Garret Kelleher
Industrial and Commercial Panel · Fine Gael · Ireland
“These services include a day care programme led by nurses and healthcare assistants, community catering with meals-on-wheels, social activities and transport. The work done by the team at Westgate Foundation enables older people in our community to stay at home and live independently while maintaining a vital social connection.”
“The fact she is in Westgate and able to participate and volunteer at local level speaks volumes about the independence it affords to people. There is an ongoing conversation in Cork on the development of light rail, the Luas line, with Ballincollig being on the western side of that.”
“Mar is eol don Aire Stáit, is fíorthábhachtach an rud é cinnteacht a thabhairt do Westgate Foundation faoi thodhchaí na heagraíochta agus seans a thabhairt don fhoireann bainistíochta na seirbhísí a fhorbairt i gcomhréir leis na riachtanais atá ag dul i méid i measc daoine aosta inár bpobal i mBaile an Chollaigh agus sna ceantair mórthimp…”
“I thank the Minister of State for his response and acknowledge the behind-the-scenes work going on between the HSE management in the south-west region and the management team at Westgate, which is crucial. I neglected to mention one thing in my initial contribution, of which the Minister of State will be well aware.”
“As the Minister of State is aware, one of the primary reasons for the increased costs being borne by Westgate Foundation is related to the fact that the organisation had been heavily dependent on the community employment scheme, which is an unsustainable position given that the economy is effectively operating at full employment.”
“As the Minister of State is aware, Westgate Foundation is reliant on section 39 State funding, administered through the HSE South West, to provide services to senior citizens.”
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“I thank the Minister for his comprehensive outlining of each of the sections and Parts of the Garda Síochána (Powers) Bill, which I am satisfied achieves his stated objective of bringing legal clarity to where it is needed. We fully support the Bill.”
“The gaps in statutory safeguards referenced by the Minister in his opening remarks, in my view, have been adequately addressed and clarity has been brought to where some legal ambiguity previously existed. In relation to safeguarding and civil liberties, I am happy that significant progress is being made under Part 5 and section 30 of the Bill on the proposed modernised framework for the treatment of persons in Garda custody, including the strengthening of access to legal representation, giving effect to Directive 2013/48/EU on the right of access to a lawyer in criminal proceedings and European arrest warrant proceedings.”
“On behalf of the Fine Gael group, I would like to support the general principles of the Bill before us this evening, particularly in relation to its provisions for the areas of search, seizure, arrest and detention. Although the Irish Council for Civil Liberties has broadly welcomed the Bill, as was alluded to by Senator Boyhan, I also note some concerns it has raised, specifically in relation to human rights safeguards and the lack of specific reference to these rights in the wording of the Bill. Perhaps the Minister might make reference to this in his response to the debate and tie this in with the recommendations of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland.”
“Is mian liom, ar son Sheanadóirí Fhine Gael, ár mbuíochas a ghabháil leis an Aire, an Teachta O’Callaghan, as teacht isteach tráthnóna chun páirt a ghlacadh sa díospóireacht seo. Cuirim fáilte roimhe. Cuirim fáilte chomh maith roimh an méid atá leagtha amach sa Bhille seo agus an dul chun cinn atá molta chun cumhachtaí breise a thabhairt do bhaill an Gharda Síochána ar fud na tíre. Cuirim fáilte áirithe roimh na moltaí a bhaineann le cumhachtaí breise ó thaobh gléasanna leictreonacha a chuardach. De réir mar a thagann athraithe ar an teicneolaíocht, caithfidh muid a bheith réidh le déileáil leo. Chomh fada is a bhaineann sé liom, tá sé sin le feiceáil sa Bhille atá os ár gcomhair inniu.”
“On behalf of Fine Gael, I echo the sentiments of other Senators. The debate has been very engaging. A collaborative approach has been taken. That was made all the more easier by the Minister of State's approach. I thank everybody who put in such huge work into it and working together. The emphasis that is on mental health now is an awful lot more significant and far better than it was when I was growing up in the eighties and nineties and the country is all the better for that. Long may that continue. Any additional resources that can be put into additional supports or additional counselling, as the Minister of State is striving toward, is welcome. Like others, I welcome the spirit in which the debate was conducted. I thank everybody involved in the Chamber and behind the scenes because 19 hours of debate is not easy.”
