Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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The Order of Business is No. 1, motion re appointments to the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission, to be taken without debate at the conclusion of the Order of Business; No. 10, non-Government motion No. 8 re Ibrahim Halawa, to be taken without debate at the conclusion of No. 1; and No. 3, Proceeds of Crime (Amendment) Bill 2016 - Committee and Remaining Stages, to be taken at 2 p.m.

Catherine Ardagh (Fianna Fail)
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I raise the issue of waiting times for speech therapy and early diagnosis of speech and language difficulties. Early diagnosis of autism, in particular, and other medical problems is crucial in order that children can progress. A number of medical conditions are being diagnosed earlier and an early diagnosis gives children a better start at school. Waiting times for assessment are a big issue in many of our constituencies. The average waiting time should be three months, but in many cases it is much longer. Speech and language therapy is important because if the problems are nipped in the bud before children go to primary school, they will not have the development issues they might have. They will also be on the same level as their peers if there are early interventions. Disability services are being reconfigured and one of the main issues is the recruitment of occupational and speech and language therapists. In 2014 the previous Government announced the allocation of moneys to provide 275 additional therapists, including 88 speech and language therapists. At the end of October last year, only 27 additional speech and language therapists had been recruited. I looked for a section 13 report on the assessment of needs for occupational and speech and language therapists. The last report I found had been completed in 2007. Section 13 of the Disability Act 2005 provides for an annual report to be given to the Minister on needs identified in an area and the future allocation of speech and language therapists. If a more recent report has been published, I ask the Leader to provide it for the House. If no report has been completed since 2007, will he ask the Minister for Health to commission a section 13 report on the assessment of needs for speech and language therapists in all HSE areas?

Yesterday, after I had contributed on the Order of Business, Senator Rose Conway-Walsh made various comments on Fianna Fáil's record on home care services. On 5 January this year the United Kingdom Homecare Association which represents independent health care providers published a press release entitled, The State of Home Care Funding in Northern Ireland. It is stated in the first paragraph-----

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Senator-----

Catherine Ardagh (Fianna Fail)
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-----"Home care services in Northern Ireland have been pushed to the brink of collapse leaving old people and disabled people at risk of inadequate care-----

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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The Senator should respect the Chair. That is a matter for-----

Catherine Ardagh (Fianna Fail)
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This was mentioned yesterday

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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If the Senator wants to correct the record, there are ways to do so.

Catherine Ardagh (Fianna Fail)
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I would like to correct it.

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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The Senator can raise the issue by way of a Commencement matter. We cannot reopen yesterday's Order of Business and refer to what someone said - dúirt bean liom go dúirt bean leí. I cannot allow the Senator to do that.

Catherine Ardagh (Fianna Fail)
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Yesterday Sinn Féin had free rein in attacking Fianna Fáil.

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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From time to time, there is a lot of barracking while Members are speaking and I will not allow it to happen. I was not in the Chair yesterday. This is not the Dáil. This is a special Chamber in which there are special protocols that will have to be respected. The Senator has made her point.

Gerard Craughwell (Independent)
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This week the role of the Attorney General was brought into question with respect to advice given to the Government.The role of the Attorney General was brought into question regarding the advice given to the Government. I am somewhat unclear about this. A number of people have contacted me about the statement made by my colleague in the Lower House, the Minister for transport, that the opinion of the Attorney General was nothing but an opinion. We need a debate in this House in order to establish whether the opinion of the Attorney General should determine the way in which legislation will pass through the Oireachtas or whether we can second-guess that prestigious office. The latter has not happened in the past, I understand, but is now very much on the table. In fairness to the Oireachtas and the people of the country, we need to establish what the Attorney General's advice means when it comes to passing legislation through the House. If the situation that has now developed is that every time the Attorney General gives advice it can be second-guessed, we need to clear that up and do so very soon.

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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The Seanad has no role in matters concerning the Attorney General and we should not discuss matters in the other House. The Senator has made his point. What happens in the Dáil is a matter for that House to rectify or change the rules. We are different and we have certain restrictions but we must respect what the other House does as well. Senator Craughwell has made his point anyway.

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)
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I dtosach báire, tá a fhios agam gur ardaigh mo chomhghleacaí, an Seanadóir Gavan, ceist inné maidir le táillí bruscair. Tá mé ag iarraidh a fháil amach an bhfuil aon fhreagra ar sin. We had a meeting last week with the Minister about the ongoing refuse collection issues. He assured us that he would have a meeting on Monday or Tuesday of this week to clarify the situation. From what I can see, there has been no clarification whatsoever so far. I am getting calls about this issue from people who have no mechanism to get rid of their refuse this week. This will continue next week and they need clarification on the matter. I think the Minister was asked yesterday to seek clarification. Could he clarify this? Otherwise, next week we will have to raise this issue once again in the Seanad, and I do not want to have to do so on an ongoing basis.

