The Order of Business is No. 67(5), Private Members’ business, motion regarding reports under Seanad Standing Order 87(1)(b) - report of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media entitled "Report on Inclusion in Sport", to be taken at 11.45 a.m. and to conclude at 1.30 p.m., if not previously concluded; and No. 1, statements on the Irish naturalisation and citizenship system, to be taken at 1.30 p.m. and to conclude at 2.45 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 eight minutes, all other Senators not to exceed five minutes, and the Minister to be given no less than seven minutes to reply to the debate; and time may be shared.

Over the recess we saw five young lives ended on the motorway. We have seen adolescents charged with murder, assault and very serious levels of antisocial behaviour and crime. I would like the Deputy Leader to arrange a debate in the House with the Minister for education on the provision of a national adolescent primary prevention system. We need to better understand what is going on with our teenagers and adolescents. I believe the Minister for education is ideally positioned to implement on a nationwide basis an adolescent primary prevention system.

I welcome the Government's approval for the MetroLink. It has moved to detailed tender and design and this is an excellent development. I want to specifically ask that in parallel to this process the Minister for housing and the Minister for Transport work with the Land Development Agency to develop and masterplan the Carlton site, where we will have a metro station on O'Connell Street, to also deliver affordable homes. This is unique regeneration opportunity and a unique opportunity to provide affordable homes on O'Connell Street in the heart of our city centre. The site is enormous and has the capacity to deliver the MetroLink, affordable homes and cultural and commercial space. I ask the Deputy Leader to engage with the Ministers with responsibility for housing and transport and ask them to task the LDA to masterplan the Carlton site for affordable homes.

We have had a lot of talk about the upcoming budget. I support the appeal of my colleague, the Fianna Fáil housing spokesperson, Deputy Séamus McGrath, to help first-time buyers. He has asked that the Government would waive stamp duty on the purchase of homes by first-time buyers. This is an eminent proposal that backs first-time buyers to own their own home. Budget 2027 should back first-time buyers. It should remove stamp duty, as Deputy Séamus McGrath has suggested, and help more first-time buyers to achieve home ownership.

I want to raise the serious issue of respite in west Cork. It is a matter I have spoken about in the House previously. Members know I do not mince my words when I speak on matters, and to say the respite service in west Cork is a disgrace at the moment is nothing short of the truth. The front page of today's Southern Star notes that 20 parents of families with disabilities have sent a solicitor's letter to CoAction and the Minister in terms of respite provision in west Cork. As we all know, to send a solicitor's letter must mean a situation is very serious, and such is the nature of the reason they have had to send this letter.

We have a system of respite in this country that I do not think is fit for purpose. Whether we are in government or out of government, I do not think it is fit for purpose. We have a service provider in west Cork. I hate to have to go on the record with this but it is well known and the dogs on the streets in west Cork know that there is more than €5 million in a bank account yet we have a severe shortage of respite. I hear in these Houses calls on the HSE to provide extra funding for this organisation. That is fair because organisations have funding and should be providing and developing systems and places for residential and overnight respite. The HSE does have a role here to investigate these organisations to see where the funding is going and what it is going to be used for. I know the board members of CoAction in west Cork have tried and are trying. They are listening to the parents in west Cork but we need to see action.

I know from having raised this matter here previously that the HSE has audited these providers. I am aware an audit has taken place but we need to see the findings of the audit. We need to see properties built. Properties and land are owned across west Cork. I am speaking here for the families. I have thought long and hard about what I should say this morning. People know that I work behind the scenes to try to find solutions but I have a duty to speak here this morning and ask where this money is going to be spent. When will these 20 families, and there are countless more across west Cork who could come together to write a letter, see respite?

We see the Before We Die campaign throughout the country. What we are looking for here is respite. Families have not received respite in years. We should be doing better as a State. The funding is there. The money has been raised from the good people across west Cork and it is not State funding. There is €5 million in a bank account. We need to do better. I call for a debate with the Minister for disability urgently on this matter so we can see the reviews of the audit and we can see increased respite.

I welcome my intern, Sophia Mulvany, the inestimable Sophia. She will be with me until Christmas. I am delighted to welcome her to the Chamber.

It is my first time to speak on the Order of Business since we resumed the Houses and I want to express my sincere sympathies and condolences to Senator Craughwell. Gerard is a big man with a big heart and, at the end of the day, all we have are our relationships with each other. Having lost his wife after 49 years of marriage it is very hard to see Gerard heartbroken and I wish him very well in the journey forward. We express our solidarity with him.

I want to raise a question on the Order of Business today regarding the debate on citizenship and the new rules. The speaking time has been reduced to 120 seconds for Members and I ask the Deputy Leader whether we can have an extension to this debate today.

I want to raise a couple of issues this morning. Exactly 15 months ago, on 25 June 2025, I introduced my Disability (Personalised Budgets) Bill in the House. It was time delayed by the Minister, Deputy Foley, for 18 months without any consideration of the Bill. I got pro bono advice from one of the large legal firms. It was the first time in the history of the State that an international firm worked with the Office of Parliamentary Legal Advisers. We took every piece of Government policy and consultation the Government had and drafted this legislation. I had a legal team from that legal firm for two years and the Minister just guillotined it with a delay of 18 months until Christmas Day 2026. I believe it is listed to be re-read on Christmas Day this year. This is a cynical abuse of the House. The Minister, Deputy Foley, said on the day that "Collaboration and co-operation will be the hallmark of how this Government approaches the disability sector". She called it a "sector". It is not a cost centre; these are people like my son. She then said, "Therefore, I look forward to working with everyone, including the Members of this House, to achieve tangible change for people with disabilities." She referred to "people with disabilities" but I think she means disabled citizens.

