The Senator has tested my indulgence. I call on the Leader to respond.

I thank the 15 Members for their contributions during the Order of Business.

Senators Ardagh, Reilly, Kieran O'Donnell, Gavan, Higgins, Mulherin and Conway raised the issue of the pension inequality that affects women. I agree with them that it is discriminatory and unjust. All of us in our personal lives and our lives as politicians understand that the anomaly needs to be redressed.

A wrong was done to a group of women who had to leave the workforce. To those of us who live in modern Ireland it seems incredible that they had to leave the workforce in the first place. It is important to recognise that women should receive fair treatment. The Minister has been very candid in his approach. As Senator Colm Burke said, we are coming out the worst recession in the history of the country. The Minister is trying to make progress on the issue and he is anxious to address it but it was not possible to do so in this budget. It is important that the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Deputy Regina Doherty, would come to the House. I would be happy to facilitate Members in such a request. She is due to come before us in the coming weeks. The matter has been raised previously by many Senators and it is a very complicated area with a very long-standing need to have redress put in place. However, it does cost money. As Senator O'Donnell correctly said, some people will not qualify, others will get partial payments, and others still will get reduced payments. The important point is that I will bring the Minister to the House to address the issue as it needs to be debated in full in order to find a resolution because it is about equality for all citizens.

Senator Ardagh also made reference to housing and the hidden homeless. She made a good point. The Government gave an increase of 46% to the housing budget and Rebuilding Ireland is the roadmap for the future. An extra €500 million in supports is available to target 50,000 homes for those in need of social housing. It is important that the remarks of Senator Ardagh are heard by the Minister. I would be happy to bring them to the relevant Minister, the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy Eoghan Murphy.

Senator Craughwell, who has been a champion of the Defence Forces in this House, raised the number of Army personnel with housing concerns and the need to see Defence Forces property freed up for use. The Minister of State with responsibility for defence, Deputy Paul Kehoe, is open to doing some of the things to which Senator Craughwell referred. The Senator is correct that the houses should be immediately refurbished and put back into the housing stock. That would do two things, namely, reduce the waiting lists and also allow the soldiers in whom we have great pride, and who take great pride in their work, to live either on the Army base or, as the Senator indicated, close to work in the case of The Curragh. That is something on which we might work with the Minister of State with responsibility for defence. I would be very happy to speak to the Senator about the matter after the Order of Business.

I thank the Leader.

Senator Craughwell also referred to Brexit, which we discussed yesterday in the House. Senator Feighan spoke about the decision this morning by Mr. Barnier. From our perspective Brexit is about the island of Ireland. Nobody in this Chamber or in the Government wants to see a return to a hard border. The Taoiseach was right yesterday to paint a picture of what could happen.

I made the comment yesterday in this House that it ill-behoves Deputy Donnelly or Deputy Martin to play politics with Brexit. It is about wearing the green jersey and having one voice and standing up for all our people. I know the Senator was in Brussels yesterday and Monday. There is a need to see a committed, unified opinion on Brexit from our perspective. The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Coveney, was in the House yesterday for statements on Northern Ireland and today we will have statements on the future of Europe with the Minister of State, Deputy McEntee. It is important that we keep beating the drum of there being no return to a hard border, and that we do not bend in any way in that regard. The Government has been strong in its position in that regard.

Senator Gavan raised the issue of child care and child care workers. The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Zappone, has secured a significant increase in the budget for the provision of resources in the child care area. All of us accept that wages in the child care sector are low and we want that to change. The issue is creating a barrier to recruitment in the child care sector and retention of staff is also a problem. We are very lucky with the extraordinary quality of staff we have in the child care sector. Having secured increased capitation levels in the budget the Minister is of the view that it will assist employers to improve conditions for their staff. In addition, we all recognise that the situation cannot be sorted out in one go but that it will take time. This is the second budget where there has been an increase in funding. Equally, the Minister has set up an independent review of the cost of delivering quality child care, which I hope will allow for more investment in child care and child care providers and that the investment will be passed on to child care workers. I share Senator Gavan's view that we need to do more in that regard. I will work with him on the issue because it is important. I already mentioned his comment on pensions.

Senator Higgins referred to gender and equality proofing in the budget and to tax relief. I would be happy for the Minister to come to the House to discuss those matters. I note that this week the equality budgeting campaign, which was set up in 2012, has stood itself down, in part because it has achieved its goal of having the Government committed to equality budgeting, and the Oireachtas Committee on Budgetary Oversight has been set up. We all want to see equality proofing of budgets. It is important that we keep that to the forefront and that we promote such an aim. I would be happy to have such a debate in the House in the coming weeks.

