Before I ask the Leader to proceed with the Order of Business, I would like to acknowledge the long service of Senator David Norris who has been a Member of the House for 30 years and seven months. He has given extraordinary service as a representative of Trinity College, but his service and contribution have been much broader than Trinity. Sometimes they have been so broad that they can annoy the Cathaoirleach. His depth of knowledge and grasp of many topics, including economics, culture, history and so on, is endless and he has been a great advocate. He was here for a term before I was elected in 1989. I understand this is his eighth Seanad. It is a remarkable achievement. On a personal level, Senator Norris was a terrible rogue.

Like yourself, a Chathaoirligh.

He would far outweigh me in that department. He has had a remarkable and very colourful, productive and fulfilling career.

He championed the decriminalisation of homosexuality between adult gay men, after he won his case in Europe. The then Minister, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, acceded to introducing legislation to facilitate that decision. He is the father of the House in more ways than one. I think he is a little older than 30 years and seven months, but I will leave that matter to him.

Senator Norris is held in high regard by me and many Senators, including those who are no longer here - people who have lost seats and so on. It is a wonderful occasion for Senator Norris and it is appropriate to mark it on 30 November, the last day of the month. He is not yet a holy soul but he is getting close to it. It is appropriate to mark the occasion with a few words of tribute. As Cathaoirleach, I am very honoured to have served with him and to be Cathaoirleach at a time when he is still active in the House. I wish him a long service in the Seanad and, on a personal level, the best of health. I hope he has a good Christmas. We are all very lucky that we are here for Christmas. We are fortunate.

I will allow the Leader to speak because we have a lot of business today. Whoever wishes to speak on the Order of Business can mention Senator Norris. I will not stop anyone who wishes to speak.

If I am correct, we will do the acknowledgments and tributes as part of the Order of Business. Is that correct?

Yes.

The Order of Business is No. a1, motion re sitting of Seanad Éireann next Tuesday, to be taken on the conclusion of the Order of Business without debate; No. 1, statements to mark World AIDS Day on 1 December 2017 to be taken at 12.45 p.m. and to conclude no later than 1.45 p.m., with the contribution of group spokespersons not to exceed six minutes, all other Senators not to exceed four minutes and the Minister to be given no less than four minutes to reply to the debate; No. 2, Health and Social Care Professionals (Amendment) Bill 2017 - Committee and Remaining Stages, to be taken at 1.45 p.m.; and No. 3, Domestic Violence Bill 2017 - Report and Final Stages, to be taken on the conclusion of No. 2.

I would like to join the Cathaoirleach in paying tribute to Senator Norris. He is not a holy soul just yet, but he is a loveable rogue and has given 30 years of service not just to Trinity College and the House but to the State. He has been a formidable debater, orator and political campaigner for topics which were not popular and society did not embrace, and championed them when nobody else would do so. He has continued to champion many causes which are not popular. When the bandwagon keeps going on, he is rightly acknowledged as the man who led many of those campaigns. We wish him 30 more years in the House, and thank him for his service to the State.

Regarding farm payments, today's edition of the Irish Farmers' Journal is leading with the question of how the spare €380 million in the Department should be allocated. Many low-income farmers need funding. We propose that the money be redeployed to them in light of the GLAS shortfall. This money is needed, but so is something else on which I will call for a debate with the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Deputy Ring, namely, the reason for the late payments to farmers.

Fianna Fáil will also seek a debate on Tusla. Mandatory reporting is coming in, but Members of this House, their staff and people who are of assistance to those in distress, particularly in child protection matters, have not been given the necessary training to deal with them. If they do not deal with such matters correctly, they will be in breach of the law. We need clarification from the Government and the House on how our staff will be trained to deal with the issue of mandatory reporting. Tusla's CEO has stated that it does not have the requisite resources and is unaware of what processes it needs to have in place. Some 800 child protection and welfare cases are deemed high priority, yet a social worker has not been allocated to them. Children who are suffering abuse at this moment are not being dealt with. We are now going to add a further layer of reporting that is necessary, given what has happened previously, but there is a lack of clarity for Members of the Houses, local councillors, members of the Garda and so on as to what they have to do to comply with the law.

I ask that the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Zappone, attend the House as soon as possible to outline what she is going to do. If Senators get phone calls and do not deal with them properly, they could be charged with breaking the law. More importantly, as with the case of Garda Sergeant McCabe, how should we deal with spurious allegations? People can make vexatious claims against people for the worst of motives. What would happen in such cases?

How quickly 30-odd years pass. I remember sitting on my mother's knee as a child when Senator Norris was first elected to the Seanad.

The Senator is exaggerating a little.

Senator Norris is a great orator, wonderful scholar, good friend to have around the House and good man to give advice-----

Senator Craughwell is misleading the House.

-----to a youngster who arrives. I wish him well and I hope that he is around for another 30 years with me.

I thank Senator Craughwell very much.

Some of the others will not be, but I hope that the Senator and I will.

Should I take it that your mother had a knee replacement after that?

And a hip.