In the 15 months since then, I have written repeatedly to the Minister, Deputy Foley, and the Minister of State, Deputy Higgins. This week, I received an email from the Minister’s PA, which outlined that the Minister was not in a position to meet me. The Minister is not going to meet me on this and disabled citizens all over this country are going to be left disempowered in this way, including members of staff in this House, who are well-known to all Senators and are struggling. I know one member of staff whose wife has to go with their disabled adult son every day to a resource centre in Tallaght. That is inhumane and wrong. The Disability (Personalised Budgets) Bill would solve those problems. In the absence of willingness on the part of the Minister or Minister of State to meet me, I ask for a debate in this House on disability personalised budgets.

I apologise to the Leas-Chathaoirleach for going over time, given the matters I had to raise earlier. The Disability (Amendment) Bill listed in the programme for Government is a catastrophic move. For the past four years, I have been saying that the only legal right disabled citizens in Ireland have is the right to an assessment of need. The Disability (Amendment) Bill that is being proposed will dilute and remove that right. We will have no rights. I am asking my colleagues to please not do this. This is like the referendum on care and the Green Paper on disability reform. It is a catastrophic step for disabled citizens dressed up as progress. It is not progress; it is a catastrophic step backwards.

I raise the case of a 78-year-old man who lives in my area. He contacted me approximately six months ago. He is the sole carer for his 45-year-old daughter, who has a diagnosis of Down’s syndrome. Three years previously, he applied for residential care for her because he felt that, as he is getting older, he will not be able to care for her and he wishes to see her settled in case anything happens to him. I contacted the HSE in February in this regard and received a response one month later. The HSE outlined that it had carried out assessments on his daughter, prepared a business case proposal and reached out to providers. I thought there was movement at last. The HSE said it had spoken with the father, and I confirmed that with him. We thought there was finally movement after over three years.

This week, however, he contacted me again to say that nothing has happened since - not a word. He is under the impression that a provider has been identified but there could be budgetary issues. We are not absolutely clear in this regard. This man has been unwell recently. He was in hospital a few weeks ago for tests and he has to return in another two weeks for more tests. He does not know how serious it is but his medical team are quite worried. He is concerned now more than ever about the care of his daughter. The HSE’s initial response to this case was to ask why his other daughters could not look after her. They do not live in the area and it is not their responsibility. This woman is entitled to have a setting prepared for her.

I think this man contacted me because he heard me speaking about the Before We Die campaign. His is just one example, however. There are many others in similar situations. We need to look at this issue again. I would love a debate in this Chamber with the Minister on providing residential care for adults with intellectual disabilities who are still living with elderly parents. This should be planned for. It should not be left until the parent is too old to look after that person, causing them to be stressed and worried because they do not know what is going to happen to their child after they die.

In the time remaining, I wish to commend Nikita Hand on her interview on “Prime Time” last night. She was excellent. She is a very brave woman. She has to be commended on standing up as she did, taking the civil action and then giving the interview. She has also written her memoir. She is a great example to others who find themselves in this situation. Sexual violence and abuse is far too prevalent. Often, victim-blaming is still very much at large. I commend her.

I add my voice of support to Nikita Hand. She has shown the most incredible resiliency throughout the past several years. It is amazing to see someone put themselves forward so vulnerably and push progress along when it comes to what people understand about sexual violence and what it does to an individual.

This week, new research from the National Youth Council of Ireland found that nearly seven out of ten young people are considering moving abroad for a better quality of life. While these figures are not necessarily surprising, they are an indictment of the Government. Young people in Ireland have been continuously failed by the State. They have been hung out to dry by the failed housing policies of successive Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael governments. They have been ripped off by record rent prices, which are among the highest in Europe. They are priced out of affording their own home by foreign investment and vulture funds, leaving record numbers still stuck in their childhood bedrooms having to put independence on hold.

It is not an entire surprise that people leave. We have had generations of young people leave. People left after the 2008 crisis and during the eighties. However, we are now a wealthy country doing well and the fact that another generation of people feel forced to leave because they cannot have a good quality of life is horrific. The Government needs to wake up to this reality. The social contract is broken for many young people, many of whom missed out on key milestones and experiences, particularly during the pandemic. They do not have proper university life any more when they are commuting several hours to their college.

Year on year, housing and affordability are the main concerns that come out of the research by the National Youth Council of Ireland. This year, there were also rising concerns about employment. Nine out of ten young adults said it is harder to find secure, well-paid work. We are seeing a shift in the labour market, with the proliferation of AI disrupting traditional entry routes and early career roles in the job market. It is young people who are at the coalface of this challenge because decent entry-level jobs are dwindling, which makes it even more difficult to afford rent and move out of home. Instead of increasing public transport opportunities and having progressive policy, we are increasing public transport fares. We are removing protections for renters and we are failing to support young people with the crippling cost of living.

We have all these record tax receipts, which is fantastic, but we cannot provide basic public services and a decent standard of living for our young people. People need affordable housing and decent paying jobs. It is hardly a lot to ask for when we consider how wealthy our society apparently is. We are failing the next generation. They feel they have no future here. We must treat this like the crisis it is.

I will speak today about school escorts. We can all agree that the service they provide is outstanding. Having spoken to many parents whose children use the service of a school escort, they say they could not cope without it. They are grateful for school transport being provided in the first instance, but many of these children would be unable to go to school without the school escort. There are around 22,000 children being looked after by approximately 4,000 escorts. The day’s pay for escorts does not start until the first child is picked up. Many of the school escorts are picked up by the bus driver or taxi driver in their homes, but they may have to travel half an hour or an hour to pick up the first child. Their day’s pay should start when they are picked up. Obviously, when they are driving along with the driver, they are talking about the children and their minds are on what is coming up next, etc. That is the start of their day’s work. I would like the Minister to come in to discuss the pay and conditions of these fantastic escorts.

They are also not paid for the summer holidays, even though they start again in September or late August. They do not get paid during the summer. They are often undervalued and are certainly undervalued pay- and respect-wise. I would like the Minister to come in to acknowledge the great work of these escorts and discuss their pay and conditions.

