Once again this week, it is my sad duty to propose a vote of sympathy to our colleague, Senator Imelda Henry, on the death of her mother who passed away on Sunday last. I also convey my sincere sympathy to the wife and family of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe who was so callously and brutally murdered in cold blood on Friday last. Our condolences must also go to his colleagues in the Garda Síochána who work so diligently on behalf of us all on a daily basis. I am sure it is the wish of all Members that the perpetrators of this cowardly and criminal act will be brought to justice soon. I also express my sympathy and that of the House to the family of former Senator Éamon de Buitléar. Obviously, we will hear tributes to the former Senator at a later time.

The Order of Business is No. 1, address to Seanad Éireann by Ms Mairead McGuinness, MEP, to commence at 2.45 p.m., in accordance with the arrangements set out in a motion passed by the House on Wednesday, 23 January 2013; and No. 2, Water Services Bill 2013 - Committee and Remaining Stages, to be taken at 4.15 p.m. A revised schedule will issue later with changes to the business to conducted in the rest of the week.

For the information of Members, it is proposed to meet at 9.30 a.m. tomorrow for the Order of Business and resume at 4 p.m., in line with similar arrangements in the other House, as a mark of respect to the late Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe whose funeral takes place tomorrow.

I convey the sympathy of the Fianna Fáil group to Senator Imelda Henry on the passing of her mother and also to the family of former Senator Éamon de Buitléar.

I agree with the Leader wholeheartedly. This is not a day for business as usual regarding the political sparring that goes on from time to time in this House. Like all of us and all the people we know, including our families and friends, I am disgusted and horrified at what can only be described as one of the most callous murders of a young Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, a family man and someone who spent his life not only protecting us as a member of the Garda, but who was also heavily involved in his own community in County Louth in his local GAA club and the school. The earnest wish of all of us today is that the perpetrators of this disgusting crime are brought to justice and that the full powers of the law are used against them. It is my wish that they never see the light of day again.

Well said.

Unfortunately, in the past few decades in particular and since the establishment of An Garda Síochána in 1922, many men and women serving in the force have met early deaths protecting the State, be it at the hands of perpetrators who flew under an alleged flag of republicanism or criminal gangs. Our thoughts and the thoughts of the members of the Fianna Fáil group in the House, which the Leader mentioned, are firmly with Detective Garda Donohoe's family and his colleagues who I visited in the detective branch in Swords yesterday where his brother serves. His entire family has a proud tradition in the Garda. I fully agree with the scheduling of the business for tomorrow. I ask that in the coming weeks we have a reasoned debate on policing in the House, but this is not the day to talk about the ins and outs of that. On behalf of our group, I offer our deepest sympathy to his family and express our revulsion at what happened to a man who died in the service of the State.

On behalf of the Labour Party group, I join colleagues in expressing our sympathy to Senator Henry on the death of her mother and also, of course, to the family of the late former Senator, Eamon De Buitléar. Again on behalf of the Labour Party group and personally, I express absolute revulsion and disgust at the appalling murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe. While much has been said about it, anyone who has read any of the circumstances of Friday night's murder will understand just how particularly vicious and brutal it was. All of us would want to send sympathy to his wife, his two very young children, his family and the community in the area. I agree with the Leader's rescheduling of business for tomorrow, which is appropriate. Fortunately, it is a rare occurrence when a garda is shot dead in the course of duty and in the course of protecting the community. However, perhaps because it is so rare, it is very important to mark it with appropriate respect and sympathy. That is the right thing to do for tomorrow. I also agree that it is not the day for calling for the usual sorts of adversarial debates in light of what has happened. I again send sincere condolences and sympathy to detective garda Donohoe's family, friends and community. I also extend sympathy to his colleague, Detective Garda Joe Ryan who must have been deeply traumatised by his experience in witnessing Friday night's events.

I share my colleagues' sentiments and the feeling of outrage at this cold, calculated and callous murder of a decent man and outstanding member of his community, who was seen by us in the newspapers in his community and with children. He was a gentle giant and a pillar of the community. I express sympathy to his grieving wife and family. I pay tribute to An Garda Síochána and in particularly to his colleague, Detective Garda Ryan, who with extraordinary courage after this terribly traumatic event turned up in the Garda station to help in the efforts to find his colleague's killers. It is a sad day for us, particularly because of this situation.

