is Donald Trump.

-----just a second. Political charges are part of what we do here. Personal charges need to be kept out of the Chamber. Please continue.

Keep going, Joe.

She made a charge against the members of Fianna Fáil the length and breadth of this country who had no opportunity to defend themselves. She came in here today, on a day when there are huge issues elsewhere, and used her valuable time to engage in an attack on the party that she could not force her way through to get a seat in Dáil Éireann. That is the only reason. It was a very personal and vindictive attack on people – the people who built this country and who brought us into Europe. The Senator spoke about this idealistic view she has of the 1930s. Does she know what 1930s Ireland was like? It was an Ireland that she wants – it was an Ireland of impoverished children, women tied to sinks and women put into institutions. That is what she wants to go back to. We are a modern liberal country. She might not like it, but that is what we are. We can thank Fianna Fáil and our forefathers in Fianna Fáil for that. I am glad that Fianna Fáil has its hand on the tiller of government and not Senator Keogan and not her ilk, because it would be a poor future and a poor country for my three daughters if she had any hand in power.

Fair play, Senator O'Flaherty.

Anois-----

Holy God.

Ciúnas, a chara. Anois, an Seanadóír P. J. Murphy.

I will do well to follow that. I ask the Cathaoirleach to bear with me for a few minutes. I wish to speak on a matter that I have spoken about in the House four times in the past three weeks. This is s problem facing the people who wish to cut turf on the turf banks in south-east Galway. I ask that the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage apply to the High Court to get it to lift the injunction he obtained from it in June 2025 against a contractor by the name of Mr. Darcy as a matter of urgency. This person is a turf cutting contractor who is being deprived of part of his livelihood as a result of this injunction. The matter is urgent since the turf cutting season is now well under way and must be carried out during this good weather in the early summer.

This injunction has been causing serious anxiety, stress, hardship and ill health to the man in question since last June, as well as loss of earnings. He has not been able to cut turf for his clients in the way that he had done for close to 40 years previously. The restrictions that are part of the injunction prevent him from entering his legally held plot at Ardgraigue bog in south-east Galway. His right of way to his property is now physically blocked by the National Parks and Wildlife Service, NPWS. The injunction was obtained after he had cut turf for himself and for his family members, which he could not harvest or remove from the bog. No other turf bank owners in this bog are restricted from entering their plots to cut their turf or remove it. It is clear that this man has been singled out by the relevant authorities and the NPWS simply because he operates as a contractor. This is an unbelievable infringement of the rights of this man to enjoy his own property.

He surely has the right to enter his own property and to pass and repass on his property. With this injunction the Minister is depriving him of this constitutional right.

The same contractor was previously singled out in June 2012 by the NPWS and the then Minister when his digger and his turf hopper were seized by the NPWS on the evening of 20 June 2012 in the presence of a large gathering of gardaí without the relevant warrant on the night. On the morning of 21 June 2012, the assistant Garda commissioner handed back the seized machinery when he discovered that there was no relevant law to seize them. The NPWS at the time objected to and resisted handing back the machinery. During the seizure period, the digger was damaged by fire and the hopper was structurally damaged while it was driven from its parked position and loaded onto a lorry hired by the NPWS to drive it away. Both the contractor's machines were destroyed and to date the Minister has not compensated him for the two machines. In 2025, the same contractor was again singled out by the NPWS under a different Minister. I ask the Cathaoirleach for a few more seconds and I will be finished.

I am giving the Senator latitude. This might be a matter for a Commencement at some stage.

As a direct consequence of this injunction against the contractor, dozens of families were left without turf for heating or cooking last winter. Now they are facing the same situation again during a fuel crisis. In the interest of justice and fairness, I again call on the Minister to do the honourable thing and go to the High Court to ask for this injunction against this turf-cutting contractor to be lifted.

I join others in extending my sympathy to the family of Yves Sakila and to the Congolese community in Ireland.

The capture of the global flotilla by the Israel Defense Forces, IDF, represents a violation of international treaties. I join others in this House in calling on Government to more. The sister of Uachtarán na hÉireann is one of those who has been caught up in this incident. All the while, the Israeli Administration continues to murder children and continues to allow settler violence to perpetrate throughout the West Bank. The Palestinian ambassador has raised concerns to us that Ireland's Presidency of the EU will be used purely to focus on humanitarian aid. However, the Presidency must be used to put further political pressure at a European level on the Israeli Administration. The EU is paralysed in the face of genocide.

