Vol. 273 Friday, No. 12 18 December 2020 DÍOSPÓIREACHTAÍ PARLAIMINTE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES SEANAD ÉIREANN TUAIRISC OIFIGIÚIL—Neamhcheartaithe (OFFICIAL REPORT—Unrevised) 8/12/2020A00100Teachtaireachtaí ón Dáil - Messages from Dáil � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 737 18/12/2020A00300An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 737 18/12/2020L00100Appropriation Bill 2020: Second Stage � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 755 18/12/2020P00050Appropriation Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 762 18/12/2020R03000Appropriation Bill 2020: Motion for Earlier Signature � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 769 18/12/2020T00100Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Bill 2017: Second Stage � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 769 18/12/2020FF00575Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Bill 2017: Committee and Remaining Stages 795 SEANAD ÉIREANN Dé hAoine, 18 Nollaig 2020 Friday, 18 December 2020 Chuaigh an Cathaoirleach i gceannas ar 10 a�m� Machnamh agus Paidir. Reflection and Prayer. 18/12/2020A00100Teachtaireachtaí ón Dáil - Messages from Dáil 18/12/2020A00200An Cathaoirleach: Dáil Éireann has passed the Appropriation Bill 2020 on 17 December 2020, which is sent herewith to Seanad Éireann for its recommendation� Dáil Éireann has also passed the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) (Amendment) Bill 2020 on 17 December 2020, to which the agreement of Seanad Éireann is desired� Dáil Éireann has also passed the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Bill 2017 on 17 December 2020, to which the agreement of Seanad Éireann is desired� 18/12/2020A00300An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business 18/12/2020A00400Senator Regina Doherty: The Order of Business is No� 1, Appropriation Bill 2020 - all Stages, to be taken at 11�30 a�m� or 15 minutes after the conclusion of the Order of Business, whichever is the later, and to conclude after 60 minutes by the putting of one question from the Chair which shall, in respect of amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Government, contributions by Senators to the debate on Second Stage shall not exceed five minutes and the Minister shall be given no less than four minutes to reply, Committee and Re- maining Stages to be taken immediately afterwards; No� 2, motion for the earlier signature of the Appropriation Bill 2020, to be taken on conclusion of No� 1 without debate; No� 3, Harass- ment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Bill 2017, also known as Coco’s Law - all Stages, to be taken at 12�45 p�m� or 15 minutes after the conclusion of No� 2, whichever is the later, contributions by group spokespersons to the debate on Second Stage shall not exceed eight minutes, those of all other Senators shall not exceed five minutes and the Minister shall be given no less than six minutes to reply, Committee and Remaining Stages are to be taken immediately thereafter� 18/12/2020A00500Senator Robbie Gallagher: My comments will be confined to discussing the end of the 737 Seanad Éireann year� This time last year, little did those of us who were in the Chamber think we would have the year that has just gone by� It has been a strange and tough year for many families, especially those who have lost loved ones along the way in difficult and strenuous circumstances. It has also been a very tough year for many in the business community, who struggle each day and will continue to do so for some time to come� Nevertheless, it is a time of year for families� I extend a happy Christmas to the Cathaoirleach and commend him on the job he has done since he took the Chair� He has been fair and impartial and I thank him and congratulate him for that� To the Leader and the rest of my colleagues in the Chamber, I wish for them a happy and healthy Christmas and, hopefully, a brighter new year� I cannot speak highly enough of Martin, Brigid and all the staff in the various sections of the Houses in the context of the courtesy they extend to us and for how helpful they are to us� I extend a happy and healthy Christmas to them and, hopefully, a brighter 2021� 18/12/2020A00600Senator Victor Boyhan: I take this opportunity to say a few thanks� What a year it has been� Little did we think this time last year that we would be facing into a 2020 general election and Seanad election and a huge intake of new Senators - what an honour and achievement for them, personally� I remember the people who contested an election but did not succeed on that occasion� I hope we will see many of them here in future� It is important that we acknowledge the difficulties and