I echo what Senator Swanick said about the Michael Davitt Museum. It was a very well made point. It is an extremely important resource. It is a national resource in terms of the contribution that was made to our history. The assistant of my colleague, Senator Grace O'Sullivan, is a descendant of Michael Davitt and he would certainly echo that point. Senator O'Sullivan also sits on the housing committee. It is a sad reflection that the current chair of the Housing Agency, Conor Skehan, has a very different kind of message to the one Michael Davitt put forward in the early days of Ireland. It is worth reflecting how far we might be from the three Fs now in respect of fair rent, fixity of tenure and so on.

I want to emphasise the other point made. The Vótáil 100 launch yesterday was a really powerful reminder of how democracy, change and women's equality was pushed forward in Ireland. I acknowledge my fellow committee member, Senator McFadden. I urge people to engage with the programme and to look at the women's franchise leagues that may have existed in their parts of the country and how they can help this to become a national moment. Given that we are talking about the franchise and democracy and its extension, a clear and glaring oversight is the extension of the franchise in Seanad elections. The Minister of State, Deputy Phelan, came to the House on the last day before the Christmas break and indicated he is moving forward on the issue. I would like the Minister of State to give us a report on when we will move forward on Seanad reform, when we will have the long-promised implementation group in place to see meaningful implementation so we are not going into the election in the same point of stasis again. Will the Leader talk to the Minister of State, Deputy Phelan, about when he might be able to come to the House and properly debate Seanad reform with us?

Like others, I welcome the Government's decision yesterday to proceed with the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It was in the previous programme for Government and the present one. The previous Government did a lot of the necessary groundwork to bring us to where we are today. It is absolutely appropriate that we acknowledge the significant commitment of the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, to achieve this. Ratifying a convention is one thing; creating and protecting equality and the right to equality is a completely different thing. It will require a number of Bills. I propose that Seanad Éireann be a willing participant in initiating legislation if it happens that the Dáil programme is overloaded, in the spirit of moving this on to a situation where there are no barriers and where society is an equal playing pitch for everybody. It is something we all want to see. Seanad Éireann is the appropriate House to push that forward.

It was very distressing and disturbing to hear last night of a further person being shot dead as part of the gangland warfare that has gripped the north inner city of this great capital. When resources are made available to deal with these things, it works. If one considers Limerick, I note they were killing one another there a few years ago. The resources were put into Limerick and it no longer has that situation. The criminal gangs were taken out.

The same thing needs to happen in Dublin. All Members will agree with me when I commend An Garda Síochána for the work that it continually does in dealing with this situation. I propose that the Leader ask the Minister for Justice and Equality to the House for statements on the ongoing gang warfare in Dublin city.