Many people are thinking about school holidays, but many parents are faced with the proposition of school transport for next year and there are some serious issues in this regard. Very severe cutbacks were introduced in 2011 by the Fianna Fáil and Green Party Government, which were continued during the last Administration because, we were told, of lack of funding, etc. However, there have been some serious anomalies, particularly in rural areas. Yesterday I visited a school in Mullagh, Galway, that has a very big problem in that it is being asked to send children to schools in different parishes because they are 100 m. closer to a school over the parish boundary than they are to the one they want to attend. There are serious issues in this regard and in the way in which the Department is very rigidly imposing the school transport directives. I call for the Minister of State with responsibility for school transport to come before the House, possibly before we break for the summer, so we can raise some of these issues with him now, rather than having to come back to them after the fact in September, once the issues have been raised.

I note with concern that in Monaghan this week five heifers belonging to a south Monaghan farmer were shot dead by the Defence Forces. I understand this relates to a repossession case. I am very concerned about the issues surrounding repossessions in the State and the way they are being handled, and I have raised this on many occasions.

Surely there are questions as to why the Defence Forces had to get involved in such a situation. The Animal Health and Welfare Bill came before these Houses under the last Administration, during which time we went into an awful lot of detail about the health and welfare of animals. To see five animals shot in Monaghan, on foot of some form of repossession, is extremely worrying, and we should have an explanation as to what exactly happened in this situation. I want us to have a specific debate on the whole area of repossessions. Again, in Galway in the last week there have been more than 100 repossession hearings in the courts. This is happening in courts across the country. There do not seem to be any moves whatsoever to try to resolve these issues for people finding themselves in these situations. There are also serious questions about the way banks, the legal profession, etc., are handling all these matters. I call for that debate on repossessions to be held as quickly as possible.

Frances Black (Independent)
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I was honoured to be selected yesterday as the chairperson of the Oireachtas cross-party group on alcohol harm, which is an informal group seeking to progress legislation and policy that can reduce alcohol harm in Ireland, with a particular emphasis on the implementation of the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill. Yesterday we had our first briefing, which highlighted the impact of harmful parental drinking on children in Ireland. There was a great turnout at the event and it was fantastic to see such huge interest. We were honoured to have such speakers as the chief executive of the ISPCC, Grainia Long; the head of advocacy at Barnardos, June Tinsley; the chief executive of the Children's Rights Alliance, Tanya Ward; and Suzanne Costello from Alcohol Action Ireland.

As many Members may know, I hear daily from family members impacted by a loved one's alcohol, drug or gambling problem. Families all over Ireland are devastated by alcohol misuse and the most vulnerable person within the family unit is the child. Children living with parents who drink in a harmful manner are among the most vulnerable in society. The wide range of harms caused to children as a result of harmful drinking in the home is known as "hidden harm" as the harm is often not visible in public and largely kept behind closed doors. These vulnerable children can suffer in silence. They do not know where to turn for help and the impact of harmful parental drinking has a deep and long-lasting impact on their lives.

The voice of Irish children was heard on this issue when the ISPCC national children consultation surveyed almost 10,000 children aged between 12 and 18 years on the effects of parental alcohol use on their lives. The findings from this survey show that one in 11 young people said that parental alcohol use affected them in a negative way. These negative effects include emotional impacts, abuse and violence, impacts on family relations, changes in parental behaviour and neglect. Some children who took part in this survey commented:

It worries me; I can't get on with my life as I am taking care of my mum.

When they get drunk, they don't know what they are doing. It's embarrassing. I hate it.

I have to mind my sister while my [mam] looks for my father in the pub.

We need to address the impacts of parental drinking by introducing measures to protect children from alcohol harm in the home. It is imperative that we ensure the best possible start in life for every child and effective prevention of alcohol harm and provide early intervention. The Public Health (Alcohol) Bill is evidence-based legislation that aims to reduce our high levels of alcohol consumption in Ireland and can therefore play a key role in helping to break the negative cycle of harmful parental drinking that causes so many problems for children. The Bill contains a provision for structural separation of alcohol products in mixed retail outlets, such as supermarkets and convenience stores, which will mean they can no longer be displayed like everyday or ordinary products, such as bread or milk.

I also acknowledge all the great work that Alcohol Action Ireland has done on this issue over the last few years. It is a privilege to work alongside them. I look forward to continuing to work with them in the future and I look forward to moving forward with this legislation.