I also raise the issue of the septic tank inspection regime which was highlighted by the EPA this morning. The number of inspections is far too low. Some counties have had no inspections at all. The failure rate is alarming, posing a risk to human health and to the aquatic environment. The grant scheme is not fit for purpose. It is currently at €12,000 - I know it has been increased. However, given that the costs have to be paid upfront by the household, they are prohibitive for many families. A scheme involving a bridging loan would be useful.

Some 500,000 households have their own domestic waste systems and 137,000 of these have private wells. I call on the Government to introduce free well-water testing as a matter of urgency. This is a public health issue. A similar scheme has been operating in Ontario in Canada and has reduced the incidence of contamination, particularly E. coli, significantly. It would cost about €5.26 million for 162,000 samples per year. This would decline over time. It is critical to have such a scheme. That report is really damning and the situation has not improved over the past ten years. Priority should be given to introducing something like this as a public health measure.

I call for an increase in the income threshold limits to qualify for social housing. Many young people who contact me are getting no assistance whatsoever in this area. They are not earning enough money to be able to purchase a home of their own and in many cases are struggling to pay the rent. They are also just over the limit of the social housing guidelines.

To give the House an idea, in the part of the world I hail from, in Monaghan and Cavan, and in many other counties, the income threshold for a two-income household with two children is €33,000. These people are locked out of purchasing a home and in many cases they are struggling to pay the rent. According to the system, they are earning too much money to qualify for any social housing assistance. They are at the end of the road because there is simply no help for them.

The last time the thresholds were increased was back in January 2023. As we all know, the price of housing and of rent has increased significantly since then. I understand that the Minister, Deputy Browne, has a review ongoing in this area. The results of that are due shortly but it needs to happen as a matter of urgency. Many of these people are working on the minimum wage, which is currently at €28,600. They are struggling. They want to work but currently the system is not helping them out. We need to help those people who are working at slightly above the minimum wage, who qualify for nothing. Clearly, we cannot allow that to continue.

I ask the Acting Leader to arrange for the Minister to come to the House to debate this as a matter of urgency. We have to look after this cohort of people who are entitled to nothing. They are not entitled to social housing because they are classified as earning too much, but they are struggling to pay the rent and save for a mortgage as well. It is vital that we look after the people who are working in this country.

I would like to raise the opportunity that we have to realise the oversupply of wind energy across Ireland. As we know, at certain times, especially at night-time, there is an oversupply. Some €500 million worth of wind energy is wasted every year, which means a huge amount is left uncaptured. I am calling for consideration of grant supports for battery storage for residential units at night-time rates, perhaps at the EV rate. Where there is an oversupply of electricity, it provides a great opportunity for households to capture that oversupply so it is not wasted. That can reduce people's electricity bills.

It is a very simple concept. It has already been used in a smaller way by EnergyCloud, which is topping up people’s hot water tanks with a free fill because of oversupply. I do not see why the same could not be done on a greater scale through battery storage, which could lift the burden off people who are feeling under pressure. It is a practical proposal. I would welcome consideration of it by the Minister and the Government generally. It would be a very good concept to help ease the burden for people who are under pressure financially and would move away from the ongoing knee-jerk reaction to the cost-of-living measures to a longer form approach.

In my remaining time, I would like to acknowledge Pádraig O’Hora, who is just off the summit of Mount Everest at the moment, along with Éanna McGowan and Adam Sweeney. Pádraig is a Mayo man, a Ballina man, who is raising much-needed funds for Mayo Mental Health Association. They made their first attempt at the summit last night and are due to have another go this evening.

I am hosting guests from Network Ireland Mayo, including the president, Orla Bakeberg. I welcome them to Leinster House. It is great that they have come in just as I am concluding my contribution.

It is perfect timing.

They may not have missed much.

I join with Senator Duffy in welcoming Network Ireland Mayo and its president, Orla. She is most welcome to Seanad Éireann. I call Senator Conway.

Tá drogall orm mo chabáiste a chur ar fhiuchadh faoi dhó ach aontaím go hiomlán leis an méid a bhí á rá ag an Seanadóir Boyhan faoi pháirc ghnó Tycor i bPort Láirge, an obair iontach atá déanta ag an gcomhairle thall ansin chun rudaí a chur ar ais ar fheabhas, agus an t-airgead a thug an Rialtas go fial. Aontaím leis an méid a bhí á rá ag an Seanadóir Ruane chomh maith.

