It is good to be back after the summer and it is good to have something to celebrate, particularly that we have had a wedding in the House. Senator John Crown did not go outside the House to find his bride, unlike Senator Paul Bradford, who did so a couple of years ago. I congratulate Senator John Crown on this joyous occasion. We wish him very well. As a little wedding present, I will second his amendment.

On a point of information, a more traditional wedding present would also be welcome, but that is fine.

I also use the opportunity to urge the Leader to accept the Bill proposed by Senator Fidelma Healy Eames. I ask that we do not wait until after the budget because this is an important Bill that must be discussed. I urge the Leader to find time in the near future because the budget is only a month away.

I previously raised the issue of the amount of paper we use here and my annoyance continues. The Danish Agency for Digitisation has ensured many government agencies there do not use paper and in Britain it is planned that all medical reports will be digitised by next year. Things that can be digitised easily include applications, reports, letters and much else. The Department of Finance is strongly urging the abolition of cheques and the Government is taking the first steps on this. If we are to move towards digitisation, can every citizen have a formal State e-mail address? This would speed things up and help a great deal. It might not be a popular measure with An Post but that business will be helped by post codes, which are forthcoming. We can take these steps. We should discuss them to see what we can do. We should set an example showing the rest of the world that Ireland is a modern nation.

I inform Senator John Crown that in my younger days a clock was a great wedding present.

I support the request made by Senators Fidelma Healy Eames and Feargal Quinn that the motion on budgetary matters be debated at the earliest possible stage. It is fair to say that in the past decade every party and politician has raised the need for a more comprehensive budgetary policy. The Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan, responded to an Adjournment matter raised by Senator Fidelma Healy Eames on this issue some months ago and they seemed to be at one. I am sure it is not possible to deal with it today but it would be useful for the budgetary process if it could go on the agenda.

I ask that the Leader request the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Charles Flanagan, come before this House at his convenience to discuss the situation in Northern Ireland. The Minister is engaged in dialogue with parties in the North but there is a concern that progress is slower than it should be. We must keep moving forward on the Northern Ireland peace process. The Minister has an extensive record of engagement with all parties across the divide in Northern Ireland and he could usefully address the House on the matter.

On an issue somewhat related to Northern Ireland, tomorrow the people of Scotland will vote on their future. We have no entitlement to encourage them to vote one way or the other and we will respect the decision made. It is worth noting, however, that if the people of Scotland choose independence nobody will have been killed, kidnapped or blown up in the process. If Scotland becomes an independent country, it will have done so without terrorism and by democratic means. Perhaps we can learn from this. We should not look back in anger, because anger is a waste of time. We should look back in sorrow at the loss of the people who died in the conflict on this island. We can learn from what is happening in Scotland that politics, negotiation and dialogue work, whereas bombs, bullets and terrorism never work.

Well said.