In view of the special nature of today I appeal to the Leader to keep his response very much to the point. He does not have to give his usual great detail.

We are not the only ones who see it.

Order, please. The Leader knows the rest of the business we have today.

Your impartiality in the Chair, a Leas-Chathaoirligh, is only reflected in your treatment of the Government Members as opposed to the Opposition Members.

I hope I am impartial at all times.

I assure you, a Leas-Chathaoirligh, that I will respond to all contributions on the Order of Business.

I did not say the Leader could not respond to everybody.

On this very auspicious, historic and important day ar mo shon féin agus ar son an Rialtais cuirim fíorfáilte roimh na Seanadóirí nua, an Seanadóir Marshall agus an Seanadóir Lawlor. I welcome them to the House. I pay tribute to them on their historic victory and wish them every success in their tenure in this House. I welcome the new Senators and commend them. Today is a very special day for them and their families, one they should cherish and look back on but they should also look forward. As the Leas-Chathaoirleach said, their achievement is one we all look forward to hearing about as both Senators managed to top the poll.

They bring to this Chamber and the Houses of the Oireachtas their own personal, individual experiences, characteristics and skills, not weaknesses as Senator Marshall said, but positivity. His opening speech is to be admired, as was Senator Lawlor's, who remembered and reflected on his mother Patsy and how proud she would be today that he is here.

I welcome Lisa and Sarah who are in the Public Gallery and thank them for giving us their Dad and husband for whatever length of time he will be in this House. They have made sacrifices and they will make more sacrifices, but it is great that they are here to join in Senator Marshall's great day.

I join with Senator Ardagh in remembering Senators Ó Clochartaigh and Landy and thank them for their civic duty. Today is a very proud day for all of us in this House. As Senator Marshall said, it is the first time a member of the unionist community has been elected to Seanad Éireann. It is a day on which we can all celebrate and rejoice.

I also thank the former Senator, our colleague and friend, Senator Jim D'Arcy, for his stewardship and minding Ian during the course of the campaign. I remind Senator Conway-Walsh that, as Senator Feighan said, the Fine Gael Party is the united Ireland party.

When did Fine Gael members first notice that?

We very much welcome Sinn Féin's support for Senator Marshall and commend the party members on that.

The Leader should leave them alone. They do not want the praise.

I welcome the Tánaiste to the Chamber. He is present for a debate. I thank him for the work he is doing on behalf of all of us on the island of Ireland on the Brexit issue.

Well said.

Today is a great day for our new Members and I salute them and welcome them. We will put the swords back into the scabbard today but after today we will resume hostilities.

The new Senators are very welcome and I hope they enjoy the day.

Fourteen Members of the House have raised the issue of cervical cancer. As Leader of the House and leader of the Fine Gael group, I join all Members in condemning the treatment of all the women involved. This should not be happening in an Irish society that is supposed to cherish all equally. There are 70 women who have died and 160 are waiting for answers. As some Members of the House said, the latter are living in fear and petrification. Senator Conway-Walsh should note I intend to have the Minister come to the House. Unfortunately, he is in the Dáil Chamber today. I hope to have him here either tomorrow or Thursday. I will have him in at the earliest possible opportunity. It is critical that all of us, particularly the affected women and their families, receive the full facts and all the information. It beggars belief that the Minister for Health did not have all the information and was not given it by the people we charge with the administration of the health service of our country. It is time people were held to account. Let us do so when we have all the facts and the full facts, and not just some of the facts.

All of us in this House are angry, dismayed and sorry, and we are sickened and appalled by the treatment of Vicky Phelan and the women involved. I commend Vicky Phelan on her bravery and courage. There should be no withholding of information from patients, their doctors or a Minister. No longer can we accept it. It should not be accepted. Senator Conway and others are right that there are those who must be held to account who have to be held to account. It is time that we, as a society, held to account those charged with the administration of our health system. I will await the full facts. I speak as a Chairman of a committee that engaged in pre-legislative scrutiny regarding open disclosure and medical indemnity. Senator Burke was a very strong part of that committee. We must get the full facts, whether it is through HIQA or a statutory inquiry. I do not mind once we get all the information and the facts for those involved.

The Minister said the re-checks will be free. I heard Senator Craughwell's remarks on that in terms of the telephone number. I do believe what is advocated will be done by the Minister. It is a matter of giving out the information. As the Taoiseach said in the Dáil regarding open disclosure, it is the Government’s intention to bring forward legislation to provide for open disclosure and to make it mandatory.

It is also worth noting that we had an all-party committee dealing with the issue of open disclosure that opted to propose the voluntary route first and the mandatory route second. That is what the Government is following and it is in the programme for Government. The Taoiseach asked the Attorney General, on behalf of the Government, to examine the early settlement of similar cases to avoid, as many Members have mentioned, lengthy, unnecessary, costly legal cases and actions. It is important that we see that action followed through. The duty of candour is contained in the Medical Council guidelines, which must be followed.

