I wish to raise a matter raised previously by Senator Devine, who quoted people incorrectly. It is important to realise that between 22 December 2018 and 2 January 2019, there are 12 days. Seven of those are weekends or public holidays. The issue that arises relates to moving people out of hospital and into step-down facilities. What the Taoiseach was referring to is the fact that many people who are in hospital can be moved to step-down facilities. Last night, I spoke to people involved with Nursing Homes Ireland, NHI, who told me that, in the three-week period from Christmas day, they have very little contact with the HSE or hospitals regarding the taking patients into step-down facilities. I draw attention to work done by NHI as far back as June, July and August in the context of engaging with the unit dealing with the hospitals winter programme. The NHI received a letter on 31 August from the HSE's special delivery unit outlining that, at the emergency department task force meeting on Thursday, 30 August, the agenda for the forum was amended and the NHI presentation was removed from the programme. It is not acceptable that NHI attendance on the day was relegated to a network opportunity and not true collaboration. The NHI represents a sector that is prepared to help deal with hospital overcrowding but it was excluded by the HSE's special delivery unit. I also have before me a letter, dated 31 October 2018, from Ms Anne O'Connor, co-chair of the emergency department task force, and Ms Phil Ní Sheaghdha, head of the INMO, which advises the NHI that its correspondence will be brought to the attention of the emergency department task force for discussion at its next meeting in November. We are talking about correspondence from June, July and August being discussed in November, when we are already into the winter period. The same person from the INMO was on the radio giving out about what the Taoiseach said. The co-chair of the task force is not prepared to engage with the NHI, which is prepared to help deal with hospital overcrowding. This needs to be put on the record and we need to know why the task force is not engaging with NHI and is not prepared to plan for the three-week period in early January in order to take patients out of the hospital sector and make accommodation available to them in step-down facilities where required. We need answers on this issue from the task force. We need to know why it is not engaging with the people who are prepared to provide a service.

I second Senator Craughwell's proposed amendment to the Order of Business to the effect that the House discuss the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill until 5 p.m. and then adjourn. That was the time originally circulated to all Senators last week. On a serious note, many of us made arrangements - in my case, childcare arrangements - on foot of that 5 p.m. finish. I do not believe it is in keeping with family-friendly workplace procedures to have a sudden change to the schedule like this, to such a late hour on a weekday evening-----

That would distress the Minister, Deputy Ross, no end.

----- particularly when the Bill in question is not a matter of urgency. Those of us involved in politics - in my case, for what seems like a very long time - have no difficulty with sitting for long hours and sitting late-----

A long and honourable time.

I thank the Senator.

We have no issue with sitting late to deal with matters of an emergency nature or in respect of something that is urgent. This is not either and I am one of the very few Members who, like Senators Norris and McDowell, has sat through many hours of Judicial Appointments Commission Bill debate and I still have quite a number of points to make on that legislation. Indeed, the Labour Party has tabled a number of amendments which have yet to be debated. In that context, I am anxious to ensure that I am here for the full debate but I have made arrangements and it would be very difficult for me to be here until late tonight. On that basis, I am opposing the Order of Business as proposed by Senator Buttimer and seconding Senator Craughwell's amendment which proposes that we debate the Bill until 5 p.m. and then adjourn. We can come back and debate the Bill further and take as long as it takes.

On a related note concerning childcare and the workplace, I was delighted that we could all support the Fianna Fáil Private Member's legislation, the Parental Leave (Amendment) Bill, last night. Senator Ó Ríordáin spoke on behalf of the Labour Party. We are very anxious that this Bill would be progressed through the House. It progressed through the Dáil, despite being a Private Member's Bill from the Social Democrats, with all-party support and I hope that the same will happen in this House. I know that those of us on the Opposition benches will work together to ensure that it passes without delay. There are so many people contacting Members who are hoping to see the extensions to parental leave proposed in the Bill coming into force.

I thank the Minister of State at the Department of Justice and Equality, Deputy Stanton, for organising the display of the Fearless Girl statue in Leinster House today. It is wonderful to see that icon of gender equality and women's rights in the House.

Senator Ned O'Sullivan is next. I congratulate him on his new appointment.