Senator Darragh O'Brien asked why all Stages of the Non-Use of Motor Vehicles Bill 2013 are being taken in the House today. The Bill went through the other House very quickly because no amendments to it were tabled on Committee or Report Stages.

That is fair.

Perhaps the Senator is asking me to divide up our consideration of the Bill, rather than doing it all on one day. I am not in the practice of organising Committee and Report Stages on the same day. If the Senator is prepared to accept what I have proposed, I think the Bill will go through in a reasonable amount of time without much hassle from any side.

That is fine.

I ask the Senator to bear with me on that one.

Sure.

The Senator also mentioned the proposal to take all Stages of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill on Thursday. I am proposing that we take Second Stage between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. on that day and that we take a short break before taking Committee and Report Stages. We might need to split that up again. I understand that approximately 80 amendments are to be tabled on Committee Stage. I was not aware of that when we were setting the agenda. If we are running too late on Thursday night into Friday morning, we can consider the possibility of meeting at another time, if necessary. I understand the Minister is very anxious for this Bill to be dealt with this week. We will endeavour to facilitate the Minister and the House without rushing the legislation through the House. We can consider dealing with Report Stage of that Bill on Friday, if necessary. I have an open mind on the matter. We will probably know more about it on Thursday.

I note what Senator O'Brien said about my suggestion that a public consultation on adult mental health services be carried out. I will endeavour to bring the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, to the House. We will either have one or the other. We will not have both. It is a very important issue.

Senator Hayden raised a number of issues, including the property tax deadline. I remind those who do not have a computer or cannot pay online that Revenue can be contacted and arrangements made at 1890 200 255. I note what the Senator said about the housing market. She also called on the Minister for Health to come in and outline his plans for improving maternal health care. The same request was made by Senator Colm Burke. I will try to bring the Minister, Deputy Reilly, to the House at an early stage to set out his plans.

Senators Zappone and Cullinane called on the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation or the Minister for Finance to come to the House for a debate on taxation reform. I will certainly request their presence. I would like to reiterate what I said on this issue last week. A number of independent studies have confirmed that the effective rate of corporation tax in Ireland is very close to the headline standard rate of 12.5%. A report produced by PricewaterhouseCoopers and the World Bank showed that there is an effective rate of 11.9% in Ireland. The European Commission produced a report earlier this year which found that this country's effective rate is 14.4%. The extremely low figures for Ireland's effective rate that have been quoted are all based on the same flawed premise - they are running together the profits earned by group companies in Ireland and other jurisdictions and incorrectly suggesting that the Irish tax does or should apply to both. The figures are reached by dividing the amount of Irish tax paid by the total profit figure, which includes the substantial profits made by companies that are not tax-resident in Ireland.

That is the problem.

That is the situation as outlined by the Government.

I will endeavour to have one of the Ministers come to the House to debate that issue. As Senator Zappone mentioned, the IDA and the Government will be responding to the erroneous comments that were made by a US Senate sub-committee.

With regard to Senator Mullen's comments, I did not think the Independents had leaders but we will certainly welcome Senator Norris as leader of the group.

First among equals.

With regard to the Minister for Justice and Equality, a vote of no confidence was tabled by the Fianna Fáil Members in this House only a month ago-----

It certainly was.

-----so they were ahead of their counterparts in the other House.

Yes, we were.

There seems to be a concerted effort by Fianna Fáil to have-----

It is more than a month ago.

The Leader, without interruption.

There seems to be an effort by Fianna Fáil to have a go at this Minister-----

He gives us a lot of opportunities.

I hope he turns up.

I suppose it takes the pressure off the Minister, Deputy James Reilly.

The Leader, without interruption.

Not alone do they want to get rid of the Minister for Justice and Equality, but Senator Walsh mentioned that he is now questioning the ability of the Garda Commissioner to carry out his duties. They want to get rid of everybody, I suppose. That is their own viewpoint. The Minister will certainly respond to those issues in the other House.

With regard to the point raised by Senator O'Donovan, the Minister, Deputy Coveney, has had major success in the Common Fisheries Policy negotiations. This success has been acknowledged by all and he has been complimented on numerous occasions in this House on the issue of discards. He has come into this House and is in constant contact with fisheries organisations throughout the country.

With regard to the comment that fishermen are being treated as second class citizens by this Government, I reject that totally. It was the Senator's own Government that made criminals out of fishermen through legislation which it brought into the House, and others are trying to redress that situation through a Private Members' Bill.

I hope the Senator supports the Bill we bring in.