“Sula n-iarrfaimid ar an Aire freagra a thabhairt ar son an Rialtais, cuirim fáilte roimh dhaltaí ón CBS i nDún Dealgan. I welcome the pupils from CBS primary school Dundalk. They are guests of Deputy Paula Butterly. As is the tradition in Seanad Éireann, they will have no homework for the rest of the week, so they are clear for today and tomorrow.”
“Chomh maith leis na Seanadóirí eile, ba mhaith liom fáilte a chur roimh an Aire Stáit, an Teachta Collins. I do not have a huge amount to add to what Senator Rabbitte said. She summarised the Government's position. I second the counter-motion on the basis that it is premature at this point, pending the outcome of deliberations and feedback from the implementation group. We will proceed from that point. I second the counter-motion and reiterate the position of Senator Rabbitte.”
“Amendments Nos. 140 to 148, inclusive, are related and may be discussed together. Is that agreed? Agreed. Amendment No. 143 is a physical alternative to amendment No. 142. Amendments Nos. 147 and 148 are physical alternatives to amendment No. 146.”
“Amendments Nos. 129 to 132, inclusive, 136, 138 and 139 are related. Amendment No. 131 is a physical alternative to No. 130. Amendments Nos. 129 to 132, inclusive, 136, 138 and 139 may be discussed together by agreement. Is that agreed? Agreed.”
“Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire chuig an Teach. Like Senator Gallagher, I welcome the proposal for the opt-in. As the Minister said, this was initiated at the Council of Europe, as opposed to the European Union, in its secondary legislation, or what is referred to as a non-legislative enactment, which I understand is on a par with the statutory instruments with which we would be more familiar. As Senator Gallagher outlined, crime is evolving, and crime protection measures need to evolve with crime. Co-operation with our international partners is as important now as it ever was. I think it is prudent to opt in under Article 3, as opposed to waiting beyond this stage. On behalf of the Fine Gael group, I also recommend opting in at this point.”
“We also want to see progress on pensions, which was alluded to, in addition to improved access to legal and technical support and advice as well as the pay and non-pay supports for councillors. Ultimately, by improving local democracy in this country, it is the citizens who will benefit. That is what we need to achieve.”
“The proposal for a timed amendment is entirely appropriate. It is not, as many Senators describe it, kicking the can down the road. It is affording the local democracy task force an opportunity to arrive at conclusions, to reflect on them and then to legislate in an appropriate manner, not to second-guess the outcome because that is entirely premature. That is a key point, one which the Minister of State addressed in his remarks. What we want to see achieved here is delivery. We want to see improved local democracy as a result of the outcomes of the task force. We want to see more powers, funding, greater autonomy and improved conditions for councillors.”
“I welcome the involvement of the local authority representative associations, including the AILG, of which I was a member for the entire duration of my time as a councillor, as was my colleague beside me Senator Brady and our colleague Councillor Anna Grainger, who is in the Gallery. The AILG does great work in representing councillors. It is also true to say that the Association of Irish Local Government has three of the 14 representatives on the local democracy task force and that LAMA, which is represented here by Councillor Malone this evening, has two representatives of the 14. It would be entirely undemocratic of us to disregard the work of the task force and to try to circumvent it by arriving at our own conclusion which, unlike the Minister of State, I view as being a little bit opportunistic.”
“It is €31,000. Senator Flynn began her initial contribution by saying she felt she understood the role of a councillor better than anybody else in this Chamber and that she admired the courage of those who put their names forward in local elections, which she did not do. Many in this Chamber have done that and have served as councillors. With the greatest of respect-----”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit as ucht teacht isteach sa Teach chun an rún a phlé. On the correction made by Senator Flynn, the amount involved is actually in excess of €31,000, as the Minister of State indicated.”
“Before we suspend, I wish to welcome guests of Deputy Robert Troy from Derry and a second group from Balbriggan Educate Together. As we said to the earlier group, there is no homework following your visit to the Seanad. That is a tradition here.”
