Cuirim fáilte ar ais roimh chuile dhuine. Tá súil agam go raibh briseadh maith ag daoine.

Aontaím go huile is go hiomlán leis an Seanadóir Colette Kelleher faoin méid a bhí le rá aici maidir le cóiríocht don Lucht Siúil. I concur wholeheartedly with Senator Colette Kelleher in her well spoken comments on the Traveller accommodation issue.

We previously called for several debates on various matters, including rural affairs, Gaeilge and the Gaeltacht, diaspora affairs, etc. Will the Leader outline if these debates will be scheduled to take place in this session?

We certainly need to have a debate on the future of Irish Water. There was too much toing and froing over the summer by certain political parties which seem to be very confused on the issue. Clarification as to where they stand is important. The Houses also need to debate the future of the provision of water in rural and urban areas and where is Irish Water going and what are the plans for it. It seems that the overwhelming majority of Members elected to these Houses are against water charges. I know that there will be a debate in the Dáil, but this House should have its own on the future of paying for water. Such a debate could be conducted in a reasonable manner, with Members putting forward arguments. When one saw so many again taking to the streets in recent marches, one knew that the matter of water charged had not gone away and neither had the campaign. I would welcome a debate on the issue.

Senator Jennifer Murnane O'Connor referred to local government funding. I raise the particular issue of the future of libraries. There seems to be an ongoing pilot scheme for self-service libraries, a development which concerns many librarians and people who use libraries. It is really seen as a precursor to cutbacks in library services and staff numbers. Issues to do with health and safety are being raised when people use the facilities, including their abuse, etc. A debate on the future of libraries would be useful.