I listened with interest to my great friend, Senator Wilson. Perhaps the issue he raised should be left for another day as today is one for celebrating Senator Máiría Cahill joining the Seanad. I warmly welcome the Senator and, in doing so, I recall Jimmy Harte who officially finished his time as a Senator yesterday evening. What better way to do so than with Ireland qualifying for the European Football Championship. Last night's result was fantastic and given Jimmy's passion for soccer, I am sure he was thrilled with it.

I also add my voice to the condemnation of the recent events in Paris. On a much brighter and happier note, when I opened my e-mails this morning, I saw an embargoed message which effectively stated that the era of the hedge school and education in prefabricated buildings have been consigned to the past. The Government has ensured that no child will be allowed to go to school in facilities that are not up to 21st century standards. I congratulate and commend the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, and the Government team which produced the programme announced today.

I wish to be associated with the expression of best wishes to Jimmy Harte and his family and the welcome extended to Senator Máiría Cahill. I welcome the Senator to the practice of the vocation of politics, which is how the former Taoiseach, Mr. John Bruton, described politics last night at the launch of his book, Faith in Politics. As one would expect from Mr. Bruton, he made a very interesting speech in which he stated that the purpose of politics was to deal with problems that are intractable. If there were only problems that were capable of a technical resolution, we would not need politics, he added.

That said, one hears the best and worst from the mouths of politicians. Senator Norris spoke for every sensible person when he referred to the media treatment of a former politician last week. Sadly, many of us started off being curious and only later reflected on the horror of what was happening to the individual in question. I also regret that a Member of the European Parliament from the Government side stated on the Marian Finucane programme that he thought the leak came from people on the "No" side in the recent referendum. It is highly regrettable that he made that statement without any substantiation.

We then had comments from Deputies Mick Wallace and Clare Daly in the wake of what happened in Paris. While the comments were harmless enough in themselves in that they are only talk, they were untrue and quite unhelpful. The idea that demilitarisation by western powers would somehow lead to peace is taking us to a fool's paradise. It is a dangerously misleading and futile attempt by western minds to make the pain, fear and uncertainty of what happened on Friday, 13 November somehow capable of being explained away. Pope Francis has spoken about a third world war being waged piecemeal. The frightening thing is that the attacks on Friday were not unexpected. The only things we did not know were the time and place. Tragically, this movement of misguided idealists has beguiled enough young people in many countries to believe in its particular understanding of Islam.

It is not just the great military powers that should be concerned. Even the small neutral countries which pride themselves on their ability to talk to the strong and weak together must be worried about the future we all face. We must look at that head on.

I congratulate sincerely Senator Máiría Cahill on her election to the Seanad and welcome her and her family to the House, particularly her young daughter. I join colleagues in extending our very good wishes to our dear friend Jimmy Harte and hope he continues to make good progress. We look forward to meeting him in the House as a visitor in the near future. Senator Cahill will bring a great deal to the House as a result of her life experience, some of which no person should have had to endure. She has spoken out with great courage and I was appalled at the level of abuse to which she was subjected in the course of the recent campaign. Senator Cahill is a person of courage and conviction. As someone who has admitted to having made some mistakes, she is ideally suited to be a politician. She will be a strong advocate for those who have suffered abuse from whatever source and I wish her a long and distinguished career in the short time left in the current Seanad and in her political life into the future.

I join colleagues in expressing the deepest sympathy to the families and relatives of all those who lost their lives in the horrific terrorist attack in Paris on Friday. Our thoughts are very much with the injured, to whom we wish a speedy recovery. This was a horrendous attack which was well planned and executed. It was an attack on democracy and the western way of life. We must all stand in solidarity with the French and work to ensure this axis of evil does not succeed. It is incumbent on all world leaders to address the root cause of these acts of mindless terrorism in order that ordinary people can go about their daily lives in the way we expect. A wonderful article appeared today in The Guardian which was written by a man called Nicolas Hénin, who is a French journalist who was recently held captive by ISIS. He makes some very interesting comments and refers to the problems of overreaction, division, fear and all the things that ISIS thrives on. At the end of his contribution, he said that there is no political roadmap to engage the Arab-Sunni community. He said that ISIS will collapse but that it is politics that will make it happen. It is incumbent on us all to work to ensure politics brings about solutions in the most troubled parts of the world today. We think very much of those people in Syria who are under siege.