I welcome guests of Deputy Sean Fleming from the Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board, LOETB, Portlaoise. They are all very welcome. I hope they enjoy their visit today.

The Deputy Leader will be aware that I am the chair of the south western regional drug and alcohol task force, otherwise known as SURF. An issue has arisen with a project we have in Newbridge, which is in the Deputy Leader’s constituency, concerning the Peter McVerry Trust. It is running a front-line addiction service. It has gone to landlord after landlord looking for new premises, but no one will take it. The town badly needs this service. After more than one year, the service still sits upstairs in an industrial estate between Naas and Newbridge.

As the Deputy Leader can imagine, being located upstairs is not good for people with mobility problems. It is in the old industrial estate, Toughers, so while it is meant to be a drop-in service, it is not very easy to drop in. Nobody is defending the location. The trust certainly is not. However, it seems like the doors are shut.

People have complained to me that pharmacies in Kildare town will not dispense methadone. We know of one case where methadone was prescribed by a vet for a dog in the area. It seems that, in Kildare town, a dog can get methadone but the people who need it badly cannot. It is blatant discrimination. The HSE fully knows about this. We had a recovery event in the audiovisual room yesterday and we were all championing recovery. The room was full. It is Recovery Month. We were all saying that recovery is possible but, while we are saying that, the very people we are talking about are being pushed further from the help they absolutely need. The Deputy Leader will know that I have worked in this area for over 20 years. In 2026, vulnerable people in our own area cannot get basic medication in their own town. That shows a stigma that is built into the whole system. These are private pharmacies. I know the HSE is limited in its reach but I ask the Deputy Leader to bring the Minister of State with responsibility for drugs policy, Deputy Murnane O'Connor, before the House to answer questions such as whether the primary care centre in Kildare town can dispense methadone and which State building can host the addiction service in Newbridge. I believe recovery is possible but only if the doors are open.

I also welcome the visitors from Laois. It is great to have them in the Chamber. I am going to speak about Laois once again. I will raise the issue of a deeply concerning report that landed on my desk this morning. It related to a HSE internal audit of doctor recruitment. The audit examined the files of 20 doctors employed across the HSE Dublin and Midlands region, which includes Portlaoise hospital. According to the report, only 14 files contained evidence of Garda vetting, 15 contained overseas police clearance and 13 contained the required evidence of English language competence. To be clear, a missing document does not mean that a doctor has a criminal record or cannot speak English but the HSE must be able to show that these checks were completed before a doctor begins treating patients. This raises serious questions. People in Laois depend on Portlaoise hospital every day. They deserve to know whether any of the files examined relate to the Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise, whether the missing evidence has now been found and verified, and whether this problem extends beyond the small number of files that were audited.

I also want a debate in the House to allow the Minister to address concerns about doctors regularly being moved from Portlaoise hospital to Tullamore. How many doctors have been reassigned from Portlaoise and for how long? What assessments were made as to the effect on staffing and patient care in Portlaoise? Portlaoise hospital is on its knees as regards staffing levels. The maternity ward especially is absolutely bursting at the seams. The nurses there are run off their feet. I commend the nurses on the job they do but news of doctors being moved while there is a HSE embargo on staff recruitment is very concerning. I want to do everything I can to protect staffing levels in Portlaoise hospital.

I sympathise with my colleague, Senator Craughwell, on the loss of his wife, Helen. It has been a tough few months for the Galway man.

Ahead of budget 2027, I will raise the challenges being faced by pubs across the country and the need for these to be addressed as part of the budget. Other countries are also facing these issues and have taken some action. I have spoken in the House before about the significant measures France has taken. Even closer to home, Prime Minister Andy Burnham has pledged a further 20% cut in business rates next April in addition to the 15% cut provided last April. He has also spoken about how this is only the first step as regards the measures his Government will take to support the bar business. We have to see similar action in Ireland to support thousands of family businesses across the country that provide tens of thousands of jobs, often in small rural towns and villages where jobs are not easily replaced. The Vintners Federation of Ireland is pressing for the Government to introduce a system of tax credits for the sale of draught beer. The tax credit would be valued at €20 per 50 litre keg of beer, with pubs eligible to claim a maximum of €20,000. This would have a significant impact for smaller pubs across the country.

The extremely high level of alcohol taxation in Ireland in comparison to the rest of Europe is actively harming the sector. Recent research from Dublin City University found that people in Ireland pay the second highest rate of excise duty on a pint of beer in the EU. Frankly, it is past time for the Government to take action on this. Budget 2027 must finally deliver an excise cut. I would be grateful if the Deputy Leader of the House would raise this with the relevant Ministers.

This morning, I rise to fulfil the second part of a promise I made to Helen. At the beginning of May, having been diagnosed with cancer of the stomach and pancreas, Helen was sitting in the conservatory on a Sunday morning. When I walked into the room, she said "It is time we put plans in place." The first thing she dealt with was music for her funeral. Helen knows, or knew, that I am a deeply emotional person when it comes to music. She picked a piece by Massenet for the church and the piece "Song to the Moon" for when she would leave the church to go to her grave. She said she knew I would cry when I heard "Ave Maria" and "Pie Jesu" and, in order to save my dignity as I left the church with tears running down my face, she chose "Song to the Moon" so that everybody else would be crying with me.

