I, too, would like to join with people who commended Natasha O'Brien on coming into the public domain to tell her story. However, I would caution that the case of the man involved is far from over and the last thing we want to do is provide some sort of defence that he has already been tried in the public domain. We need to be very careful and measured in what we say.

I have always supported the Defence Forces and today I am horrified by the statements being made by Members of this House, the Lower House and the Taoiseach. They talk about the Defence Forces shielding and hiding people in the organisation who would be responsible for vicious acts. Let us be clear. The Defence Forces are responsible for implementing Defence Forces regulations as set down by the Government and Minister of the day. The officer who was forced or sent into court in the O'Brien case was bound under Defence Forces regulation A7, part 12, paragraphs 55 to 58, inclusive. As a commissioned officer, he was expected to go in and deliver an honest appraisal of the man's service in the Defence Forces. He was not defending him in any way. He was merely carrying out his duty, as per Defence Forces regulations.

With respect to calls for people to be dishonourably discharged or removed from the Defence Forces, Defence Forces regulation A10, paragraph 58, is very clear. It states, in respect of a suspensory sentence, that "[I]f the conviction carries a suspensory sentence the discharge, if directed, will be carried out as soon as possible after the case has been dealt with by the Civil Power" and that discharges under this subparagraph will not be carried out until it has been ascertained that no appeal is pending or, where an appeal has been made, until the appeal has been heard and determined. These are the regulations as set down by the Minister.

The Defence Forces are obliged to carry out Defence Forces regulations as laid down. If we are to make an argument today, it should be that it is time we reviewed all of the Defence Forces regulations in order that we bring them into the modern era. However, I will not tolerate or stand idly by while people denigrate the force that I served in and loved and the people I worked with. Honourable, decent people are in that organisation. They are horrified by what has happened and what has been done by a very small number of people. I guarantee the House that if we went into any organisation in the country, we would find similar people. Let us not blacken everybody at the same time. It is desperately hurtful.

I want to pay tribute to the late Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh who was an institution in this country. It is probably not that long ago since he became the main broadcaster on sports for RTÉ - it was only in 1984 or 1985 when he took over from Michael O'Hehir who stepped down and retired at that stage. Bhí suim mhór ag Mícheál sa teanga. He was a most outstanding man for the Irish language. Bhí sé ábalta labhairt as Béarla agus as Gaeilge ag an am céanna. He did more for the Irish language than anybody else. When young people listened to him in GAA clubs, schools or wherever, they said he had a lovely way of getting the language, our traditional language, across to them. We all know that sometimes Irish is a challenge for people. I want to extend my sympathy to his family.

He was 92, so he had reached an advanced age. He retired in 2010 but he was as popular as ever, even though he was 14 years gone from the broadcasting scene.

I ask the Leader to request that the Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, OPW, come to the Chamber again. I thank the Leader for visiting Lough Funshinagh in County Roscommon. We have to let people know that the problem is as big today as it was when the Tánaiste, the Taoiseach and the Leader were there. It has not gone away. Two or three weeks of wet weather will threaten that community again. Water is still lapping up around people's homes. People in Dublin cannot believe this when I tell them but the dry water has not really solved anything. That threat remains. It is important that the Attorney General and the Government find a solution to remove that water on a temporary basis. The court order must be lifted so we can try to get water removed from the area before the winter comes.

As the Fine Gael spokesperson on sport in the Seanad, I extend my party's sympathies to the Ó Muircheartaigh family. Mícheál was the voice of the GAA for me growing up. One memory popped into my head. It was during a Munster hurling match, although I forget which game it was, when Mícheál said a Rabbitte was chasing a Fox in his commentary. He brought the game to life, even over the radio. You could visually imagine the game in your head as you listened to his commentary. He will be deeply mourned.

I raise an issue that came up with candidates running in the local elections, namely, the fuel allowance, particularly for the elderly. Given the change in our country's climate, including the longer winters we are having, I ask that the Minister for Social Protection look at extending the season for the fuel allowance. It currently finishes at the end of March. Perhaps we could look at extending it to the beginning of May because the climate has changed. Our winters are longer and we need to make sure we support those who are the most vulnerable in particular.

In recent times, I have had discussions with a number of the community employment schemes in Longford. We know the valuable work these schemes do throughout our communities, from Tidy Towns activities to looking after GAA pitches and community centres and halls. There seem to have been changes in the systems regarding verifying payments, etc. While the changes may have been brought in for a good reason, the vast majority of the sponsor groups are made up of volunteers in the community and the changes are imposing a serious amount of added work and responsibility on them. We have full-time supervisors in place to do this work, yet these changes to the system are putting extra work on the schemes. I know of one scheme in Carrickedmond and Legan in south Longford where the chair of the local group is going to step back because he cannot commit to give so much time in a voluntary capacity. The system was working and I do not see why it was necessary to change it. We will start losing the voluntary committees administering these schemes if we do not reverse these changes. I ask that the Minister for Social Protection bring back the old system to ensure we can maintain the voluntary committees which are overseeing these vital schemes in all our communities.