I dtús báire, ar mo shon féin agus ar son Fhine Gael, cuirim fáilte mhór roimh an Seanadóir nua, Pippa Hackett. Déanaim comhghairdeas léi. In congratulating Senator Hackett, I welcome her on behalf of all of us to the House. I pay tribute to her two children, Heidi and George, for their endurance in what has been a test of strength for them in the House this afternoon. I also pay tribute to her husband, Mark. Today is a very proud day for the Senator and her family and I wish her every success in her term, whether it is to 2021 or to February, March, April or May.

I have not been wrong yet.

True.

Has the coalition agreed a date?

Watch this space.

Senator Hackett's maiden speech as a Member of this House is one she can look back on with pride. She is serving not just the people of Offaly but the people of Ireland. She has come on a huge journey as the first Green Party councillor elected in Offaly last year and I certainly hope she will not displace our Deputy, Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy, in Offaly in the general election.

The vast majority of the House paid tribute to the late Gay Byrne, who tragically passed away yesterday. Many eloquent words have been spoken by many Members, in particular Senator Marie-Louise O'Donnell, on the prowess which Gay Byrne had as a broadcaster. This morning, Sean O'Rourke summed it up pretty well when he said we were all part of a national wake remembering, commemorating and celebrating the life of a broadcaster who, despite the comments of some, shone a light into dark corners, opened up a window for many in our country and gave a voice to those who were voiceless. The letters written to radio stations from people across the country give a powerful reminder of Gay Byrne. I remind the House that the late John Charles McQuaid had the temerity to write to RTÉ to say he was in charge of what RTÉ could broadcast in the context of Gay Byrne. How we have travelled as a country. Gay Byrne was part of that journey, along with others. He was an enlightened man and one who gave people a voice but he was also a broadcaster. We use the phrase "ní bheidh a leithéid arís ann" far too easily but it is true.

He was the first. He was iconic. As Senator Mullen said, there were some who agreed with him and some who did not agree with him. That is the democracy and the Republic in which we live. We pay tribute to him and thank him for his service to the Irish people. We thank his wife and his two daughters for allowing us to live our lives with him. We hope that in their time of mourning and sorrow they will remember the good Gay Byrne brought to the lives of so many people but also that they will be comforted by the prayers and the thoughts of the people of Ireland. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

I welcome Senator Ardagh back to the House and wish her well in her pregnancy and remaining time with us. I sincerely wish her every success. She referred to the issue of housing. It is a vexing issue. As she knows well, in the city of Dublin, in the first six months of this year, presentations of families who are homeless have fallen by 9.5%. One in two of the families presenting to homeless services were prevented from having to enter emergency accommodation and the number of families entering emergency accommodation has fallen by 5%. Some 786 families have exited emergency accommodation to a home. That is a 48% increase on the 530 exits recorded from the same period in 2018. Of course, we do not hear some of those facts. We accept there is an issue with housing and supply. The Government is committed under Rebuilding Ireland 2040 to pursue that in terms of tackling the issue of homelessness.

Senator Norris raised the issue of privatisation. Yet again, the issue of seagulls has dominated the Order of Business in the House. The issue of waste collection is one that has been well debated and documented across every local authority in the country. It is not my intention to revisit it.

Senator Higgins made reference to the issue of the debate on the report on adoption transparency I would be happy to facilitate that debate. The Ceann Comhairle has ruled on the matter regarding the money message. I will not delve into that here today.

Senators Hopkins, Leyden and Gallagher raised the issue of Cuisle. Unlike Senator Leyden, I am aware Senator Hopkins has been in contact, had her phone answered, has had meetings and has been in here raising the matter-----

I hope to God she gets results.

Order. Allow the Leader to continue without interruption.

-----which, as Senator Leyden knows quite well, is a matter for the Irish Wheelchair Association.

I was at a public meeting in Cuisle last night.

To be fair, the matter is-----

That is discrimination by the Irish Wheelchair Association in calling one Senator and not the other.

The Senator has made his contribution. Allow the Leader to continue without interruption.

There seems to be an issue with Roscommon politicians and telephones. I remember another former Roscommon politician talking about putting his sweet lips a little closer to the phone but the Senator could come back to that later.

Cheap shots do not work.

I made no cheap shot. The Senator is well able to give it. If he cannot take it-----

I am well able to take it.

-----he should not bother giving it.

I can take it and I can throw it back too.

Is the Senator's disagreement with coalition?

The Leader need not worry about that.

Order, please.

Despite Senator Leyden's attempt at being frivolous, the issue raised by the Senators is a very serious matter. It is one of respite care for people who require care.

And holidays.

People sometimes use the word "holiday" which is a mistaken word with respect to respite care. It is not a holiday. For those people who require 24-hour care, and the Senator might not like my answer-----

It is a holiday camp.

We are not having a private debate. I ask the Leader to address his remarks through the Chair. He is responding to the Order of Business.

I am.

The Leader should not pick up on any points made by way of interruption.

Would the Leas-Chathaoirleach like to take the Leader's job as well?

I wish the Leader would respond without reference to any interruptions he is getting.

I am trying to do the best I can.

We are all a little testy today.

I am not.

I am actually in great form. I am not in bad form at all.

We are well over time and a Minister is waiting to come into the House.

With respect, the Order of Business-----

It was extremely lengthy.

I accept that but I was not chairing it.

We had the maximum number of contributors.

The points made by Senators Leyden, Hopkins and Gallagher are very serious. The issue of respite care and of providing care for people is one we should take seriously.

To be of assistance to Senator Leyden, I suggest the Senators table a Commencement matter on the issue for next Tuesday depending on the outcome of their meeting tomorrow.

Senator Craughwell raised the issue of the Lisa Smith case and an article published in the Sunday World. As the Senator will be aware, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade made reference to this in a statement subsequent to the RTÉ and TV3 coverage and the newspaper report, he was of the view that a resolution to the matter was nowhere near. The Government does not comment on individual cases and it has not done so, as the Senator will well know. He is being mischievous around the issue of-----

No. It is about the leaking of the story. We need to find out who leaked it.

I have no information on that.

Does the Leader condemn it?

Order, please.

The issue of our Army rangers is an important one. They undergo operations in absolute secrecy and it is important they are allowed to do that. The Tánaiste's statement reinforces that viewpoint.

Senators Richmond, Murnane O'Connor and Byrne paid tribute to the Irish ladies' hockey team and we congratulate on qualifying for the Tokyo Olympic Games. We wish them well. We are delighted we have new heroes on the pitch. I would have happy to arrange for a debate on sport and women in sport.

Senators Devine, Byrne and Conway raised the issue of overcrowding in our hospital emergency departments and, in particular, the number of people on trolleys. Whether it be one person or many people being treated on trolleys, it is one person too many. I have stated here previously the management of people on trolleys and our hospitals seems to be a major issue. I think there is a game going on in our health system. Vested interests are taking our patients, who should be at the centre of care in our health system, and are relegating them as part of a game-----

Should we stop telling the truth?

-----and it should stop immediately. It is unfair to the families concerned and to the patients being treated on trolleys. We need to fundamentally tackle the issue of patient discharges. We all welcome the new 60-bed unit being built in Limerick, which will assist in that respect. There is a need to deal with the issue of patient discharges and the provision of a continuum of care in our communities.

Senator Devine also raised the issue of a Tusla report dealing with the number of students missing school. I would be happy to arrange a debate on that issue in due course.

A number of Senators raised the matter of direct provision, as linked to the attack on the home of Deputy Martin Kenny, as well as the issue itself. Senators Feighan, Conway, McDowell, Ó Donnghaile, Ruane, Mullen and Kelleher raised the issue. On my own behalf and on behalf of the House, I condemn those who attacked Deputy Martin Kenny's car and his family. It has no place in a democratic society. Everybody should stand firm in upholding the law and standing with Deputy Martin Kenny and his family, and any Member of the House, regarding the matter of an attack. The perpetrators of this crime are from a community. They are known. People should come forward with that information.

The issue of direct provision is a contentious one but it need not necessarily be one. Senator McDowell in a powerful presentation, raised a number of valid points with which I might not agree. We are an Ireland of welcomes, we have international obligations but it is time we had a national conversation on direct provision. As a former Minister for Justice and a former Attorney General, the Senator knows quite well that there is a system in place but the process takes time and it is a somewhat cumbersome. We all wish it was quicker because we all have people who come into our offices every week who are seeking asylum, have had their application refused or have submitted an appeal and the process goes on and on. These people's applications, in many cases, are worthy and they are genuine people who left their country out of fear. There are others, which Senator McDowell is right in saying, who are here chancing their arm, and we should say that too. I am somebody who is very much in favour of asylum seekers and of having the matter dealt with in a humane and fair way. A debate on this issue is very much needed. We should stand firm in our opposition to those who oppose direct provision facilities being put in places around our country. Senator Kelleher is right. There are places like Macroom and Drishane in Cork where communities within communities are being formed and friendships and new families are being created. Direct provision and our new immigrant communities are welcome in our country.

Absolutely.

We should all stand up and say that. Those who oppose them are doing so in many cases out of ignorance or are trying to create fear in our country, and that has no place here.

Senator Murnane O'Connor raised the issue of home buyers. If she has the information she referenced, she should give it to the Garda or the Minister because what she set out is illegal.

I have spoken to the Minister.

I would ask the Senator to name the people in the Chamber where she would have immunity in doing that because we should not condone that kind of behaviour in any shape or form.

Senator Boyhan raised the issue of the Shane O'Farrell case. Senator Norris also has raised the case here previously. First, we send our condolences to the family of Shane O'Farrell on his tragic death and, second, we all agree there is a need for answers. The case was the subject of a Dáil motion and a motion in this House and the Minister sought the advice of the Attorney General on how best to proceed with the case, given that the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission was at the time still investigating the matter. The Minister, Deputy Flanagan, appointed a retired judge, Judge Gerard Haughton, to conduct a scoping exercise. I understand, but am open to correction on this, that this scoping exercise is still continuing. The family has been met and some changes have been suggested to the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, in terms of a proposed change to the terms of reference of the scoping exercise. I hope that in time, the recommendations will be able to be debated and that Judge Haughton will be able to continue his work. Following that, we can make a decision based on the outcome of that work.

Senator Gavan raised the issue of Shannon Airport. I would be happy to have a debate on the matter in the House at any time.

Senator Noone raised the issue of a report on State-funded contraception which, again, is an very important one. I would happy to ask the Minister to come into the House regarding the matter.

Senator Ó Donnghaile raised the issue of civic groups coming together yesterday in terms of the 1,000 signatories. It is important we plan for the future of our island.

I express my sympathy and that of the House to the family of the late Fr. Des Wilson, who died today in Belfast. He was a very strong powerful voice within our country. He was a person who tried to build bridges rather than take down bridges and he was very committed to his people.

I again welcome Senator Hackett to the House. I thank Members for their contributions.

As a measure of our support for and in expressing our sympathy to the family of the late Gay Byrne, I propose we stand for a minute's silence at the end of the Order of Business if that is agreeable.

Is that agreed? Agreed.

We will stand in respectful silence for a minute.