I thank the Senator and call on the Leader to respond.

I thank the 15 Members for their contributions. I commend Senator O'Reilly for the line of the morning, that we all thrive on affirmation. I join Senators Ardagh, Conway-Walsh, Reilly, Feighan, Warfield, Kieran O'Donnell, Craughwell, O'Reilly, Wilson and Conway in their condemnation of the remarks made by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, notwithstanding her apology this morning. As Senator Wilson said, all killing is wrong. This morning, in accepting her apology for her insensitive and inappropriate remarks, I believe she should reflect on her position. As Senator Reilly said, it is about building trust and about what former President McAleese said about building bridges with all communities. The comments in this House this morning have been in the main about reconciliation, building bridges and extending the hand of friendship, particularly in a post-Brexit era where, on this island, we need for all our traditions and beliefs to work together to ensure our island works together, north, south, east and west, green, white and orange. The visit by Senators O'Reilly, Marshall and Craughwell on Tuesday was an important one. Senators Marshall and O'Reilly spoke of inviting the women they met. However, as Senator Conway-Walsh said, it is also about listening to different voices in order that we can plan and not go back to the past but go to the future with confidence and hope. It is about belief. If we had stayed in the past, we would not be where we are today. We would not have the Good Friday Agreement, or the solidarity we have with the majority of people in the North who voted to remain. It is about ensuring there is justice and accountability on all sides of the violence in the North.

On Senator Feighan's contribution, all of us have an interest in, and a contribution to make on, the North.

It is, as Senator Joe O'Reilly said, by engagement and human interaction that we can learn and build. I was struck by his contribution in terms of the CLÁR and the sports capital grant and equally by the fact that is about engagement, by the visits of last Tuesday and by the people Senator Conway-Walsh spoke about and by having them in Leinster House, the people's house. We are the representatives of the people. It is about listening to and engagement with people that we can do that. I would be very happy to have that debate on the North and to have the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Coveney, come to the House after the St. Patrick's Day break. I thank Members for their positive contributions this morning.

The most important point from this morning's debate on the Order of Business is that we are open to working with and to engaging in dialogue to represent the people and to build a better Ireland. That is an Ireland where we are all equal and in which we can all aspire to be who we want to be.

Senator Ardagh raised an issue which Senator Devine raised the other morning, namely, Tusla. As I said then, and I will repeat it, the report was baffling and I will invite the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Zappone, to the House after St. Patrick's Day.

Gangland crime is a major source of worry to all Members and all communities. Senator Ardagh failed to recognise that this Government and the previous one reopened Templemore, the Garda training college and €1.8 billion has been given to An Garda Síochána to combat gangland crime and to look at ways to deter the criminal and the thug from continuing on this murderous spree.

Senator Ó Céidigh made a good contribution on small and medium enterprises and I would be very happy to have a debate following on from the report of the Seanad Public Consultation Committee. Competitiveness is important as are the points made by Senator Ó Céidigh in the context of Brexit. He must have listened to the Taoiseach's speech about tax, recognising entrepreneurship and enabling people to get up early and go to work. I am glad Senator Ó Céidigh is listening to the Taoiseach.

What about those on night duty?

The point he made, which is very relevant, is that it requires different skill sets to start and to grow a company.

Many men and women get up early and go to work but cannot live on the wages they are paid.

The good news Senator Craughwell is that unemployment is decreasing and there are more people at work now that at any time in the history of our State. Senator Craughwell was in Belfast when I made the point on the Order of Business about the increase in wages, but we will have a debate on that in due course.

I referred to Senator Conway-Walsh's comments and the important point is that in a post-Brexit era it is about listening to and working with Border communities.

Senator Humphreys spoke about the defective housing in housing estates. The Irish Times ran a series of articles on the matter. The worry for all of us, and the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government is not wrong, is that there is an open-ended liability if that is the line we follow. I agree with Senators Humphreys and Wilson that there is a need to go after those responsible. I have been in apartment complexes where one could put a car through the hole in the wall. In my city of Cork, one such apartment block was demolished. I am aware of Priory Hall. I agree with Members that we need to find a solution but it is a complex issue and has to be balanced by addressing the needs of the residents who bought apartments and houses in good faith and the responsibilities of the developer and the insurance companies. I will be happy to have the Minister come to the House to have a debate on the matter. We may not get a solution to it that might be to the liking of Members but I will be happy to have a debate because I am aware that some councils have spent money on it.

