Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We must watch that space. On a serious note, the remarks made by Senator Gavan should be communicated to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Flanagan.

I am happy to accept Senator Grace O'Sullivan's proposed amendment to the Order of Business and I thank her for her proposal.

Senator Landy raised the issue of the Irish Greyhound Board and its talks with the Dublin Greyhound Owners and Breeders Association. I agree with Senator Landy that there is a need for further dialogue and continuing efforts to reach a resolution, if possible. I thank and pay tribute to Ms Geraldine Larkin, the former CEO of the Irish Greyhound Board. I do not have a definitive answer to the Senator's question on the length of Dr. Sean Brady's tenure as interim CEO but I believe it is for an unspecified time. I am sure that the board of the Irish Greyhound Board will put a plan in place to advertise the position and fill the vacancy quickly.

Senator Landy also raised the issue of medicinal cannabis. My information is that the Bill in question is at the post-scrutiny stage in committee and will be advanced from there. Hopefully it will make its way back into the Houses quickly so that it can be enacted. I agree with Senator Landy that there are many people in Ireland who will benefit from the enactment of that legislation and its passage should be expedited.

Senators Joe O'Reilly, Murnane O'Connor, James Reilly and Ned O'Sullivan all raised the issue of Brexit and I want to assure the House that the Government is not complacent about Brexit. The Government is under no illusions regarding the importance and magnitude of the decision by the UK to leave the EU, not just in terms of North-South issues but also in economic terms, across a variety of sectors. The Taoiseach has been actively engaged across Europe and the British Prime Minister, Theresa May, was here this week. The Minister and Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputies Charlie Flanagan and Dara Murphy, and other Ministers are traversing Europe and the world to highlight the importance of Ireland being considered as a special case in the forthcoming Brexit negotiations. The issue of the North is one that the Taoiseach has, at all times, stressed. Several Senators made reference to the remarks by the Secretary of State, Mr. James Brokenshire, but there is a recognition that the North requires special treatment. Those of us who are Members of this and the Lower House must work actively with the Government in that regard.

Senator Murnane O'Connor also spoke about the importance of rural Ireland. I would remind her that her party's national spatial strategy was a failure. It fell victim to parish pump politics and many other things that were wrong in our country. I would point out to the Senator that we now have a national rural action plan, launched recently, which contains 270 specified actions and is backed by an investment by Government of €60 million. I am sure the Senator will join me in welcoming that action plan. Hopefully we will see more people employed in and a rejuvenation of rural Ireland.

Senator Noone spoke about the recent RTE programme on prescription drugs. Several good points were made yesterday during the debate on the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2016. I am happy to invite the Minister to the House to discuss this issue. Equally, the points made by the Senator about the deal with the telecommunications operators should be taken beyond this House and highlighted.

Senator Warfield raised the issue of blood donations and the lifting of the lifetime ban on gay men donating blood, which I am sure the Senator will agree was a welcome move. Many of us have worked actively to reach the point where we now have a one-year deferral rather than a lifetime ban. The Minister has told me and has said in reply to many parliamentary questions that he, his Department and his officials are governed by scientific evidence and practice in other countries. That said, I would be very happy to sit down with Senator Warfield with a view to getting a working group together to work on this issue.