I send my congratulations to Glasgow Celtic and their manager. Most of their supporters would say that the manner in which the team won the league on Saturday was very dramatic. Having taken over the managership on two occasions during the season, we should celebrate in this House the great Derryman who played Gaelic football for Kilrea, St. Columb's College and St. Malachy's and who went on to have a distinguished football career in Northern Ireland and across the water for Nottingham Forest and several other teams. Having played nearly 500 senior games and 64 internationals, he is a credit to us and to himself. He only saw red on two occasions. The concise message is that resourceful, disciplined and, indeed, handsome men in their 70s should never be underestimated.

Last weekend, we had a wonderful celebration of the centenary of Fianna Fáil. I am a bit disappointed about Senator Keogan running down our party, which is a progressive party. I got into politics in 2019. My only real understanding of politics before that was that Seán Walsh of Fianna Fáil got us our first ever house. Fianna Fáil is a party of community. We are inclusive and we care.

An example of an issue I noticed was in the election when Opposition parties canvassing against me told people not to vote for me. This was not because I am incapable or do not do the work. They said, "Forget anything she's done for you. Forget the work she does. If you're voting for her, you're voting for Fianna Fáil." That is a pathetic way to behave. If good people care about their communities and do the work, they should be acknowledged and should not be run down. One hundred years is a huge achievement, and we have achieved a lot.

There is not a word about housing delivery from the Opposition when it happens. The position is similar when it comes to community sports grants. The amount of negativity engaged in by people astounds me. Our party is 100 years old, and we are proud, inclusive and diverse. All of us sitting here are different people. We welcome people. The lack of empathy I witness online from people looking to be elected is shameful. God bless you if you needed help because you would be a long time waiting for help from any of them.

Talks are taking place today to prevent further ambulance strikes. That alone shows how serious the crisis has become. Ambulance workers are taking industrial action because they are burnt out, overstretched and feel they are not being listened to.

A recent article in The Anglo-Celt highlighted the concerns of a whistleblower who works in the ambulance service locally. Rosters seen by the newspaper showed there were six shifts per week where no paramedics were rostered to work in Cavan town station. We also know crews are regularly being drafted in from Finglas, Dundalk and Swords to try to fill the gaps. If these crews were diverted elsewhere, the people across Cavan and Monaghan could be left waiting hours for a paramedic to arrive.

Paramedics say that morale is low, workloads are increasing and staff are exhausted. These are the people we depend on at the worst moments of our lives, yet the HSE is dragging its heels on updating staff salary scales to reflect increased workloads. There is a lack of forward planning and a resistance to recognising the importance of our paramedics. Why has the HSE not implemented the recommendations of the independent review on pay and conditions? Why did the Government revert Monaghan hospital to a day facility in 2009 despite every indication that the population in the region would only grow in the years that followed?

Just weeks ago, there was another case of a footballer suffering a serious injury during a match. An ambulance was called but no timeframe was given for its arrival despite being in the area between Cavan, Mullingar and Longford stations. As he lay on the sideline in agony, local people eventually had to lift him onto a stretcher and place him in the back of a van to get him to the hospital. That is like a scene from the 1970s. We are going backwards when it comes to this, and we need to address this issue.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion in this House, and everybody has different opinions, but sometimes people cross the line. I felt today there was a lot of aggression and personalised attacks which crossed the line. They should not be sniggered at or laughed at by the people tittering in the front seats.

I wish to raise the urgent need to progress the primary care centre for Cahersiveen in County Kerry and indeed south Kerry. The people of the Iveragh Peninsula have waited a long time for this facility and they are anxious that no unnecessary delays will occur. This centre is essential to improving local healthcare and easing the pressures on local families on the peninsula. The new centre will bring a wide range of services together under one roof. It will provide GP care, nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language, psychology, mental health supports, dental and disability services. This will make a major difference and will be hugely welcomed.

People will be able to access care closer to home. As I said, it is in rural Kerry. It is down south and is further away from Tralee and University Hospital Kerry. Its opening will reduce long journeys and help people stay healthy in their own community. The centre will also link with the new local ambulance base, which has been mentioned and already has funding in place. This will shorten emergency response times and create a more joined-up system for care in the region.

The project has moved forward in recent years with design work completed and planning permission secured. What the community needs now is clarity. People want to know when construction will begin and an estimated time for when the doors will finally open. For that reason, I call on the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, to come to this House to clarify the issues that I have raised and to give the people of Cahersiveen reassurance that all relevant stakeholders, especially the HSE, are engaging productively to progress this project in a timely manner. There are local concerns about this. I want clarity that the HSE is engaging and that it is not the obstacle to this primary care centre being delivered for the people of south Kerry.

