I notice many of the happy Christmas greetings are coming with something else in the package. I also wish you, a Chathaoirligh, the excellent Deirdre, Jody and all the staff of the Seanad Office and colleagues a very happy Christmas and the best for 2013. I hope next year will be marked by robust debates. There are many serious issues for us to discuss and there will be times we have to disagree. I hope we can disagree without being disagreeable.

One of the highlights for this year was the visit of the head of the Orange Order to the House. It was a positive occasion for the Seanad but also a contribution to the ongoing process of reconciliation on this island. It is sad that we need to keep a watchful eye on a continuous basis on issues in the North of Ireland. Will the Leader organise a debate for early in the new year on the situation in the North? There are many problems arising with flags, emblems, riots and so on. It would be appropriate that we would continue to discuss these issues and make the contribution we can on this important issue.

I noted Senator Bradford's point about the possibility of health committee hearings taking place in this Chamber. We should be very open to that possibility. Even if matters are more rushed than they ought to be, it is important there is a display of openness. It is much easier for people to attend hearings in a forum like the Seanad Chamber than in a committee room. If there were any requests to the Committee on Procedure and Privileges, CPP, for this, it would not be acceptable that this could not be dealt with because the committee will not meet until the end of January.

I want to raise another issue, an issue on which I have been somewhat remiss in not raising sooner with the CPP. We are losing our way slightly to some of the rules and procedures of the House. It is a matter we should address in the new year. It is entirely proper that privilege would never be abused by the making of comments in this House-----

We are on the Order of Business.

I am asking for the Leader to organise a discussion on this in the new year. It is entirely appropriate that any comments that would be libellous outside this House should be regarded as an abuse if privilege unless there is some compelling public-interest reason for making them. We must not allow ourselves get into a situation where we cannot even mention people in this House to criticise comments they have made in circumstances where we would be perfectly free to do so outside of the House.

This is a precedent of the House.

We have lost our way with some of the rules of debate here and it needs to be addressed early in the new year. We are at risk of tieing ourselves up in knots and bringing the Seanad into disrepute. It shows a lack of clear thinking on our part if we close down every debate simply because we think a Member will say something disobliging about somebody else. That is not the test.

The Senator is way over time.

I may well be but it is an important point. I wanted to bring it to the Cathaoirleach's attention in particular because he will play a significant role in any possible determination of this matter.

This is a precedent of the House.

This is a matter that should not only be discussed at the CPP.

The Senator is way over time. I call Senator Healy Eames.

We should be clearer on this issue. On that note, I wish the Cathaoirleach a happy Christmas.