The Leader of the Opposition, Senator Darragh O'Brien, referred to the Bill introduced last evening by Senator Feargal Quinn.

It was an excellent debate and I am sure the House will have a further discussion on the Bill in the coming weeks and months.

What about discretionary medical cards?

I have received no indication from the Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly, that he intends to come to the House to address that issue.

Senator Ivana Bacik raised the issue of property rights and welcomed the reduction in the live register figures. A number of Members spoke about the budget and welcomed the fact that the cuts involved would be less than €3.1 billion. The deficit target is 5.1% and, irrespective of the actual figure, I am sure that target will be met in the budget on 15 October.

Senator Sean D. Barrett and many other Senators offered a passionate defence of this House, mentioning all the good things that had happened. This was a theme that ran through the speeches of many Members today. The campaign has been a difficult one for many in this House. Tomorrow the people will speak and it will be their decision. As democrats, I am sure we will all accept the wisdom of the electorate. Irrespective of the result, I assure Members that this House will carry on until the next Government is formed. I am sure we will carry out our duties with the same dignity and respect we have shown during the past two and a half years, acting in the way our predecessors did. Irrespective of the result tomorrow, this House will carry out its duties in the exemplary manner it has shown to date.

We missed Senator Terry Leyden's colourful contributions while he was away elsewhere in Europe in recent days.

He got back in time.

I am here for the vote.

I addressed the Senator's points in my comments.

Senator Aideen Hayden raised the issue of fuel poverty, as she has done on a number of occasions, as well as the submission by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. She called for moves towards better thermal efficiency, in rental homes in particular. The relevant Minister will attend the House to discuss that issue soon.

Senator Feargal Quinn called for a debate on energy and related new technologies. He mentioned adoption legislation and the difficulties for people adopting from Russia. I have met some of the people involved who find themselves in a very difficult position. The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, has contacted some of them and is doing everything possible to solve the problem, which is a very difficult one for the families.

Senator Michael Mullins spoke about the mini-tornado in east Galway yesterday and the devastation it had caused for families overnight. We all express our sympathy to the families concerned. The Senator also sought an update on the jobs action plan. We hope the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Richard Bruton, will attend the House sooner rather than later to discuss the plan. The considerable improvement in the live register figures is welcome. I remind Senator Mary White who said the figures were minimal and that there had been no improvement in the job figures that 250,000 jobs were lost in the private sector in the last three years of the previous Government's term of office. Already this year there has been an improvement of 34,000. Thankfully, things are improving.

If one talks to people, one will hear they are not improving.

Senator Martin Conway also spoke about the Seanad campaign.

Senator Jim Walsh called for a debate on the situation in the Middle East, a debate which has also been called for by others within the past two days. I will endeavour to have the Tánaiste attend the House to discuss the matter, the situation in Syria in particular. Such a debate in this House is long overdue, although the issue has been debated at the foreign affairs committee.

Senators Jim Walsh and Fidelma Healy Eames called for a debate on political reform. The local government Bill will be introduced in the coming weeks and could provide a platform for such a debate. I put Members on notice about the introduction of that Bill.

Senator Catherine Noone, rightly, pointed out that it was the initiative of the Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan, to bring down the VAT rate of 13.5% to 9% for the hospitality sector. There is a charge to the Exchequer of €350 million for the reduction which must be found elsewhere.

Under the heading of social welfare, from people who are losing their jobs.

The Leader to continue, without interruption.

We will await the Minister's decision and the budget on 15 October when all will be revealed.

I propose the suspension of the sitting until 11.45 a.m. when we will have statements on the life of the late Seamus Heaney.

Is that agreed? Agreed.