Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Like Senator Conway-Walsh, I congratulate all involved in harvesting of seaweed. I will commit to giving the debate in due course.

I will accept Senator Kelleher's important Bill and I commend her on her work on the issue. In particular, I commend her on her contribution this morning on "Morning Ireland". It was a particularly clear and cogent point. I will accept the amendment.

Senator Butler raised the important issue of sex offenders. The Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Flanagan, has published draft legislative proposals on the issue of supervision of convicted sex offenders. I have listened to the comments of Senator Butler. I am not familiar with the case he has mentioned. A proposal is being put forward by the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, around the Sex Offenders (Amendment) Bill, which will have a variety of issues tackled in terms of notification and requirements of communication. We will have that debate in due course.

Senator Horkan raised the issue of the confidence and supply, as did Senator Ó Ríordáin. The most important thing that can happen now is that Government, in association with all of us, gets on with governing the country. To be fair to Senator Horkan, he has always demonstrated a willingness to work in this House, unlike his party leader. I think the sun must have gotten to him last weekend. A period of calmness until the summer recess would be best and a most prudent course of action. Then we can have the debate around confidence and supply. As others have said, we have important work to do in terms of getting the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill passed in the House and getting a third budget passed. There is a mechanism whereby Deputy Micheál Martin can pick up the telephone and speak to the Taoiseach. To be fair to leaders in this House, we have a two-way process whereby we can talk to one another, and we can do that.