Helen was a State-registered children's nurse. She had qualifications in neurosurgery and had worked with the elderly and so she told me "There are other things we need to do and we are going to do them today." One of these things was something I spoke about yesterday, namely, enduring power of attorney. I know my colleague Senator McDowell fully understands the difficulties relating to enduring power of attorney but she wanted it and, even if hell were to freeze over, she would get it done. The second thing she wanted was an advance healthcare declaration form. For me, this involved sitting with someone I had lived with for 49 years and hearing her express her final wishes as to how she would be treated. You can list specific treatments you do not want and the circumstances in which they are not to be accepted. One of the things you can specify is that you want this decision to apply even if your life is at risk as the result of refusal. Helen went through the various things she did not want under any circumstances. In all cases, she could only be given medical treatment if it was to improve her quality of life and her engagement with her children and grandchildren. As I typed this up for her, the two of us cried quite a lot. It was the most harrowing experience of my life but we did it.

The first time I knew how important the advance healthcare declaration was when she was in St. Vincent's hospital and the consultant oncologist told me that they had advanced healthcare declaration and knew what they could and could not do. When she entered palliative care in the hospital, exactly the same thing happened. When we went to the hospice, it was exactly the same thing. I remember that, at one stage, Helen was getting slightly better and we were debating whether she would be coming home. She said she wondered if she would be discharged. I said this to one of the nurses and the following morning the consultant came in, sat on Helen's bed and said that she had heard that Helen was concerned she might be discharged. She went on to say that the room and the bed were hers for as long as she needed it.

Helen, in her humorous way, looked at her and said, "You mean until I die." That was the truth of it. Helen made me promise that I would deal with these documents, the enduring power of attorney and the advanced health declaration. In completing this advanced health declaration, Helen removed from me and my two children the burden of having to make decisions for her, should we find ourselves in a situation where decisions had to be made.

On the morning before she died - she died at 2 o'clock in the morning - there was a serious problem with respect to the blockage in her bowel. The consultant said to her that they could insert a gastronasal tube to relieve the pressure. Helen looked at her, smiled and said, "I think you have the form that deals with that." There was no gastronasal tube.

In tribute to the bravest, strongest and most caring person I have ever known in my life, I promised her I would mention both of these. We should all have an advanced health declaration form. We should take the burden off those we love in order that decisions would be made by us - by myself, not by somebody else. It is the same with the enduring power of attorney. I know Senator McDowell has spoken on that before. We need to simplify that document without losing the protections. We need to reduce the costs involved in it. I am sorry that I have gone way over time, but may Helen rest in peace. Her strength, courage and determination to do things right should be a benchmark for all of us as we go forward.

I compliment Senator Craughwell on that particular point. One of the beauties of this House is our ability to raise a particular topic and raise awareness of it. When it comes from lived experience, Helen's legacy could be simplifying that process to future people who experience it. It is an important thing to raise in this House. I compliment the Senator on that.

Last week, I met with an individual who is a recipient of disability allowance. They are supported by our disability services and were talking to me about the cost of living, but they were also talking to me about a number of the supports that they are availing of and the limitations of those supports. While they are receiving the support within one of the national agencies, it requires them, through their medical card, to get regular blood tests. The support service was saying that this was to help them regulate the medication that they were getting on a month-by-month basis. With the medical card that this individual had, they were having to pay €30 regularly every month to get the blood tests. I know the definition is routine and not routine for patients' conditions, but we should look at the individuals themselves and the services that they are availing of. There is a potential saving to the State with the regulation of the medication that this individual was availing of that would offset that. I would love for that to be looked at. The same individual also spoke to me about their regular need to change their glasses prescription. Due to their mobility issues, they are regularly breaking or losing their glasses. This was something that was not covered under any scheme for them either. It was an ongoing concern.

They also mentioned to me how long they had been waiting to access a dentist. We all know that dental health has a long recognised impact on overall health. The dental treatment services scheme in Ireland is not going very well at the moment. We know that we do not have capacity in the system. In 2020, 13,554 dentists were on that scheme. As of June 2026, 866 dentists were on that scheme. In my home county of Roscommon, back in 2020, 15 dentists had signed up to the scheme. As of now, six dentists are signed up to that scheme. There has been a 60% reduction in the dentists open to that. These figures do not factor in the dentists who are accepting new customers or patients onto that particular scheme. I have mentioned it before. There is a serious capacity issue in the system and there is something we need to do.

When I mention the public scheme, I also have to mention the HSE public community dental service for school-going kids. In Roscommon, they prioritise sixth class students. They are trying to get through that. I think the target was to have all the sixth class cohort completed by July 2026, but when asked for recent information, no data was available. We have an onus to look after second and third class students as well. We are trying to focus solely on the older ones. We might have a discussion on that, if possible.

First, the issues raised by Senator Craughwell are important. The enduring power of attorney system that we have is very complex. Many solicitors do not want to become involved in it because of its complexity. What we have done, in good faith, collectively as a Legislature, to improve the lot of vulnerable people and to make provision for their own lack of capacity, is, in fact, an expensive and difficult process. We should have a debate on that subject.

Second, on Wednesday, I made reference to the RTÉ programme on protected disclosures. I said two things which I want to clarify. The first is that I mentioned the improper use of entertainment, including a brothel, in Italy. It happened in Switzerland, according to the protected disclosure of the individual concerned. The second is that I mentioned €500,000 of ammunition, when, in fact, it was approximately 500,000 rounds of ammunition. I mentioned a destruction cost, which, for some reason, Ireland paid for this defective ammunition in the region of €120,000. In fact, I think €160,000 was actually expended on it. I want to clarify those things because these are important matters. I do not want to leave loose threads on these important matters. I will not elaborate further at this stage, but I will have more to say about it at a later stage.

I raise the continued closure of Dunguaire Castle in Kinvara, south Galway. Dunguaire is one of the most recognisable castles in Ireland. It is an iconic landmark on the Wild Atlantic Way. It has enormous cultural and historical significance, as well as huge economic importance to Kinvara and south Galway, yet it has now been closed since 2023. What makes that situation particularly frustrating is that the tour buses still come. The tourists still fly over to Ireland to see Dunguaire Castle, but now they can only look in through the gates. It is a sorry sight to drive through the town and to see the people standing out, observing from the gates. It is frustrating. The absurdity of the situation has now attracted international attention, with The New York Times recently reporting on the castle's continued closure and the campaign to have it reopened. We spend millions of euro every year promoting Ireland internationally as a tourist destination. We rightly encourage visitors to come to the west of Ireland, to travel the Wild Atlantic Way and to experience our history and heritage, but what is needed now is a resolution. I am asking the Leader to arrange an urgent debate with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage on the future of Dunguaire Castle.

