Senators Darragh O'Brien, Paul Coghlan and Marie Moloney expressed their condolences to the family of former Senator Tom Fitzgerald on his death. I am sure we would all join our colleagues in offering our sympathy to the late Mr. Fitzgerald's family.

Senator Darragh O'Brien requested a debate on capital investment and infrastructure with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin, with specific reference to the wastewater treatment plant at Clonshaugh. I will endeavour to have the Minister come before the House to discuss that matter.

The preferred site has been identified and the council will prepare detailed plans and complete an environmental impact statement. The EIS, together with the planning application under the Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Act 2006, will be submitted to An Bord Pleanála. The board will carry out the statutory public consultation report at that stage. In advance of that, the project team is holding public consultations over the next eight weeks to seek feedback on what should be considered in the EIS. Open days are being held by Fingal County Council in Swords on 26 June, 29 June and 3 July. This is the information I can give the Senator on the matter.

Senator Bacik called for a debate on penal policy. I will try to arrange that debate as soon as possible.

Senator Zappone spoke on a number of issues. She called for a debate on branding Ireland in the context of tax in particular. We will try to have the Minister in to address that matter. The Government has indicated it will not be legislating on the question of assisted suicide in early course.

Senators Barrett, Jim D'Arcy, Hayden, O'Keeffe, Moloney and others raised the issue of the errors that arose in examination papers. What happened in the case of these papers is unacceptable. Pupils sitting examinations are under enough pressure without having examination questions put to them that are not framed properly. It is always unfortunate when these errors take place but I suppose our first obligation is to ensure we maintain as calm and supportive an environment as possible for all the examination students who will be sitting other examinations today and throughout the coming days. One of the core principles under which the State Examinations Commission operates is that students cannot be disadvantaged as a result of an error on an examination paper. Therefore, the impact of this error on students' answers will be taken into account by the chief examiner when finalising the marking stream for this examination. It is unacceptable that pupils are put under such pressure because of these errors. It should not happen; it is as simple as that. I will raise the matter with the Minister. Steps should be taken to ensure these types of errors will not happen again.

I note Senator Barrett's comments on the G8 summit. I share his views regarding the late Senator Gordon Wilson, who was such a wonderful Member of the House.

Senator Jim D'Arcy spoke on the need for greater care to be taken in the preparation of examination papers and called for an investigation. As I said, I will raise the matter with the Minister for Education and Skills.

Senator Leyden raised the matter of the forthcoming Bill to abolish the Seanad. I have stated to the House that I will afford ample time for the Bill to be discussed in the House. I will invite the Taoiseach to come in here on Second Stage to see what the Members have to say about it.

He will not come in, though.

Senator Hayden raised the issue of rent supplement limits, a matter raised by Senator Moloney as well. I understand we will have the Housing (Amendment) Bill within the next week or two and that may be the opportunity to raise the points that the Senators wishes to make on the matter.

Senator Quinn called for a debate on tourism and outlined the fact that Dublin Port will host more than 100 cruise ships this year. This is a growing trade. We will have in excess of 25 cruise ships coming into Waterford and even more coming into the Port of Cork.

It is an important area of tourism that generates quite an amount of spending in these areas. I will invite the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to come into the House for a debate on tourism, which has been requested by Senator Mooney also.

With regard to genetically modified food, we have a new Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, as Senator Comiskey stated. We can give him a couple of weeks to read up on his brief but I will certainly put that on the agenda and hope he will come into the House and discuss the matter with us.

Senator Cullinane and Senator Mullins called for an overall debate on taxation, including the revaluation of properties which small businesses in Waterford and in other areas are finding difficult. Senator Mullins also called for a debate on the impact of VAT rates on spending.

Senator Whelan called for a debate on forestry. I am sure the Minister of State, Deputy Hayes, will be willing to come into the House soon to address that matter.

With regard to the referendum date, I have not been informed of the date the referendum will take place. There have been rumours that it may be held in October and others that it will be in September. As Leader of the House I can assure the Senators that I am not aware of the date planned at this stage.

The Taoiseach, in the announcement, did not know either.

I have not been informed of the date. As soon as I know the date-----

The Irish Times will know it before Senator Cummins knows it as Leader of the House.

Read about it in The Irish Times.

-----I will certainly inform the House immediately, as I always have done.

After the Leader reads it in The Irish Times.

I will bring any information in that regard to the attention of the House.

Senator Mooney raised the issue of tourism and the impact of The Gathering. I will ask the Minister, Deputy Varadkar, to come into the House to give us an update on tourism figures for the first six months of the year.

Regarding the convention on violence against women, I will bring that matter to the relevant Minister and hope that we will sign up to that convention.

Regarding the Senator's condemnation of an article in the Irish Independent on the attendance of some Members of the House, I thought it was appalling that some Members who were quite ill were mentioned in that article.

Heartless.

It is regrettable that we have stooped to that type of journalism.

Senator Paul Coghlan called for a debate on the recent Law Reform Commission report on mandatory life sentencing. I will ask the Minister for Justice and Equality to come into the House to address that matter.

Senator Ó Clochartaigh raised the issue of turf cutting. I understand the law is clear on that issue, and I hope the Senator would support upholding of the law in this issue and every other issue where the law must be upheld.

Senator O'Keeffe spoke about Yeats Day on 13 June, which celebrates another great former Senator, William Butler Yeats.

We will all be great former Members soon.

I am glad that Senator MacSharry also will be attending that Yeats Day event in Sligo.

Senator Wilson raised the issue of the G8 Summit and sang the praises of the tourism product available in the north west.

Regarding the Seanad referendum, I can assure the Senator, as I have assured other Senators, that there will be no time bar in regard to debates on that subject, particularly on Committee and Report Stages. We will have a comprehensive debate on it. I understand Second Stage of that Bill will come into the Lower House on Thursday and will probably be with us in about three weeks' time.

Senator Mullins raised the issue of the impact of the VAT rates on spending, and also called for a debate on the Action Plan for Jobs. I have asked the Minister, Deputy Bruton, to come into the House and address that problem and to outline to us the success of the Action Plan for Jobs.

I remind Senators the House debated for a number of hours ideas on job creation which fed into the Action Plan for Jobs. Quite a number of the ideas which came from the House were included. Others may choose to forget this but it is worth recalling this was the situation.

Senator MacSharry called for a debate on men's health. I reject totally the disgraceful comments regarding the Taoiseach.

Will we have a debate?

I will treat them with the contempt they deserve.

That is the type of contempt the Taoiseach showed to the House consistently. The Leader might as well row in with him.