“Sula dtiocfaimid ar ais chuig an Seanadóir Black, ba mhaith liom fáilte a chur roimh na daltaí ó Balbriggan Educate Together. I welcome the pupils of Balbriggan Educate Together, who are here as guests of Deputy Louise O'Reilly. As is tradition here in the Seanad, there is no obair bhaile, no homework, for today or tomorrow.”
“Like my colleague, Senator Blaney from Fianna Fáil, I welcome this evening's motion, but we need to proceed with caution. My concern is about the timing of pushing for a date for referendums because a significant amount of preparatory work needs to be done in building trust and further reconciliation and looking at the detailed nuances of all areas in which progress needs to be made.”
“It was a great evening, where people from all sides were able to enjoy one another's company. We need to work more closely together and understand the path forward, recognising people from all sides. Senator Conor Murphy mentioned the Irish language and it is heartening to see progress being made in the likes of East Belfast Mission, led by Linda Ervine who is married to Brian Ervine, a brother of someone who was involved in the loyalist paramilitary strikes during the Troubles and brought the Progressive Unionist Party, PUP, to the negotiating table and the ceasefire. To see the love and grá someone from a background like that can have for our language gives me enormous hope for the possibilities that exist in the future.”
“Institutions such as the British-Irish interparliamentary body and the North-South Inter-Parliamentary Association are very positive and I was delighted to have been a part of the recent Oireachtas delegation in Stormont for the meeting of the North-South Inter-Parliamentary Association, where the very important issues of the all-island electricity market and all-island cancer care were discussed. I know that is a matter to which Senator Murphy contributed positively at committee level here in the Houses of the Oireachtas. We need to aspire to greater unionist inclusion. It was fantastic in Stormont recently to be able to sit alongside MLAs from all sides and to be able to enjoy a great evening of entertainment with the Royal Hillsborough balladeers. They are affectionately known as RHUBARB. I have misplaced the acronym in my notes.”
“I agree with Senator Murphy that the new Ireland to which we aspire cannot be created by stitching the Six Counties onto the Twenty-six Counties. That is a point I made in my maiden speech in Seanad Éireann. My fear is that many of those who have emerged from the provisional republican movement continue to aspire to a "Tiocfaidh ár lá" aspiration of a united Ireland and are focused on retribution and vengeance. That, as we all know, cannot work. We need to aspire to a united Ireland where we speak about unity in every sense of the word and everybody feels equally welcome. My experience thus far on the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement has been largely positive. However, one glaring obstacle that needs to be overcome if at all possible is the inclusion of unionist voices.”
“Like Senator Blaney, I welcome the tone of this evening's debate to date and, without intending to sound deliberately provocative or antagonistic, I feel it is important to point out that the prospect of progress towards a shared island and closer co-operation was undoubtedly set back many years by the futile campaigns of violence, bombings, murder, mayhem, hatred, sectarianism and division that took place during the three decades of the Troubles. The party which is proposing this evening's motion must also, as Senator Blaney alluded to, acknowledge its role and responsibilities, do more to heal the wounds of the past and create the confidence and trust that are needed to overcome the challenges that lie ahead.”
“As was included in the report from the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement of the previous Oireachtas, as was referenced in this evening's motion, this must include significantly greater work in areas such as healthcare, taxation, education, social welfare, pensions and political representative institutions, to name but a few. As we work towards a brighter future, built on the peace that has been established over the past 25 or more years, it is essential that all of our efforts are focused on inclusion and respect.”
“I dtosach báire ba mhaith liom fáilte a chur roimh an Aire Stáit, an Teachta Richmond, atá anseo anocht chun an rún seo a phlé. I know that this is an area in which the Minister of State has a particular interest and an area in which he has done a lot of work. It is great to see him here this evening. As a member of Fine Gael, the united Ireland party, I welcome this evening's motion on Irish unity and the continued discussions relating to the huge amount of preparatory work that needs to be done to pave the way for closer co-operation and the possibility of agreed constitutional change.”
“A meeting took place yesterday between Young Fine Gael, the Social Democrats, Ógra Fianna Fáil and Ógra Sinn Féin on the campus of UCC, all of whom were supportive of the re-establishment of both the Social Democrats and Young Fine Gael as societies on the college campus. As I said at the beginning, for our community groups to survive and thrive, it is essential we have the participation of young people. I call upon the UCC societies executive to reverse its decision and allow youth wings of political parties to function as societies on the college campus.”