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Labour)
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I rise today to raise the issue of the Admissions Bill, as published yesterday by the Minister for Education. I understand that the Bill will come before this House in due course but I wish to raise a matter of concern.

There seems to be a level of confusion regarding the processes surrounding the Bill and that some of the issues would be dealt with in the committee, according to the Minister, or a committee being set up within a committee. The committees appear to deal with some issues surrounding admissions to schools, while other issues will be dealt with by legislation.

There is also confusion as to whether the Minister intends to tackle the school tie issue, by which some schools in the State insist on keeping their intergenerational, hierarchical bloodline in place to demand priority be given to children of past pupils, which of course discriminates against those who are from outside the area or those of a family background of parents who possibly did not attend secondary school.

I ask the Leader to facilitate a discussion in this House with the Minister, understanding, of course, that the legislation will come before this House in due course. I know, however, that this Bill was a matter of great tension in the last Government. It did not reach any agreement between the two parties in government last time. It is now the intention of the Minister, Deputy Bruton, to bring the issue forward. I am slightly confused and concerned, however, as to why some of the issues surrounding school admissions are being dealt with in a committee and some through legislation and at the same time what was considered to be a very minor change proposed by the Labour Party a number of weeks ago in the Dáil was voted down by a conservative consensus of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.

John O'Mahony (Fine Gael)
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Last week I raised the issue of the delay in the processing of passports. I welcome the Minister's announcement yesterday that 233 people have been appointed to the Passport Office to deal with the backlog. I urge members of the public to check their passports in good time in respect of renewals. There is a facility where a passport holder can sign up to receive an alert three months before a passport is due for renewal. However, in many cases, there is a need for a passport to be renewed six months before its expiration date, so it makes common sense that the alert should be six months before a passport is due for renewal. Nowadays with technology, every passport holder should receive an automatic alert. That would reduce the bottleneck that occurs every year in May and June, at the beginning of the holiday period.

Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail)
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I wish to comment on the incident that occurred in Monaghan this week where five cattle were put down. I am not aware of the full facts surrounding the case but it is a cause of concern and, on the face of it, it appears it was done in a heavy-handed manner. I understand they were five limousine heifers about 18 months old. This appears slightly over the top. When cattle get excited, it takes a while for them to settle down. Having been born and reared on a farm, there are ways and means in which cattle can be handled. I ask the Leader for a report on that particular incident.

I wish to raise the issue of the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust. Along with other Members, I attended a briefing by Colin and Eithne Bell from Newry. Three years ago, they lost a son in Australia in tragic circumstances and his body had to be repatriated. At that time the people of Newry fundraised. Arising from that incident, the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust was born. Since then, 197 bodies have been repatriated by that trust. When I speak of a trust, I am speaking of a husband and wife, Colin and Eithne Bell, and their children. I commend them on the work they do in a voluntary capacity.

I will give Members some idea of the work the trust does. In November 2015 the bodies of eight young Irish people had to be flown home to their families, which involved a huge cost. The service provided by the trust is invaluable and cannot be quantified. However, the need for the service has increased and the trust has got to a point where it needs help. It has opened an office but is under financial pressure and is seeking funding of approximately €50,000 per annum towards the running of the office. Will the Leader to contact the relevant Minister so that the issue is addressed as members of this family are providing a fantastic service on a purely voluntary basis and we should support them?

Ray Butler (Fine Gael)
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I would like if the relevant Minister would come to the House to deal with the North-South interconnector. I know that because of the oral hearing, the Minister could not answer questions in the other House. We all know Fianna Fáil and the Green Party started the North-South interconnector. When Fianna Fáil was in power, it was like "The Wombles". It was all right for the interconnector to go overground but as soon as it was out of Government, it had to go underground - wombling free. I understand that is politics and we have to move on.

Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail)
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The Senator is wandering.

Ray Butler (Fine Gael)
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I met various Ministers during the five years I was a Member of the other House. We were told it could not be changed and that it was further down the road than any other project. That message was shoved down our throats. There are 155 pages in the programme for Government between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, which includes bogs and the butterflies. However, there is no mention of the North-South interconnector. Deputies in my area and in Cavan and Monaghan shouted about this and it was a huge issue during the general election with people with EirGrid posters outside the church shouting "Butler out", Butler out". My family had to walk through them on the Sunday before the general election. The programme for Government does not mention the North-South interconnector but the bogs are mentioned.

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)
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Shame on you both.

Ray Butler (Fine Gael)
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We do not want to leave Sinn Féin out, we want to bring it into the picture.

