Niall Ó Brolcháin (Green Party)

I share many of Senator Coffey's concerns. As regards child benefit, we should have a debate, in particular, on the computer systems in use, because quite frankly, although we have some of the world's best computer professionals in Ireland, many computer systems are well out of date. I raise this in relation to child benefit in particular because, apparently, the reality is that it is impossible to tax child benefit because the various computer systems do not talk to each other.

Whether we agree with taxing child benefit is beside the point. Our computer systems should be modernised and many things are not being done in terms of tax simply because we have not got adequate systems. That needs to be debated here because, ultimately, who will instigate reform in this area? Our job as politicians is to ensure we have computer systems that are at least up to the level of business in this country, whereas in reality we do not.

I endorse the points made by Senator O'Toole. His point on the Seanad dealing with the non-financial business of this House is a very positive suggestion and I ask the Leader to consider this House sitting longer than the Dáil, or indeed coming back earlier than the Lower House to do just that.

I am a former patron of the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, which is probably one of the leaders in the world in terms of what it does. We should all be proud of what it does. This is an issue we should consider in the context of the comments made by Senator in that regard.

I endorse Senator Norris's point about horses. There is in Dublin at least a register of horses but in place such as Galway there is no register, even for stray horses. We need seriously to examine this issue. Horses are, owing to poverty, being left to starve.