We cannot agree to the Order of Business. I, therefore, propose an amendment that the relevant Minister come to the House for an emergency debate on the flooding issue. As we know, the forecast this evening for counties Clare and Kerry, all counties in Connacht, County Donegal and other parts of the country is again very bad. In 2012 the Taoiseach spoke about the need to have much more sophisticated early warning systems and a system that would operate to best advantage for everybody. After 2013, during which we saw the worst storms for 143 years, we heard the first calls from Met Éireann for additional staff. I see that, as part of the Government's announcements in recent days, the extra staff needed can be recruited by Met Éireann, but it is too little too late. An allocation of €14.5 million for flood relief schemes for this year alone remains unspent. While we welcome the provision of €15 million to aid communities under siege because of recent floods, it is truly disturbing to listen to communities throughout the country, including in Athlone and Bandon and farmers along the western seaboard. Last evening I spoke to somebody in Sligo whose house was completely flooded and who was in urgent need of somewhere to rent in order that they and their family could begin preparations for Christmas. We are not ready for this and never have been. Despite a series of measures announced by the Government in 2012 and specifically in 2013 when we witnessed the worst storms for 143 years, it seems we are as unprepared as ever.

The Minister of State, Deputy Simon Harris, said there had been unanticipated delays in providing the funding required to deal with this issue. What is the reason for the delays? The Army needed to be called out much quicker to prepare by providing sand bags and making other preparations to mitigate the effects of the disaster that has taken place. It is our contention that an urgent debate is needed. The House is entitled to know that all hands are on deck and what measures will be taken in the coming days as conditions continue to worsen. As we know, many families do not even have insurance because of what happened in 2012 and 2013. Following very bad floods in the United Kingdom in 2013, the Government there undertook to sign a memorandum of understanding with the insurance industry in order that people who had experienced flooding in the past would still be in a position to take out insurance on their homes at affordable rates. That is not the case here and one of the questions we want to put to the relevant Minister is whether there has been such contact with the insurance industry and whether a scheme is being prepared to ensure families will have this protection into the future.

We will push the amendment proposed to the Order of Business to a vote and I hope the Leader will be in a position to bring the Minister to the House to reassure us on what is taking place to mitigate the effects of a disaster that may get worse if the forecast as outlined is true.

I am sure the Leader will respond on the flooding issue.

However, I welcome the allocation of €5 million announced by the Government this week to assist small businesses that have suffered damage as a result of the flooding. I also welcome the clarification from the Department of Social Protection of the scope of the humanitarian assistance scheme. I note that the Government has not set a limit on the amount that can be paid to individual households under the scheme, again in respect of flood damage. All Members will be watching with great concern to see what happens regarding the predictions of rainfall and flooding across the midlands and along the River Shannon today. While it is clear a great deal of work has been done to try to minimise any damage, it is certainly a matter of grave concern. However, I welcome the measures which are already in place and which have been announced this week.

I also welcome the announcement made yesterday evening by the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, that she intended to delete Rule 68 for primary schools. This is the rule that enables religion to permeate the school day, which has been a huge issue for many parents across Ireland in the schooling of their children and which may not be in accordance with their conscience and lawful preference. This change is long overdue and the deletion of the rule was recommended by the national forum on patronage and pluralism in the primary sector established by the former Minister, Deputy Ruairí Quinn. I welcome the announcement made by the Minister that she will do this in the new year. I also note the passage through the Dáil last week of the Private Members' Bill that had started as a Labour Party Private Members' Bill in this House to amend section 37 of the Employment Equality Act to ensure schools would no longer be able to discriminate against teachers on the basis of lifestyle or because they offended or were seen to offend their ethos. This is hugely welcome, particularly for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, LGBT, teachers and I am glad that it has been done. The deletion of Rule 68 is a further step in making the school system more reflective of the reality of pluralism in society. I ask the Leader for a debate on this matter in the new year because the Minister also has stated she recognises that an amendment will be necessary to equal status legislation to ensure schools will no longer be able to discriminate against pupils or prospective pupils on the grounds of religion. I will be speaking this Saturday at the launch of a new campaign, Education Equality, which has been established by a group of parents who have been relatively prominent in the media in recent weeks, that is seeking to ensure this change will be made and that schools will no longer be able to discriminate on the basis of religion in their admission policies. I also note that the Minister has stated, regretfully, the likelihood is she will not be able to get the admission to school legislation through in the lifetime of the Government. This is a reform that must happen. I commend the organisers of Education Equality for putting together a campaign in which it will seek to bring it about early in the lifetime of the next Government, if not before.

I second the amendment proposed to the Order of Business by my colleague, Senator Marc MacSharry. It is absolutely appropriate that the Minister of State, Deputy Simon Harris, come into the House as a matter of urgency to explain what measures have been taken. Government Members may not be aware that the amount of capital funding for flood defences this year is being cut from the amount allocated last year. There was a reduction in the funding allocated prior to the storms and Members need to know what is happening. I assure the Leader that there has been a cut in the budget and the figures are available.

I wish to deal with a couple of items. First, on 29 November I referred to three cystic fibrosis drugs that had been approved by the European Medicines Agency, EMA, on 20 November. As I wrote to the Minister for Health, Deputy Leo Varadkar, on 1 November, in advance of approval by the EMA, I was on top of this issue before the recent issues arose in the funding of these drugs. The Minister issued a statement yesterday that he was considering funding these drugs, which I welcome, but all Members should remember the nature of cystic fibrosis. It can be a highly debilitating and life-shortening illness. These three drugs offer enhanced quality of life and extended life expectancy and if the figure is €92 million, it would be €92 million well spent. There should be no further delay on the part of the Department of Health in approving them to make sure they will be available to the thousands of cystic fibrosis patients and sufferers in Ireland, many of whom are children. I, again, ask the Leader to use his good offices. I have written to the Minister, but I have not had a response since 6 November. However, I intend to follow up on the matter.

In the light of Senator Ivana Bacik's remarks, while some people in Ireland believe religion might be an offence, may I remind Members that it is an entitlement of educators to protect their religious ethos? On foot of the proposed deletion of Rule 68, I ask Senator Ivana Bacik and others how Church of Ireland schools will protect their religious ethos in what is a minority religion? How will the single Jewish school in the State be able to protect its religious ethos? I remind colleagues opposite that in the most recent census 82% of Irish people declared themselves as Catholic, while a further 8% declared themselves as Protestant. There are people with religious beliefs which also must be respected. While I am all for equality in this regard, I do not desire to have a situation such as obtains in the United States of America or Britain where those who want their children to be educated within a certain religious ethos must choose private schools. I do not want that to happen. Has the Government agreed to the deletion of Rule 68? Senator Ivana Bacik, as leader of the Labour Party in this House, has welcomed the proposed deletion of the rule, but that is a serious step forward. I agree with Archbishop Diarmuid Martin in that under no circumstances do I believe children should be baptised or included in any faith community simply to obtain a school place. That absolutely should not be done. However, what about the millions of people who hold fast and firm and respect their religious ethos? The Labour Party, in particular, appears to think anyone who holds a religious belief is inferior to its members and their views.