Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Senator also called for a renewed debate on sports funding. I have asked the Minister, Deputy Varadkar, and the Minister of State, Deputy Ring, to come to the House to debate the issues. I have not had a positive response yet. I have also received a number of requests regarding the horseracing and greyhound racing industries. While reports have been commissioned on both, we can feed into that debate. The Minister of State, Deputy Tom Hayes, will come to the House next week to discuss the matter, so we will have an input prior to the reports being published next week.

The revenue from the property tax will go to local authorities, but I will ask the Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, to come to the House to speak to us on the issue.

Senator Darragh O'Brien also asked for further time for debate on the renewed Standing Orders. The Minister of State, Deputy Kehoe, is in the Dáil until 1 p.m. and he has commitments afterwards. I will amend the Order of Business to start the debate on Standing Orders at 1.45 p.m. rather than 2 p.m., as I mentioned initially. That will give some additional time and if we need further time on it we can have it at another time.

Senator Bacik offered her sympathy to those affected by the flooding. I join her in complimenting the local authority workers, the Garda, the emergency services and communities on the wonderful work they are doing throughout the country. Senators Bacik, Keane and Paul Coghlan spoke about community courts and the court poor box. They called for a debate on the recommendation of the Law Reform Commission. I believe that report is complete at this stage and we can have a debate on that report. Senator Bacik also called for a debate on the findings of the Convention on the Constitution on Dáil reform. Last week, I said that when the convention's final report is complete, Mr. Tom Arnold is prepared to come back to the House to discuss that report.

Senators Mac Conghail, Zappone, Ó Clochartaigh and others spoke about a lady imprisoned in Limerick. I gave a very comprehensive reply on the issue two weeks ago and I do not wish to repeat what I said on the matter.

Senator Mooney and several other Senators asked that the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Hayes, would come to the House to discuss flooding issues. I hope that the Minister of State can come to us next week. He is spending his time actually dealing with the response to the flooding and is very aware of the situation in all parts of the country. He has answered debates in the Dáil, including Topical Issue debates and has answered Adjournment Matters on the topic. He has said he will certainly try to make time in a very busy schedule next week to come to the House to listen to Members' concerns. He is actually dealing with the response to the flooding at the moment.

Senator Colm Burke spoke about the appointment of hospital consultants and a number of vacancies throughout the country. He called for a debate on changing the pay structure. I will certainly ask the Minister to come in and address that matter.

Senator Zappone raised the issue of tax strategy and Irish Aid, a matter she raised last week or the previous week. I have expressed a wish that the Tánaiste would come to the House to discuss that issue. I hope we will have a response from him and that he will be able to come in.

Senator Hayden spoke about the interest rates charged by licensed moneylenders and the access to credit for people on low incomes. Those are worthy items that should be addressed in the House. We would need the Minister for Finance to come to the House to debate that matter.

Senator Cullinane spoke about the business of the House and debates, which Senator Ó Clochartaigh also raised. I gave a very comprehensive reply yesterday and I do not wish to repeat that reply.

Senators O'Neill, Keane, Mullins and Noone spoke about advertising standards and in particular an advertisement for a nightclub.

Clearly the marketing strategy is working when we have people speaking about it in the House this morning.