“Early in 2025, the organisation contacted the UCC societies executive to address the issue and overcome the administrative barriers preventing it from re-affiliating. The rules on the establishment of youth sections of registered political parties changed in August 2025. The societies council instituted a new rule prohibiting registered political parties or youth wings of political parties from establishing but applied this only to new societies, which precluded both Young Fine Gael and also the Social Democrats from re-affiliating as societies on campus. This seems inherently unfair as other political groups have youth wings which have been allowed to continue as societies.”
“I often think of the seanfhocal "Mol an óige agus tiocfaidh sí" when dealing with and interacting with young people, particularly young people involved in community groups and organisations, because young people are the future of our society, and our clubs and organisations. We need them to participate for our organisations to survive and thrive. I was recently contacted by Ms Bebhinn Lombard, the Munster regional organiser of Young Fine Gael, about an issue of concern that has arisen on the campus of UCC pertaining to the affiliation of youth sections of political parties. It relates to the affiliation of Young Fine Gael as a branch on the campus of UCC. A clerical issue arose that resulted in the branch not been re-affiliated in 2024.”
“I welcome the former Senator, TD and Minister Paudie Coffey, Paul Fox and Belén Martí from Edwards Lifesciences. They are all very welcome to the Chamber. I hope they enjoy their visit to Leinster House.”
“Many others have mentioned the enormous contribution she makes to local government in the face of hostile vitriol on social media and elsewhere. It is very important that we, as elected representatives, stand with Councillor Adenuga and others, and stand against racism. Very briefly, if the Cathaoirleach would indulge me for another ten seconds, I would also like to commend Senator Laura Harmon on a superb anti-racism demonstration that she held in Cork recently, which was very well attended by local and national representatives across the board. It was a very positive step for migrant communities in Cork who participated in that demonstration.”
“I also welcome the progress made towards the programme for Government commitment on the introduction of a contribution model in the area of international protection, whereby those who are in Ireland seeking international protection and working make a contribution towards the accommodation. As many Senators noted, it is important that we have a firm but fair system. While not all applicants are working, many are. This is an area we need to see progress made on. In relation to those who are in Ireland illegally, it is important that action is taken, as referenced in a number of contributions and by the Minister of State, either by voluntary return or by deportation, if necessary. As the Minister of State did, I commend the good work of An Garda Síochána in co-operating in this regard. I acknowledge the presence of Councillor Yemi Adenuga.”
“Senator Gallagher rightly acknowledged the fact this has dropped, through no small effort on the part of the Minister of State, Deputy Brophy, and his colleague, the Minister, Deputy Callaghan. Senator Stephenson made a very good point about the UK's intention to pull out of the UN convention on human rights, which is obviously a concern. With the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union, different rules apply. Those who made contributions referencing the change in migration policy in the UK did so conscious of the fact it is something we need to be mindful of because there will undoubtedly be consequences with which we will have to deal. I welcome the Minister of State's reference to the single permit to work and live in Ireland. This is a very positive step forward.”
“The availability of accurate information was referenced by a number of Senators during the course of the debate. This is absolutely key so we can take a stand against the politics of hatred, division, misinformation and, very often, the deliberate conflation of issues that relate to migration but are not necessarily interconnected. The issue of international protection was raised, and one Senator was critical of the Government making an issue of the fact the numbers seeking international protection had escalated. For my part, I said this about the years 2022 to 2024, when the numbers went from, as I said in my earlier contribution, an average of approximately 2,500 per year to more than 13,000 in each of those three years.”
“Recently, I met a leader of the Indian community in Cork who has been living there for more than 12 years, during the first ten of which he said he and his family never had any issue. Over the past two years, there have been a number of incidents. Certain things have been said on the street to family members. He no longer feels safe going to certain areas and these are concerns he did not have previously. This is something it is incumbent on us all to be mindful of as we look to provide leadership.”