I want to raise the conversation here and approach the Minister to look at independent radio and the funding of independent broadcasting. I met with representatives of Ocean FM, Shannonside FM and Midwest Radio. The service they provide, particularly in rural areas, is second to none. They are providing a public service, particularly regarding deaths, political coverage, current affairs, school closures and sport. They promote Irish music all the time, particularly local music.

They have been hit with a 39% increase in their levy this year. It is unfair that they are paying a disproportionate levy to compensate other areas of broadcasting. It is not okay. We need to change the Broadcasting Act to look at this. It may be different in bigger cities but where we live in the north west, Ocean FM is the public service. I would not have got elected to politics if it was not for Ocean FM featuring people that are new to politics and relevant current affairs stories. The Minister needs to step up, intervene and look at the levy being charged. There has been a 39% increase, which is crippling independent radio. They go above and beyond their duty in covering current affairs and news but the new funding models mean they have to keep producing additional programmes. It is making it difficult for them to operate the current affairs programmes they do at the moment. Funding streams need to be looked at. Of course, I agree with having a public broadcaster like RTÉ but there is a disproportionate emphasis. Others are providing a service in rural areas in particular and the Minister needs to step up. They provide local jobs and are accessible to TY students. They get a lot of people on placements. They provide a wraparound service to communities. The Minister needs to get real about it.

I agree with the comments by Senator Craughwell on the need to reform the enduring power of attorney system. I have said in this Chamber before that the system is not working. It needs legislative change and, ultimately, the goal has to be to make it accessible, user-friendly and fully available throughout the country, which, at the moment, it is not.

I want to raise the lack of early morning commuter trains from Wexford to Dublin. If you live in Gorey, you can get on a train at 5.45 a.m. that will have you in Dublin Connolly at 7.47 a.m., which is time enough to make your way to work. If you live further south in County Wexford, it is not possible to get an early commuter train. If you live in Rosslare, Wexford town or Enniscorthy, the earliest train service does not arrive in Dublin until 8.48 a.m., a full hour after the service from Gorey.

Iarnród Éireann, given the amount of Government investment in rail services, needs to offer that service to people who live in Rosslare, Wexford town or Enniscorthy. They told me at the Oireachtas infrastructure committee that we could be waiting up to two years for this service to be available. All that needs to happen is for extra carriages to be added to the early morning train from Gorey and for it to start further south on the track. I would like the Minister for Transport to come into this Chamber and have an honest discussion about where things are going with early morning commuter train services.

I want to bring up the issue of our young people leaving the country. Some 68%, or over two thirds, of 18- to 24-year-olds are considering emigrating. We have bright, educated, talented young people who have no hope for their future here. It was sad to listen to them on the news on Tuesday evening, talking of finishing their degrees and emigrating. I understand why. They see their siblings and friends earning nowhere near enough to buy a house at, say €400,000; or even rent; or, unless they work 24-7, to cover their basic expenses. They are looking at years of saving to get a deposit together and then a mortgage takes a huge chunk of that money. In Cavan you need to be earning €63,000 per year and in Monaghan it is €64,000 per year to get an average mortgage. They are looking at Australia, Canada and America and leaving does not seem like such a big decision.

I see echoes of 2008. I have personal experience of that. We are losing a whole generation from our communities and it feels like Government does not care. GAA clubs are struggling for members and young people are leaving our towns and local groups. These are the young people who would have become coaches, teachers and committee members and whose kids would have gone to our local schools.

It cannot be denied demographics in Ireland are shifting. Almost one in four people living here were born somewhere else. In areas like Ballyjamesduff, Cavan town and Carrickmacross, over 30% - that is a third - of people were not born in Ireland. Why would we put so much money into the Irish language, sport, music and culture if there will not be a generation here to carry it on? We cannot build a thriving country on a transient workforce. Ireland should not just be a pit stop where people come for a few years to earn what they can and move on while our own people are forced to move abroad.

I am jealous of Senator Byrne talking about extra trains to commute to Dublin. I will talk about commuting but we do not even have one train. I would appreciate a debate with the Minister for Transport on people from commuter counties coming into Dublin. For people travelling from Navan to Dublin the NX bus route is a vital service but for far too many commuters, getting to work or college can feel like a lottery every day. People are dealing with overcrowding at peak times, cancelled services, buses arriving late and journey times that vary enormously from one day to the next. The NTA has acknowledged that capacity is insufficient at peak times, particularly on morning services from Navan to Johnstown. Although this may sound critical, the NX route is a brilliant service. It runs every 20 minutes and when you get it at a later time, it is a great way of getting into Dublin and of coming home. We just need extra buses and extra drivers at peak times. There is congestion on the M3 and through Dublin, and it is causing significant delays.

These are not just statistics. People are leaving home much earlier than they should have to. We all know family time is great for our mental and physical health. It is great for us to have that time but people are having to leave early to make sure they get a seat and arrive at work or college on time. Some passengers report journeys taking two hours or more. At other times, you can get to Dublin from Navan in 45 or 50 minutes. Recent Bus Éireann service notices show the NX service has been cancelled on a number of occasions. Navan is growing, passenger numbers are growing and demand is clearly there. People need a bus service they can rely on, one that has enough capacity, is on time and gets them from Navan to Dublin without daily uncertainty.

