I thank the 11 Members of the House for their contribution to the Order of Business. Both Senators Ardagh and Murnane O'Connor raised the issue of the Rebuilding Ireland home loan, a Government backed mortgage scheme for first-time buyers launched in February 2018 with a projected 1,000 loans during a three-year period. The scheme has exceeded expectation. Some 575 people have been helped through this scheme to purchase their own home. A further 1,000 applicants have been approved and have not drawn down the funding. Both the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, and the Taoiseach have said that the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is in negotiations with the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government about continuing this very important scheme which allows people who have been refused a loan by the banks to be able to purchase their own home. We all want to see that happen.

What the Members opposite did not say was that the Government is considering increasing the cap above €200 million. The Government is consulting with the Central Bank of Ireland regarding loans being approved. As we all know this is a very important scheme for people which offers a pathway to being able to buy their own home. I certainly hope that we can have this done quickly. It is an important piece of the housing market. Members will know that people who avail of loans under this scheme are those who have had their loan applications rejected for a variety of reasons by commercial banks. I hope the Government, through the Central Bank of Ireland, will facilitate the continuation of this scheme and I very much look forward to the Government working to have the scheme re-opened.

A number of Members have raised the report of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Senators Ardagh and Conway-Walsh raised the issue of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. I join with Members in commending and congratulating the volunteers of the society for the significant work they do in communities across our country. They are a very important part of the social fabric of our society and assist many different people in a variety of ways.

In the five-year period from 2012 to 2017 our country was in the depths of the worst recession ever. Government took a number of steps in those times and subsequently to improve supports for lone parents. For example, the income thresholds for the working family payment were raised, rates for qualified children were increased, the earnings disregard for one-parent families and jobseeker transition payments were increased, and back to school clothing and footwear allowance was also increased. If an analysis of the four budgets from 2015 to 2019 was done, it would be seen that the average weekly income of lone parents has increased by €43.75 for those in employment and by €45 for those who are unemployed. This compares favourably with a weekly increase of €39.25 in the earnings of the average household. As a result of budget 2019, lone parents working 15 hours a week at the national minimum wage are now better off by €1,000 a year. Senator Conway-Walsh made reference to visits to doctors. It was this Government and the last Government that introduced the free GP scheme for those under six and those over 70. I know that does not apply in this case, but some people will want to hear that. I will be very happy to have the Minister, Deputy Regina Doherty, come to the House in respect of the scheme. Last week the Children's Rights Alliance published its 2018 report card which showed that budget 2018 and budget 2019 included measures specifically aimed at supporting families on low incomes. I will be happy to have the Minister come to the House in that regard.

Senator Ardagh also raised the issue of electric and motorised scooters and the challenges they present. I will have the Minister, Deputy Ross, come to the House with regard to that matter.

Senator McDowell, Senator Boyhan and, indirectly, Senator Humphreys raised the issue of the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill. I am not going to add any fuel to the fire or add anything to Senator McDowell's comments regarding tweets and newspaper reports in respect of the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill last weekend. Members of this House have their views on the Bill and I respect those views entirely. As Leader of the Seanad and on behalf of the Government, it is my job to facilitate all requests in the House. Requests are made every day and I will always try to facilitate them. If Senator Boyhan was discommoded, I sincerely apologise to him. The email to the Cathaoirleach went out at 3.30 p.m. the day after the group meeting. That is one day. I do not believe that discommoded people but, if it did, I apologise. As Senator Boyhan knows quite well, the schedule is an indicative schedule. As I said in this House and in the group meeting, it is my intent to put the Bill on the schedule whenever the Minister for Justice and Equality is available. That is what I have done.

We accept the apology.

I have no problem-----

The firm purpose of the amendment was to-----

If Senator Boyhan was discommoded, I apologise to him. I would never discommode Senator Boyhan or any other Member in any shape or form. Senator Boyhan knows that.

It need not be discussed further; the apology has been accepted.

