I thank the 15 Members who contributed on the Order of Business.

Senators Gerry Horkan, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin and David Norris referred to Permanent TSB, following the discussion yesterday on the Order of Business. The Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Michael D'Arcy, will take the debate on Thursday on behalf of the Government because the Minister for Finance, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, will not be available. It is important to reiterate that all of the Members who have spoken about the issue thus far agree that we need to protect the homeowners, families, business people and farmers affected by the potential sale of the loan book. However, it is somewhat premature to get involved in the hysteria about vulture funds and so on because there has been no consultation yet with the Minister for Finance. Deputy Micheál Martin raised the matter in the Dáil yesterday, as did Deputy Mary Lou McDonald. The Minister for Finance and the Fianna Fáil spokesperson on finance, Deputy Michael McGrath, are due to meet today. We all agree that there is a need to protect and assist mortgage holders. The Minister for Finance is also very much aware of the views of members of the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party on the issue. As many Senators said, we have all met in our offices the holders of distressed mortgages and in the vast majority of cases they are trying to work with and do deals with their banks. However, it is a two-way street - the banks must also communicate and engage with their customers. It is important that during the debate tomorrow we discuss the potential sale of the loan book. It is also important to differentiate between those who have tried to engage and those who have not. There are many people who are not being heard in this debate who are struggling to pay their mortgages. There are business people, farmers and homeowners who are struggling, but who are paying their mortgages. There are others, however, who are not engaging with the banks, which is wrong. The banks' treatment of customers must be measured and balanced, fair and proportionate, but those who do not engage with them are wrong.

Half of the time it is the banks that will not engage.

I accept that, but there is a balance to be struck. It is not a one-way street, as is often presented. There are people who will not engage, while there are others who are struggling to pay their mortgages. We all know people who are making sacrifices and engaging with the banks. Are we to abandon them, too? The answer is no, but we must be critical also. It is important to point out, as I did yesterday, that there are protections that will not be affected. It is important that we have a debate on the issue because nobody wants to see vulture funds preying on people and making vast sums of money on the back of their distress.

On foot of last night's "Prime Time" programme, Senator Gerry Horkan referred to the breast care service at St. James' Hospital. The hospital has assured the HSE that following the misdiagnosis that was revealed, it carried out a review that was appropriate and in line with agreed procedures. The HSE's National Cancer Control Programme, NCCP, has advised that in the review or look-back exercise no evidence of incompetence on the part of the pathologist involved was found. The NCCP and St. James's Hospital are of the view that another review based on the cases referenced is not warranted and point out that since 2010, a number of processes have been put in place. I agree with the Senator that care must be provided to give the patients involved confidence and peace of mind. As I said yesterday, receiving a cancer diagnosis is horrific in itself but to then discover that one might have been misdiagnosed is equally horrifying. We all accept that mistakes happen, but they should not. I will be happy to invite the Minister for Health to come to the House for a wide ranging debate on health issues.

I also join the Senator in his utter condemnation of the recent atrocities in Syria. The killing of innocent people is appalling in anyone's language. There is an obligation on the State, working through the United Nations or the European Union, to ensure there is accountability and that the regime will be held to account for its actions.

None of us can condone or support what has happened in Syria.

Senator Boyhan raised the issue of child care and the remarks of Mr. Fergus Finlay around the equal childhood campaign. All of us want to see equality of opportunity. The Government, through child care and education, is trying to enhance the lives of children and young people. I heard this morning's interview with Fergus Finlay. By any measure, to say that a report does not contain the word "poverty" is not a guide as to how one can view a Government or a political party's manifesto, whether it is Sinn Féin's or Fianna Fáil's. It is the actions and outcomes which are important.

Disadvantage is mentioned right across the national development plan. Equally, poverty is mentioned under the child care and education and lifelong learning parts of the document. It is important that affordable child care is available. Under the Government, 7,000 extra children have been brought into child care schemes. We have seen an extension of the early childhood care and education, ECCE, scheme and more access and inclusion for young people with special needs, as well as Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, supporting communities across the country.

It is important, however, to recognise that the most important way of getting people out of poverty is by people having jobs and providing more schools and school places. That is what the Government is committed to. I am happy to have this as part of the debate on the national development plan next Wednesday.

Senator Boyhan also raised the issue of Caranua. While I am not fully au fait with the matter he raised, it is important that any redress scheme and any organisation involved with it should be held to account. If there are issues, then they should be looked at and addressed.

I apologise but I do not have the information to hand relating to Senator Mac Lochlainn's question on school accommodation. I know, however, as an educationalist in a school which was involved in a public private partnership, that it can be frustrating. A ten-year delay is inordinately long. I am not familiar with the exact intricacies of what has happened in the schools in question. The Minister is going to Donegal tomorrow and it is important the matter is resolved. The compulsory purchase order issue the Senator raised can only be done by the county council. It is an important issue and I wish for all involved that it will be resolved. Having taught in a classroom in a prefab with a storage heater that only worked half the time, its windows falling out and a leaking roof, I certainly would not wish anybody to be working in such conditions. That was during the time of the boom and bloom under Fianna Fáil. One can imagine what it is like now.

The prefab is still there and the windows are still out.

It is even better with new schools, new classrooms, new buildings and new technology. The future is good.

Senator Ruane raised the issue of the Prison Service and remarks made by the Irish Penal Reform Trust at the Committee on Education and Skills. As somebody who was involved in that aspect of education, the importance of a second chance and rehabilitation for people in our prison system is one I subscribe to and actively engage with. It was part of my job in Ballincollig community school to work with prison officers in Cork Prison to provide a hurley-making course which gave offenders an opportunity to have a trade and a skill. Several of them did quite well as a consequence of it. The levels of educational achievement and dropout are startling. This is a matter we need to address through inclusion and access to education and second chance. I am happy to have such a debate in the coming weeks.

Senator Coffey raised the importance of Waterford in the national development plan. He has been active in advocating for Waterford. There will be a debate on the plan next week. I would like to have a debate on the current state of decentralisation. I am sure Members opposite would too.

We would be delighted.

In his pertinent contribution, Senator Paul Daly raised the ongoing issue of the need for our farmers to be given a fair and proper price for their products. In this case he referred to potatoes. In some supermarkets, they are being sold for 99 cent or 49 cent a bag. It is important a fair price is given to the farmer in this case. I am not sure whether we need a regulator or an ombudsman, but farmers need to be looked after. From farm gate to table, they are being left out. I am happy to support any action in this regard. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Creed, is aware of this issue and has been putting measures in place. I would be happy to have a debate on the matter.

Senator Norris raised the issue of Permanent TSB. That debate will be held tomorrow. The issue of the pay and conditions of politicians is contentious. If we raise the matter, we are seen as greedy or precious. It is an important matter. There will be a debate next week about the pay and conditions of city and county councillors. Senator Norris could raise the issue then as part of that.

Senator McFadden spoke eloquently about the centrality of Athlone and it being the new regional capital in the midlands. I commend her on her advocacy in that regard. The roles of local authorities and town councils were decided by the previous Government. There is a review taking place. Deputy Cassells tabled a motion on this matter in the Lower House. Does reform of the Better Local Government programme mean we have more councils or fewer? That is debate we can have in the future.

I join Senator Gavan in welcoming the introduction of the living wage for workers in the Nestlé plant in Limerick. I hope all of us, as either employers or employees, will ensure people will have a just living wage. The Government and the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Deputy Regina Doherty, is committed to this. I would be happy to include this in the debate on the Low Pay Commission report. If I am not mistaken, IKEA was part of the living wage agreement. It gave an indication it supported it.

It also has precarious work contracts. It is not a good example.

I know people who work in IKEA who came to me about it. Senator Byrne raised the issue of the importance of immunisation in the context of the Limerick measles epidemic. That is an initiative which Members need to promulgate. Vaccinations work and we must ensure that message is sent out to people throughout the country.

Senator Devine raised the issue of rapid-access clinics for patients with suspected prostate cancer. I do not have the specific information for community health care organisation, CHOs, areas 7 and 9. As the Leas-Chathaoirleach indicated, she may get a faster response to the specific issues if she raised them as a Commencement matter. Prostate cancer is one of the fastest growing diseases in the country and it kills.

Senator Ó Ríordáin's issue on education will be taken as a Commencement matter tomorrow.

Senator McDowell will be pleased to know that I do not have the answer to the Luas green line, other than the Government is making Dublin a better place to be in terms of public transport. There are issues at the moment but they will be ironed out. I will endeavour to facilitate his request to have the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Ross, attend the House. He can put his pertinent question about the green line to him then. I do not share Senator Norris's view that they will take one look and go back underground. It will be of benefit to the city and to the people of Dublin.

Senator Warfield raised the important issue of the ERASMUS programme and the benefit of it to students, whether north, south, east or west, and across Europe. Brexit has put this programme into question. The national agencies responsible for ERASMUS are committed to it and it will be part of the Brexit negotiations process. Senator Warfield will have heard Jean-Claude Juncker's concerns that the programme was increasing the European libido. Up to 1 million babies have been born to couples who met on the ERASMUS programme. That in itself is a good support for it. Notwithstanding that, the benefits of it are ones that should be maintained for the students in the North of our country. I am happy for the Tánaiste and the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to attend the House to discuss this important issue. I do not mean to denigrate Senator Warfield's remarks but Jean-Claude Juncker's comments on it were interesting.

Senator Mullen raised the important and timely issue of the overprescription of drugs. I am sure he saw the "Prime Time" programme last week with Professor Michael Barry and representatives of the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association, IPHA. Whether it is habit-forming or patient safety, it is an issue on which we need to have a national conversation. There are people who become addicted to prescription drugs. We are a nation guilty of overprescribing. Professor Michael Barry has strident views on it. I am happy to have this included in the wider health debate.

The Minister of State, Deputy Michael D'Arcy, will attend the house tomorrow on the issue-----

The issue of the proposed sale of the Permanent TSB loan book.

Yes, the issue of the proposed sale of the Permanent TSB loan book. I hope that will facilitate Senator Devine's request from yesterday. The Minister is not available for which I apologise.