Seanad Éireann
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Vol. 275 Monday, No. 2 8 March 2021. DÍOSPÓIREACHTAÍ PARLAIMINTE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES SEANAD ÉIREANN TUAIRISC OIFIGIÚIL—Neamhcheartaithe (OFFICIAL REPORT—Unrevised) Insert Date Here 08/03/2021A00100Gnó an tSeanaid - Business of Seanad � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 71 08/03/2021B00200Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 73 08/03/2021B00250Gender Equality � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 73 08/03/2021D00450Value Added Tax � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 76 08/03/2021F00350National Maternity Hospital � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 78 08/03/2021H00400Disease Management � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 80 08/03/2021K00500Gender Equality � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 83 08/03/2021N00250Domestic Violence � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 86 08/03/2021S00100Unveiling of Portrait of Elizabeth O’Farrell � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 89 08/03/2021S00250An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 89 08/03/2021KK00300Quality in Public Procurement (Contract Preparation and Award Criteria) Bill 2021: First Stage � � � � � � � � � 105 08/03/2021WW00100International Women’s Day: Statements � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 105 08/03/2021ZZZ00100Seachtain na Gaeilge: Ráitis� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 134 08/03/2021UUUU00100Private Rental Sector: Motion � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 152 SEANAD ÉIREANN Dé Luain, 8 Márta 2021 Monday, 8 March 2021 Chuaigh an Acting Chairperson i gceannas ar 10�30 a�m� Machnamh agus Paidir. Reflection and Prayer. 08/03/2021A00100Gnó an tSeanaid - Business of Seanad 08/03/2021A00200Acting Chairperson (Senator Emer Currie): I wish everybody a happy International Women’s Day� Lá fhéile na mban sona daoibh� I have received notice from Senators Aisling Dolan and Sharon Keogan that, on the motion for the Commencement of the House today, they propose to raise the following matter: The need for the Minister for Higher Education, Innovation and Science to make a state- ment on the measures proposed to incentivise gender-balanced representation within aca- demia and research posts at third level institutions� I have also received notice from Senator Lynn Boylan of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Finance to make a statement on the reduction of the VAT rate on sustainable period products� I have also received notice from Senator Alice-Mary Higgins of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Health to make a statement on the new National Maternity Hospital; and the steps being taken to ensure full public ownership and accountability� I have also received notice from Senators Lisa Chambers and Erin McGreehan of the fol- lowing matter: The need for the Minister for Health to outline the steps he is taking to improve the di- agnosis time and care pathway for women and girls with endometriosis� I have also received notice from Senators Ivana Bacik and Marie Sherlock of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to make a statement on the proposed timeline for the introduction of gender pay gap legisla- 71 Seanad Éireann tion� I have also received notice from Senators Mary Seery Kearney and Pauline O’Reilly of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to make a statement on the measures being proposed to address domestic violence in Ireland� I have also received notice from Senator Victor Boyhan of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to make a statement on the timeframe for the establishment of the office of food ombudsman as set out in the pro- gramme for Government� I have also received notice from Senator Rónán Mullen of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Health to make a statement on the conditions applied by his Department and by the Health Service Executive on the provision of funding to chari- table, voluntary and community organisations, whether such conditions include compliance with company law requirements, including the filing of audited accounts, with reference to the case of a particular organisation (details supplied) that has continued to receive funding despite allegedly not being in compliance with company law filing requirements. I have also received notice from Senator Malcolm Byrne of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to make a statement on the full economic cost of a higher education student in full-time education; and if he will provide an update on the implementation of the Cassells report on higher education funding� I have also received notice from Senator Paul Gavan of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Transport to make a statement on the need to reintegrate Shannon Airport into a new national airport authority as proposed by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport and Communications Networks� I have also received notice from Senator Martin Conway of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Health to make a statement on the status of the public health consultants’ contract and his plans to resource regional public health services into the future� I have also received notice from Senator Tim Lombard of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Education to provide an update on the delivery of a perma- nent extension for the Sacred Heart Secondary School, Clonakilty, County Cork� I have also received notice from Senator Emer Currie of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to develop a remote- first communications campaign to prepare businesses and workers for a new work culture post Covid-19� The matters raised by the Senators are suitable for discussion� The Cathaoirleach has 72 8 March 2021 selected Senators Dolan and Keogan, who are sharing time, Boylan, Higgins, and Chambers and McGreehan, who are sharing time, Bacik and Sherlock, who are sharing time, and Seery Kearney and O’Reilly, who are sharing time, and they will be taken now� The other Senators may give notice on another day of the matters that they wish to raise� 08/03/2021B00200Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters 08/03/2021B00250Gender Equality 08/03/2021B00400Senator Aisling Dolan: I welcome the Acting Chairman, Senator Currie, who has taken the Chair on this auspicious day - International Women’s Day� Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit Collins and I thank him for joining us here today� Today, in Ireland, the actual amount of female representation in senior positions at third level is shocking to many� We need change and this has been proven by: the Equality Tribunal in 2014; the 2016 Higher Education Authority, HEA, review of gender and equality; the Gender Action Plan 2018-2020; and the gender equality task force� Across our seven universities only one out of all is a woman because, in September 2020, Professor Kerstin Mey was appointed as interim president for the University of Limerick� Many of our institutes of technology are on their way to technological university status� Two out of nine presidents or provosts are women: Dr� Orla Flynn is the president of Galway- Mayo Institute of Technology; and Dr� Patricia Mulcahy is president of the Institute of Technol- ogy Carlow� I am also happy to note that all three institutes under the Connacht-Ulster Alliance tech- nological university have applied for the bronze Athena SWAN award and the results are due at the end of March� The Athena SWAN committee is an international body for gender equal- ity, particularly in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, STEM, areas in higher education institutes� There is also a recent publication by Professor Pat O’Connor, University of Limerick, and Dr� Gemma Irvine, vice-president for equality and diversity at Maynooth University� Their publication points to the fact that an Athena SWAN award, particularly at silver level, is bound to be associated with a higher ranking on the Quacquarelli Symonds, QS, world university rankings system� However, an Athena SWAN award alone will not increase the number of women in professorships� The former Minister, Mary Mitchell-O’Connor, was proactive and set up the senior academic leadership initiative, SALI, that has 45 new female professorships, of which 20 were allocated in 2019 and 15 more are due to be announced in May with two being allocated to the National University of Ireland, Galway, NUIG, and one to the Athlone Institute of Technology