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)
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Good man.

Ray Butler (Fine Gael)
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It can come riding in on its high horse because we have good news. Sinn Féin is going to stop this. As result of the Brexit vote, there is a problem for the North-South pylon project. Basically, it is a designated EU project of common interest. To be awarded this status, a development must have benefits for at least two European Union states. I call on Sinn Féin - we have Members who are from the North-----

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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I ask the Senator to address his remarks through the Chair.

Ray Butler (Fine Gael)
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Sinn Féin can sort the whole thing out. It can stop the North-South interconnector. I call on Sinn Féin to get off the fence and stop this once and for all.

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)
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Good man.

Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail)
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As a matter of clarification for Senator Butler, there is no programme for Government between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil.

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)
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There is; it is as good as one.

Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail)
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We are facilitating a minority Government in the interest of the State.

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)
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Tweedledum and Tweedledee.

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Some of the comments by Senators Wilson and Butler might be more appropriately dealt with in their respective parliamentary parties.

Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail)
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I agree totally. I just wanted to clarify that.

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)
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Or at a Cabinet meeting.

Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail)
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West Donegal and the wider Gaeltacht community is in mourning following the sudden death of Seamus Mac Géidigh, broadcaster and manager of RTE Raidió na Gaeltachta northwest service. Seamus was a much respected broadcaster. He was passionate about Gaelic football and was a highly respected commentator on Gaelic games. On Saturday evening last, Seamus travelled to Breffni Park to commentate on the Ulster semi-final replay between Monaghan and Donegal. I am sure he left Breffni Park with a smile on his face having witnessed his beloved Donegal beat unfortunate Monaghan. Seamus was heavily involved in the Irish language and in his local community in Gortahork. I extend my sincere condolences to his wife, Dolores, his three children, his family, friends and work colleagues. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

Grace O'Sullivan (Green Party)
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I thank all Senators who have signed a motion calling for the release of Ibrahim Halawa. In particular, I recognise the work Senator Mark Daly has done in the past three years and continues to do to try to secure Ibrahim's release. I would also like the Seanad to acknowledge the great efforts of Lynn Boylan, MEP, as well as former Minister, Mr. Alan Shatter. Today marks the 1,055th day that a young 20 year old Irish citizen has spent in custody abroad without trial.He is a man who was just a child when he was arrested and incarcerated. Diplomatic efforts towards securing Ibrahim Halawa's release so far have, unfortunately, been fruitless. Last week his trial was postponed for the 14th time. I and my Green Party colleagues in the Dáil sought support for identical motions in both Houses today as it has become clear that a stronger more public statement is now required. All parties have pledged their support in both Houses, which sends a very strong message. The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Flanagan, now has the full weight and support of the Oireachtas behind him. The Oireachtas must stand up for the rights of all our citizens. We must now expend every effort towards securing Ibrahim Halawa's release.

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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An agreed motion will be taken without debate later.

Michelle Mulherin (Fine Gael)
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I also raise the bizarre incident at a farm in Carrickmacross, County Monaghan, where five heifers were shot dead by members of the Defence Forces. There was also the involvement of the Garda and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine on private property where an official assignee was in the process of seizing assets and disposing of them for a bankruptcy case. These are all State resources. Who made the decision? Did the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine make the decision that these animals would be shot down in this manner or was it the decision of the official assignee? It has been reported that they tried for eight hours to round up the animals. I find it very difficult to believe that they could not round up five heifers, having already rounded up 30 cattle and calves. Is this the most humane way to put animals down if they represent some risk to public health? We need a statement from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and/or the Department of Justice and Equality and perhaps the Department of Defence. Who is footing the Bill for all of this?

It sounds crazy and bizarre. It was reported that these animals were wild. It was also reported that the animals failed a TB test. How was it possible that the animals could be rounded up for a TB test but could not be rounded up subsequently? The official assignee is reported as saying that the animals were roaming the road and yet they were shot in a field. This matter gives rise to many questions and considerable concern over the use of State resources in cases of this nature. Is chasing down animals for eight hours the most humane way to proceed? People who know anything about animals will be aware that things will not get better after chasing them round a field for eight hours. I know many farmers with wild cows or calves who can coax them back to wherever they want them eventually. What happened in this instance does not sound very humane to me. Why were tranquilisers not used? I call for a statement from the relevant Ministers on how all of this came to pass. On the face of it, what happened seems pretty barbaric. At best it sounds as if a sledgehammer was used to crack a nut.