I appreciate the Minister is putting a lot of work into getting the Navan rail service. I commend him on that. He was at the launch of it, which is fantastic, but it will be quite a while before we have the train. The people of Navan should not have to leave an hour early simply because they do not know whether the bus will turn up or not. If we could get a debate on that, I would appreciate it.

As Members are dealing with the Order of Business for today at present, I wish to address some concerns. I listened to my colleague, Senator Clonan, who expressed concern about an additional few minutes for statements on citizenship, a really important aspect of our work. I thank the Minister of State for making himself available. I know it is the Minister of State who is due here this afternoon, not the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, as were that the case, we might have a different scenario. However, we have to deal with the mechanisms open to us in this House.

As leader of the Seanad Independent Group, I respectfully ask the Deputy Leader and the Leader to consider an additional few moments. Alternatively, we will have to consider exercising a vote on the adjournment of the House today to make our point, and we will engage further on that. I suggest "Pragmatism with a big P". All politicians are familiar with pragmatism. The Order of Business can be amended or changed. Let us crystallise this. We are talking about statements. This is not legislation; these are statements on citizenship in our country. I propose we facilitate a minimum, between anyone, of five or ten minutes. I do not think that is an unreasonable request.

I want to put on the record of the House something I will pursue next week with the relevant sections, including the Seanad Office. The speakers list is a guide for the Cathaoirleach, Leas-Chathaoirleach or Acting Chair. It does not set the agenda of who is speaking. Many parties would have had people on a speaking list yesterday who did not actually come to speak because they had other things going on. It is to assist the Chair, but to suggest that somebody is looking at a speakers list to ascertain the level of interest or the amount of people coming from any particular group to speak is a dangerous precedent which we must not allow.

I want to be clear that I am not suggesting that. I am just saying the matter of who speaks in each group is a matter for the parties, their Whips and their individuals. I respect that, but that goes every way. As regards the suggestion that not too many people have expressed an interest today, they may change their minds in two hours. This is our House. It is open to us to operate within the Standing Orders. I know the Deputy Leader and she knows me. I want to be constructive. If we can facilitate a little flexibility, possibly five to ten minutes, I think we can all get our work done and can look at the system, the mechanisms and the concerns at another time. I would appreciate it if the Deputy Leader would consider that. I know her hands may be tied at this moment, but she might do so between now and when we come back to the next session. I am trying to be helpful. I also want to put a marker down to the Seanad Office on the speakers list and who circulates it. I do not know who gets it, but by close of business today I will know who gets that list every day. It is a guide to the Chair. It is not a guide to the Minister or anybody else as to how we conduct our business under Seanad Éireann's Standing Orders.

May I check with you, Senator Boyhan, are you proposing an amendment?

No. I suggest pragmatism and that the Deputy Leader reflect as to what is appropriate and have a chat with the Leader's office. I understand the dynamics. I am not 100% sure about the Minister's availability, but we are talking about five or ten minutes, not 30 minutes.

Tomorrow in Ballina will be a very momentous occasion. The official opening of the sensory park in Ballina by the Minister, Dara Calleary, will be the culmination of many years of hard work. This project has been community led and grassroots led from day one. It began during Covid times, when many parents locally and activists within the community felt passionate about responding to the need for sensory spaces and making our town more inclusive and friendlier for young and old who have sensory needs. Following a number of years of work, including incredible volunteer work by volunteers from Ballina Community Clean Up and the FLOW group, the park will officially be opened. The people of Ballina and the north Mayo area have raised a huge amount of money to make it happen. It has been supported by local councillors, council staff and local businesses. It is a real success story and something I believe can be replicated in other places.

It would not have happened without the determination of a working group - I acknowledge them on the record here - of Martin Devaney, David O'Malley, Ryan Cawley and Padraig O'Hora, who will be known to many for his footballing and mountaineering exploits, along with Kevin Loftus and his team at ACT. If I mention some names, I am conscious that I will leave out so many others who have been a driving force every evening in maintaining, planting, weeding and preparing. It is a great example of a public-private partnership where the volunteers have delivered a sensory park within the town. I acknowledge the late Paddy O'Hora, a friend of us all and an incredible force for good within the Ballina community, who passed earlier this year and who was passionate about delivering this park. I also acknowledge his late daughter Linda and his nephew Jack. I thank everyone for getting the project to this stage and look forward to joining its official opening tomorrow.

I too acknowledge the very powerful contribution made by Senator Craughwell and the issue of power of attorney, which Senator McDowell and others have commented on. The complexity of that needs to be addressed. Anything that can be done in these Houses in good faith to make this process more transparent, simpler, more straightforward and more understandable, we should not be found wanting on. Perhaps we could have a debate at some stage with the Minister on this issue, where the challenges and the complexities could be outlined and a discussion could start. That would be fitting and appropriate.

We have all been approached by the INTO, spoken to INTO reps in our constituency and attended the organisation's Oireachtas briefing in Buswells a couple of months ago. Its ask is very simple and it is one ask: that the budget fund an extra 1,000 teachers. That is a cost of in or around €50 million. Normally, the INTO has two, three or four key requests but this year it has one because, unfortunately, we are an outlier when it comes to the pupil-teacher ratio in this country compared with our European colleagues. I propose that the Deputy Leader write to the Minister for Finance and the Minister for education stating that this House would support the request of the INTO to fund 1,000 teachers. We all know the benefit of education. Many of us have benefited from education and we do not want to see standards being compromised in any way due to overcrowding in classrooms. Unfortunately, that is a very big risk in certain areas of this country. The request is reasonable. It is an investment in our future. While there are many pressing, difficult and challenging issues that have to be addressed in this year's budget, particularly around fuel, home heating oil and so on, we cannot forget the importance of education. That is my request.

