If the application is as good as others coming before the Minister, I am sure it can receive funding.

The Minister for Health, Deputy Leo Varadkar, will be present in the House for Private Members' business. Senator David Cullinane asked for an overall debate on health and we will have that debate today. It was arranged before he even knew about it. The Minister is looking forward to being here for two hours for a robust debate.

Senators Ivana Bacik, David Norris and John Gilroy have welcomed the fact that bond yields are now at 1%, compared to 16% at one stage. This is of great benefit to the country and its economy.

Senator Ivana Bacik asked when the Children and Family Relationships Bill would be brought before the House. While it has reached and commenced Second Stage in the Dáil, I am not aware when it will finish its passage there. I understand the Second Stage debate will take place this week, with Committee Stage planned for next week and Report Stage scheduled for the following week. However, I have given assurances to the Minister that as soon as it is completed in the other House, Members will commence the debate on the Bill in this House. At this stage, it appears as though Members may get to deal with it on Second Stage on 12 March. It is hoped this can be done, but it all depends on how the Bill proceeds in the other House. Senator Ivana Bacik also raised a question on child care provision, an issue on which Members can have a debate when the report to which the Senator referred is published.

Senator David Norris also referred to bond yields. I certainly welcome his support for the re-election of the Government. As is his right, he has been highly critical of it on many issues, but I believe he realises, as I hope many others will, that it has delivered for the country and is providing stable government. Let me not state his good wishes were just for the Government, as he also wished Fianna Fáil well and that it would return with many more seats. I do not wish to misquote him in any way.

Senators Hildegarde Naughton and Michae Comiskey spoke about the difficulties some farmers were having with the development of greenways. As mentioned, consultation is the key in this regard. The Minister is well aware of the position. I am sure the issue can be resolved through consultation.

Senator Paschal Mooney raised the question of bus services to rural areas, an issue about which Senator David Cullinane also spoke. I am glad that the Senator mentioned that it will be discussed by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport and Communications, where I am sure there will be a fruitful debate. As the Senator is aware, Bus Éireann operates three types of service, namely, provincial city services, rural stage carriage services and intercity services. It will receive public service obligation funding of €32 million in 2015 under a contract with the National Transport Authority. It receives no State funding for commercial Expressway intercity services and must fund the purchase of buses for such Expressway services. There has been strong public concern expressed locally about the likely impact of reduced services in some locations and many representations have been made by Oireachtas Members and local representatives. At a community meeting held in Castlecomer last night representatives of Bus Éireann agreed to postpone the changes to its licensed route 7 services until the summer. There has been some movement on this issue which I am sure can also be resolved through consultation.

Senator Paschal Mooney also raised the issue of the expansion of broadband services. It is of paramount importance to small businesses in rural areas, in particular, that broadband is up to speed. Members had a debate on 27 January with the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Alex White, in which 12 Senators took part. Consequently, it probably is a little too soon to have a further debate on the issue, but I will monitor and keep it under observation.

As I noted, Senator John Gilroy outlined the importance of low interest rates for the economy, with stability being the key for the markets.

Senators Gerard P. Craughwell and John Kelly raised the issue of the proposed reduction in firefighter levels. Health and safety issues should, undoubtedly, be the primary consideration when dealing with this matter. I hope sense will prevail and that consultation will take place before any strike action takes place. "Talk-talk" is very important in these issues and I hope the relevant parties will get together and reach some agreement on this important issue and the important service firefighters provide for the public on a daily basis.

Can the Minister come to the House to discuss it?

Senator Paul Coghlan has outlined that there are 34 Border crossing points in the Dundalk Garda region and that 17 years after the peace process, there should be no perceived no-go areas. This is a point Senator Feargal Quinn also mentioned. Fuel smuggling has been ongoing for far too long. As I heard someone say yesterday, if the intelligence services of the United Kingdom can find Osama bin Laden in a cave, it should be easy for them to find out where diesel laundering is happening. I do not suggest a blind eye is being turned to it, but it has been ongoing for far too long. It should be addressed and tackled as a matter of urgency because it is clearly evident that the criminals involved in this illegal activity are living in houses and have a standard of living that far outweighs the income coming into them. Consequently, it should not be rocket science to tackle the problem. Senator Feargal Quinn is correct to state sentencing policy is not strong enough and that the fines involved are far too low for this type of activity. I have asked the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Simon Harris, to come into the House to address this matter. I hope he may be in a position to do so next week but, if not, he will do so very soon thereafter. I compliment Senator Paul Coghlan and his committee in the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly on the comprehensive report it prepared on the matter.

I believe I have addressed the two issues mentioned by Senator David Cullinane, namely, the need for a debate on health, on which a debate is to take place today, and the discussion by the Oireachtas joint committee on bus services. He also raised a question about post offices. I will reiterate a point I have made many times. In the four or five years before the Government took office hundreds of post offices were closed nationwide. Since the Administration has taken office, fewer than 20 have been closed. These statistics are sufficient to prove that the Government is committed to the post office network and doing everything possible to put business its way. However, there is competition and post offices must also seek and find ways to attract extra business.

Senator Michael Comiskey welcomed the announcement made this morning on the €800 million in funding for the PEACE programme. This is of great importance to rural Ireland and rural communities in Border areas, particularly in terms of employment creation. I am sure it will be welcomed by all rural communities but particularly by those in Border areas.

Senator Colm Burke spoke about contracts for legal firms and the two sets of rules within the legal service. I agree fully with him that companies which represent tobacco companies should make up their minds on whether they wish to compete for Government contracts while representing tobacco companies. The Government and the Minister for Children and Youth affairs, Deputy James Reilly, in particular, have been strong on this issue. The Minister has suggested companies which represent tobacco companies should not be getting contracts within his Department.

Senator Michael Mullins welcomed the Central Statistics Office's employment figures, in particular, and referred to the need to develop the apprenticeship system. That is a very important issue at this time when there is a need to develop such skills and so many people are unemployed.

It is an issue we should debate again.

Senator Eamonn Coghlan referred to the grant aid of €487,000 given to Cricket Ireland this year.