Last weekend, I was delighted to see Irishman Dr. Michael Ryan being given an outstanding lifetime achievement award for being a director of the WHO and what he has accomplished. However, in the past week he also spoke about the life expectancy in parts of Dublin's inner city. I was blown away by what he said about the inner city and Summerhill, where he said the life expectancy is just 61 years of age compared with a national average of 83. If we think about that, just a couple of kilometres from this House, people are dying more than 20 years earlier than others in the same country. It is much more than a health issue. It is poverty, addiction, inter-generational trauma, poor housing, poor mental health supports and isolation and it is all colliding together.

While we speak in this House about social inclusion and community, we often talk about statistics but what he was talking about was generations of people who have been left behind in Dublin's city centre. I have worked in the inner city for over 20 years through the charity Tiglin and the Lighthouse, and I have sat with men and women who never had a real chance from childhood onwards and who experienced neglect, homelessness, violence, prison and hopelessness. I know that when intervention is allowed to happen, it works. Early intervention and recovery works. Education works and there are wonderful community initiatives that work. When housing is done right, that works, but what does not work is allowing the normalisation of deprivation in communities, such as those that Mike Ryan mentioned, so that a life expectancy of 61 no longer shocks us. That should be a headline for us all.

I am asking for a debate in this House on health inequality, life expectancy and the disparities there are in Ireland, particularly in inner cities, as well for an urgent cross-departmental response involving housing, health, addiction and community regeneration. We talked about Fianna Fáil being 100 years old. We have a lot to be proud of but our post codes should never determine how long we live.

The Minister is expected in at 4.45 p.m. and the Acting Leader has yet to reply. I will allow one minute for the last two speakers and then the Acting Leader will reply. I call Senator Cosgrove.

I also offer my condolences to the family and friends of Yves Sakila on his tragic and horrific death on Friday. I also wish to raise the global flotilla. Twelve Irish citizens have been detained by the Israeli forces. One of the women kidnapped is the Sligo-based GP, Dr. Margaret Connolly, a sister of President Catherine Connolly and wife of my former colleague, Councillor Declan Bree. My thoughts are with his family and their friends. The flotilla was bringing humanitarian aid, baby food and much-needed medical supplies. Israeli forces were again outside their territorial waters. It is an act of piracy and kidnap. I want to call that out. Under the Convention on the High Seas, this is not okay. Israel is acting with impunity. There are no sanctions or repercussions. I want to mark that, again.

I am conscious of time. I will raise a quick issue. It was disappointing to see Lahinch beach lose its blue flag status last week. I live a short distance from Lahinch beach. I am on it most mornings, including this morning. To see the beach, which had the blue flag for a long time, lose the blue flag status, is concerning. We need to have a debate in this House on why beaches are losing blue flags. A lack of investment in infrastructure, that is, in the wastewater treatment system essentially has caused this problem. For a long time it has been highlighted and called out that the system in the Lahinch-Ennistymon area needs to be upgraded urgently. Now we see the consequences of the lack of this investment over decades. I would like the Minister for housing to come here for a short debate on infrastructure that is resulting in beaches, which have had blue flags for a long time, losing them.

I thank the 24 Senators who gave contributions. I have about six minutes to respond to 24 contributions. That is 15 seconds each. Senator Fiona O'Loughlin welcomed her guests and spoke about Avista and the work it does and the work we need to do in terms of employment rates being low. Senator Conway has done a great deal of work on this in terms of long-term employment for people with disabilities. There is more we can do as a Government. Senator Manus Boyle spoke about the tragic loss of three lives in Donegal which is very sad indeed. Our hearts go out to them. He also spoke about National Donor Awareness Week. Senator Boyle understands more than anyone, not just in this House but throughout the country, the impact that can have on a family. Senator Boyle's wife Arlene is waiting for a transplant. That does not affect just one person. It affects the four in his house and the wider family. We all hope that Arlene as well as everyone in the country can receive their transplants as quickly as possible. However, that can only be done, as he said, by having conversations in family homes and asking people to be open-minded and open to what they can do.

Senator Keogan spoke about Fianna Fáil Ard-Fheis. I am a member of Fine Gael, so that was answered by a number of contributions. I will leave that to them.

It is great to see them all in the Chamber today.

With her contribution she must have been there herself privately, as she knew a great deal of what was going on.