Maire Devine (Sinn Fein)
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I again raise the issue of the ongoing industrial dispute between the Psychiatric Nurses Association of Ireland, PNAI, and the HSE. The dispute has now entered its second phase, which commenced this morning. The HSE needs to commit to resolving this dispute urgently before patient care is impacted upon. Phase 2 commenced this morning throughout hospitals. Essentially, nurses will not be performing what they consider non-nursing duties. I spoke to a representative of the PNAI this morning who acknowledged that good progress is being made on 15 out of the 16 issues to which the dispute relates and that the subgroup is currently meeting to tease out the most difficult ones.

Phase 3, which is scheduled to commence next week, will involve an overtime ban. We all know overtime is keeping our hospitals ticking over. Psychiatric services in particular cannot function without the use of overtime. Therefore, should the dispute enter phase 3, patient care and treatment will be severely impacted upon.

The PNAI and I call on the HSE and the Department to restore good faith and meet its demands to resolve this dispute in the interests of patients and their families. I also call on the Minister for Health to provide an update on where his Department and the HSE stand.

Frank Feighan (Fine Gael)
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In 2012 the European Court of Justice made a landmark decision that obliged the United Kingdom to grant a free fuel allowance to those who lived or worked in the United Kingdom and had been born before 5 July 1951. There was no means test imposed in respect of qualified. One of the only times I received thanks in this country was from the tens of thousands of Irish people who lived and worked in the UK, who worked hard all their lives and did not expect anything for nothing. They were able to get between €115 and €350 a year from the British Government towards free fuel, which was very welcome. Based on the numbers applying, I believe it would cost the United Kingdom Government approximately €40 million a year. I am concerned that with Brexit, this may not be delivered upon. I have raised the issue with Members of the UK Parliament at the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly. I ask that the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade or the Minister for Social Protection come before the House to allay the fears of tens of thousands of Irish people. These individuals have not contacted me. All their lives they were not used to getting something for nothing. I believe it is vital to continue this payment for people who worked all their lives to build up the United Kingdom and who sent money back to our country. I hope it will continue.

Lorraine Clifford Lee (Fianna Fail)
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I draw the attention of the House to an auction taking place at Christie's auction house in London at 7 p.m. Three paintings that form part of the Alfred Beit collection are going under the hammer, namely, "Venus Supplicating Jupiter" by Reubens, "Piazza San Marco, Venice" by Guardi; and "The Piazzetta, Venice, with the Doge’s Palace" also by Guardi. They are being sold to fund an annual operational deficit in maintaining Russborough House and keeping it open to the public. I call on the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, to intervene immediately to halt this auction. As it is taking place at 7 p.m, this is very urgent. We cannot allow our heritage to be sold off in this fashion. These paintings are being sold to fund the operational costs of Russborough House, which is open to the public. Any member of the public can go to view these wonderful historic paintings. We need to ensure that they remain in the country. In 2015, three paintings were withdrawn from auction and sold under a tax relief purchase scheme. This was done with the support of three private donors and then the paintings in question became part of the national collection at the National Gallery of Ireland. The proceeds of the sale were put into an endowment fund for Russborough House. I call on the Minister to intervene and to something similar today. It is essential that these works are kept in Ireland because they form part of our heritage and must remain accessible to the public. If the Minister does not intervene, not only will part of our artistic heritage leave the country but the ability of the Alfred Beit Foundation to attract private philanthropic donations in future will be affected if the collection is dissipated in this fashion. I would appreciate it if the Leader could raise it with the Minister in order to try to halt tonight's auction.

Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael)
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It seems strange that five cattle had to be destroyed in the manner they were. However, contrary to what Senator Ó Clochartaigh stated, it was to prevent these cattle from entering the food chain; it had nothing to do with repossession. We all have our views on repossessions. Repossession should obviously only be used be a last resort when all other avenues have been explored. In this case, I understand the animals were destroyed because they had TB or some other related disease and meat from then had to be prevented from entering the food chain. Therefore it was a public health matter regardless of who made the decision. Let us not jump to conclusions.

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)
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Let us ask the Minister to clarify.

Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael)
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Exactly. We will hear the Leader respond in due course.

Denis Landy (Labour)
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Earlier, Senator O'Mahony spoke about passports. I agree that the situation is very serious.He put forward an idea on issuing reminders. One of the big problems with passports is that one has to send back one’s existing passport with an application for a new one. I recently encountered the case of a young girl who had to travel abroad for a year as part of her college education and consequently was not in a position to send back her passport. Despite this, she sent it back within the 21-day period by express post but she could not get it back. Therefore, if we are to propose changes concerning the passport system, there ought be a provision whereby a photocopy of the existing passport or document of that nature could be sent back rather than the full passport. It is a mess at present, including because of what is happening with Brexit. If we are to consider this, we need to overhaul the whole system.

