I note the situation regarding English language colleges. I had the pleasure of visiting China in 2000 as the guest of a general in the Chinese army. We were held in high esteem as educators, but what is going on in these private colleges will destroy our international reputation. I, therefore, support calls for an urgent debate on the matter.

The second issue I wish to raise is the marriage equality referendum. I do not care what side one is on, but I have been challenged in the House to confront my own conservatism. I have spent the weekend listening to lies and misinformation being spread all over the country. I ask the Leader to ask the Minister, Deputy Simon Coveney, who is director of elections for the referendum, to provide some clarification, particularly on the issues of surrogacy and children.

I support the call for an urgent debate on the issue of mortgage arrears and welcome the debate this afternoon on Seanad reform. I support Senator Terry Brennan on the absence of the beautiful county of Louth from the new eastern way. We need to do something about this as a matter of urgency.

I support colleagues who have called for an urgent statement from the Minister for Education and Skills on language schools. It is obvious that there is serious criminality involved. Ireland's image is certainly being badly besmirched abroad. The issue must be addressed. It is probably also one for the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald.

It is welcome that the Minister for Defence, Deputy Simon Coveney, has confirmed that the LE Eithne will sail later this week to the Mediterranean to assist in the rescue mission for those unfortunate people trying to escape from Africa. There is no doubt that the numbers coming to Europe now pose major logistical problems for many countries. As such, it would be appropriate to have a debate with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade on the Government's intentions and attitude towards our efforts to alleviate the problems many countries will encounter as a result of the number of refugees coming to Europe.

I welcome as a start the €312 million announced by the Minister the Environment, Communications and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, to fund a housing programme to address the major housing crisis. In my county of Galway €9 million will be spent on providing ten houses in Athenry, 30 in Ballinalsoe, 25 in Tuam and six rural houses elsewhere. It is only a start but a welcome one nevertheless.

I agree with colleagues about the urgent need to address the issue of vacant local authority houses. It is unacceptable that houses which become vacant and need some repairs are left for long periods of time not just in Dublin but throughout the country, including in County Galway. The issue of rent allowance must be addressed and it is hoped the Minister for Social Protection will make some comments about that soon. I would like to see a situation where when homes are repossessed, the Government could intervene and get some of them converted into social houses so that the person being evicted could continue to occupy them. This would certainly be one way of ensuring that the numbers on the housing list do not continue to grow. At the pace of investment we see, it will be many years before the homelessness crisis in this country is addressed in a meaningful manner.

I support the need for an urgent debate on language schools as this situation is happening way too frequently. We are an embarrassment. It is totally unfair to the poor young people who spend their money this way. It is letting everybody down. Could the Leader arrange for the Minister for Education and Skills to come to the House to speak on this issue? It has gone on for many years.

The mortgage arrears crisis is building. I understand there are about 8,000 civil repossession bills before the courts. We look for urgent solutions here every day to prevent further homelessness because that is what is created when people's homes are repossessed. It solves nothing. Bank managers are telling me that they want the Government to instruct them to do deals. They cannot necessarily get that approval from their boards but that is what they are looking for. I ask the Leader for an urgent debate on this matter with the Minister for Finance.

One of the key reasons I rise today is to condemn the very inappropriate intervention by the boss of the IDA last week to seek a "Yes" vote in the marriage referendum. Was he instructed by An Taoiseach or the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, who is his line manager? Is the IDA now supplying funds to the "Yes" campaign? These are the types of questions that are emerging. It is completely outrageous and such an abuse of position.