I thank the Cathaoirleach, the Ceann Comhairle, the Superintendent, Oireachtas staff and all those involved in facilitating the Irish Sign Language interpreters who are in the Visitors Gallery and the Press Gallery in the Dáil. They are here because of the issues discussed yesterday in the Dáil and the motion we have tabled, No. 63, motion No. 11 regarding the cut in funding for the national advocacy service of the Irish Deaf Society. A range of organisations are affected by the cuts in funding of €1.2 million for voluntary organisations imposed by the Government. A copy of the Proclamation hangs in the main hall of the building, reminding us of the guarantee of equal rights and opportunities for all citizens of the State. While we are all agreed on that principle, we seem to find it very difficult to fulfil.

On the Order of Business yesterday Senator Jillian van Turnhout listed the organisations impacted on by thee cuts: the Alzheimer Society of Ireland; Arthritis Ireland; Aspire; Brí, the acquired brain injury advocacy association; the Centre for Independent Living; Chronic Pain Ireland; the Disability Federation of Ireland; the Dyslexia Association of Ireland; the Genetic and Rare Disorders Organisation; GROW; the Huntington’s Disease Association of Ireland; the Irish National Council of AD/HD Support Groups; Irish Autism Action; the Irish Deaf Society; the Irish Heart Foundation; the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association, IMNDA; the Irish Stammering Association; the Migraine Association of Ireland; MS Ireland; Muscular Dystrophy Ireland; Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Ireland; the Neurological Alliance of Ireland; the Post Polio Support Group; the Asthma Society of Ireland; and the Carers Association. In an article in The Irish Times today Professor Orla Hardiman expresses her horror at the impending closure of the Neurological Alliance of Ireland which gives a voice to more than 700,000 people and comprises 30 aligned organisations. A spokesperson for the Neurological Alliance of Ireland states: "The Taoiseach's statement that charities can appeal the decision will be cold comfort to the charities affected as no timeline for the appeals process has been provided and they are left in limbo with no choice but to close their doors."

The members of the Irish Deaf Society who are in the Visitors Gallery have seen their advocacy service wiped out. Who will communicate and interact with the Government on their behalf? The gulf in understanding between the hearing and deaf communities is enormous and was put into stark and almost comical focus by the statement from the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government that representatives of the Irish Deaf Society should call in to discuss the cut in funding. I propose an amendment to the Order of Business to have the motion we have tabled debated today. We are seeking a reinstatement of funding not only for the Irish Deaf Society but also for all the organisations impacted on. They all rely on this funding to keep going. Staff in these organisations now find themselves unemployed, with no indication as to when their appeal will be heard or whether funding will be reinstated in five, six, ten or 12 months, if at all.

I join Senator Mark Daly in welcoming the group from the Irish Deaf Society to the Visitors Gallery. The issue of funding for voluntary groups, particularly health groups such as the Neurological Alliance of Ireland and the Irish Deaf Society, was raised by colleagues on both sides of the House yesterday. In his response the Leader indicated that an appeals process was under way, overseen by Pobal, and that the deadline for applications was the end of the month. I understand it will take six to eight weeks for appeals to be heard. A large delegation from the Labour Party has met representatives of the Irish Deaf Society to discuss the issue. Everybody is concerned to ensure groups which are providing an excellent service will not have their funding discontinued. There is a bigger picture to consider in that substantial funding has been given to other groups which are also providing excellent services. I very much hope the review process being undertaken by Pobal will be fruitful for all concerned.

I again ask the Leader to invite the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Charles Flanagan, to come to the House as soon as we return in September for a debate on the situation in the Middle East. We are all horrified and appalled by the heinous killing of four boys yesterday - two ten year olds, a nine year old and an 11 year old, all from the same extended family - who were playing football on a beach in Gaza. To hear Israeli Government spokespersons blaming Hamas for these heartbreaking deaths is very difficult to take. I welcome the ceasefire in place for a few hours today, but it is not enough to alleviate the suffering of the people of Gaza, more than 200 of whom have been killed in the appalling onslaught by Israel. I hope Ireland will be very active in the coming weeks in seeking to achieve a ceasefire on the Gaza Strip and a resolution of the conflict.

I welcome the publication of the report of the interdepartmental working group on mother and baby homes and the appointment of Judge Yvonne Murphy to chair the commission of investigation. She has an excellent track record, having chaired the commission of investigation into sexual abuse in the archdiocese of Dublin and produced a very strong report on that inquiry. She is an ideal choice to chair this commission.

The data we have seen, such as the number of deaths of infants and children in the homes and the number of adoptions carried out, shows we need a more in-depth investigation.

As it is the end of the session I wish everyone well. I know we will sit tomorrow but today we are having our last Order of Business, if the Leader's ordering is accepted. I wish everyone well for the recess ahead and thank the staff in the House, in the Seanad and the ushers. I wish everyone a very peaceful and rejuvenating holiday.

I echo what Senator Bacik has said. This is the last Order of Business in this term. I thank the Leader, the Deputy Leader and leaders of all of the groups for the courtesy, efficiency and thoroughness with which they conducted the business of the House. We are very proud of this House and acknowledge the debt owed to its Leader. I thank the Cathaoirleach, as always, and his staff for the way proceedings have been conducted. Also, in the realm of thanks, I thank Senator Conway for the motion he tabled yesterday and the recent one on the environment. They demonstrated that there is great spirit on the Government benches in terms of raising important issues and adding to the status of the House.

I wish to express concern about the compellability of witnesses. The ruling, I gather, is that the accounts of the body concerned must be audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General. That is a most important post in the Constitution and people like Arthur Griffith and Eamon de Valera saw the necessity to have a watchdog for public expenditure.

My question arises from a matter raised frequently and eloquently by Senator Colm Burke in the House - section 38 bodies. If the Committee of Public Accounts cannot compel these people to appear - which appears to be the ruling - we must adopt as a rule of thumb that they will not receive money if they will not talk. There must be some quid pro quo if one gets public money but decides not to talk about it afterwards before the Oireachtas. I know the Minister for Finance and his new Minister of State, Deputy Harris, will be here later. I suggest we adopt that stance as a working rule. If a body seeks an exemption and is not going to answer for how it spends money then we cannot give out funding. The House must have a Committee of Public Accounts and a Comptroller and Auditor General auditing how we spend money which is a major issue in the country. Go raibh maith agat.