The Senator, or any other Member, is well able to pick up the telephone and call me, to type an email to me, or to text me. I am very available and I am very flexible when it comes to changing schedules. Members can testify to my ability to reach across the aisle. As the Senator knows quite well, the schedule is indicative and subject to change. Lest there be any confusion and lest people get upset in the future, I will again say to Members of the House that it is my intention to have the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill on the schedule whenever the Minister for Justice and Equality is available to take it, if it is not concluded this week. Members should know that. Let there be no confusion.

The Leader has been perfectly clear.

I will repeat it again because I think it is important-----

Oh my God.

-----to ensure that there will be no ambiguity, that people will not be upset or discommoded, and that people will not be crying or going to the media with reports of this, that or the other thing.

No, that is the Leader.

I have never spoken off the record to members of the media.

We accept the Order of Business.

I assure the Senator that I-----

We decide the Order of Business, not the Leader.

I have never gone to members of the media to brief-----

We decide the Order of Business, not the Leader.

-----them on any Bill or on the schedule of the Seanad. I assure the Senator of that fact quite sincerely on the floor of this House. I have never done that, nor will I do so.

If Senator Boyhan reads the article that Senator McDowell-----

You should let me finish instead of interrupting me. I did not mention you.

The Leader should speak through the Chair.

You are not chairing the House.

On a point of order, can the Leas-Chathaoirleach exercise his role and ask the Leader to speak through the Chair?

I have asked the Leader to respond.

I have always done that. I wish other Members would do the same.

Order, please. This subject has been amplified enough. Senators must calm down.

Let me say it again. I have never tried to divide the House. If Senator Boyhan was really discommoded, I sincerely apologise to him. I would not want to upset him in any way because I know how sensitive about issues he can be at times.

Senator Boyhan accepts the apology. I ask the Leader to move on.

I will never recoil-----

We do not want any personal comments. Let us move on.

If we do not conclude the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017 this week, it is my intention to place it on the schedule as soon as the Minister for Justice and Equality is available.

The Senator has made that clear.

I will repeat again for the benefit of the House-----

Please.

No, it is important. I have never briefed any journalist against a Member or on the Bill, other than to answer questions I have been asked about the number of hours of debate. I have only done that to clarify when Members of the House have gone to the media with inaccuracies about the number of hours we have spent on the Bill.

Senator Humphreys mentioned breastfeeding, which is a very important issue. He and Senator Noone have raised the matter before. There is a whole new dynamic in the school setting given the changes in our school communities. I would be happy for the Minister to come to the House. To get a more expeditious reply, it may be more appropriate to have the matter raised as a Topical Issue or to submit it for the Commencement debate. I would be happy for the Minister to come to the House.

I would be happy to submit a Topical Issue matter.

Senator Lawlor made a very important contribution regarding the issuing of licences by the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA. I do not have the answer, but a Commencement matter might be useful in getting a quick response.

Senator Gallagher raised the national broadband plan. He failed to recognise that his party in government sold off Eircom and delayed the national strategy by a generation. The Taoiseach has asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Deputy Richard Bruton, to prepare a report on costing and the signalling around due diligence on the part of officials. The Minister and the Minister for Finance, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, will come back to the Cabinet and the Houses of the Oireachtas regarding the matter. Senator Gallagher also failed to recognise that his party colleague, Deputy Dooley, made reference to the ESB. We all recognise that the Government cannot just ask the ESB to manage broadband under the national broadband plan. That is a harebrained idea that should be knocked on the head.

Senator Colm Burke raised the issue of planning. It is important that due regard is given to a master plan in the drawing up of county development plans and city development plans. The points the Senator made are very relevant. I will have the Minister come to the House.

Senators Warfield, Murnane O'Connor and Devine referred to yesterday's announcement by the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment of a new digital safety commission Bill that will come before the House. We will have that debate in due course. We all recognise that in an evolving and changing world there is a need for a greater emphasis on accountability and transparency. I cannot say why the Department is pursuing its own Bill as opposed to working with Deputy Ó Laoghaire, Deputy Lawless or others on their Bills. The Government and Department are coming together to bring their own Bill forward. However, when we see Bills that are workable it is important to embrace them.

The point made by Senator Devine around notifiable diseases is an important one, about which we must be very vigilant. We should also promote vaccination. I would be happy for the Minister for Health to come to the House to address the matter.