Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

That was in anticipation of the conclusion of the Bill last night, so we will wait. I presume it will be same when the Bill concludes tonight. What I mean is that there is no change. I agree with Senator O'Brien - those of us who were here until midnight last night have made this point many times - that this is an unfortunate feature of every year. In December, Members are faced with a huge glut of legislation coming through the House that has to be rushed through, while earlier in the year we have to search high and low for legislation. It is bad practice. It seems to be a perennial issue and is not confined to this term. I recall it from previous sessions also. I know colleagues will agree that we need to be conscious of this.

I am holding a briefing at 12.30 p.m. today with members of the "RTE Investigates" team which produced the powerful documentary on prostitution and sex trafficking in Ireland. It contained some shocking findings which should feed into our debate on the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015, which is due to resume in this House next week on Committee Stage. This Bill will make significant changes to the law on prostitution, and I have invited all colleagues to the briefing about the Bill and the change in prostitution laws.

I support those colleagues who called for a debate on school admissions policy, especially on the need to end the practice of allowing schools to discriminate on the basis of religion. I have worked on this for many years with the multi-denominational schools patronage group and Educate Together. I am glad to speak at the Education Equality launch at the end of next week. Education Equality is a new organisation set up by a group of parents who are concerned about this issue. I know that the Tánaiste, Deputy Joan Burton, has made a welcome commitment on behalf of the Labour Party that we will seek to end the baptism barrier for school entry and to double the number of multi-denominational schools. Some of the ground work has been done by the current Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, and the former Minister, Deputy Ruairí Quinn, in establishing the national Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector. However, it has been very slow and I hope we will see a change in that. I support colleagues who call for that debate, although I am conscious that it will not happen until 2016.