We started with Senator Fitzpatrick, who spoke about the horrific tragedy of five young people being killed over the summer in a horrific car accident in which four innocent people were caught up. She spoke also about the need for provision of a national prevention strategy and said the Minister for education should take that on board. During the summer, I was at a presentation by a collective group of people about caring for communities. It sought to address some of these issues. It was a pilot study really because it was the first time it was done in Ireland. Four secondary schools had been surveyed, comprising students in first year, second year and fifth year. The study excluded exam students. There were, from memory, about 188 questions. It was about how those young people felt valued by the school community and family. It showed some important insights. I agree that we need to dig deep. Those five young men must have cared very little for their own lives to go on a journey like that, not to mention caring for other people's lives. As a society, we absolutely have to grapple with this. Education is the key and it starts at primary school. We will look for that.

Senator Fitzpatrick also spoke about the approval for MetroLink and requested that we ask the Ministers for housing and transport to work with the LDA on the Carlton site to see what type of housing can be put there in the city centre. We will action that. The Senator also supported the suggestion from Deputy Séamus McGrath that we ask the Government to waive stamp duty for first-time buyers as an added financial incentive. We agree with and will support that.

Senator O'Donovan spoke about respite services in west Cork and the shocking situation there whereby 20 families have had to send legal letters. He mentioned a service provider there that apparently has a lot of funding, €5 million, in a bank account. There does not seem to be any action in relation to that.

The Senator also referred to the Before We Die campaign. I know it is something we all support. Senator Tully spoke about something similar. We will ask the Minister with responsibility for disability and the Minister for Health to look at that situation. It sounds shocking.

Senator Clonan welcomed Sophia, who I had a chance to say hello to, his intern until Christmas. Sophia is very welcome. Senator Clonan extended his sympathies to Senator Craughwell. A number of us had the opportunity to do that during the week. Senator Clonan spoke on the debate on citizenship, as did Senator Boyhan, and the extension of time. While we have been here, I have reached out to see if the Minister can give extra time because we would certainly facilitate that. There is no problem with that at this end but the response from the Minister’s office is that he cannot facilitate it due to being in the Dáil and some other commitments. We can engage further but at this point that is the response.

I appreciate that.

Senator Clonan also spoke about the personalised budget Private Member's Bill he has introduced and which has been time delayed. I know the Minister with responsibility for disability is working on personalised budgets. There was an issue with the pilot project. It was very much undersubscribed which was a shame for the efforts to try to assess responses. We are looking for debate on a number of issues which were raised today which are related to disability. We have reached out and are looking for a debate next week or the week after with the Minister on the issues that have been raised.

Senator Tully spoke about a 78-year-old gentleman with a daughter with Down's syndrome and the lack of residential care. The Senator has helped to prepare a business case with this family and reached out to providers. It is a shame if a provider has been identified, as the dad feels, but nothing has been done in relation to it. That is something we will cover in the debate with the Minister in the next few weeks.

Senator Tully also commended Nikita Hand on “Prime Time” last night. I did not see it but fair play, she has really shone a light. It takes an awful lot of courage to stand up and be as vocal as she has. I have heard her on the radio a number of times. We have to support victims in terms of trying to make it easier for other victims down the line.

Senators Stephenson and O’Reilly spoke about the new research from the National Youth Council on how young people feel about the country that we live in. One of the things that struck me when I saw it was that 71% of young people felt they would have a better life outside of Ireland. I have to say it upset me and concerned me but I took the opportunity to look to Mark Henry who, as an independent individual, has a really interesting Twitter or X feed in relation to fact-finding and research. We can end up in a doomscroll about our country, which we are so proud to represent. All of us work to try to make life better for everyone. I say the Senators are adding to that doom and gloom in respect of what they are saying. If they believe it they should be actively working to try to make it better in a pragmatic way. I took the opportunity to look at some of the statistics that Mark Henry had in the last few days. Ireland has one of the highest rates of youth employment in the EU. It is the seventh most competitive country in the world. It is very well ranked because of a strong economy, good government efficiency and positive business practices. Senator O’Reilly spoke about young people going to Australia but it is a fact - and in Ireland we absolutely have challenges, including a lot of challenges around housing - that in Ireland, the cost of a house in Dublin is five times the median household income. In Sydney it is 14 times the median income. People might feel that it is a better world out there but take some of the things that are provided. Look at the education we have in Ireland. Look at the employment opportunities. Irish people now have twice as much income as they had 30 years ago. I think we all need to remind ourselves of that when we hear negativity. If we were to listen to one of the parties mentioned here, in particular, they do not want any data centres in Ireland. We are struggling with it in Kildare at the moment. There is a concern about energy use, absolutely, but we got an independent briefing because data centres are being proposed for Kildare. There is only one plugged into the grid at the moment. It and every future data centre has to be able to provide 80% of its own energy. Data centres are really important to the economy in terms of attracting investment. If we were to go down the line of saying we are not going to progress with any of this as the Senator’s party wants, there would not be good jobs for our youth so we need to be really mindful of the message that we are giving to our young people. We want to empower them to have good, positive lives here in our country. If, by choice, they wish to travel abroad for a few years, as I did myself, that is wonderful but we will welcome them home with open arms. Last year, the statistics showed that 35,000 people emigrated but 30,000 people came back. The level of emigration is not as high as would be suggested.

Senator Murphy O’Mahony spoke about school escorts and that their pay only starts when the first child comes onto the bus - that is something that has to be looked at – and also that the bus escorts are not paid for summer holidays. They are doing a very valuable job. We will look for a debate with the Minister.

Senator McCarthy spoke as chair of the SURF task force. I want to thank him for the really important work that he does. He spoke about the situation where one of its services is now in an industrial estate because it is very difficult to find space in Newbridge. I am looking for a space at the moment for a Jigsaw service. Space is at a premium. Our developing towns do not have an awful lot of space for these services. We need to work collectively to make sure those services are there for those who need them. Also, pharmacies should be supporting people. We will look for a debate with the Minister of State, Deputy Murnane O’Connor.

