We are not going to have it now.

Does the Leas-Chathaoirleach want to reply to the Order of Business?

No.

I would be happy to sit down.

As Chair, I would love to be able to speed up the Order of Business but it is beyond me.

I will quite happily facilitate the Leas-Chathaoirleach to do that.

I would be happier if the Leader did not have any cross-tackling with the Members opposite during his response, with respect.

The Chair is keeping the Leader right.

With respect. Sometimes the Members opposite are also out of order.

The Chair is very balanced.

We will have the Leader now, without interruption.

If the Leas-Chathaoirleach wants to be fair in his ruling, I have been here since 11.30 a.m. and until 12.23 I had to listen to 16 Members-----

Welcome to the club.

Surely the Leas-Chathaoirleach will let me have the opportunity to reply to them-----

Of course.

-----and to highlight the inaccuracies in their contributions that I see fit to reply to.

I would hate to try to halt the Leader.

That is the fundamental point. If we give financial powers to local authorities and members, then let them have responsibility. Let us be fair. Senator Marie-Louise O'Donnell made the very good point that because of the gross mismanagement of the country by the banks and the Fianna Fáil-led Government, we are all paying USC. That is a tax imposed by those people over there on all of us.

I thought you were going to get rid of it.

Are you doing away with it?

We reduced it in recent budgets.

You gave a commitment to get rid of it.

Your election manifesto said it would be abolished.

Let us have a balanced debate on the whole thing.

Order please.

Let us have it balanced. You said you would get rid of it.

Senators Ardagh and Ó Domhnaill-----

Amnesia.

Let us have a balanced debate and let us not be all populist and let us not try to be all things to all people.

I am glad Senators McDowell and Ó Domhnaill are all smiles and in good form, but please-----

Many of you were in government and we know some of you just could not wait to get out of government.

You are caught in a time warp.

Let those of us who want to govern govern.

You cannot go back-----

These are the facts, Senator Wilson. When you left government, there was 15% unemployment-----

I was never in it.

Through the Chair, please.

We are now below 5% unemployment in our country.

I have not been in government yet.

Senator Wilson, please.

Senators Ó Domhnaill and Ardagh made reference to the banks. The remarks of the deputy governor of the Central Bank, Ed Sibley, are worth noting with regard to how the banks behave and treat their customers. The point he makes about the hollow promises made and banks being forced by the Central Bank to bring in reform is one on which we should have a debate in the House, and I would be happy to have that debate.

The issue of Cuisle was raised by Senators Devine, Conway, Gallagher, Feighan, Marie-Louise O'Donnell, Bacik, Ó Domhnaill, Davitt and Gallagher. It is a very important issue and one on which the families and service users deserve answers and respect. It is a service that provides support for people with disabilities, allowing them to lead independent lives, and it is one we all want to see resolved. My information, which Members also know, is that there is either a service level agreement or an agreement on Cuisle between the Irish Wheelchair Association and the HSE regarding the purchase of respite breaks. The Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, has met local representatives and the organisation. It is a matter that deserves to be solved. I understand the concerns of everybody in terms of the adequacy of what is being offered, and I will be happy to try to get the Minister of State, Deputy McGrath, to the House as soon as possible regarding the matter.

Senator Devine and other Senators raised the issue of the language Members use with regard to racism. The points made by Senator Devine about words and facts are very pertinent. It is important that we have a measured debate, that our language is measured and that we do not use inflammatory language to polarise society. I do not find anything wrong with Senator Devine's comments. That debate needs to happen, not just here but in wider society. Those of us who are elected representatives have an obligation to lead and I will be happy to have a debate on the matter.

Senator Norris raised the issue of Seanad scheduling. As Members know and Senator Wilson as a former Government Whip knows, last week I took a decision as Leader to facilitate the holding of an international conference in the Chamber and I stand by that decision. This week, the reason we will not sit on Thursday is because two pieces of legislation were promised, but for a variety of reasons they did not materialise and I was not going to bring Members in on a Thursday for half an hour-----