I thank Senator Seery Kearney and call the Leader to respond.

I sometimes think that I am unshockable. I have been here for a few years, but I am actually shocked by what the Senator said. I am the mother of a young man who is on the autistic spectrum. He is just the most gorgeous young man one could possibly meet. He is sitting his leaving certificate examination this year and he has had the same journey over the past couple of years that all our other children have had. He has the highest aspirations for himself and gets supported in the same way as my other three kids do, which is absolutely right. I could never imagine trying to tell him to be something other than what he is. I think what the Senator referred to is shocking.

I welcome the other issue that she raised, however, regarding the cost of disability report. We are going to debate it next week and I am grateful that the Minister of State has given her time. It will give rise to much more debate and, hopefully, a great deal of action to alleviate some of the financial difficulties that people with all kinds of disabilities experience daily, other than the obvious barriers that Senator Seery Kearney talks about every Thursday morning. I look forward to the debate next week.

Senator Maria Byrne spoke about the bizarre variances between Basketball Ireland and Sport Ireland which were brought to our attention last week and which she raised earlier this week. It was no problem for me to raise that matter with the Minister of State, and I am very glad that he has sorted out those regulations as swiftly as he has this week. It is not until something is done to upset people that it is possible to realise just how many people are involved in some of these organisations. A great many of our children play basketball and I acknowledge that.

The Senator also referred to the fact that she has been contacted by people, I presume in her part of the country, about a particular matter. Senator O'Loughlin started off this morning by talking about the increase in the number of incidences of spiking. Nightclubs only opened a week and a half ago, and yet we are already talking about what is a new phenomenon. The spiking of the drinks of women and men is not new, but the use of needles is a practice which is very new to us. I spent an hour on the phone yesterday evening talking to a mother. It was a horrific conversation. She has a young lady who is the same age as my 20-year-old daughter. I cannot even begin to imagine what the young lady in question and her family are going through now. Despite the abuse that some of us have received from people who seem to think that we are scaremongering, that there is no such occurrence as a woman getting spiked with a needle and that we are making mountains out of molehills, on foot of the telephone conversation to which I refer, I wrote to the Garda Commissioner, the presidents of all our universities and the directors of our licensed vintners' associations yesterday evening to invite them to a meeting at a date that is convenient, hopefully next week, in order that we can sit around a table and talk about the occurrences that have happened in the last ten days and the protocols that should be in place.

The mother to whom I spoke to yesterday said that her daughter was told by the health and safety people in the nightclub where she was to go home and sleep it off. When she went to the accident and emergency department the next day, the doctor there tried to assure her that it was an insect bite that she got on the dance floor and that she had not been spiked with a needle. It was only when she went to the accident and emergency department and the genito-urinary medicine, GUM, unit in Cork University Hospital, CUH, that she received toxicology reports. That young lady will now be on hepatitis and PrEP medication for three months arising from the incident she experienced.

This is a real and serious issue. I am a mother and most of us are parents, and we worry about absolutely bloody well everything. I never thought, however, that when my two young girls are going out to nightclubs that I would have to worry and to warn them about not getting injected by some bowsie wanting to take advantage of them. What is happening is unacceptable, and we must step up and ensure that we put in place the protocols concerning how we deal with this issue. I refer to ensuring that licensed vintners know how to deal with young women when they present in these kinds of situations, that hospitals know what to do and when to do it, that the police know how to follow up and that everybody is aware of their responsibilities. Anybody who wants to come to the meeting I have arranged is more than welcome to do so. I thank the Senators for raising the issue this morning.

Senator Boyhan talked about the debate on public transport we had last night. It was welcome. This is an issue, and that was made evident by many people who work in our transport sector and the number of public representatives who have made representations regarding the safety of those employees. It is also an issue affecting people who travel on buses, trains and Darts. Despite what Barry Kenny has said, this is an issue. I do not agree with him. Perhaps we do not need a special police force for our public transport, but we certainly do need a different way for An Garda Síochána to go about looking after the safety of the employees and users of public transport services.

I am glad that the Senator also met with the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, yesterday and spoke with him about the issue scoliosis. I hope that for the person concerned, and for the other 172 under 18-year-olds on the waiting lists, that the Minister will respond to us in the next couple of weeks with good news. I wish all those people success and as much success as young Adam Terry had last week with his operation. It was a success and that is great news.

Senator Ahearn spoke about the matter of protests against individuals, and he also sought an update on the sports capital grants. I will contact the relevant Minister of State today and ask him if he will give me the magic date regarding when we are going to get the good announcements.

I also raised an issue in respect of the Order of Business.

I am sorry. With respect, Senator McDowell brought the matter up this morning at our weekly meeting of group leaders. The schedule for next week was given to people at that meeting today, which is only Thursday. The Order of Business only comes from and reflects the schedule given to the leaders of the groups on Thursdays. It is given to everybody 60 minutes before we come in, and there is little difference, if ever any difference, between the information I provide on Thursdays and what happens then in the following week. The information concerned, however, is given to every Member as early in the morning as it is possible for us to do so.

I cannot give Senator Boyhan a commitment that it will be provided 90 minutes beforehand. It is, though, given to everybody now an hour beforehand, and if anyone has a difference of opinion in respect of what is provided to the Senators on a Thursday and then what is later provided on the mornings of the following Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, then I would be happy to discuss that at the weekly meeting of the group leaders. We can only do what we can do, though. We work with the Seanad Office and all the Ministers to prepare an order every morning and we give that to all our Members within an hour before coming here. That is the best commitment that I can give. I am sorry.

The Leader does not need to be sorry.

Senator Fitzpatrick brought up the much awaited and anticipated climate action plan. I am sure we will have plenty of debates on that topic in the weeks to come.

Senator Conway referred to and congratulated Niamh Daffy, the current CEO of Cara, and that is well deserved. I will follow up for the Senator regarding the commitment made by the Minister for Health here some weeks ago concerning the cost associated with HPV vaccines.

I am happy to accept Senator Malcolm Byrne's amendment. I wish him every success. Once the Bill is introduced on Second Stage, I will request that it becomes part of the Government's programme and I will then include it in Government time. I will come back to the Senator on that.

Senator Niall Ó Donnghaile had, unfortunately, to raise the events of last night, which I was astonished to read about on Twitter this morning. They involved a 13-year old child and a 15-year old child, who probably could not tell us the details of the protocol. I sometimes wonder about adults and their intentions. I wholeheartedly agree with Senator Ó Donnghaile and I condemn last night's violence. I ask everybody to step back. It is interesting that in recent poll of business owners in the North a significant majority said they welcomed the Northern Ireland protocol, albeit that they wanted little tweaks here and there to make it better. They also said it had increased their level of business, both North-South and east-west, which makes me wonder if we are listening to the loudest voices as opposed to the people with the most impact.

Indeed.

I acknowledge Senator Ó Donnghaile's contribution this morning.

I thank the Leader.

Senator Craughwell raised concerns about the Air Navigation and Transport Bill. Unfortunately, I was not able to attend the meeting on Tuesday, despite having raised the time constraints with the Minister last week, because we were dealing with the Order of Business. Since I missed the meeting, I did not see the presentation that was promised to us. I will inform the Minister today that we need to see the PowerPoint presentation and seek an undertaking in that regard. I give Senator Craughwell and the 11 or 12 other Senators who attended the meeting the other day a commitment in that regard.

There are very real concerns about the Air Navigation and Transport Bill and I am in the unfortunate position of having to say that I share them. The reason is not political or based on votes in Fingal, an accusation that gets thrown in my face every 20 minutes. It is based on the fact that 1,300 pilots are crying out for these rules and regulations to protect them in order that they can protect the thousands of people who get on aeroplanes every single day and put their safety and lives in pilots' hands. I question why a regulatory office would not want to have powers and controls to ensure Ireland has the safest possible airline industry, one which reflects the safe industry we have across Europe. I will follow up on the matter for Senator Craughwell and try to get a commitment today.

