Senator Catherine Ardagh referred to the national children's hospital and the community benefit programme, which is very positive. It would be no harm to have something like this considered on a national level.

The Senator also raised the issue of plastics, in which I also take an interest. I am particularly interested in microbeads and understand legislation will be brought before the House in early course. As I am as keen as the Senator to advance it, I will bring to bear any influence I have on it.

What is happening in Syria is horrendous. The people there need to have peace brought into their lives.

The Tánaiste will be in the House on 7 March next for resumed statements on foreign affairs. It is important to point out that people who have already spoken in that debate will not be able to speak again. Senators who have not already participated in the debate will have an opportunity to raise these issues. I hope they will do so. I have no doubt that the Tánaiste is as keen as we are to bring whatever influence he has to bear on the situation, which has been raised by various Senators this morning.

Senator Black and others referred to the Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement. Credit is due to the members of that committee for the work they do. The Senator made the important point that those looking at the situation in the North from the outside see it as polarised and sectarian. That is the way it has been for too long. I must say I am not very familiar with the programme highlighted by Senator Feighan, to whom I will return. I can well imagine the desire on the part of certain presenters to hold on to the fight for the sake of the fight, rather than actually playing some role in potentially helping the problem. I think it is the sectarian nature of the problem in the North that has really presented the problem. It is why we are where we are today. There is no sense in fuelling that. Senator Black suggested that the Tánaiste should meet certain voices. The reality is that those voices are dampened out by these extreme voices. That is what happens in general in life. If the Tánaiste has not already met people like that, I cannot see any reason he would not do so. It is certainly something that could be raised in the context of the debate on 7 March, if the Senator has not already spoken in that debate.

Senator Conway-Walsh concurred with others on the issue of the North. She also congratulated the justice committee on the wards of court report. Senator Wilson also spoke on this extremely critical area. Obviously, the recommendations need to be implemented. I think we would all be ad idem on that.

Senator Conway-Walsh also referred to seaweed. I have a personal interest in seaweed because I think it is a fantastic product with positive components that are good for one's health. It helps with thyroid difficulties, from which many people suffer. It is a brilliant product. Some friends of mine have a cosmetics company that uses seaweed. It is a wonderful product. I would like to think that the people who are closest to it benefit most from it. On the face of it, I would certainly concur with the points made by the Senator. I do not know whether the Senator and her colleagues have raised this issue as a Commencement matter-----

We have.

-----but it is certainly something that could be brought up in the context of an environmental debate here. I requested such a debate recently. I certainly think it is an important issue. It might not seem important on the face of it, but it is very important for people in the local area and for the environment.

We need a stand-alone debate on this substantial issue rather than a general debate on the environment.

I will certainly pass on the Senator's desire for such a debate to the Leader. I am sure whatever can be arranged will be arranged.

Senator Ó Clochartaigh spoke about a man he met at the peace awards, Mr. Martin Quinn, who is an advocate for those who have had a stroke. Mr. Quinn needs to be congratulated for the physical and emotional strength he has shown in dealing with and highlighting this issue. He has done some service to stroke sufferers. Obviously, there are issues to be addressed in this regard. The Minister for Health is in this House quite regularly. This issue could certainly be discussed with him in due course.

Senator O'Mahony raised an issue relating to the Citizens' Assembly. My understanding from Ms Justice Laffoy and from what I have heard and read in the media is that this was an isolated incident. It happened as recently as January of this year and was highlighted by Red C when it did an internal audit. I think this shows that the company's processes are working for it. That appears to be the case with this incident.

I remind the Senator who spoke about vulture funds that we are having a debate on this issue later. I would like to make a point about the difficulties that arise in the management of the House when people continually raise an issue. I do not mean to be personal about the person who raised this issue because it happens all the time. Some of those who use the Order of Business to call for Ministers to come to the House for debates do not turn up when those debates take place. I do not think that is a good way for us to conduct our business.

We would all join Senator Byrne in congratulating her fellow Limerick person, Andy Lee, on his successful career. She also mentioned a literary festival that is taking place in Limerick this weekend. It is important to highlight that communities and volunteers do substantial amounts of work on such events. I hope this weekend's festival is a great success.

Senator Devine spoke about the stroke issue. She also referred to the need and desire for a lasting peace settlement in Syria. If she has not already spoken on this issue, she will be able to do so when we have a foreign affairs debate on 7 March next in the presence of the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade.