I second Senator Gerard P. Craughwell's amendment to the Order of Business. In doing so, I encourage the Leader to ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence to come to the House as soon as possible to discuss a number of issues relating to that portfolio.

The preliminary 2016 census results which have just been published show that the population of County Cavan has risen by 4% to 76,092 and that the population of County Monaghan has risen by 1.3% to 61,273. I ask the Leader to inquire when a constituency commission will be formed to examine the drawing up of boundaries for the next general election, as it is well known that my county of Cavan was butchered by the commission when it last met. Senator Joe O'Reilly will agree with me.

Absolutely.

I call on the Leader to inquire when the commission will sit. I ask that a practising former politician who knows what it is like to canvass in and represent a constituency be allowed to sit on the commission. The Clerk of the Seanad sits on it and does an excellent job, but I ask the Leader to ensure a former practising politician also be allowed to sit on it to provide the common sense needed in this regard.

Coming events cast dark shadows before.