Senator Gallagher spoke with great passion and remembrance regarding the plea from Columba McVeigh's family. I am astounded by the family's dignity in spite of their loss and the 46 years they have spent trying to get information. There was great dignity in the statement they made this year about letting bygones be bygones. All they want to do is to be able to bury their loved one and have somewhere they can visit and put some flowers. I concur with Senator Gallagher in making that call, as we do so often, on anyone who has any information to please give it to the Garda or local organisations that can help find this young man's body in order that his family can finally have peace and rest.

Senator Black spoke about the six Palestinian groups that have suddenly been designated as terrorist groups by the Israelis. I will make sure the Minister for Foreign Affairs hears of her reflections this morning and I will ask for an update. The Minister will speak about the Northern Ireland protocol in the House in the coming weeks, as he has been repeatedly requested to do by Senator Ó Donnghaile. I have requested a debate on Palestine, Israel, the conflict there and the two-state solution. I do not have a date yet, but as soon as I get one, I will speak to Senator Black about it. I will make sure the Minister hears her reflections this morning.

I thank Senator Mark Wall for what he read out and said about Jadotville. I agree with him. There have been a number of requests by this House. There is never a wrong time to do the right thing. I encourage the Senator to keep his passion in the place he has it.

I acknowledge that while the House debated energy security, we did not have a debate on the price of energy, which is a pertinent issue. As I am supposed to represent the Government on most days, I should note that this is not just an Irish phenomenon. However, we must put it in a national context. It is making a significant difference to people's weekly outgoings and is not something we can ignore.

Senator Boylan spoke about the climate action plan. I know Sinn Féin has raised concerns about consultation. I can only reassure the Senator that the 4,000 original submissions made on the climate action plan as part of the pre-legislative scrutiny process fed into and strengthened the climate action Bill. The whole premise of the Bill is to make sure we have constant consultation. The only way this will be a success is if we bring everybody with us and do not start picking holes and fighting about this or that industry. At the end of the day, we are all of the same mind and we are all better when we work together. There is only one way this is ever going to work. We can talk about doing it for our kids and grandkids but it does not make a difference who we do it for. I am young enough and I hope I will not feel the impacts of this. We need to do this for ourselves. I acknowledge Senator Boylan's concerns.

Senator Martin spoke as eloquently as he always does about antisocial behaviour on trains. I will request that the Minister comes the House.

Senator Mullen raised concerns about science subjects on the curriculum. We have debates to mark Science Week next week, so that may be an opportunity for the Senator to raise the matter. There is probably a wider debate regarding the formation of the curriculum and reforms to the leaving certificate. I will write to the Minister today asking that she make time available in her diary as soon as she can.

Senator Buttimer asked for a debate on RTÉ, in particular in light of the significant amount of money it has spent in the past ten years either fighting or settling defamation claims. A more important concern should be the number of people in RTÉ who have been taken off temporary short-term contracts and made permanent employees in recent years. Some of them had worked for RTÉ for 25 or 30 years. A significant number of staff still remain on precarious employment contracts, which is not acceptable. I will organise a debate as quickly as I can.

Senator O'Loughlin started proceedings by pointing out that today is international day against violence and bullying at school. We have spoken about this issue a number of times. I have requested a debate, not just on the curriculum and how teachers, guidance counsellors and support staff in schools look after children, but how we can best support families – the parents and siblings of a child who is being bullied - to make sure that they do not believe bullying is a normal occurrence, as it seems to have become in towns and villages. We must support children who are experiencing increasing anxiety problems and resilience issues. I do not have a date for a debate but I will keep chasing it up.

Senator Malcolm Byrne has proposed an amendment to the Order of Business: "That No. 14 be taken before No. 1." My understanding is that the Leader has indicated she is prepared to accept the amendment. Is the amendment agreed to? Agreed.