Senator Thomas Byrne, the acting Leader of the Opposition, made a number of points on the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Bill. It was brought to the Dáil twice, but it was not reached on both occasions. It will be brought back to the Dáil next week.

On the drafting of legislation, it is certainly not a matter for me. I can only schedule the legislation brought before this House, be it legislation commenced here or legislation passed in the Dáil. That is my obligation. There have been occasional gaps in the schedule, but it is a testament to how efficiently we deal with Bills in this House. Up to 40 Bills have been initiated in this Seanad, which is way in excess of the number initiated in previous Seanaid. I will not, therefore, take lectures from Members on the other side of the House in that regard.

For a long period Members have requested an exchange with our MEPs, especially on EU matters. How often do we hear from the public that they never hear from their MEPs and about what they are doing? The opportunity to exchange views with Senators is one the MEPs have grasped themselves. The debates we have had have been very fruitful for both the MEPs and Senators. Unfortunately, the Members who are most vociferous about European affairs are, in some cases, not the ones who are attending to have an exchange with MEPs when they are in attendance.

Senator Brian Ó Domhnaill referred to having respect for the House in regard to its business. I suggest he have respect for it. He tabled a number of matters for discussion on the Adjournment but did not even attend when Ministers were present to address them. Respect ought to be shown on both sides.

That was last year.

It does not matter whether it was last year or this year.

Senator Ivana Bacik referred to job creation. I am sure we all welcome the 100 new jobs announced in Waterford today and the investment of €9 million in research and development in the company FeedHenry, a spinout company from Waterford Institute of Technology. These are the types of jobs the Government is trying to create and the investment is the kind we are trying to attract to the country. I will invite the Minister of State at the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Sean Sherlock, to come to the House to debate ICT jobs. This would be beneficial, considering that the Government is helping to create in excess of 1,000 jobs every month. This number will, I hope, increase significantly.

Senator Fiach Mac Conghail referred to the Tony Awards nominations for Colm Toibín and Dr. Mel Mercier, which are to be welcomed. It is wonderful to have Irish people on the world theatrical stage and have them nominated for such prestigious awards.

Senator Fiach Mac Conghail also referred to the sale of forest harvesting rights. The Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Pat Rabbitte, has made the point that we will probably not be proceeding in this regard. I do not know as yet whether this is certain. I note the Senator's concerns about the Hinkley Point nuclear power plant and his call for the publication of the RPII report. I am sure this issue will be raised at a meeting of the joint committee.

Senator Sean D. Barrett referred to the significance of his Bill, the Financial Stability and Reform Bill, which was very well debated in this House. I note his point. He referred to disused railway lines and their conversion into cycleways. The ones that have been developed, especially the one in the Westport area, have proved to be very successful. I agree that disused railway lines should be developed.

Senator Deirdre Clune called for a debate on the need for a dementia strategy. I understand the strategy will be announced very soon.

We will invite the relevant Minister to the House to discuss the strategy when it is published.

I do not intend to reply to Senator Paschal Mooney's contribution. We talk about respect for this House, but on several occasions I have referred to Members coming to the Chamber to raise issues on the Order of Business and then drifting out of the House. They are the ones calling for Ministers to come to the House for debates. In some cases, there is a practically empty Chamber for these debates. The Senators making points should look into their own hearts and see how they are behaving in the House and what respect they give to it.

Senator Aideen Hayden raised the issue of rents increasing by 2.7% nationally.

She is not here either. Will the Leader make that point when Members on his own side are not present?

One does not criticise oneself. That is not democracy, that is dictatorship. It is disgraceful.

The Leader to continue, without interruption.

Lecturing Members is wrong.

We do not refer to individual Members.

The Leader should be impartial.

Empty vessels on the other side of the House make a lot of noise.

I am listening to a lot of noise.

We do not refer to Members who have left the Chamber.

The Leader has referred to Senator Paschal Mooney in a very disingenuous way.

He did not name anybody.

He did.

Senator David Norris asked for a broad debate on the arts. We will ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Jimmy Deenihan, to come to the House to discuss the subject.

Senator Michael Mullins correctly welcomed the many recent job announcements. I hope confidence is returning to the economy. All Members of the House would wish for this. The Senator asked that we invite the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation to give a report on the Action Plan for Jobs. I have already asked the Minister to come to the House and he has indicated that he is willing to do so. It is a question of finding time in his schedule.

Senator David Cullinane proposed an amendment to the Order of Business, that No. 15, Corporate Manslaughter Bill, be taken before No. 1. I will accede to the request that the Bill be introduced and accept the amendment to the Order of Business. The Senator has mentioned a number of topics that have not been discussed, although a number of the topics he has raised have been debated in the House. We can arrange debates on the others.

Senator Fidelma Healy Eames referred to the Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Bill. That Bill is before the other House and when it completes the process there, it will be brought to the Seanad when we will have an opportunity to debate it.

Senator Ned O'Sullivan raised the issue of the local and European elections. I understand the report of the commission will be produced by the end of the month. Everybody will then know where he or she stands in terms of the boundaries, particularly with regard to the local elections, for which he or she will have more than one year to prepare. I am not sure about the European elections. The boundary commission will probably report at a later stage.

Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh spoke about the ambulance service. I note the items he mentioned in that regard.

Senator Catherine Noone spoke about measures to ensure tax was being paid on cigarettes. I note her point.

Senator Brian Ó Domhnaill referred to the plan to fix the jobs problem. I have addressed that issue. We will try to have the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Richard Bruton, come to the House to discuss the problem.

Senator Susan O'Keeffe called for a debate, which we will have, on the Bill dealing with the protection of mothers during pregnancy. I am sure there will be a very dignified debate in the House when that Bill is brought before it.

I do not propose to accept the amendment to the Order of Business proposed by Senator Thomas Byrne.