Solutions have been found in the past.

I am open to finding solutions. What I said was that we might not find a solution during the debate but I am open to finding one because we need to recognise the hurt and the financial distress to homeowners in these cases.

Senator Reilly spoke about obesity and the decision to grant planning permission to a fast food outlet in Fingal, which is disturbing. We are trying to promote Healthy Ireland and to reduce the level of obesity. I note there was a report today that called for the removal of vending machines selling chocolate and sweets in hospitals. The same principle applies in terms of the proximity of such places to crèches and schools. This is a worry that should be addressed.

Senator Leydon in his interesting contribution spoke about the contents of the deposit boxes in the bank vaults. I do not know whether I agree with Senator Kieran O'Donnell's proposal. The point he made on bank vaults was that the banks have an opportunity to work with the families of those who own the properties and the documentation in the vaults. The Dormant Accounts Fund has proved very successful.

Senator Warfield raised an issue in respect of the Eurovision Song Contest. I note his contribution. There is a part of me that agrees with him, that Ireland should boycott the Eurovision but another part thinks we should not. I agree that Israel must not be allowed to use the Eurovision as a propaganda weapon or tool or that any immoral or illegal behaviour cannot be condoned. It should be condemned outright. The Eurovision is not a political event and has never been used, apart from the voting perhaps, as a political activity but there are legitimate concerns being expressed by a variety of people on the hosting of the Eurovision by Israel. I am slow to boycott. If it was a sporting event, I would say the same thing, but I understand the points made and the right to legitimate protest is one that I welcome. I thank the Senator for raising the matter on the Order of Business.

Senator Ned O'Sullivan raised the issue of the Taoiseach's remarks last night. I was not in Clontarf Castle for the speech to which he referred. I think he should have said also that the Taoiseach recognised that the role played by Fianna Fáil in offering political stability was to be welcomed. The point made by the Taoiseach was that the Fianna Fáil spokesperson raised points about overselling the political declaration and that it might not work but it has worked. The political declaration, or the withdrawal agreement-----

We have to see that.

It is early days yet.

In fairness, it is not early days now. The reality is that-----

Withdraw that.

There were a number of points that I was not going to make but now that I am being heckled, I will make them.

Please. We have to be reasonable with one another.

It is time to make love and stop bickering with each other.

We have to be honest. Let me make two points. There is no such thing as a good outcome from Brexit. The party opposite is in this malaise about being prepared.

The Leader's party is in government.

Senator Wilson wishes his party was in government.

The Leader, without interruption.

The party opposite is in a malaise about preparedness. Not one member of the Fianna Fáil Party has explained to me or to the Irish people how can one be fully prepared for a hard Brexit.

We did not ask that.

Read it. The reality is that the Fianna Fáil Party has had an incoherent position since the beginning. The Taoiseach said also that the Fianna Fail leader is pretty good at wagging the finger the whole time. He is one of the best men I know for never being wrong about anything.

He has plenty to wag about.

He has to wag the finger at the members of his own party as he has to control some of the Members opposite.

Be respectful, please.

I am being very respectful, but may I agree with Senator Ned O'Sullivan on his very interesting discourse on the Trotskyites and the far left in our country. We are joined by some of them in this House, perhaps.

Petit bourgeois capitalists.

Senator Ned O'Sullivan just stole my words. In that article by Fiach Kelly, they are not too far from the centre.

Leave Senator Craughwell out of this.

The point the article highlights is that the centre must always hold in politics. I agree with Senator Ned O'Sullivan's comments in that regard. The other point relates to the threat to themselves or to us. We should all condemn the people to whom the Senator refers who are protesting outside the homes of Government Ministers and other politicians. Such behaviour has no place in a democracy. These protestors should be condemned out of hand. The Taoiseach was right in this regard. We are fair game on one level. By all means people may come to our offices and meet us but they should not engage with our families or our staff. I make that point very strongly.

Senator Conway's contribution regarding civil society, the Abbey Theatre and any opportunity to address the Seanad in this regard is really a matter for the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. I would be happy to defer to the committee in respect of these matters.

I thank Senators in advance for their co-operation on the Brexit omnibus Bill, which is due to come before the House next week. We are due to sit earlier next Tuesday. I encourage all Senators to participate in the debate. It is the biggest and most important debate we will have in the context of the future of our country. I hope all Senators will participate in the Second Stage and Committee Stage debates.