Senators Boyhan, Ó Domhnaill and Kieran O'Donnell referred to stamp duty on agricultural land. Stamp duty relief is still available to farmers aged under 35. Young farmers will not be affected. It is something that should be addressed in the Finance Bill. Stamp duty has increased from 2% to 6% but it was at 9%. The Minister is aware of the issues that were raised following the budget announcement. Senator Ó Domhnaill said that perhaps the Minister was not prepared to move from what he said in his speech last night but many people in this House and in the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party have raised the matter with him. The mechanism is to ensure we look after the family farm and rural areas and that we continue to allow people to invest and attract people to stay and live in rural areas. The Finance Bill may provide a mechanism which will act as a resolution to that matter.

Senator Boyhan referred to child care and social workers. There has been an increase in funding to Tusla as well which will allow for further employment in that area. I am pleased to clarify that issue for him.

Senators Maria Byrne and Martin Conway raised the fact that it is World Sight Day. I compliment Senator Conway on his role as an excellent ambassador and advocate for people with sight impairments. He has been to the fore in leading the campaign. I am pleased the Taoiseach launched the report yesterday. It is important that we recognise the world is changing and there are so many ways in which we can work with and improve the lives of people with visual impairment. Senator Conway's leadership in the area is a testament to the need for all of us to work in a collaborative manner. The point he and Senator Byrne made is important. Equally, I encourage Members to attend the screening today for diabetes organised by Senator Noone. Some of us might be afraid to be tested but it is about prevention rather than reaction. Senator Ó Domhnaill is testament to powerful living in terms of fitness, health and well-being. It is important that we attend the screening so I encourage Members to participate today as it is a matter of prevention.

I congratulate Senator Feighan on the sleep trainer. I was looking at Senator Gavan who was smiling. I wondered whether he had many sleep-deprived nights himself.

Far too many.

It was interesting to hear from Senator Feighan how a small act of assistance can help improve people's lives. It is about sharing and working collectively. I would be happy for the Minister to come to the House.

I advise Senator Mac Lochlainn that we will have statements in the House on flooding next week. The Minister of State, Deputy Kevin Boxer Moran, will be in the House. I have been to Clonmany myself. It is a beautiful part of the country. We need to see Swan Park and other such areas addressed. The Senator is correct that it is a public park, an amenity, and it should not be closed indefinitely. A plan of action should be put in place. I would be happy for the Minister of State, Deputy Moran, to discuss that in the House with the Senator next week.

Senator Colm Burke raised the issue of third level and people going back to education in order to better themselves.

The anomaly raised by Senator Burke is one that needs to be addressed and I would be happy to have the Minister come to the House to discuss this matter. I join Senator Ó Clochartaigh in welcoming the decision on the Apple facility in Athenry and I am glad of his support for Apple.

Only for certain aspects of it, of course.

I am glad of the Senator's support.

I would also like Apple to pay its taxes in this country.

I am sure that Apple will be a very good employer in the region and it is good to see Athenry being used.

The Senator also raised the issue of Trolley Watch. We all accept that this needs to be addressed which is why the Minister for Health has secured an extra €75 million in this week's budget to reduce waiting lists, €37 million for home care packages and transitional care beds, and €20 million for extra capacity and support for our hospitals. We have also seen an increase in the primary care budget. We need to ensure that people are treated in their communities and that they have access to services and that is why there is extra funding in the budget. Senator Ó Clochartaigh might consult with his own party leader, Deputy Adams, who spoke yesterday in the Dáil about an increase of €1 billion in spending, which is way above what Sinn Féin looked for in its own costed budget proposal. The Senator might ask Deputy Adams to go back and do a little mathematical realignment.

Deputy Adams is well able to answer for himself.

None of the Sinn Féin Senators has mentioned the fact that their party budget proposed a €2 billion extra tax hike. That is a fair chunk of change to add to people's lives. They certainly kept that quiet.

Some 97% pay the same.

Only on the top earners.

Senator Conway mentioned the current situation with Ibrahim Halawa. We discussed this yesterday. The problem, as the Senators know, is not with this Government, which has been in daily communication with the Egyptian authorities. It beggars belief as to why Mr. Halawa cannot be released given the time that has passed since the announcement of the verdict. As I mentioned yesterday, the Egyptian authorities decided to take all 400 prisoners as a bloc rather than individually. This is disappointing.

I welcome Senator Reilly's contribution of the issue of Sparkasse, which is represented here today.