Go raibh maith agat, a Chathaoirligh, agus tráthnóna maith duit. Ní raibh mé ag dúil le bheith in airde chomh luath seo. Tá cúrsaí sláinte luaite ag a lán daoine le linn na díospóireachta seo ar maidin. Is léir gur ábhar thar a bheith tábhachtach agus thar a bheith leathan atá i gceist i gcomhthéacs na gcúrsaí gur féidir linn ardú anseo. I raised this issue yesterday when I had a brief window to do so during statements on health services. Given the severity of the issue, however, it is worthy of a much more substantial discussion. Many Senators have raised issues connected with the health service this morning. To be fair to the Minister and the Ministers of State at the Department of Health, they do not appear to be reluctant to come to the House. We should utilise this willingness to the fullest.

Senator Catherine Ardagh referred to the phrase, "your health is your wealth". My teacher at Meánscoil Feirste, Brendan Ó Fiach, had the saying written as Gaeilge - is fearr an tsláinte ná na táinte - on the blackboard of our classroom. It is very true, as was evident in some of the contributions we heard. The Leader will be aware that the Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety in the North, Michelle O'Neill, MLA, recently lifted the MSM blood ban prohibiting gay men from donating blood. Many Senators will have heard the Irish Blood Transfusion Service appeal for blood donations over the summer when donations tend to decline. Given the many issues raised relating to what is, as everyone appreciates, a very broad field, one of the core issues at the heart of the health service is its ability to help people and save lives. This means enfranchising people by enabling them to give the gift of life through blood donations. Will the Leader ask the Minister for Health to come before the House to discuss this issue? The North-South Ministerial Council is due to meet soon. Given the evidence based decision taken by the Health Minister in the North, I hope the Minister for Health here will be able to make a similar decision as we move towards equality and better health care provision in the State.

I ask the Leader to respond.

The Cathaoirleach caught me on the hop.

I thank Senators for raising various issues and apologise to Senator Brian Ó Domhnaill for missing his remarks on mortgages and insolvency. I would be pleased to have a debate on those issues.

Senator Ardagh raised a health issue. It was announced recently that 14 new primary care centres would be built using investment secured through a loan from the European Investment Bank. Under the previous Government, 90 primary care centres came into operation and a further 82 are to be opened. We all agree on the need to expand primary care services because they are the most important element of the health system. The Senator will not find anyone willing to argue with her on the issue. She may wish to table a Commencement matter on the sites to which she referred. I will also raise the issue with the Minister for Health on her behalf. She is correct that primary care services are very important. We must shift the emphasis towards primary care services in regard to funding and resources and how the population view the issue.

A number of other Senators also raised health issues and I will refer individually to those raised by Senators Colm Burke, Catherine Noone and Robbie Gallagher.

Senators Gerard P. Craughwell, Trevor Ó Clochartaigh and David Norris raised the issue of Seanad reform. This side of the House will not place any obstacle in the way of legislation to reform the electoral system or how the House does its business. I have had discussions with Senators on this issue and while we may disagree on the path to be taken to achieve reform, we should not erect roadblocks in its way.

I hope we can discuss Sinn Féin's motion at the meeting later, but I have no difficulty in discussing the issue of Seanad reform. I have made the point that we should establish a business committee, similar to the one in place in the Dáil, to run the business of the House efficiently and effectively. In that way Members would have their say and we could conduct our business in a better fashion. It is not an issue on this side. Sinn Féin's motion would put an added and unfair onus on the Cathaoirleach who is independent of us all. As constituted, it does not allow for this. A committee of 20 Members would be too cumbersome, given that one third of the Members of the Seanad are new. The Committee on Procedure and Privileges is the vehicle and forum in which we can drive change and make amendments to Standing Orders. It provides for cross-representation of all the Members of the House, which is the way we should do things. We should not stipulate timelines that will not and cannot be met. The Manning report is one to which we have all subscribed and Senator Michael McDowell has introduced his Bill. I am happy to allow for it to be taken at a time when we can have a discussion that would bring about change. That is part of the reason Sinn Féin's motion is not the way forward. In saying that, this side of the House is willing to engage and be active on the issue of Seanad reform and how we do business. It is one on which we will all work.

In response to Senator Alice-Mary Higgins I will be happy to raise the issue of poverty and gender proofing of legislation with the Minister of State at the Department of Justice and Equality, Deputy David Stanton. I hope he will attend the House for a debate on the issue.

Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh referred to fisheries, an issue about which I have already spoken to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine who is happy to come to the House sometime in July for a broad discussion on agriculture. We can include fisheries in that discussion.

On legislation, if Members had listened to this morning's debate, they would know that our very first act in the House, apart from the election of the Cathaoirleach, was restoring Bills to the Order Paper. There is a deficit of legislation in the other House. When we talk about new politics, one of its by-products is, as mentioned by Senator Gerard P. Craughwell, a lot of hot air, for want of a better expression. Whether it is positive or negative is a different matter. How we do our business and arrive at legislation is a matter that needs to be looked at by everybody, including the commentariat. One of the positives of pre-legislative scrutiny is that we engage in an in-depth analysis of legislation which, unfortunately, slows the process down. To be fair to Senator Pádraig Mac Lochlainn, he was a very fine contributor at the justice committee in the last Dáil, but there is no kudos to be gained in being involved in the pre-legislative scrutiny process. It is, however, the way to go, as I know from the position I held on the Joint Committee on Health and Children. As a House of the Oireachtas, we must acknowledge that the volume of legislation dealt with may be less than before.

Senator Denis Landy mentioned Japanese knotweed and ash dieback disease. I am happy to invite the relevant Minister to come to the House to debate both matters, but I am not sure whether they come within the remit of the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government or the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.

Senators Colm Burke and Catherine Noone raised the important issue of obesity. In that context, they referred to the availability of vending machines. The health and well-being division of the HSE had an expert group on vending and calorie posting carry out work on the matter. The results are important in that they show that 37% of us are overweight, while 23% are obese. As a nation, we are in danger of seeing premature deaths as a result of obesity, as well as working hours being lost. Linked with this, the findings show that there is a risk that young people, children in particular, will be obese from a younger age and that they may never leave this category. The former Minister for Health Senator James Reilly introduced a policy on vending and calorie posting which is important in the context of the discussion Senators Colm Burke and Catherine Noone requested and which we should have. The Department and now the HSE are promoting the message that as this is about choice, we should make ours a healthy one. This extends to vending machines located in hospitals. The Senators were right to raise the issue.

Senator Robbie Gallagher referred to the overusage of antibiotics. I agree with him that we need to debate the issue.

Senator Paul Coghlan mentioned seagulls. I do not know who the appropriate Minister would be to invite for such a discussion. It would cover matters to do with health, the environment, tourism and economy, but I will be happy to include all of these elements in one discussion.

Senator David Norris referred to "Oireachtas Report". At the risk of causing a row, if we do not give the programme items to report, it may not necessarily report what happens in the House. I agree with the Senator that it should report what happens in all of the Oireachtas, including in committees, the Dáil Chamber and the Seanad. Yesterday we had a fine debate on health services and statements were also made. It was reported in some of the newspapers this morning that yesterday there was a minute's silence in the Dáil in memory of the late Jo Cox, but they failed to mention that the same had happened in the Seanad. That shows the need to have a discussion with the press office in the Oireachtas. The Senator made a fair point in that regard.

Senator Pádraig Mac Lochlainn made an interesting and valid point about brown bins. I suggest he raise the matter with the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government during our debate tonight or else table a Commencement matter on the topic. He is right that it is an important matter.

Senator Brian Ó Domhnaill referred to the national children's hospital. We have been having this discussion since before Bertie Ahern's time. An independent review group was established and it outlined clearly its choice of location. In the last Dáil I was Chairman of the Joint Committee on Health and Children, of which other Members of this House were members. As a committee, we visited the hospital group and met the board of the national children's hospital. It was a very positive visit. The relevant issues have been debated and further issues have been raised. Independent planning was engaged in by An Bord Pleanála which refused to grant permission for construction on one site but has granted permission on the current site chosen. It behoves us, in Ireland's first digital hospital, to make sure the venture is a success. I am sure the Minister is happy to come to the House to debate the matter, but the Senator may not be happy with his response. The matter of the national children's hospital has been long debated. A policy decision was arrived at independently and a final location has been selected.

Senator Nall Ó Donnghaile raised the issue of blood donations. There has been a change in the policy on blood donations in the North, which is welcome. I hope the Minister for Health in the South will follow suit and make a positive change here. We have been involved with the Irish Blood Transfusion Service and the matter has been discussed by the health committee. It is important that be a change to ensure equality.

I join all other Senators in wishing the Irish soccer team good luck tonight. It is important that we get a result, not just for the team but also for the well-being of the nation. I also pay tribute to the fans who have been a source of pride for us all.