On my own behalf and on behalf of the House, I pay tribute to our former colleague and friend, John Browne, former Member of the Dáil and the Seanad, who passed away last week. John was a sincere, genuine and committed Oireachtas Member who gave Trojan service to the people of County Carlow and in the Houses. On my own behalf and on behalf of Fine Gael, I express our sympathies to his family. His son, Fergal, is a former Senator and I will pay tribute to him in due course. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

I thank the 13 Senators who contributed to the Order of Business. Senators Ardagh, Colm Burke and Conway-Walsh raised the issue of vulture funds and the appearance by officials from the Department of Finance at today's meeting of the finance committee. I note that Senator Conway-Walsh did not refer to the contributions of Mario Draghi or Professor Lane in respect of the Sinn Féin Bill, which would incur a cost for mortgage holders due to higher mortgage costs and the higher mortgage interest that would accrue. I am sure we all would agree with the sentiments expressed about vulture funds, the need to keep people in their homes, and the number of people who are able to remain in and buy property. As Senator Colm Burke noted, we need to reduce the volume of borrowing. Deposits in banks are currently greater than borrowings, and it is important that we consider long-term leasing, such as for terms of 20 years, which is common in other countries, as Senator Colm Burke has previously outlined. I would be happy if that debate was taken in the House.

The words of Professor Lane in respect of the Bill before the committee that Senator Conway-Walsh mentioned are important. The Bill would serve little purpose and undermine the banking system, for all its faults.

It has become a major source of worry for all of us. We must listen to what Mr. Draghi said about the costs and selling on performing loans, but I would be happy to have the Minister come to the House for a debate on the matter.

Senators Ardagh, Devine, Reilly and Conway-Walsh raised the important matter of World Autism Day which is part of our national autism week. It is disappointing that the Bill proposed by Senator Reilly has not come back to the House. It is about having a national strategy and ensuring we join the dots to have a whole-of-Government, interdepartmental approach to autism that places children and adults with autism front and centre. The Bill proposed by Senator Reilly is reasonable and far-reaching and it seeks to place an onus on Government to engage on a cross-departmental basis and revert. Equally, the Sinn Féin Party has a Dáil motion tonight on which we all agree. To be fair, Senator Reilly has been the forerunner, first as Minister and now in the House. It is unacceptable that there has been an inordinate delay in the current Minister coming back with a response. I would be happy to have him come to the House to discuss the matter with us. During this autism awareness week, it is important to understand that we have not completed the jigsaw regarding the provision of services and supports for people with autism and their families. That includes respite and other services. I am as disappointed and as critical as other Members on some of the lack of action by Government. I commend the D12 campaign for its proactivity in the matter.

Senator Craughwell raised a number of issues in his earnest and interesting contribution. There is no rush by any local authority to increase property tax rates in tandem with Government.

I hope not.

As we heard today in the Chamber, there are some who do not want to pay for anything at all. I finished a book at the weekend on Cork in the 1980s. It included an interesting piece on an advisor to Jack Lynch who warned him against the abolition of rates in 1977. Look at what happened as a consequence. We have a responsibility to pay for services and cannot just be populist about everything.

Should the Government not say before the election what we will be paying?

If the Government did that, Senator Craughwell and his colleagues would come here every day shouting and roaring from the rooftops about whatever happened around the issue of property tax.

Never.

They would accuse the Government of being draconian, Dickensian and whatever else they wanted. It is important to put matters in perspective. The Minister for Finance is undertaking a process. Let us allow that process to conclude.

The Senator raised also the issue of pay for councillors and their services. I agree with him fully and it is not because we are on the same panel and are trying to look after our constituents as Members of this House; on the contrary. Local government is a very important part of our democracy and I have always made the point that councillors should be full time and paid a proper salary. The Moorhead review is imminent, albeit I am not sure it will be published before or after the local elections. It will address the issues of pay, conditions and supports for councillors. I agree with Senator Craughwell that issues of pay and their power are very frustrating for councillors at local government level. Their role has expanded with the introduction of municipal districts in some cases and bigger, longer and wider electoral areas. It is a matter we need to address. I have just returned from Kiev where the presidential election took place at the weekend. Strangely enough, the one thing people over there did not mind doing was paying for their democracy and putting local and central government supports in place. It is something we need a stronger voice on in the Oireachtas. We can all go down the road of populism with regard to pay and conditions, but it is important to pay councillors a just and fair salary and to get rid of the caper of running around the country to attend conferences and whatever.

The other point made by Senators Craughwell and Byrne is that I welcome the publication today by the Minister of State, Deputy Phelan, on directly elected mayors with executive functions. It is important we support the plebiscite to give for the first time in this country directly elected mayors an opportunity to stand for office. It is an innovative and transformative potential for local government. I look forward to having the debate in this Chamber but also across the designated cities that are going to have mayors. I am aware that Senator Byrne has been very forceful and strong in Limerick. It is important and incumbent upon Government to travel to the cities in question, to have public meetings and information campaigns in the cities of Cork, Galway, Waterford or Limerick to inform people of the potential benefit accruing to a city from directly elected mayors. I apologise, as Galway is not on this list.

Senator Devine also raised the issue of vaccination. It is important that we remember Laura Brennan who was a champion.