Ach an oiread le mo chomhghleacaithe, cuirim fáilte roimh an Seanadóir Ní Chathail agus guím gach rath uirthi ina cuid oibre anseo. Guím gach rath freisin ar an iar-Sheanadóir Jimmy Harte atá anois ag ligean a scíth. Last night's match proved that Jimmy Harte is still winning matches, which is a good sign. I wish him very well.

I concur with colleagues who have spoken about the awful situation in Paris over the weekend. It is something one could not even imagine happening to anybody. The fear and terror that has been wrought on the whole community there is unfathomable. I am concerned, however, that we may find jurisdictions jumping to a conclusion that there has to be a crackdown on anybody who is different. I have noted some of the very commendable commentary from France itself where it has been stated that there must still be a respect for diversity and people from different backgrounds. The people who did these atrocious acts in Paris over the weekend are very much a minority and do not speak on behalf of all the Muslim community. They are fundamentalists. We must also look at ourselves as a country and how we deal with integration issues.

I note that the protection Bill has been approved by Cabinet and will be discussed in the Houses.

Will the Deputy Leader provide an indication with regard to when that will be coming through? Even though we have been calling for the Bill for a long time, I would hate for it to be rushed through the Houses without a full and proper debate on all the issues relating to people who are coming here seeking asylum and our protection or those who are different in any way and who do not conform to what might be considered the mainstream. It is important that ample time be allocated in respect of what I imagine is going to be a complex Bill. Can the Deputy Leader give an indication of when the legislation is going to be brought before the Houses?

I can.

I join colleagues in wishing the former Senator, Jimmy Harte, well with is recovery. I also wish the former Senator's family well. Jimmy Harte is a gentleman and a nice colleague. We will miss him. I trust his family will pass on our regards.

I welcome Senator Cahill and wish her well. I think she will be a positive voice in the Seanad. She certainly has something new - arising out of difficult circumstances - to bring to this House. As Senator Conway said, she has been very vocal for the past year or more. I look forward to hearing from her regularly in the House.

I, too, join others in extending sympathy to the families of those killed in horrific circumstances in Paris. This tragedy feels close to home. It has hit all Europeans hard and has affected us deeply. What happened was horrific. It is hard to know what the world is coming to.

On a more positive note, I wish to raise a matter on which Senator Landy has already touched. I am being somewhat parochial, perhaps, but I welcome the provision of new schools in the Dublin West area, in particular, two brand-new schools, one primary and one secondary, as well as three extensive rebuilds. I echo what has been said before. This is the first capital programme in respect of which we have made a conscious decision that there will be no more prefabs in schools in Ireland. The latter are no longer acceptable. Much of the school accommodation that is being replaced was hardly fit for purpose. It is very good to hear that, finally, we have money to invest in education and in our children.

It was appropriate that we marked the appalling tragedy in Paris with a moment's silence. What we should attempt to do is have a full and frank debate on the security and political crisis facing both Europe and civilisation in general. The attendance in the House of the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Fitzgerald, has been requested and I echo that call. I heard the comments of the Minister for Defence, Deputy Simon Coveney, at the weekend. He outlined his view to the effect that Ireland is in no way under threat. That is an innocent statement. We need a substantial debate on the threat facing both Europe and western civilisation. This is a matter I have been raising for the past two years. Our response to the actions of ISIS has been entirely inadequate. We will sleepwalk into disaster unless we start taking this matter seriously.

I congratulate our newest Senator, Máiría Cahill, and wish her well in the context of whatever political route she chooses to take in future. In seeking to replace former Senator Harte, she is certainly attempting to fill large shoes. We think of the former Senator with affection and we wish him well for the future.

Through the years in this House I have had the privilege and pleasure of serving with colleagues from across the Border in the other jurisdiction. I refer to Gordon Wilson, John Robb and Eddie Haughey. Before that there was Bríd Rodgers and Seamus Mallon. They all had a major and constructive impact on this House. They were very much involved in changing of minds and attitudes. It is fair to say that they came to the House to be constructive. They came in the spirit of reconciliation and of spreading a message of hope to us all. Their role was strong and significant. I know this is what Senator Cahill aspires to as well. It is important that all of us attempt to see everyone's perspective and that we can see something different to black and white - we should always try to see the shades of grey.

As a Member of the House, I saw people change their minds because of contributions made by individuals such as John Robb, Gordon Wilson, Edward Haughey and Sam McAughtry. That spirit of generosity and the goodwill those former Senators displayed in debates here was very helpful. I am sure the Senator will act in the same fashion. We look forward to working with her and sincerely welcome her to the House.