This is one of the sadder contributions I have had to make in the House. It is to pay tribute to the late David Hill, who was playing with the Scottish Parliament against the Dáil and Seanad team on Saturday and tragically passed away during the match. We had come to know David immensely well over the past three or four years, both from going to Edinburgh to play and from them coming here. David was an incredibly nice young man. He had worked for the Scottish Conservative Party for a number of years.

He was well respected not only by those in his party but by people across the political spectrum in Scottish politics. That was a testament to the concept of parliamentary rugby, which is that the political differences that we all experience in political parties are left at the door when we go to play. David was a young man who was tragically taken away from his family. I send our heartfelt prayers and thoughts to David's family and to his friends, not only in the Scottish Parliament but also in wider society.

I listened to his boss, Mr. Jamie Greene, Member of the Scottish Parliament, this morning talk about how somebody had kindly left a vase of daffodils on David's desk in the Scottish Parliament. He said he hoped and felt that the vase of daffodils would serve as a small reminder that even in the darkest depths of winter, spring will come. I really hope that will come along for David's friends and family as soon as possible. I acknowledge David's father, Rodger, his mother, Sharon, his step-parents, Lesley and Gordon, his younger siblings, Alex and Georgia, and his two adored nephews, Freddie and Hunter. It is a horrific tragedy. It is one of those things, and I do not say this lightly, whereby at whatever stage we are in this life we do not know what our last interaction with a loved one or anyone could be. That was brought home to many of us on Saturday.

I pay tribute to the paramedics who spent 35 to 40 minutes working on David on the pitch last Saturday. We want to send from the Oireachtas to David's family and friends our deepest and most heartfelt sympathies on this most awful tragedy for David Hill and his family.

Thank you, Senator McGahon. We all share those sentiments on the great tragedy. I call Senator Dooley.

Senator Horkan will express sympathy on behalf of Fianna Fáil with regard to Mr. Hill. The Senator knew him personally and I understand he was in his company over the weekend.

On behalf of Fianna Fáil, I ask the House to reflect on and remember a former Member of this House who passed away over the past few days, Mr. Paul Kavanagh. He served here for a period in the 1980s. He was undoubtedly a dynamic force in Irish business at the time. He sat on the boards of An Post, Aer Lingus, Eircom and IDA Ireland. He had groundbreaking skills and abilities in the printing and fulfilment sector and went on to become an internationally renowned businessman, heading up Stream International and Donnelly Documents, a US multinational. He gave freely of his time to many people to assist them in developing their business. He was the brains behind the Dublin Digital Hub, which today houses more than 70 companies and employs 700 people. He was also one of those involved in the International Financial Services Centre and played a part in its development. I am sure the House will join me in expressing sympathy to his wife, Anne-Marie, his son, Killian, daughters, Fiona and Sinead, and his sisters, Hillary and Colette. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

The rising price of fuel is having an impact on all aspects of society. However, it is having a significant and disproportionate impact on the lives of those whose work is caring for people in their homes. These are workers employed by the HSE in a private capacity and sometimes through section 39 agreements. The extreme cost they are now undertaking as a result of the increase in the price of fuel is resulting in many of them giving up their work or not taking on that work. That is having an impact on people who are trying to be looked after in their homes. If we do not find a way of resolving this problem, there will certainly be a situation where more people will end up in hospital. They will not be able to be discharged from hospital to return to the home for recuperation because, quite frankly, the home care packages are unable to be delivered. I have spoken to many people over the past number of weeks who no longer have the same level of care. They just cannot get the people to provide that care in the home. That is a crisis that must be dealt with and I appeal to the Ministers for Health and Public Expenditure and Reform to address it without delay.

We are told today, through documents to the Cabinet that have been well reported, that Ireland could be expected to take up to 200,000 refugees in the coming weeks. That will pose a very significant challenge to the State but I have every expectation we will be able to achieve and address it, especially if what I have seen in my county of Clare over the past two to three weeks is anything to go by. There is a level of support that communities are putting behind the refugees when they arrive that is phenomenal. I visited areas over the weekend, including Lisdoonvarna, Ballyvaughan, Kilkee, Shannon and Ennis, where refugees are being catered for in hotels and other community settings. There is an outpouring of support from Irish people who want to help, coming in the form of fundraising and provision of supplies, and it is a credit to the good nature of Irish people.

There is some suggestion we are not playing our part because we are not militarily aligned in this conflict. We do humanitarian support really well and it does not require the State to direct it. It is in our DNA and in our nature. I see it even in our young. I met some of the Ukrainian families in Kilkee over the weekend together with Councillor Cillian Murphy. When we were chatting with the families I saw in the corner of my eye three young fellows dressed in soccer kits walking into the foyer of the hotel carrying an expensive leather soccer ball. Perhaps it was a Christmas or birthday gift. Together with a welcoming card, they handed it over to three young Ukrainian boys. If that is not the epitome of the kind of support that exists for people who have, sadly, had to leave their homeland, I do not know what is. Nothing reflects better on the Irish people not just for this generation but the coming generations. It is that level of community involvement that is required. It is a spirit of support in our DNA that will see us through what will have to be a great challenge for all aspects of society.