I congratulate the Cathaoirleach and the Leader and wish them well in their roles. I congratulate all Senators on being elected to the House. I am very honoured and privileged to be elected and be among the fine body of people I see in front of me. I compliment all Senators on their contributions. I compliment, in particular, Senator Frances Black whose contribution was very much from the heart and related to her personal experience and journey. If we are honest, every family in the country could tell a similar story. It is an issue we need to explore in more depth. I ask the Leader to ask the relevant Minister to come to the House to see how we can look at online gambling and the constraints we can introduce because it is a serious problem that is getting worse, among many others.

Harking back to my past, many Senators mentioned the role of county councillors. I was elected as a town councillor in 1999 and as a county councillor in 2004. I would like to think I speak with some authority on the issue. The abolition of town councils was a serious mistake. It has done nothing for towns in rural Ireland and must be addressed. The workload has increased. Based on my experience - I do not say this lightly - that workload is unbelievable. It has reached the stage where very few people will be able to enter politics because the role of a county councillor is a full-time job if it is to be done properly. This issue, including that of terms and conditions, must be addressed at a time when we are trying to get more people, including more women, to become involved in politics. In removing town councils we have taken away the first tier of local government and the first step on the ladder. That is a mistake. The relevant Minister should come to the House to address all of these issues.