The acting Leader of the Opposition, Senator Terry Leyden, described the budget as aspirational. That is true; it is aspirational. In the past four and half years we have aspired to secure recovery to try to tidy up the mess we inherited. It is to be hoped it will continue to be an aspiration for the next four years.

I refer to such items as the extra €3 per week for old age pensioners and the increase in the Christmas bonus and the fuel allowance, all of which we will have an opportunity to discuss when we debate the social welfare Bill that will be brought before the House in the next couple of weeks. Members will have ample time to discuss all social welfare issues and I am sure we will have a very constructive debate, as we always do.

Senator Ivana Bacik raised a number of matters, to which other Members alluded. She referred, in particular, to the provision of temporary Traveller accommodation and the problems in that regard. She also noted the strong Government response on these issues yesterday. She referred to the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill which will be brought before the House after the Order of Business and on which I hope we will have a very constructive debate, given that it is a Bill on which many Members have sought a debate in the past few months. Like many other Members, she also referred to child care and called for a debate on the issue. We will certainly try to bring the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy James Reilly, to the House to discuss it. She welcomed the signing of the Istanbul Convention on domestic violence, something which should be welcomed by all right-thinking people.

Senator Sean D. Barrett referred to Mr. John McHale and the caution expressed by the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council on budget provisions. The Senator welcomed the extra 2,260 teaching posts, including 600 new resource teachers, but questioned the pupil-teacher ratio figures mentioned in the Budget Statement. I am sure they will be rectified.

Like Senator Mary Moran, Senator Hildegarde Naughton welcomed the child care provisions, especially the additional funding of €15 million for children with disabilities.

Senator Mary White and several other Members extended their sympathy to the families of the deceased in the fire at Carrickmines, as well as to the family of the late Garda Anthony Golden. All other Members expressed their sympathy on the Order of Business yesterday.

I know that some Members were not present yesterday, but they have conveyed their sympathy today.

I am surprised that Senator Mary White did not welcome the budgetary provisions on inheritance tax, something for which she called last week. They have been attended to by the Minister for Finance and I thought the Senator would refer to the matter this morning.

Her memory is selective.

She was successful on the issue of paternity leave also.

Senators Cáit Keane and Aideen Hayden referred to the provision of Traveller accommodation. I note Senator Aideen Hayden's point on the need for rent certainty and her call for a debate on the matter with the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly.

Senator David Cullinane also called for a debate on housing. He spoke about people on higher incomes getting greater benefit from the budget, but he did not mention that the Government had taken more than 700,000 people on low incomes out of the universal social charge net. Its aim is to assist people to get back to work. That is the best policy, one in which we are beginning to succeed. Some 125,000 extra jobs have been created since the Government took office.

Senator Michael Mullins welcomed many provisions included in the budget, especially those dealing with the self-employed, including the farming community and road haulage contractors. It was costing over €5,000 to tax a truck here compared to a figure of €900 in the United Kingdom, but that has now been rectified by the Minister for Finance.

Well done.

Senator Michael Mullins also referred to the increased figure in overseas development aid.

I note the point made by Senator Fidelma Healy Eames who was hoping to see a reduction in the student contribution. Unfortunately, one cannot do everything in a budget, but I hope the Government will have another four or five budgets in which to rectify that matter.

Senator Colm Burke was probably harsh in explaining to Senator Terry Leyden the difference between a GP visit card and a medical card. I am sure Senator Terry Leyden is fully au fait with the difference.

Very au fait.

However, Senator Colm Burke did point out that the budget was fair in giving something back to hard-pressed individuals in middle Ireland. Many Senators have been speaking about that sector for many years.

I note Senator Catherine Noone's point about the importance of breastfeeding, as well as her comments on infertility. I hope we can have a debate on these issues.

Senator Paul Coghlan said the budget was about making work pay.

Senator Eamonn Coghlan raised a number of issues, including the bail laws, to which Senators John Kelly and Martin Conway also referred. I am informed that a review of bail legislation began today at the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality. I am sure we will have a discussion in the near future on the serious issue of bail. It is one that will have to be addressed by the Government as a matter of urgency. The public is crying out for it to be dealt with. It is an absolute disgrace to see people with 200 or 300 convictions being allowed out on bail. It should not be tolerated and I hope the issue will be attended to.

Senators Eamonn Coghlan, James Heffernan, Martin Conway and Terry Brennan referred to Paul O'Connell. There is no doubt that he is a giant of a man in every respect. We all wish him well and hope he will have a speedy recovery in order that he will be able to play in France next year. It is appropriate that a Limerick man such as Senator James Heffernan should speak about Paul O'Connell. I note his suggestion that there should be a system to honour people such as Paul O'Connell. Perhaps the Senator might table the matter for discussion in the Commencement debate. In that way, the appropriate Minister could respond on behalf of the Government. It is something that was mooted previously, but it might not be a bad idea to receive an update on it.

Senator Eamonn Coghlan also mentioned our boxers at the world championships, including Michael Conlan who is going for gold. Our boxers always do us proud in the sporting arena and we wish them all well. The Senator also welcomed the 40% increase in the allocation for sport in the budget.

Senator Mary Moran mentioned the budgetary provisions for education and disability services. She also welcomed the restoration in full of the respite grant care, as well as the extra €15 million for services for children with disabilities attending school.

Senator John Kelly welcomed many of the provisions included in the budget and spoke about the dismantling of the universal social charge, the tax introduced by Fianna Fáil. I hope a future Government will dismantle the tax which has proved to be very difficult for workers.

Senator Gerard P. Craughwell raised the issue of commercial rates. It is a matter for the local authorities. In many counties in which there have been valuations by the Valuation Office there are severe difficulties with commercial rates. The Senator is right in that regard and I will try to facilitate a debate on the matter. Speaking times are agreed to on the Order of Business and, unfortunately, we cannot change them willy-nilly. It sometimes happens that Senators cannot get in to contribute to a debate.

Senator Paschal Mooney spoke about the amount of money provided for housing. A sum of €4.5 billion is available in the capital plan and ready to be spent on housing. Therefore, money is not the problem. Getting local authorities to provide plans, even to restore boarded up houses, has proved quite difficult, but we are beginning to see action in that regard, albeit more slowly than the Government had thought. This year an additional €17 million has been made available to provide accommodation for the homeless, on top of the €50 million already provided. I know that it will not solve the problem and that it is only a drop in the ocean, but, unfortunately, one cannot build houses overnight. I know that people do not like to hear this, but it is going to take time to do so. It is very difficult for people who have been made homeless and are hardj-pressed, but we have to get the housing programme up and running as fast as possible. All barriers in the way will have to be removed.

Senator Terry Brennan spoke about the death of Garda Tony Golden and asked for books of condolence to be placed in Garda stations. I am sure that suggestion will be considered by superintendents in the various Garda divisions.