A number of councils around the country brought to my attention the fact that the new tenant purchase scheme in some local authority areas contains a clause that does not allow a tenant to purchase the house if the local authority deems it to be under-occupied. If a mother and father in their 50s whose children have moved out want to buy the family home, they cannot do so in certain areas. Everybody likes to have his or her own home. In some local authority areas, tenants are being prevented from buying their home. This is unfair. I have never seen it before with a tenant purchase scheme.

I would like the matter to be brought to the attention of the Minister and for the relevant section of the new tenant purchase scheme to be amended to allow all tenants who meet all the other relevant criteria to be allowed to purchase their house without being told there are not enough people living in it to permit them to do so. Many tenants who were not able to afford to participate in a tenant purchase scheme in the past but whose circumstances have improved on getting employment would be prevented from buying the family home, and they would see it lost. The family house is the family home and it is where people like to meet and congregate. The arrangement needs to be changed where it is being implemented by local authorities.

Colm Burke (Fine Gael)
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I agree with what Senator Landy said. The regulation seems to be very difficult. I encountered a case in which a local authority deems that, because the social welfare income of two retired people on the old age pension is inadequate, they may not purchase their house with the support of family members. The decision is being made on the basis of income rather than family support. The local authority is saying it is not prepared to sell the house, in which the couple has lived for over 40 years. They are now being denied the right to buy it. The regulation is wrong in such circumstances.

The Minister should come to the House to explain to us why it is so difficult for people to purchase, particularly where they have paid rent for a house all their lives and are now in a position to buy. Those affected would have been able to buy ten years ago if there had been a tenant purchase scheme in existence. We should certainly examine this matter.

There is a presentation being made in Buswells Hotel this morning by booksellers and members of their representative organisation. There is now to be just one central tendering process for the purchase of books for libraries. Many of the people involved in this area believe they will go out of business because of the new process being introduced. The likelihood is that the contract could very well go to an organisation outside the country. There are jobs at risk. It is not appropriate to have one central tendering process for the purchase of books. It causes a problem for those who produce and publish their own books. Many Irish authors may be excluded under the process. This is a matter that should be taken up with the Minister for Education and Skills or another relevant Minister to determine why we are now moving towards one central tender for the entire country.

Fintan Warfield (Sinn Fein)
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I wish to follow up on the points made by the previous Senator. The Irish library service is a source of national and local pride. Many councillors will know that the library service is passionately supported by local authorities. It is one of the only really continuously positive stories of our local authorities. It is a national resource. Ballyroan and Tallaght libraries come to mind as libraries I visited while on the council.

The issue of procurement of library stock is being highlighted by the Booksellers Association today. The Government is currently planning a blanket, State-wide tender for book stocking across libraries in September 2016. The result will obviously have a considerable economic impact on small bookshops, in addition to specialist Irish library suppliers, be they of children’s books, fiction or otherwise. The proposal has the potential to greatly affect content as Gaeilge across our library service. It is important in the arts that we tell our own stories, on screen or in print. September 2016 is the deadline for State-wide procurement to be stopped. As with the previous Senator, I request a statement from the relevant Minister because time is not on our side.

Maria Byrne (Fine Gael)
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I wish to raise the issue of eFlow tags. From 31 August, one will no longer be able to use one’s eFlow tag on the N7 between Dublin and Limerick, the Waterford city bypass and the M1. This follows a breakdown in communications between Celtic Roads Group and eFlow. I request that the Leader speak to the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to ascertain whether he can intervene to determine whether this can be sorted out. So many people use eFlow tags daily to shorten their journey time and so they will not have to queue at the tolling station.

Catherine Noone (Fine Gael)
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I support Senator Clifford-Lee’s call for the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to address the issue of the sale of paintings from the Beit collection. It may be too late if the event is on this evening. I raised this issue in 2015 when some paintings were to be sold. It is possible that some solution could be found. There are many people in the country who invest heavily in art who, if they were aware of this and given the opportunity, might be willing to offer a solution to the problem. I commend the Senator for raising the issue.

The Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources was in the House yesterday. He is clearly a Minister who is very much on top of his brief. I hope we have him here regularly. Logically, we would have him here regularly. Particularly on the subject of broadband, he was very comprehensive in his comments. Mobile phone coverage is a considerable issue throughout the country. The current mobile and voice data obligations are based on population and do not result in universal coverage. ComReg imposes a population coverage requirement of 70% for companies to fulfil their licence obligations. This requirement allows them to leave out the more sparsely populated areas and more isolated communities where communication is clearly a significant issue, especially for SMEs. I accept that we just had the Minister in but this is an issue we need to track regularly. I welcome the fact that Deputy Bernard Durkan has organised presentations in the Audiovisual Room on broadband and mobile phone coverage. He has agreed that all the providers will come here again in a few months. It is a matter we should also keep an eye on in this House.

Kieran O'Donnell (Fine Gael)
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I support my colleagues who raised the issue of public procurement. It affects booksellers today and others on other days. As a matter of urgency, we should invite to the House the Minister of State at the Department of Finance with responsibility for public procurement, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, to have a debate on this issue.Up and down the country, SMEs are losing contracts for a service that they may have been providing for 20 or 30 years to a particular State body in a particular location. The frameworks are being designed where they are looking at it in gross terms, so all the contracts combined, which could in some cases be 100 or more contractors, suppliers or small family businesses. If there appears to be a small saving to the overall State they lose the contracts to, in a lot of cases, large multinationals. A lot of them provide employment here, but some may not be. There is a loss of jobs throughout Ireland, aside from the social dimension.

Senator Warfield spoke about local libraries. A local bookseller would provide books relevant to that local area. If it is, for instance, in Limerick City and County Council, someone may be providing books that are relevant to local historians in Limerick. That would be unique to Limerick Library. That whole intellectual knowledge would be lost. This is about the design of the frameworks, about finding a methodology where local contractors can retain the contracts. They have to go up for tender in the normal way, but at least they should be able to tender. At the moment they are not. I ask the Leader and the Cathaoirleach to, as a matter of urgency, arrange for the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, to come before the House so we can debate this matter at length.

Fintan Warfield (Sinn Fein)
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Hear, hear.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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I thank Senators, 21 of whom raised matters in the Order of Business this morning. Before I reply, on yesterday's Order of Business Senator Paddy Burke raised the EU Council's decision on the EU-Canada free trade agreement. For the information of the House, the agreement can or may be applied on a provisional basis once the Council has agreed and the European Parliament has given its assent. Member states will then have to ratify the agreement. That means that the agreement would be brought to the Oireachtas for ratification following the conclusion of procedures by the Council and the European Parliament. Members will be aware of that from yesterday.

On this morning's Order of Business, I thank Senator Ardagh for raising the very important issue of speech and language therapy. She is correct in that early diagnosis and intervention is critical. There are commitments in the programme for Government to review the provision of services to children with additional needs. There is a cross-sectoral team of officials from the Department of Health, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, and the Department of Education and Skills meeting with the HSE this Friday to proceed and move matters forward. One of the key agenda items for that meeting is speech and language therapy and the provision of services. I will seek further information for the Senator on that. It is a topic we will come back to because it is one we need to highlight in this House. I understand the issues she raises. There has been investment in the services and recruitment of staff. There is a deficit and further work needs to be done. I would be happy to move that on for her as I am with her on that.

Senator Craughwell raised the issue of the Attorney General. That is not a matter for the House. I do not want to dwell on it but she is the law officer to the Government. Her advice is given in a considered manner, rather than as a cavalier approach.

Labhair an Seanadóir Ó Clochartaigh mar gheall ar chúrsaí bruscair. Bhí mé ag caint leis an Aire agus is dóigh liom go dtiocfaidh sé ar ais chugam Dé Máirt nó Dé Céadaoin seo chugainn. Is dóigh liom freisin go mbeidh sé ag caint leis an Seanadóir.

Senators Ó Clochartaigh, Gallagher, Mulherin and Coghlan raised the incident in Monaghan. I do not have all the information but the information I have to hand is that members of the Defence Forces were asked to carry out this exercise, if I can use that term, which was the destruction of five animals --- the killing of them --- on a farm in County Monaghan out of concern for health and safety, and for public safety. The operation was carried out at the request of the official assignee responsible for the herd, in conjunction of the Garda Síochána, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and the Defence Forces, in keeping with official protocol. The carcasses were removed and not included in the food chain. I will seek to get more information for Members if that is what they want, but that is the information I have.

I would be happy to have a debate on school transport at the earliest convenience. I again thank Senator Black and acknowledge her work regarding alcohol, highlighting misuse of alcohol and the effect it has on children. The all-party committee on health in the last Oireachtas brought forward the pre-legislative scrutiny of the public Sale of Alcohol Bill, which is coming before the House again in the autumn. I am sure we can address it then.

