I take this opportunity to congratulate Senators Marshall and Lawlor on their recent election to this House. I congratulate all of the candidates who took part in those by-elections.

I take this opportunity to indicate that I intend to reintroduce - for Committee Stage debate - the Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2013 to the Order Paper next week. The Bill passed Second Stage during the lifetime of the previous Seanad. It proposes to extend the franchise for Seanad by-elections to all eligible county and city councillors. I look forward to all-party agreement on seeking to have the Bill passed before the end of the year.

I join Senator Warfield in recalling that today is the 44th anniversary of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings when 34 people lost their lives in three bombing incidents in Dublin and one in Monaghan. Twenty-seven people were killed in Dublin and seven were killed in Monaghan, including an unborn child. Over 300 people were injured. I ask the Deputy Leader to work with the Leader to ensure that the families of those victims get the justice they deserve and the truth of exactly what happened 44 years ago.

Finally, I have visited the Balmoral Show on many occasions and I look forward to doing so again. As the Cathaoirleach said, there are many fine shows throughout the Thirty-two Counties but as an Ulster man I must say the best major show is held in Balmoral.

I would love to attend the Balmoral Show with Senator Marshall and the other Senators but it will not happen for me this year.

With regard to the North and Brexit, it is clear that the UK remaining aligned with the customs union is perhaps the only way to resolve the continuing dilemma over the UK's future relationship with the European Union, thereby removing the Irish backstop obligation. The matter is under discussion in Brussels between Michel Barnier's team and the team of the Brexit secretary, Mr. David Davis. Hopefully, they can find a suitable way through it. Alignment with the rules of the Internal Market and customs union, supporting North-South co-operation, the all-island economy and the Good Friday Agreement, would be a most suitable resolution, regardless of what it might be called. I am sure a term for it would not be beyond the bureaucrats and wordsmiths when necessary. This would mean the UK as a whole, not just Northern Ireland, remaining aligned and it would mean no customs checks either on the Border or on the Irish Sea. I am looking at Senator Marshall because I am sure he sees, perhaps more plainly than some of us, that this should suit all Irish interests, including those of the unionist community in the North, which seems to be so upset about the backstop and so forth. That is something we should encourage, and I have no doubt that we are doing that.

As I was not present yesterday I wish, belatedly, to offer my sympathy on the passing of the great playwright, Tom Murphy. He was certainly one of the great playwrights of our time, along with Brian Friel and my late townsman John B. Keane. It is a huge loss. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

I support Senator Wilson's call for an enlargement of the franchise for future Seanad by-elections. The entire franchise would be approximately 1,000 people, which is not a huge number. I have already congratulated the two successful candidates and wished them well here.

Finally, I welcome the announcement by Shannon Foynes Port Company of a €64 million development of the port, which will develop land-side and port-side infrastructure. There will be expenditure of €20 million on increasing the marine port handling facilities. I was a director of that port company for 16 years. It is the most important port in the country outside of Dublin. Its continued growth even through a huge recession has been remarkable. Any infrastructure investment in Foynes is an investment not just for Limerick but also for Kerry, Clare and the mid-west region in general. I wish the company well for the future with this huge project.