...Senator Aubrey McCarthy: I want to speak about something I believe we are not taking seriously enough and that is the growing impact of cannabis addiction and cannabis-related psychosis, particularly among young people. As the Leader knows, I have been involved for many years in rehabilitation for people who have addictions. We have seen that there has been a perception that cannabis is harmless and that it is somehow different from other drugs and carries little risk. However, when we talk to addiction centres, such as Cuan Mhuire, Merchant's Quay Ireland, etc., and psychiatrists and youth workers, they tell a very different story. The reality is that more and more young people are presenting to services with issues linked to cannabis abuse, including psychosis. Young people are turning up at the centres and accident and emergency departments with psychosis and it is from cannabis.

Many years ago, there was a Minister called Pat Carey who was a very capable drugs Minister. He was from the Leader's own party. I remember we were talking about the people who were on the waiting lists. He said that cannabis is seen as harmless, but what is coming down the track is synthetic cannabis that will destroy people's minds. That was like a prophecy; it has come to pass. It is not about demonising young people or trying to criminalise young people. This is about being honest and seeing what cannabis can do. Often, people have the perception that they grow it in their back yard and it is harmless. I am telling them that the services are seeing people in their waiting lists who are in terrible trouble and their heads are being fried. Many of the young people who are arriving at the mental health services are not bad kids. They are vulnerable kids and young people who are struggling and, often, cannabis has become part of their everyday lives.

We need a mature, evidence-based conversation about the risks associated with cannabis use. We need to listen to the front-line people who are saying that there is an issue. We need to make sure that the resources are properly funded. If the people who are working on the ground are saying that there is a problem, then there is a problem. Ignoring it will not make it go away.

Senator Dee Ryan: I rise to raise the issue of the proposed wastewater treatment on the Dunlicky Road in Kilkee, County Clare. Kilkee is a beautiful spot on the Clare coastline. It is beloved by both Clare residents and people from all around the country, but it is particularly beloved by Limerick people, as the Leas-Chathaoirleach will well know. I have been contacted by councillors in County Clare and the chair of the Dunlicky Road residents association to raise concerns. I am conscious that this matter is before the courts. Clare County Council had initially refused planning permission for the site that was chosen. That decision was appealed to An Coimisiún Pleanála and overturned. The residents group is now taking a judicial review of the appeal decision. What the chair of the residents group has raised with me and has been raised extensively in local media is what they feel was a lack of sufficient public consultation on the site selection. As I understand it, there were not enough consultations done with the residents in the area. I ask that this matter be raised with the Minister and that we ensure that when Uisce Éireann is doing its very valuable work in future - everyone in Kilkee acknowledges that there is a huge need for an upgrade in the wastewater treatment to end the discharge of raw sewage into the ocean nearby - sufficient public consultation on site selection is done so that everyone is satisfied with the end result.

Senator Victor Boyhan: I wish to indicate the concern of myself, my colleagues and, indeed, everyone in the Opposition about the growing practice of guillotining legislation. I do not want to make an issue of it today other than to flag it. We need to all sit down constructively. There is an Acting Leader in the Seanad currently. After that situation is resolved, there would be no harm every now and again in us all sitting down outside of this Chamber to share our concerns. I wish to flag a concern on behalf of my group's Members and all other members of the Opposition. The growing practice of guillotining is not followed by all Ministers, which is interesting. I engage and have a fairly decent working relationship with nearly every Minister. I have conversations with them about this. I am not 100% sure who is making the decisions. Do all the different facets of our organisation know what is happening? I will park that there and flag it, but I do not want to make an issue of it today.

Could we organise a meeting on forestry with our new Minister of State with responsibility for forestry, Deputy Collins? There are some key asks in terms of objectives to flag to keep it focused. I will circulate this information to the Deputy Leader later, but they are that we would discuss the allowances for the agroforestry premium rates for our afforestation schemes, the native tree area scheme, the allowances for the deer fencing scheme, a review of the climate resilience restoration pilot, the forestry roads scheme, and forestry training and education. We have to have younger people coming up with the necessary skills. There could be an apprenticeship. It would not necessarily be an academic forestry degree, but people who are involved in the physical labour of forestry management, planting, sawmills, etc. It may not be this side of the summer, but I ask that this matter be put on the list as a future possible area of discussion and for statements....