The truth is bitter.

The Government should put its money where its mouth is.

The Leader, without interruption.

Fianna Fáil is trying to address a situation it created, is that it? Very good. That is what we are trying to do all the time.

The Government promised to repeal it.

Senator Moloney referred to questions for the Minister for Health. If she could let me know the questions, I will pass them on to the Minister. Otherwise, a Member of the other House can table a question on those matters which she raised. I will certainly assist in any way possible.

Senator Norris raised the issue of the Seanad referendum Bill. I can assure the Senator we will allow as much time as is necessary in this House to discuss that Bill when it comes before us. I understand that Bill will be coming to us in mid-June, if not before it. With regard to the right of way at St. Patrick's Well, if the Senator can give me that question in writing, I will certainly forward it to the relevant Minister, Deputy Varadkar.

Senator Harte spoke in regard to the issuing of reminders to people to renew their passports. I will certainly pass this on to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. It is a practice which, as the Senator rightly said, happens in regard to motor taxation and it could also be done with regard to passports.

Senator Michael D'Arcy spoke on the household charge and urged people to pay their local authorities before 1 July or major penalties will click in. It is a very valid point. People should be advised they will face further penalties if that charge is not paid by July and, eventually, it will be taken from whatever is their source of income by the Revenue. I note Senator MacSharry's points on the Seanad, in particular the media coverage of it, about which I agree with him.

With regard Senator Kelly's point, we will have that debate on mental health services. There has been investment in mental health services in the past year or so. I am sure the Minister of State, Deputy Lynch, will come to the House, as I said to Senator Darragh O'Brien.

In response to the point made by Senator Sean D. Barrett, I agree that we had a very good debate in the House on the issue of diesel laundering. Certainly, serious questions about security at the barracks from where the tanker was taken over the weekend need to be answered. On the point made by the Supreme Court on laws being made by people outside the Oireachtas, I assure the Senator that this will not happen as long as this Seanad continues and that legislation brought before the Houses will be scrutinised in a proper manner, as always happens in this House.

Senators Lorraine Higgins and Jim Walsh raised a very important question about employees of NAMA taking up jobs with property companies in the United Kingdom. The position needs to be clarified by the Minister or NAMA and I will ask the Minister to do so.

Senator Ned O'Sullivan made a number of points about the Seanad. We will have ample time to discuss the matter in June and July.

Senator Mary Moran spoke about the protection of life during pregnancy Bill. I said I would not comment on that matter and will leave it at that. Again, we will have ample time to debate the issue in July. I note the Senator's points on the Catholic Church which is entitled to state what it thinks fit. That is its right, but we will have a very comprehensive debate in the House when the Bill is brought before us.

Senators Feargal Quinn, Paschal Mooney and Fidelma Healy Eames called for a debate on the skills shortage. We had a debate on the issues of the skills shortage and competitiveness with the Minister of State with responsibility for training and skills, Deputy Ciarán Cannon, on 20 February, but obviously-----

We would like the real Minister to come - the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation.

The Leader to continue, without interruption.

We had a debate in the House on 20 February with the Minister for State responsible, Deputy Ciarán Cannon. If necessary, we can arrange a further debate on the matter.

Senator Michael Mullins called for a debate on the situation in Syria, including human rights issues. I have asked the Tánaiste to come to the House to update us on the issue. The Senator also called on the Government to maintain the 9% VAT rate for restaurants. It has certainly been a progressive and productive tax measure and I am sure the case will be made to the Minister for Finance by many organisations before the next budget is announced in October.

Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh spoke about the Traveller Pride Week celebrations in Galway. Celebrations were held the length and breadth of the country. I will see whether we can organise a debate on multiculturalism, as requested by the Senator. On turf cutting, my understanding is that the law is very clear, but if it needs to be clarified, I will certainly ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht Affairs to do so. The Minister has done so much to resolve the issues involved in the past 12 months.

Senator Fidelma Healy Eames also spoke about the report on the restructuring of third level education. When the report is published, we will certainly arrange a debate on it.

All I can say to Senator Brian Ó Domhnaill is that the appointment of a Minister of State is a matter for the Taoiseach.

Senator Catherine Noone asked for a debate on the report of the steering group on alcohol and the cost to the community of alcohol abuse. The Minister of State, Deputy Alex White, attended the House previously to discuss this matter. However, I will ask him to come again to discuss the report of the steering group.

Senator Paschal Mooney raised the matter of competitiveness and referred to the report on the post office network. We may be able to arrange a debate on the issue when we find a suitable Minister.