“Uair amháin eile, gabhaim ár mbuíochas leis an Aire Stáit, an Teachta Brophy, as ucht teacht isteach chun éisteacht linn, as an óráid láidir sin a thug sé tar éis éisteacht linn agus as an rún atá os ár gcomhair anocht a phlé. On some of the issues raised during the course of the debate, I should first say that, like others, I am delighted the debate was carried out in a very respectful manner with different views exchanged. As Senator Joe Conway said, it was carried out in a spirit of decency. That is to be welcomed. Senator Clonan, in a very strong address, made reference to a migrant worker who helps care for his son and the difficulty and concerns he has about going into town to get the frappuccino and the puppuccino, out of fear because of what happened in Dublin. This is of concern to us all.”
“The other related to EU citizens who were deported out of the country as a result of criminal convictions. Therefore, it is important to see that enforcement in the area of immigration has been significantly stepped up. This year alone, in the context of the flights to which I refer, there were 3,877 deportation orders signed. Some 1,770 people who were the subject of those orders were deported from the State. That information was accurate up to the end of October. This is on the back of increases prior to last year, when 2,403 deportation orders were signed. That represents 180% of the 2023 total. The point I made in relation to the removal from the State of convicted criminals who are a danger to public safety is something that has been a priority. It is good to see action on it because it is a concern for the wider public.”
“Therefore, in the region of 25,000 people arrived during that time. In 2022, the number of applicants increased dramatically to approximately 13,500. There were another 13,500 in 2023. In 2024, the number of applicants rose to in excess of 16,000. Dealing with that scale of change obviously posed massive logistical issues. We were in a weak bargaining position, for want of a better expression, when it came to offers of accommodation. This is something we have to seek to rectify as we seek to manage the problems that have arisen. A lot of progress has been made this year in the area of deportations, with six chartered flights used to deport people who were illegally in the country. Five of the six flights related to people from outside the EU who made their way to Ireland illegally.”
“Like so many other communities across the country, Cork has played its part in welcoming those fleeing war, including many who lost their homes with the illegal invasion by Russia of Ukraine in February 2022. Cork communities have benefited from the recognition fund to the tune of €170,000 for the Glen Resource Centre, over €80,000 for a new playground in my hometown of Ballincollig and €75,000 for an upgrade to Neptune Stadium. It is important to recognise the scale of the issue Ireland had to deal with in the area of international protection and how quickly it escalated as a result of international conflicts and climate change in various parts of the world. In the decade prior to 2022, there were an average of 2,500 international protection applicants per year over a ten-year period.”
“I have experience of living in a number of different countries abroad having spent time in America, Australia and Luxembourg. My experience has been very positive, as I have said in this House previously. It is important for us to ensure that we have a mature approach to people who seek refuge in our country and seek to make Ireland a home for a variety of reasons. In this regard, the establishment by Government of the community recognition fund in recent years was a very positive step towards acknowledging the support and huge efforts that have been made by communities across the country to welcome and support people fleeing war and seeking protection here. The Latin motto of my home city of Cork is statio bene fida carinis , which translates loosely as a safe harbour for all ships.”
“Is é an pointe atá á dhéanamh agam ná nuair atá muid ag déileáil le cúrsaí tithíochta, sláinte agus imirce inniu, ní i bhfad ó shín a bhí muintir na tíre seo ag déileáil leis na fadhbanna a bhí bainteach leis an nGorta Mór. At various stages throughout the 20th century and even more recently following the economic crash of 2008 and the years that followed, Irish people were forced to emigrate out of economic necessity. That gave rise to its own challenges for many people in settling and integrating in countries that were not home to them and having to deal with discrimination from certain quarters. Nonetheless, we have a proud history of integrating where we have travelled abroad through our diaspora and helping to build communities and contribute where we have made our lives.”
“The Minister of State is no stranger to the Seanad Chamber, and nor is his colleague the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, who has been very forthcoming with his time in coming here to debate these issues. That is something for which we are all very grateful. Nuair a smaoiníonn muid ar chúrsaí imirce, is fíorthábhachtach an rud é smaoineamh ar ár stair, ár seanmhuintir agus ár n-oidhreacht. I gcás fhormhór na ndaoine sa tSeomra inniu, rugadh ár sin-seantuismitheoirí am éigin ag deireadh na 19ú haoise. Rugadh a seantuismitheoirí féin am éigin ag tús na 19ú haoise, rud a chiallaíonn go raibh siad anseo le linn an Ghorta Mhóir.”