Allow the Acting Leader to respond to the Order of Business please.

I did not watch it and I have not seen it but a number of people have responded in defence of the good work that Fianna Fáil has done. That is to be acknowledged. Senator Harmon spoke about AI smart glasses and the consent that needs to be given when anyone is being filmed and how there should be consent for that. That is why the AI committee was set up; to look at things like this that have not been looked at before. It is important that we have a debate in the House on this.

Senator Maria McCormack spoke about Rosenallis National School and the award it won. She spoke about it last week but in terms of confirmation of funding going forward, I will speak to the Minister. It could be an opportunity for the Senator to put down a Commencement matter. Senator Lynn Ruane spoke about the horrific attack that happened outside of Arnotts. There is an investigation happening and I do not think it is appropriate for me to comment on it but it is horrific and very sad for that person and their family.

Senator Alison Comyn spoke about the annual report from the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre and it is absolutely harrowing to see there has been an increase of almost one third and almost 24,000 people are ringing the rape crisis centre. It is predominantly women but also men and the Senator has called for a debate on that with the Minister, which is a really important thing to do. To think the numbers have increased by 33% in two years is depressing but it is something we need to do more work on.

Senator Scahill spoke about the ambulance strike that was debated a lot last week. There are negotiations happening at the moment and we hope that a conclusion can be reached before any further strikes happen. Senator Victor Boyhan spoke about businesses in Waterford and commended the work that was done to make sure businesses can receive funding as quickly as possible. I know the Minister of State, Deputy John Cummins, has been working very hard with the Minister, Deputy Peter Burke, on that issue. As he said himself, it is important to keep that under review. Senator Lorraine Clifford-Lee spoke about all of the positive things Fianna Fáil has done, which was well outlined and I agree with the majority of that. Others have agreed as well.

Senator Paraic Brady spoke about the Adams brothers, Jordan and Cian, and the running of 32 marathons in 32 days, which is a phenomenal achievement, to raise awareness for dementia. I know Senator Scahill ran with them. I am not sure he ran too far as I read in the paper at the weekend he runs a couple of kilometres a week so I do not think he did a full marathon with them but he might have done some. As their last leg is on 28 May, he asked people to support them. Senator Andrews spoke about the flotilla and the acts of Israel being condemned by the Irish Government. I know he is frustrated by what he perceives to be not enough being done by the Irish Government but the Department is working very hard to bring those citizens back. Possibly more needs to be done. He has experience himself of when the Department of foreign affairs has assisted him and others in such a situation but it is wrong and it needs to be called out for being wrong.

Senator Joe Flaherty spoke about the Fianna Fáil Ard-Fheis. Those contributions were made strongly and forcefully. Senator P.J. Murphy spoke about turf cutting. He raised that last week and he has called on the Minister for housing to lift an injunction he obtained against Mr. Darcy. There is an opportunity for a Commencement matter with that and I know he put one down last week but meeting the Minister officially would be an important thing to do. Senator Malcolm Noonan spoke about the flotilla and the sister of the President on that and more that can be done by Government, which is in line with what Senator Andrews said. Senator Robbie Gallagher spoke about increasing the threshold for social housing. As he says it has not been done since 2023, it is an important time for it and it will be going on for four years if it has not been increased by this budget. There is an opportunity to have a debate and I will contact the Minister on that.

Senator Mark Duffy spoke about wind energy and made a very good point about grant supports for battery units because there is an awful lot of energy that is being wasted or certainly is not being captured by people or businesses. Giving some sort of grant aid for batteries would be a very good thing to do. That is hopefully something for the budget in October. Senator Joe Conway congratulated the Celtic manager and team on their success at the weekend. It is another example of how someone at a certain age can achieve great success and Senator Conway knows that himself, as seen in the election of 18 months ago. It does not matter what age you are; you can achieve great success. Senator Teresa Costello spoke about the successful Fianna Fáil Ard-Fheis as well.

Senator Sarah O'Reilly spoke about the ambulance service and asked why the pay conditions have not been implemented by the HSE. That is a matter for the negotiations that are happening at the moment.

Senator Mike Kennelly spoke about a primary care centre. He knows that there has been an awful lot of investment while Fine Gael has in government in the context of building primary care centres. I have seen it in Dingle. I had to use the primary care centre after falling off a bike while cycling around Dingle. There are many primary care centres in Kerry, and this is another one that is very important.

I thank the Acting Leader for replying to the Order of Business.