Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome some of the remarks form the Islamic community on the matter.

Senator Devine raised the issue of Irish charities and I saw the article by Patricia Quinn on thejournal.ie. I would be happy for the Minister to come to the House to discuss charities. We would all agree that there is a need for transparency in the publication of the accounts of charities.

I welcome back Senator Warfield. I fully agree with him about our artists and on the need for welfare that represents a broad-brush approach to them because only a small cadre get payments. I would welcome it being extended and I know that the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Deputy Regina Doherty, and the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Madigan, are deeply committed to this. I look forward to having that debate in due course.

Senator Gallagher proposed an amendment to the Order of Business. The Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Heather Humphreys, is not available today but I would be happy for her to come to the House after Private Members' business tomorrow night. The Senator failed to recognise that unemployment in Monaghan is down by 15.3% since this Government came to office, while in Cavan it is down by 16%.

Senator Paul Daly spoke about agriculture and a clean lifestyle, both of which deserve further debate. I would be happy for the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Creed, to come to the House to discuss slaughterhouses.

If Senator Wilson accepts that the Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy Phelan, will come to the House at a later date and if Senator Gallagher accepts that the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation will be here tomorrow night, there should be no votes. However, I will oppose the Senators' amendments if it comes to it.