I thank the ten Members of the House who contributed on the Order of Business. I join Senator Mark Daly and your good self, a Leas-Chathaoirligh, in welcoming the visit of Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, to Cork today and to Kerry tomorrow. As Senator Mark Daly rightly said, it is about building bridges and in a post-Brexit era cementing the Good Friday Agreement but also recognising the diversity that exists and that friendships are being forged. While I was not invited to the gathering today in Cork, I am delighted-----

The Leader is welcome in Kerry any time.

-----that peace has broken out between Senator Mark Daly and the Leas-Chathaoirleach, Senator Coghlan, and that they can both share in the royal visit tomorrow to beauty's home.

I am sure Senator Daly will join me in enjoying the cucumber sandwiches and the strawberries and cream.

Lovely.

And the gin and tonic.

I hope you will have more than cucumber sandwiches, a Leas-Chathaoirligh.

Some nice cupcakes would be lovely.

It is an historic visit which builds on the visit of the Queen to Ireland. Is it not great that we have Senator Feighan who can travel and speak so eloquently and so passionately across Europe-----

And the world.

-----and the world as well, championing EU-Ireland-UK relations but, more important, North-South and Ireland-UK relations? To be fair to him, the work he does perhaps goes under the radar and is not recognised in the way it should be. I thank him for that work. I know I am repeating myself but today is an extraordinary day that we have Prince Charles visiting. The welcome he will receive in Cork and Kerry is a sign of the maturity in our country.

I join Senator Mark Daly in acknowledging that we must tackle the large amount of plastic in the oceans. The Senator referred to the Little Skellig. World Oceans Day took place last week. The EU has imposed a ban on ten single-use plastic items. Senator Grace O'Sullivan has repeatedly made the point that we cannot ignore any longer the negative impact of plastics on the oceans. It is something we must tackle. I am happy to have the Minister come to the House in regard to the matter raised.

Today, we also remember the people who were tragically killed in the Grenfell Tower fire. A total of 71 people lost their lives. The inquiry is ongoing. It is worth remembering that those people were killed and the families of the bereaved deserve answers. Senator Mark Daly referred to the Corporate Manslaughter (No. 2) Bill 2016, which he introduced. I am aware that he has been engaging with the Department on the issue. As Leader, I will not stop the Bill coming before the House. That is a matter for the Senator and the Department and I hope there will be positive engagement with the Senator on the matter.

Senators Boyhan and Horkan raised the National Treatment Purchase Fund, NTPF. As Senator Boyhan rightly acknowledged, an extra €55 million was allocated to the fund this year. We have seen an attempt to tackle inpatient day cases with an action plan which has been promoted, promulgated and published by the Department of Health, the HSE and the NTPF.

Some 1.14 million hospital operations or procedures will take place this year and the NTPF will deliver 20,000 day case treatments. I accept the points made by Senators Victor Boyhan and Gerry Horkan about the figures being too high, but the previous Government did not get rid of the NTPF. Through the special delivery unit, we used moneys to reduce inpatient waiting times to eight months and waiting times for patients on trolleys by one third. This issue needs to be addressed because the numbers are unacceptably high. I make no apology for the fact that we should invest more through Sláintecare.

I welcome the boundary commission's publication. Yesterday was like Christmas Eve for many local authority members, as well as Senators. There are some who will be happy and some who will be unhappy. The Minister published the independent report last night and I hope it will be enacted soon. I will be happy to have a debate on it.

I do not believe there is a plan to privatise Irish Water. The all-party Oireachtas committee did not entertain the idea. As such, I am not sure if there will be a referendum on the issue. To the best of my knowledge, there definitely will not be such a referendum in the autumn, but I will endeavour to find out for the Senator.

Senator Grace O'Sullivan referred to the resignations yesterday in the south east. It is an important issue. Notwithstanding the fact that an extra €200 million has been allocated for mental health services, there has been a recruitment campaign. Of the 44 posts advertised, no applications were received for one quarter of them, while only one was received for 30%. There is a failure to recruit. From my inquiries, the Minister of State responsible, Deputy Jim Daly, is not in Leinster House today and the Minister for Health is in the Dáil. However, I would be happy to facilitate a debate early next week, perhaps on Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on the Ministers' availability.

Senator Rose Conway-Walsh raised the issue of Ms Muojeke's deportation. I am not familiar with the issue, but if the Senator gives me the information, I will be happy to give it to the relevant Minister.

Senators Rose Conway-Walsh and Robbie Gallagher raised the issue of teaching principals. The INTO's pre-budget briefing session is being held today. I will attend it later. I acknowledge the work principals are doing, particularly walking principals who have to balance being teachers with their administrative duties. More must be done in that regard. This and previous Governments have introduced measures for all principals, but there is a sliding scale. Listening to the Senators, one would swear there had been no investment in primary education, but there has. Recruitment has allowed posts of responsibility to be restored, while there has been investment in other aspects, for example, school buildings and the provision of special needs assistants and teachers. However, we need to do more regarding walking principals. A significant burden is being imposed on them in that they are now charged with managing staff, parents, boards of management and students and ensuring their schools are sufficiently resourced. I will be happy to organise a debate on the matter with the Minister for Education and Skills who has been in the House a number of times.

Specifically on this matter.

Yes.

Senators David Norris and Kevin Humphreys have the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Shane Ross, on their brains constantly. The Minister has frequently participated in Seanad debates on transport. As a group of legislators, we need to reflect on our transport needs. This is national bike week. Part of the problem, one that I see in Cork, is that we are promoting an alternative to use of the car on roads and streets that have not been designed for public transport or vast volumes of traffic. We must make realignments. I will be happy to have the Minister attend the House to discuss the issue.

Senator James Reilly mentioned Skerries. I commend him for being proactive on the matter. He is correct, in that an independent report is needed on the difficulties being faced in Skerries where there have been up to 20 water outages and residents have been discommoded. I will be happy to arrange a debate on the issue.

I agree with Senators Gerry Horkan and Michelle Mulherin on the issue of public liability insurance. I will be happy to have the Minister of State, Deputy Michael D'Arcy, return to the House to discuss it. There has been a reduction in the cost of car insurance of between 14% and 20% since its peak in 2016, but there is a genuine concern about fraud, claims and public liability insurance. I commend the Senators for their contributions and will be happy to arrange such a debate.

I will not revisit Senator Frank Feighan's Commonwealth argument, which has been settled, although to be fair, his point was worth reiterating. Last week the Taoiseach visited east and west Belfast where he received a warm reception, recognising that it is a country of green, white and orange. As such, we must represent all of the people. Some said he should not have launched the féile, but I disagree. Some said he should not have visited the Orange Order, but I disagree with them, too. Just as a representative of the Orange Order addressed the Seanad, it was a positive move. If we want to build a lasting peace in the country, we must, as Senator Mark Daly said, build bridges that are strong, stable and cemented in communities and people's hearts. We can hold our respective views. Everyone has them. We all value one another as citizens, irrespective of our religion, background and ideology, but let us celebrate the successes and ensure a return to power-sharing at Stormont, while also voicing the view that, in terms of Brexit, it is one island.

I thank Senator Kevin Humphreys for his remarks and commend Senator Gerald Nash for the motion that will be before the House next Tuesday on a public apology. As a member of the LGBT community, it will be an extraordinary event. There will be a commemoration of 25 years of decriminalisation, as well as a public apology to the men who were harmed by a State that made it a cold place for them to live. I thank Members for their co-operation.

I thank the group leaders and Whips for their co-operation last night when there was a clash with the taking of the justice motion in the Dáil. I appreciate that the email was sent late, but it could not be helped. I thank Members for their support.

If Senator Grace O'Sullivan accepts my compromise on the amendment proposed, I will be happy to have the debate on next Tuesday or Wednesday.

Senator Grace O'Sullivan has proposed an amendment to the Order of Business: "That the Minister for Health attend the Seanad today to discuss the crisis in consultant psychiatric staffing in Waterford and Wexford." She has heard what the Leader had to say. What does she want to do?

I accept the Leader's comments. I want to see the matter on the Order Paper next week. Otherwise, I will return to the House and call a vote on the issue.

I will include it in the schedule for Tuesday or Wednesday, subject to ministerial availability. It is an important matter and I will pursue it for the Senator via Ms Orla Murray in my office.