In addition, there are a number of other people bereaved, including our colleagues Senator Henry and Senator Clune whom I just saw in the dining room. I presume we will have an opportunity to pay a more extended tribute to the late former Senator Eamon De Buitléar who was such a vital and wonderful part of this House. I will also remember the late Kevin Heffernan who was a vital part of the Dublin football team. I was lucky enough to see those three titanic matches in the 1970s between Dublin and Kerry, two of which, I am very glad to say, we won.

Even at this sad time we have to represent the citizens because there is sadness not just in bereavement, but there is sadness for many people in the experience of living. I received an e-mail from a public service employee who has been really struggling to survive as follows:

I type this letter as a very worried public sector employee ... I was just about able to pay my mortgage of €822 last year and now the mortgage is gone up to €987 and in the your words [because I replied to him] this is now unsustainable. I am 38 years of age engaged to be married but not much hope of the big day happing now ... I bought the house in 2006 for €235,000 one of the cheapest at the time now only worth €135,000.

He asked the question that many people around the country are asking: "Where in God's name am I going to get the money for the property tax? I fear I am going to put out of my house." As I have said before we now have evictions, soup kitchens and children being told to jump up and down in schools. The property tax is again going back to the 19th century because people who dare to improve their houses are actually penalised, as it is not based on the value of the house at the time they bought it.

I received another e-mail from a woman stating:

I have to bring to your attention the fact that a number of secondary school students were not allowed onto the school bus this week as they did not have a ticket. They were literally left standing on the side of the road, humiliated in front of their peers [their fellow schoolchildren] ... They are children of low and middle income working parents who simply could not afford the advance payment of €325 family ticket [or] individual child €175.

What kind of responsible society are we where we humiliate children who cannot afford it and we know that there are ever more families around the country who are put to the pin of their collar? As I say, it is a sad day. We have bereavement, but we also have the sufferings of the living, to reflect on in this House.

I condemn in the strongest possible terms the callous and dastardly murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe outside Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan on Friday night last. The people of Dundalk, the people of County Louth and all Irish people are outraged by this dastardly deed. Detective Garda Donohoe was a decent honourable man who was brutally murdered in the course of his duty as a member of An Garda Síochána. I knew Adrian well from my time as principal of Bellurgan national school. I vividly remember him coming in to register his child. He was a lovely man, quiet and caring. Senator Norris has said he was a gentle giant, and that he was. He came across immediately that day as having a deep love for his family. He had so much to offer and now he is gone. It is an absolute disgrace and my heart goes out to his wife and children. The Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter, has said that no stone will be left unturned in apprehending and bringing to justice the perpetrators of this evil deed. I ask the Leader to confirm to the Minister our full support for his position in this regard.

I join others in offering sympathy to the Henry family and, obviously, the family of Detective Garda Donohoe. There will be much debate about that issue in coming days. I ask that, while I appreciate that my colleague, Senator Darragh O'Brien, has said that, given the seriousness of the crime perpetrated last week and the callous murder of Detective Garda Donohoe, this is not a day for normal business, as Senator Norris stated, we must also press on and raise the issues that are necessary to raise. As Senator Darragh O'Brien stated, a debate would be useful. There was a debate last week in the context of dealing with issues to do with the Garda. Resourcing, this crime aside, is a major issue within the Garda. While people understand that the Government must make cuts, when it comes to front-line health service and law enforcement all of us would gladly contribute more to have the knowledge of our relative security, and that is incumbent on all of us. When that debate takes place, perhaps we can begin to peel back the blindfold on some of the issues within the Garda that are being under resourced. For example, Sligo, in the north-west, has a detective unit of eight detectives and there is one car between them. Cavan has a unit with six detectives and there is no car for those six detectives. While I can appreciate when the Minister states that the crime of last week is in no way connected to resources, when there are eight detectives in Sligo and six in Cavan with but one car for those 14 Garda to do their duties, I am bound to conclude we are not providing them with the necessary resources.

I ask for an early clarification from the Minister for Finance, if he is available to come to the House - he has so often made himself available to us - to clarify what is going on in the context of the promissory note. This was announced to us as the panacea that would help deal with matters. We on this side of the House support the Government's efforts in this regard. The Taoiseach stated that Ireland is the only country that did not have the same tools available to it in dealing with the crisis as other countries have.

The people of Ireland and the Government have shown solidarity to European communion in helping to save the euro. Now it is time for them to reciprocate. There is complete confusion in this regard between Bloomberg, CNN and the various other news agencies. The people of Ireland, such as the person whom Senator Norris rightly pointed out is struggling to pay a mortgage, need to know what is in it for the Irish citizen.