I praise the Men's Sheds Association which operates throughout the length and breadth of this country. As Members know, the emergence of men's sheds is a fairly recent development and they are now located in many areas around the country. I am familiar with the one in Monaghan town. It has been a great development and offers great solace as well as outreach to men who for one reason or another feel isolated. They could be retired or unemployed. The groups are made up of tradespersons of all ilks. It is a fantastic organisation that deserves great praise. In light of all that, it is difficult to understand the decision by the HSE and the Government to cut funding to the Men's Sheds Association nationally by up to 7%. We are talking about a cut of almost €19,000. That is most regrettable and will affect their ability to function as a national association. It is difficult to understand the thinking behind the cut given the relatively small amount of money involved and the immeasurable return for society.

I am sure I speak for most men when I say that a lot of us find it difficult to talk, to open up and discuss how we are feeling, especially when we are feeling down. The Men's Sheds Association reaches out to people who are going through difficult times and offers them a base where they can meet people, have a chat and a cup of tea and get involved in voluntary and community projects. It has been a great success story. For that reason, I am astonished that the Government would decide to cut its funding. I ask the Leader to bring this up with the Minister for Health and get the funding reinstated as a matter of urgency.

Many of my colleagues will be aware of the good work done by the PEACE IV programme, funding for which comes through the European Regional Development Fund, ERDF. It brings €270 million into the country. Projects are 85% funded from Europe. Cavan, Monaghan, Donegal, Leitrim, Louth and Sligo directly benefit. The programme funds shared educational initiatives for children and young people among other projects. It is a very important fund. For example, Cavan County Council gets in excess of €1 million for PEACE projects. Its importance is highlighted in particular in the context of the fighting and trouble in Derry over recent nights. The fund is crucial.

The European Social Fund is also crucial for employment. It has funded a number of initiatives throughout the country. I am very familiar with a number of them in Cavan and Monaghan. I call on the Leader to arrange a special debate in this House to discuss with the relevant Ministers - if necessary we could have more than one debate - how to keep the funds in place and to prevent them being reduced following Brexit. Even though we will be losing the UK from the EU the funds should be maintained at the same level. The European Social Fund, which deals with unemployment in general and the creation of employment, would be much more crucial in a post-Brexit situation. We need to protect PEACE IV, the European Social Fund and regional funding for the entire Border area. I call on the Leader to provide a debate on the issue to ensure that none of the funding is lost. I previously called on the Leader to arrange a debate to hold on to the Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, in its entirety but, similarly, I want to ensure we can hold onto those programmes because Ireland needs them. Such a debate is urgently required. Now is the time to address this issue.

I welcome the remarks of Senator Lombard on developing a long-term strategic plan for agriculture. Given the increased stocking levels of an extra 365,000 cows in the country I accept there is a stocking crisis and a fodder crisis. As Senator Grace O'Sullivan said earlier, there is an environmental crisis. Senator Lombard has an opportunity this evening to vote against the Heritage Bill, which attacks the very environment we have been trying to protect over a long period in this House. When the vote is called this evening I hope he puts his vote where his mouth is and votes down the Bill.

I have great respect for Senators Noone and McFadden who voiced their opinions on the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill. I recognise that Fine Gael has made an agreement with the Independent Alliance on the programme for Government. I can very well understand Senator Noone's remarks that she is better staying within Fine Gael and fighting for change and I respect that but perhaps Fine Gael would try to assist the Minister, Deputy Ross, in his ten core principles and priorities that are laid down by the Independent Alliance. One of those is to abolish the party whip in Leinster House. I suggest that perhaps we would have a conversation with the Independent Alliance and that Fine Gael would assist it on a trial basis on this occasion in that the whip would not be applied on the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill and that one of the Independent Alliance's core principles would be trialled over a number of days and let all parties vote without the whip being applied on a very important pillar of our democracy. Perhaps no party should apply a whip on this occasion and let people vote according to what they see as being the correct thing to do.