Senator Ó Ríordáin raised the schools admissions policy. The Bill will be before the House. There will be an opportunity for him to discuss it with the Minister. To facilitate the passage of the Bill, perhaps we will arrange a briefing for Members and the Cathaoirleach.

Senators O'Mahony and Landy raised the important issue of passports. I welcome the allocation of new staff. The issue of a reminder notice is one we should pursue with the Department.

Senator Gallagher raised the very important issue of repatriation. I, too, join with him in sympathising with Colin and Eithne Bell and pay tribute to them for the work they are doing. I know there is discussion around the issue of repatriation of bodies. Again, perhaps it is something we can work on together. It is an issue that affects many of our families and communities. Dealing with the death of a loved one is a source of huge stress, and then the bureaucratic nightmare of trying to get a body home is heartbreaking on top of the bereavement. We can certainly take that up with the Minister and the Department.

Senator Ray Butler raised the North-South interconnector. I am not going to get into a debate about the Wombles, but we can have the Minister into the House regarding the interconnector issue. I hope, in keeping with the new politics, Members opposite will be able to work with Senator Butler to ensure we have an outcome in keeping with the mood of the people in that area. The oral hearing is ongoing. I attended it one day as part of the Seanad campaign, so I saw at first hand the tension and anxiety of residents in that part of the country.

Senator Wilson raised the death of Séamus Mac Géidigh. He was a broadcaster of high repute. He was a man of integrity in the promotion of Irish language and culture. He had the listeners to his local radio station enthralled with his commentary. We send our sympathies to his wife Dolores and his family on his untimely death.

I thank Senator Tim Lombard for raising the scourge of Japanese knotweed. He will be aware that in his own area of Minane Bridge there is a very impressive company, Japanese Knotweed Ireland Limited, dealing with it, which has been in contact with many of us on this issue. It is something on which we need a national strategy. I would be happy to get the Minister to come to the House on that.

Senator Máire Devine raised the issue of psychiatric nurses, of which the Government recognises the importance and the serious issues that have been raised in this dispute. It is important to say that there is a mechanism the State uses to resolve industrial disputes. That should be used at all times. In saying that, there is also the issue of maintaining services with staffing that is safe so we fill the vacant posts in the mental health service. Recruitment of people is taking place in a variety of places and positions in mental health. The former Minister of State, Kathleen Lynch, was a strong advocate on behalf of mental health services. I am sure that the present Minister of State, Deputy McEntee, will be as well. It is important that the new posts are filled. As the Senator is aware, 1,500 new posts have been approved since 2012 and 1,150 have been filled. The issue needs to be addressed and I hope the mechanisms in place can be used to do that.

Senator Feighan raised UK-EU relations regarding the fuel allowance. The Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Varadkar, will be here next Tuesday to discuss issues around social protection. He can perhaps address that issue as part of that.

Senators Clifford-Lee and Noone raised the very important issue of the forthcoming auction in Christie's of the Beit collection in Russborough House. I will be in communication with the Minister after the Order of Business today. It is important that every avenue should be used not to have paintings sold and leave our jurisdiction, or even to go into private hands. I hope we can address that.

Senator Landy with Senator Colm Burke raised the new tenant purchase scheme. I would be happy to get the Minister to come to the House to discuss that. It is important that we have a resolution to it.

Senators Colm Burke, Kieran O'Donnell and Warfield raised the issue of books, procurement and the tendering process.I share very much the views expressed by the Senators. Today is not just about the books, but is also about the importance of the public procurement process and the need for Ireland as a small island nation to recognise the importance of those small, family-run businesses providing services and products to a multiplicity of State agencies. They should be allowed to continue to tender in a real way and not just cosmetically. The framework process is one that needs to be changed and I am very happy that the Minister of State, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, should come to the House to discuss it. Hopefully, he will be here on foot of the summer statements next week. It is important to have a debate on this and, as such, I will try to facilitate one before the summer recess. To assist Members, it would be useful if there could be a Commencement matter on it also. I think that would find universal, cross-party support. If the rules of the House allow, there should be a joint Commencement matter from Senators to get that on the agenda as well. It is important.

Senator Maria Byrne raised the issue of the M7 and eFlow tags. That is something the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Shane Ross, must address. The Minister was instrumental in his previous existence in having the toll bridge on the M50 switched to the EazyPass system. I hope we can address that matter. I am not sure if the Senator is referring to the toll at Portlaoise, but as someone who uses the M7, I note that a tag would be important to facilitate speedier commuting times.

Senator Noone raised the issue of communications. We have asked the Minister to come to the House to discuss broadband and phone coverage. I thank the parties in the House for their co-operation in advance of the motion on the appointment of members of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission.