We will not be opposing the Order of Business. It is important to congratulate President Obama on winning another four years in office. We hope that the work he does during the coming period will be of benefit to Ireland.

Closer to home and much more important, I ask that the Leader make arrangements for the Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly, to come before the House at the earliest possible opportunity in order to discuss the specific issue of home help services. As Senators will be aware, some 600,000 hours have already been removed from the system and there are plans to remove a further 450,000 between now and Christmas.

The Government undertook to do this in a sensitive manner, with assessments of individual cases. However, that is not what is happening. Every Member of the Oireachtas and county councillor in the country, as well as anyone involved in a community organisation, has had representations from people who are genuinely suffering due to cuts that are being implemented in order to save €8 million between now and Christmas. In the Taoiseach's own constituency, the Mayo coroner, Dr. Eleanor Fitzgerald, stated that reductions in home help services would lead to an increase in deaths from chronic illness. How many lives are we valuing at €8 million? That is the question when considering the extra 15 minutes of home help or the simple half an hour that was taken away from some individuals. That time was to used to help with changing a colostomy bag, help a person to get up out of bed, wash or feed him or her or light the fire. No impact analysis was carried out on these cuts. The suffering throughout this country could not have been intended by any Government to save €8 million. In the other House the Taoiseach welcomed a cut to a pension of €500,000 which was paid by a bank supported by the State, while we are arguing about saving €8 million, which will affect perhaps 450,000 home help hours. Something has to be done. It is a serious crisis that must be dealt with immediately. I do not propose an amendment to the Order of Business but I ask the Leader to make arrangements to have this issue dealt with. Regardless of the intention of the Minister that each individual case be assessed, that is not happening. The level of suffering is in no way equal to €8 million in savings. We must prioritise cuts in other areas if we are to save €8 million, considering the impact this will have on elderly individuals throughout the country.

On another issue, I refer to a number of newspaper articles about family planning clinics and reports of information being provided which was inaccurate and described by some medical professionals as downright dangerous. Irrespective of one's position on this issue - whether one is pro-life, pro-choice or pro-debate - serious questions have arisen as a result of the investigative reporting by Independent Newspapers. I gather there is to be a HSE review and investigation of this issue. In my view it warrants the Minister's personal attention and the Government should oversee this investigation. Regardless of one's personal, party or moral position on this issue and in view of the fact that medical professionals are saying that dangerous information is being provided and funded by organisations and agencies using taxpayers' money, this must be investigated.

Like Senator MacSharry, I welcome the outcome of the US election. No doubt the result is a great relief to the many supporters of the Democratic Party in Ireland. Studies have shown that very few people in Ireland would have supported Mitt Romney if they had been entitled to vote. It is good to see President Barack Obama re-elected for a further four-year term.

I agree with Senator MacSharry that it would be helpful to have a debate on the issue of home help services in the near future in order to clarify the position. There is no doubt people are very concerned about the reports, and it would be useful to have the Minister come to the House to debate the issue.

On a further health-related issue, I welcome the announcement of the site for the national children's hospital. This deserves a great deal of cross-party support. It is good to see people uniting behind the decision and it is important that a decision has now been made and that the building can proceed. It is good that the site chosen will mean the children's hospital is co-located with an acute hospital and also adjacent to a maternity hospital.

I held the view that the Coombe hospital would have been a suitable location. I am glad to see that the chosen hospital site will be close to the Coombe, a well established maternity hospital, and that it will be adjacent to St. James's Hospital.

I welcome the announcement that the constitutional convention will hold its first meeting on Saturday, 1 December at Dublin Castle and that Mr. Tom Arnold has been appointed chairperson. The convention will have an exciting 12-month term. It is worth noting that this is the first attempt by any government in the history of the State to establish a convention of this nature which will consist of a majority of citizens. It has been given a very tight timeframe in which to report on a range of specific issues. It may also report on other issues that it considers relevant. I look forward to being a member of the convention and to working with the people who have been chosen to participate.

Senator MacSharry referred to newspaper reports on family planning clinics. For a long time there has been much concern about rogue family planning agencies that operate in a directive manner and hold a particular viewpoint. If a review of family planning clinics is carried out then it is important that clinics and centres that call themselves pregnancy advisory or pregnancy counselling services should be reviewed generally by the Minister for Health and the HSE.