It is important that we establish all the facts. The statutory inquiry or investigation is not being ruled out. What the Government will do next will be based on getting the full information and all the facts. We must restore confidence in the cervical cancer screening programme. It is important that we state today that the screening programme saves lives, as Senator Burke and others have said. The HPV vaccine does prevent the loss of life. It is worth noting that our cancer care has improved.

Senator Mullen raised the issue of the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists' statement. I ask him and all Members to read it because it is about urging women to have smear tests and calling for a thorough investigation. It is important to remember that screening for cervical cancer is an important, cost-effective public health initiative but, more important, it saves lives.

I will have the Minister come to the House as soon as possible. As I said, that is my intent. I hope Senator Conway-Walsh will accept my bona fides on that as she knows I have always endeavoured to have the Minister attend as fast as I can.

Senator Dolan raised the issue of World Asthma Day. It is an important day. Four hundred and fifty thousand people in the country have some type of asthma.

That is one in every ten people, and 21% of children are affected. I commend the Asthma Society of Ireland on its role.

Senator Bacik referred to the sugar tax. I commend Senator Noone and the Irish Heart Foundation on their work in this regard. I hope Healthy Ireland will be the umbrella under which we can reduce the risk of obesity. I commend all at Trinity College, as Senator Bacik said, for The Cambridge History of Ireland. I note the words of an tUachtarán, who has taken up Senator Conway's Private Members' motion about having history as a core subject on the curriculum. It is important that we commend that.

Senator Byrne referred to apprenticeships. We will have a debate on that issue in due course.

Senator Mulherin referred to education and the plight of old schools. She specifically referred to Barr na Caóige. I agree with the Leas-Chathaoirleach that raising this as a Commencement matter would, perhaps, be a more expeditious route in the context of obtaining a response. However, there is a need for local authorities, the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, Transport Infrastructure Ireland and schools to work together.

Senator Norris raised the issue of the posters being put up during the current referendum campaign. I reiterate what I said last week, namely, that I hope the Referendum Commission will have a role to play in the way in which posters are, first, being placed outside maternity hospitals, which is despicable and which we should all condemn-----

Hear, hear.

-----and, second, the misinformation that is contained in some of them. This matter highlights the need for an electoral commission to tackle such misinformation.

Senator Norris also raised the transgender issue. I do not have clarity for him on that matter but I will endeavour to obtain it. I beg his indulgence in that regard.

Senator Ó Donnghaile referred to Lord Kilclooney, as did Senators O'Reilly and Feighan. I thank Senator Ó Donnghaile for his email to the Cathaoirleach and to me. I concur with the comments of all three Senators and condemn Lord Kilclooney for his remarks. They were racist and inappropriate. Like other members of the unionist community, he should engage in the debate in a real way in order that we can protect the island of Ireland, North and South - green, white and orange - and work together to minimise the damage of Brexit. Lord Kilclooney's contribution was not helpful and he should apologise for it. All of us should stand united in condemning his remarks. The important point is that the comments of our new colleague, Senator Marshall, are those which we should reflect upon rather than the ill-timed remarks of Lord Kilclooney.

Tá an ceart ag an Seanadóir Buttimer.

I am happy to accept Senator Ó Domhnaill's amendment to the Order of Business.

I join Senator Gallagher in asking that the 1890 telephone number be reviewed. It beggars belief that when one calls a Department, one is charged an astronomical amount of money. As Senator Feighan said, it is an outdated model of delivery. I would be happy to have a debate on the matter in the House.

Senator Ned O'Sullivan raised the by-election and the love fest. The Fianna Fáil Party was trying to get Sinn Féin votes too but it fell short in that regard. As Senator Conway-Walsh would say, "Why would they anyway, given the hostility of Deputy Micheál Martin to them?" It is important to recognise that today is Senator Marshall's and Senator Lawlor's day.

I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach for his indulgence. I apologise to the Tánaiste for the delay. We have two new Members who spoke very eloquently. Again, I formally welcome them.

Two amendments have been proposed to the Order of Business. Senator Rose Conway-Walsh has moved: "That a debate with the Minister for Health on the matters which have come to light in relation to screening for cervical cancer be taken today." Is the amendment being pressed?

No. I accept what the Leader said and I hope the Minister will be before the House tomorrow or Thursday, but certainly at the earliest opportunity.

I will endeavour to have the Minister come to the House as soon as is possible.

I thank the Leader. The amendment is withdrawn by leave of the House. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Senator Brian Ó Domhnaill has moved an amendment: "That No. 19a be taken before No. 1." The Leader has indicated that he is agreeable to accepting the amendment. Is the amendment agreed? Agreed.