I welcome this morning's announcement that Pope Francis is to visit Dublin for two days at the end of August on the occasion of the world meeting of families. I am disappointed, however, that there seems to be no indication that the Pope will visit the North of Ireland.

That would be regrettable if it is the case.

My main reason for raising this issue is to ask the Leader if he would indicate whether there is any proposal to invite Pope Francis to address both Houses of the Oireachtas. This is a proposal that has been made in the past by Senator Norris and there was general acceptance and agreement that that should be the case. It would be appropriate that the Pope, as the leader of hundreds of millions of Catholics throughout the world and head of the Vatican State, should be invited to address a meeting of both Houses. I ask the Leader to indicate whether that is being considered. If not, I propose that it should be considered and ask what process we must engage in to ensure that it happens.

On Senator Feighan's comments regarding Brexit, it is time that the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade came back to the House to give us an update on the situation pertaining to Brexit, which is changing on a day-to-day, week-to-week and month-to-month basis. In recent weeks, we have heard indications from certain elements of the Conservative Government that perhaps a solution to the Border difficulties would be that people from the Republic of Ireland who intended to travel to the Six Counties would register their intention to do so. As somebody who comes from a Border community, who was born and reared in that community and who saw at first hand the detrimental effect it had on that region, both economically and personally, I want to put it on the record of this House that I and the community from which I come have no intention of registering our intent to visit another part of our country. I call on the Tánaiste to come before the House to provide an update on Brexit, especially as it pertains to the Border region.

Finally, I welcome those from St. Mogue's college in Bawnboy, County Cavan, who are visiting both Houses this afternoon.

Senator Wilson covered a wide range of issues. I call Senator Colm Burke.

I join my colleague, Senator Gavan, in his tribute to Liam O'Flynn and the contribution he made to Irish music over a long number of years. He is a huge loss. It is important that we give recognition to those who have made a major contribution in the promotion of Irish music over a long period.

I have raised with the Leader on a number of previous occasions my concerns regarding the issue of the GP contract. I welcome that the Minister for Health has announced that the negotiations for a new contract are to start in April but I would hope that this is not another process ad infinitum. The contract has been in place for over 40 years. We need to progress the issue of how GPs are supported in the community and, as a result of their contribution, how they support people in communities and keep them out of hospital. On the Commencement debate earlier, I raised the need to train and upskill people in the context of providing home care. Likewise, we need to ensure that we have a sufficient number of GPs - working together with public health nurses, community nurses and those who provide home care - to provide care in the community and keep as many as possible out of the hospital and nursing home systems.

Although it will not happen before Easter, I suggest that it might be timely to have a debate after Easter on community care and health care outside the hospital structure. All of our focus has been on the hospital structure and the HSE. It is something we should really consider doing.

In respect of priorities, I am concerned that staffing levels in the HSE have gone up by 11,000 in the last three years. There is now nearly one new person in administration or management in the HSE for every general practitioner in the country. That is a disproportionate growth in administration and management in the HSE.

I support and wholeheartedly endorse Senator Diarmuid Wilson's proposal as regards Pope Francis. We have a fine tradition in this country of inviting visiting Heads of State to address these Houses. As he is the Head of the Vatican State, which we have long recognised, it would be appropriate that he be invited to address the joint Houses of the Oireachtas. I join with Senator Wilson in asking the Leader to make the necessary inquiries as to how this could be set in train.

I also support what the Senator has said about Brexit. I do not think any of us would want to be getting involved in any paperwork and that we would frankly refuse to do so. I think it is accepted by both sides, anyway, and indeed by the EU, that this will not happen. Hopefully they will facilitate an all-encompassing trade agreement involving the entire EU and the UK. They will not enter a customs union but they may call it something else, a customs partnership or whatever, and that would satisfy the matter, please God. Some of us are going to spend Monday and Tuesday of next week in the so-called palace of Westminster, meeting committees of the Commons and the Lords. We will be delighted to give the House an update when we return on Wednesday or Thursday.