“I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Brophy, to the House to discuss and debate this motion on the important issue of migration.”
“I move: That Seanad Éireann: acknowledges that: - Irish people have emigrated throughout the world in times of famine and during times of economic difficulties and have helped build cities and communities wherever they went; - Ireland benefits from migration; - immigration to Ireland has been increasing in line with our increased prosperity; - we are a small, open economy which relies on trade and investment to deliver economic and jobs growth, and raise living standards; - thousands of people come to Ireland to work, to study and to fill essential skills gaps, and they make a significant contribution to our society; - there are genuine concerns by local communities around the provision of international protection, however Ireland, like every other democratic state, is not immune from the threat of violent extremism, something which can never be tolerated; - Ireland officially opted into the European Union Pact on Migration and Asylum following votes of both the Dáil and Seanad; - since February 2022, over 120,000 people fleeing the war in Ukraine have been granted temporary protection in Ireland, with an estimated 83,000 remaining resident in the State; - nearly 33,000 people, of whom over 9,000 are children, are being accommodated in international protection accommodation (IPAS); - at the end of 2021, IPAS accommodated just over 7,000 people and numbers increased during an unprecedented surge in applications from 2022 to 2024; - over 90,000 people have come to Ireland to work in the last three years through the work permit scheme, while 40,000 students choose to study here; - there has been widespread condemnation across the country of the recent arson attack on an IPAS centre in Drogheda; notes that: - according to the CSO that the estimated population of Ireland was 5.38 million people (April 2024) of which 84.5 per cent are Irish citizens and 15.5 per cent are citizens of other countries, the majority of those being from other EU countries and the United Kingdom; - 2.8 million people are working in Ireland according to latest statistics and 500,000 of them are non-Irish citizens, equating to one in five workers in Ireland; - responsibility for international protection accommodation and integration has returned to the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration as agreed under the Programme for Government; - there is a Programme for Government commitment to introduce a new International Protection Act to implement the European Union Pact on Migration and Asylum, which will strengthen and integrate key EU policies on migration, asylum, border management and integration; - new domestic legislation will be enacted in 2026 to provide for faster processing of applications, stronger border security, and a more efficient returns system; - the Government launched a procurement process, in June 2024, for charter deportation flights and has successfully utilised such services for the purpose of deporting and returning individuals who no longer have permission to remain in the State; - the accelerated decision process for international protection now applies to/in the following: - 15 ‘safe countries’; - applicants who have received protection elsewhere in Europe; - those from a country with a particularly high number of applications; urges the Government to: - invest additional resources to ensure that we can quickly process visa and immigration permissions; - remain responsive to our economic needs including our skills needs across the health and care, agriculture, construction and multinational sectors; - continue to implement a firmer migration system that enhances border security, streamlines processing, ensures faster removals, and protects the integrity of our immigration framework, while supporting those in need; - implement clear timelines to ensure that all applications are processed efficiently; - implement stronger border security, including increasing the collection of fingerprints and photographs from new arrivals, enhancing our ability to verify identities; - continue to invest in English language classes for people seeking international protection; - enforce policies to protect migrants from exploitation and abuse, highlighting the social and economic benefits of migration to counter anti-immigration sentiments; - continue to improve value for money in the accommodation system, moving away from relying on private providers towards a core of State-owned accommodation; - require international protection applicants to contribute towards their accommodation costs; - ensure that people who arrive here from safe countries, with false or no documents, or who have crossed borders illegally are subject to an accelerated processing system so that decisions are made quickly; - ensure that any applicant whose international protection application has been refused in another EU member state will be subject to an accelerated hearing under an inadmissibility procedure; - publish a new national Migration and Integration Strategy; - invest in integration programmes that support language learning, as well as broader social, cultural and sporting exchange, and access to essential public services such as education and healthcare, facilitating smoother transitions for migrants; - develop community-led initiatives to foster connections between migrants and local populations, particularly in areas receiving a high number of new arrivals, to build strong community ties; - renew the focus and the purpose of the Community Recognition Fund to ensure it meets the needs of local communities which are supporting new arrivals and to ensure every community benefits to guarantee supports for vital services.”
“I dtosach báire, déanaim mo chomhbhrón leis na teaghlaigh ar fad a bhí bainteach leis an tubaiste uafásach a bhí againn i gContae Lú. Chomh maith le cuid mhór Seanadóirí eile, tugaim ómós dár gcomhghleacaí an Teachta Paschal Donohoe atá ag éirí as a phost mar Aire Airgeadais. Is duine cumasach tuisceanach cineálta é Paschal. Is duine é atá an-stuama ó thaobh chúrsaí airgeadais de. Bhí sé ag iarraidh go mbeadh an t-airgead againn an t-am ar fad nuair a bhí sé ag teastáil, cosúil leis an bpaindéim a bhí againn agus an saghas sin ruda. Gúim gach rath air ina phost nua mar stiúrthóir bainistíochta an Bhainc Dhomhanda. Níl aon amhras orm ach go n-éireoidh go geal leis in Washington. Is mian liom an méid sin a rá.”
“I do not think it should be construed that anybody else is running to claim credit for the work she has done. This is a big win for the Civil Engagement Group. The Minister of State has articulated the reasons for the Government having the position it has. I again commend the Senator on her work to bring about this change.”
“First, cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit agus roimh an mBille atá os ár gcomhair inniu. I commend Senator Flynn and her colleagues in the Civil Engagement Group on the great work they have done on this. It is not a question of the Government taking their work, running with it and rebranding it. Senator Flynn earlier said that she would like her daughters to be proud of her and the change that she has made. The spirit of what is being proposed is being adequately dealt with. The soft reference to child pornography is seen as outdated and entirely inappropriate. That has been adequately addressed by the legislation being enacted. I would not accept the criticism of us as Government Senators. The work that Senator Flynn has done should be lauded and she should be congratulated on it. She is responsible and played a key role in this.”
“I agree with Senator Murphy on the importance of addressing the anomaly of the non-inclusion of the technological universities in the provision to ensure the viability of the development of student accommodation. On the whole, I am very supportive of this and thank the Minister of State for his time and for clearly outlining what is being put before us today. I am very happy to support the Bill.”
“Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit, an Teachta O'Sullivan, agus gabhaim buíochas leis as teacht isteach inniu. Tugaim mo tacaíocht don leasú tábhachtach atá os ár gcomhair anocht. As the Minister of State outlined in his opening remarks, what we are doing here is legislating for an increase in the statutory borrowing limit. If we do so, it will be the seventh occasion on which this has been done since 1981. My colleague, Senator Murphy, has already outlined the urgency behind this, given the potential shortfall that could arise in early November. In that context, it is the right and prudent thing to do to ensure the increased provision of social, affordable and cost-rental housing across the country.”
“I thank the Department of foreign affairs and the Ministers for the work they have done. I wish all those involved, particularly the Irish citizens, a safe return.”
“As Senator Kyne said, it highlights the vital need for the opening-up of humanitarian corridors into Gaza to allow people much-needed help and humanitarian assistance. We had a visit earlier from the German ambassador, organised by the Cathaoirleach. It is important to use all of these opportunities to link in with our EU neighbours to see what more we can do, as a group of countries collectively, to bring an end to the violence and the atrocities that are taking place in Gaza. As we approach the day of German independence, and the celebration of the reunification of Germany and what has been achieved peacefully since, we look upon international conflict resolution success stories as an inspiration. To conclude, I reiterate my solidarity with those involved.”
“What has happened with the interception, as referenced by Senator O'Loughlin in her citation of maritime law, is a clear breach of international law. The Israeli response and the publicity around it are very unhelpful, in particular referring to the flotilla as a Hamas flotilla, which it is not and which is veering into the area of propaganda. It is a misrepresentation of those involved, who are doing their level best to provide humanitarian assistance during what has become internationally recognised, and recognised by the United Nations, as a genocide. The efforts of those involved to get humanitarian assistance, aid, food and essential medical supplies into Gaza are to be commended.”