Senator McCormack spoke about the HSE audit of recruitment for Portlaoise hospital and her concern about staffing levels. We support her. Portlaoise hospital is a fine hospital and we need to do everything we can to make sure there is adequate and relevant staff.

Senator Crowe also offered his sympathies to Senator Craughwell and spoke about the challenges for local pubs. He spoke about what is happening with the UK. Fair play to the Prime Minister, Andy Burnham. He has really grasped that. It is important because, as we have spoken about here many times before, our rural pubs are far more than just a place to provide alcoholic drink. They are a place for people to meet, to congregate and to socialise and we should support them. We will give that message to the Minister.

Senator Craughwell spoke again very movingly about the loss of his wife and really difficult conversations they had to have prior to her passing. He spoke during the week about the power of attorney and spoke today about the advanced healthcare declaration form, which is something we should all encourage and support our families, friends and communities to take because none of us know either the day or the time. Again, I offer our very deepest sympathies to Senator Craughwell. We can see that sometimes out of the deepest, darkest moments there are learning points for all of us that we can try to make the path a little bit easier for others.

Senator Scahill spoke about the disability allowance and the cost of living and limitation of support to an individual he was speaking to during the week, particularly about the need to have regular blood tests needed to help alleviate a condition.

Even with a medical card, €30 is a lot of money and I agree that needs to be looked at. It just happens to be the same individual but it could be anyone else. There is a regular need to change glasses subscription which is not covered, and to access to dentists. These are all basics: our sight, our teeth and the ability to be able to manage and monitor a condition any one of us could have. The Senator spoke about the 60% reduction in dentists in Roscommon and about the capacity issue. We will look for debate with the Minister for Health on that.

Senator McDowell continued the conversation that Senator Craughwell started about the enduring power of attorney and about how complex it is. It is so complex that many solicitors will not touch it. We absolutely need to have a debate. I have heard it a few times from different people, both inside and outside the Chamber. We should ask the justice committee to examine it, so maybe we can ask some Senators here to put it on the work programme. It is not going to be done easily. Senator McDowell also referred to the "Prime Time" debate and protected disclosures. He clarified two elements of his own contribution. I ask that the record shows the two distinctions that the Senator has made today to reflect that.

Senator Curley spoke about Dunguaire Castle in Kinvara, which closed in 2023. I am not sure whether that is an OPW issue or not. The Senator wants a debate. I ask him to table a Commencement matter about that.

Senator Cosgrove spoke about independent radio stations. They provide a really important public service, particularly in rural Ireland. She spoke about the levy increase. The funding system needs to be looked at. We will have the Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill here in October, so we will have an opportunity to raise our voices about it.

Senator Byrne also spoke about the power of attorney and the need to reform it. He spoke about the lack of early morning commuter train from Wexford. Gorey has one early, but Enniscorthy, Wexford and Rosslare have the first train at 8.48 a.m. That is simply not good enough. We will ask the Minister about it. To be fair, Iarnród Éireann is good with its engagement with Members. My car broke down in west Cork three weeks ago and I have not had a car since because we are waiting for parts from the UK and it is still in Cork, so I have had to rely on public transport ever since. I feel so lucky every time I go to the train station that I am able to get that early train. It is a huge issue and it would make such a difference to people.

I addressed the points that Senator O'Reilly raised.

Senator Nelson Murray spoke about the need for reliable bus and train services for Meath. We know the train is coming slowly but there are concerns about the reliability of the bus service. Meath as a commuter county absolutely deserves it.

Senator Boyhan asked for extra time and I have addressed that. He also spoke about the speaker's guide. I do not know whether there was some comment in the past two days that I missed. Maybe the Senator and I will speak privately about that afterwards. He is right that it is up to each party group to be able to provide it. It is a guide, but it is flexible. Any time I have been here and I have needed the Chair, the Cathaoirleach, or the Leas-Chathaoirleach to show flexibility, they did, but the Senator and I can have a conversation later.

Senator Duffy spoke about Ballina and the official opening of the sensory park, which will be tomorrow. It has been community-led and grassroots-led. It is fantastic. I know the Senator acknowledges the working group, particularly the late Paddy O'Hora, who have worked there along with Accelerating Change Together, ACT. The first time I ever went to a sensory park was the Delta Centre in Carlow. It was a centre for people with intellectual disability. It inspired me when I saw young people with severe intellectual disabilities who found it difficult to communicate responded to the sensory park. That was probably 30 years ago. It is wonderful to see them in other places. The work that goes into the maintaining and the planting is huge.

Senator Conway spoke again, supporting the power of attorney reform that is needed. He spoke about the INTO, its briefings, and the fact that it is requesting 1,000 extra teachers in the budget. I think we would all support that request. We will write to the Minister about it. We have the best educated young people in the world nearly and we do that by having great teachers and school communities that support them.

Before I put the question on the Order of Business, I welcome the working party on general affairs from the Joint Committee on European Affairs. I know they are the first of two groups. They are very welcome. I hope they enjoy your visit to the Houses of the Oireachtas and especially to the Seanad. Is the Order of Business agreed?

It is not agreed on the basis that we do not have leaders and Whips meetings in advance anymore. I want the message to get through that that has to be reinstated. We cannot have a situation where a piece of paper appears and that is the consultation that takes place in the House. Of course there will be limited numbers of speakers if they are told that they have two minutes to speak on citizenship. Who is going to sit here for hours on end and say they have something important to say in two minutes? Nobody is going to do that. I fully appreciate that the Deputy Leader is saying to us today that there is a ministerial difficulty, but that could have been avoided if there had been a discussion. We could have had it on a different day rather than just giving people 120 seconds to comment on this matter. It is not acceptable. I say that in an amicable way. There was a system of leaders and Whips meetings every week where these things were discussed in advance and it has evaporated for some reason since Senator Kyne became Deputy Kyne. We have to do something about it.