challenges of contesting any election but that is the great thing about parlia- mentary democracy� I thank Martin, the Clerk of the Seanad, Brigid and all the people in the background in the Seanad Office, and in the Leader’s office, Orla Murray and how she co-ordinates the work be- hind the scenes among Departments, Ministers, speakers and the schedules every week� I thank the Cathaoirleach, Grace Coyle and all the others who work behind the scenes� This has been a difficult year for all of us. It has been a challenging year for business, as has been noted. I acknowledge the people involved in the Community Call� Local government shone brightest when people stood up and responded to the Community Call and I acknowledge the councils and local government throughout the country� Finally, I pay special thanks to Senator Flynn� Anyone who saw her last night could not but be moved by this most wonderful Senator and by the journey she has taken through her life and personal experiences to be rightfully here, sitting in Seanad Éireann� Anyone who watched it could not but be moved by the extraordinary journey that Senator Flynn took� It shows that anybody can do anything they want if they set their mind to it and they are determined� I ac- knowledge her work� I also acknowledge the Members in this House and the great diversity of our membership� I will leave the Leader with one ask� I hope that early next year we will have the two by- elections for Seanad Éireann� It is too important and it should not become a political issue or be divisive� There are vacancies for two seats in this House� I ask the Leader to engage with the Government to see if the early writ could be moved for both of those vacancies to have the election and to have, rightfully, two more new Senators in place in Seanad Éireann� I thank the Leader personally and wish her well for Christmas, as I do with all the Members in this House� 18/12/2020B00200Senator Ivana Bacik: I join others on behalf of the Labour Party group in wishing all col- leagues across the House well for the Christmas break and the new year� In particular, I wish you well, a Chathaoirligh, and Martin, Bridget, Grace and all in the Cathaoirleach’s office, the Leader and all in her office, Orla Murray and others, who make the Seanad run so smoothly. I thank them all for their hard work this year� Undoubtedly, it has been a very tough year� At 738 18 December 2020 this time, we also remember the many who have been bereaved or whose health and livelihoods have been so badly affected by the Covid pandemic. We look forward to a better year for us all in 2021� Today is International Migrants Day� I look forward in the new year to making rapid prog- ress on our citizenship law, being brought forward by the Labour Party group in memory of our dear colleague, Cormac Ó Braonáin� In keeping with our Born Here, Belong Here campaign, I met this week with the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee. I thank her and her officials for their engagement with me and I look forward to further engagement in the new year and to making progress on that issue� I also thank colleagues for their support for the other Labour Party Private Members’ Bill on which we have seen great progress on Coco’s Law. We will be dealing with all Stages of the harassment Bill today� I know some colleagues have tabled a number of amendments� This Bill is being brought forward more swiftly than Bills are normally brought forward, with the agreement of all of us, in particular those of us in the Labour Party group and of my colleague, Deputy Howlin� We ask colleagues to bear with that and to engage constructively with us to ensure that it is passed before Christmas� There is clearly an urgency to this Bill, as we have seen in dreadful reports of breaches of privacy for people, and with their images being disclosed online� We heard that from Jackie Fox herself, whose daughter committed suicide after a cam- paign of online bullying. That is why we call this Bill Coco’s Law. I look forward to the debate this afternoon� I thank the Leader for accommodating it on the last day of the term� It will be a positive note to be legislating on this important new law before we break for Christmas� I thank Chloe Manahan in my office, who has done sterling work with me over the past year. I again wish everyone a happy Christmas� Nollaig shona dóibh go léir� 18/12/2020B00300Senator Niall Ó Donnghaile: I echo the words of well wishes for Christmas and the new year. I did not wish to bring in a sombre tone but while we reflect upon what a year it has been, unfortunately, we are still in this year and it remains a very worrying and unsure period for people, not least heading into the Christmas break.