I second Senator Barrett's amendment to the Order of Business.

I join the leader of my party in calling on the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Alan Shatter, to come to the House. I ask the Deputy Leader to set aside quite a few hours for a debate as there are many issues to be discussed. Those issues include: the low morale in the Garda Síochána; the depletion in the numbers of the force, with no recruitment on the cards; the inability of members to do their job due to a lack of equipment, in many cases they use their own cars and mobile phones to do a job which should be facilitated by the State; the closure of Garda stations, courthouses and Army barracks; the debacle with the Judiciary; and, in particular, why Dún Uí Neill barracks in Cavan, was closed in March without any logical reason being given for doing so. It was the most modern barracks in Europe and the only purpose-built barracks in the history of the State, located seven miles from the Fermanagh Border, where there has been three incidents involving dissident terrorists in the past month. I pointed out on many occasions, as other colleagues did, that the terrorist threat to the State is not gone. This has been proved seven miles from Cavan town, the location of Dún Uí Neill barracks, where three incidents have taken place in the past month.

That the G8 summit is to be held in Enniskillen in June 2013 is welcome. What will the Government do to protect the Border? From where will the troops come? They will come from Athlone, where they were moved from Cavan, for a month and will have to be facilitated in private accommodation. I predict that a barracks will again have to be built in Cavan town to protect the State from the threat posed. I ask that the Minister for Justice and Equality come to the House and to be open and honest, not shrouded in a straitjacket of pomposity, and to tell Members exactly what is going on in the Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces, of which he has made a total shambles to date.

I agree wholeheartedly with my Ulster colleague, Senator Wilson, in his call to invite the Minister for Justice and Equality, the most arrogant Minister in Europe, to the House as soon as possible.

The Senator would know all about that.

I put a message on Facebook yesterday. One of the comments read: "I am sure Minister Shatter had no friends at school." He is certainly losing friends very quickly, given the arrogant and blunt manner in which he is taking decisions.

Those are very personal remarks.

It is totally unacceptable.

I think the Senator should withdraw those comments.

On a point of order, they are not my words, I read them on the Internet.

They are very personal remarks. They have been put on the record of the House and should be withdrawn.

I have only quoted the words.

The Senator should not have quoted them.

I can confirm that the Minister does indeed have friends - not a great many but some.

Senator Ó Domhnaill should withdraw the remarks. Senator Norris should resume his seat.

Senator Norris has clarified the position very well.

It does not matter if the comments were on the Internet. They should be withdrawn.

They were not meant personally but are available for all our colleagues to read on the Internet.

The Senator chose to put them on the record of the House.

On a point of order, it is appropriate for Senator Ó Domhnaill to criticise the Minister politically, but the personalised attack must be withdrawn.

I ask Senator Ó Domhnaill to withdraw the remarks.

I will amend the remarks. They are quotes on the Internet to which I will not refer further. However, the point I am trying to make is a valid one. Anyone with a political understanding of what is happening in the country will realise that the Garda is being treated with contempt. The people who defend the State, the elderly and young and prevent crime are being treated with contempt. Garda cars in my constituency have done more than 300,000 km and are being taken off the road. Gardaí do not have transportation to investigate crime. The Minister is treating the country with contempt. Not only is he being arrogant in his defence and justice portfolios, he is treating the safety of the nation with contempt. I agree wholeheartedly with Senator Wilson that the Minister should come to the House to explain the rationale behind some of his decisions.

I support the raising of the fodder crisis. It is a major issue which received all-party support at the meeting of the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine this morning. The problem is one for farmers west of a line between Donegal to Waterford. Many animals are dying as a result. People are charging up to €78 for a bale of silage and the crisis is escalating. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine must address the crisis immediately and support farmers. It is now an animal welfare issue, which is a subject on which the Minister recently came to the House to process legislation. He must live up to the legislation he brought before the House.