The Order of Business is No. 1, motion re arrangements for the sitting of the House on Wednesday, 17 April 2019 and Thursday, 18 April 2019, to be taken on the conclusion of the Order of Business, without debate; No. 2, Gaming and Lotteries (Amendment) Bill 2019 – Order for Second Stage and Second Stage, to be taken at 4.45 p.m. and to adjourn at 6.30 p.m., with the contributions of group spokespersons not to exceed eight minutes and those of all other Senators not to exceed five minutes; and No. 3, Aircraft Noise (Dublin Airport) Bill 2018 – Committee and Remaining Stages, to be taken at 6.30 p.m.

First, I would like to extend my sympathy and that of the Fianna Fáil group to the residents of Paris and the people of France on the burning of Notre Dame cathedral last night.

I presume most of us have spent some time in Paris and photographed the cathedral which is one of the most iconic churches in the world. It is a real shame that it has burned down. I hope it will be rebuilt at speed.

I would like to comment on the announcement made by VHI that it will cover the cost of some high-tech drugs for its private cancer care patients. However, some of the drugs will not be available to cancer patients being treated in the public healthcare system. As someone whose family was struck by cancer, the announcement is sickening. It is unfair to think patients who are members of VHI will receive a different level of treatment. We have always held ourselves up as having one of the best cancer strategies and there was fairness when it came to cancer care. Oncologists are telling us that, from tomorrow, some patients suffering from the same illness will receive high-tech drugs, while others will not. That is hugely unfair. I ask the Minister for Health to comment on the matter as it is a source of huge concern.

I wish to discuss the issue of corporate governance. Obviously, we have all been fascinated by the goings on in the Football Association of Ireland, FAI. We learned that its own auditors had reported it to the Companies Registration Office, CRO, for breaches of accountancy reporting standards. The Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement, ODCE, probably will come on board. For other organisations, we must ensure the ODCE is properly resourced to deal with these issues when it comes to investigating individuals in the context of corporate governance. The spotlight is on the FAI, but there many organisations of this type in the country. The ODCE has a long list of cases to deal with, but it is incumbent on us to ensure it is properly resourced to deal with the fallout from the discrepancies in corporate governance.

I have a problem with the Order of Business in the time allocated for the Taoiseach's visit on Thursday. The nature of my problem is that an hour and a half has been allocated. Presumably, the Taoiseach will have the bones of half an hour to address us and a quarter of an hour at the end, with the remaining time to be divided between the spokespersons for the six groups represented in this House, who will have eight minutes each, leaving a pitiful amount of time for other Members of the House in which to contribute. I note that the schedule, as proposed, states Members may share time. How exactly can one share three minutes? I do not know. Even in being very economical in making speeches, it is not really dignified to expect Members of a House of Parliament to make a point in 90 seconds. I, therefore, object to the allocation of time proposed.

The other day I heard a member of the Government say on radio that the judicial council legislation and the capping of damages were being held up in this House in considering the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill. That is simply false. The Judicial Appointments Commission Bill has passed through Committee Stage and the only thing holding it back is the Government's consideration of Report Stage amendments. The Bill has had a fair wind in this House. It is completely false to give the public the impression that consideration of the question of civil liability and damages is being held up because of the length of time it is taking to consider the judicial appointments commission legislation. The time allocated to debate the Bill is a matter for the Government, as is the order of priority of legislation.

The third point I wish to make is that this House is now more than halfway through its expected term and we have made very little progress on its reform. The people of Ireland voted to retain this House and they were told by the then Taoiseach, Deputy Enda Kenny, that he would embark on a programme of reform. It was included in the programme for Government that he negotiated. That was nearly the end of the story because nothing was done about it until the Taoiseach established a group chaired by me, despite the opposition of the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Ross. The group produced a report. Appended to the report was legislation, drafted by a draftsman paid for by the Department of the Taoiseach, to implement the reform on a phased basis, with nothing rushed. Nobody in the House was likely to be affected by it for a term and a half at least. Most Members, if they are re-elected, are assured of two further terms in the House if they play their cards correctly.

In those circumstances we have surely reached a stage now where something should be done about this. It is cynical to the greatest extent to see this simply left aside and put on a shelf. It is about time we confronted the issue. I must now make it a public issue. I have been reluctant to do so but the only way to get action on it is to bring it to the attention of the public, which I intend to do. I have limited powers of attracting publicity but I will deploy such powers as I have in that respect to ensure some progress is made, one way or the other, with that legislation.

Your powers to attract public attention have not diminished much in the last 20 years, Senator. I call Senator Conway-Walsh.