Is the section agreed to?

We gave the Senator a little bit of leeway. We will move to the next speaker and try to stick to the amendment. I call Senator Ward.

I always laugh when people refer to me as Gaeilge as an Seanadóir Eugene Murphy, but it should in fact be Eoghan. This is just a point in passing. People who speak Irish very well address me as Senator Eugene Murphy rather than an Seanadóir Eoghan. Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit agus déanaim comhghairdeas leis as an obair mhór atá déanta aige leis an mBille seo. Is cinnte gur Bille sármhaith é seo agus ba mhaith liom cúpla pointe a dhéanamh i mBéarla. Cosúil le go leor eile, níl mo chuid Gaeilge féin sách maith …

I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Ossian Smyth, to the House. I know he will have a keen interest in the issue under discussion. I thank Government colleagues and all Members for being here to discuss a really important issue that has been a scourge on many people living along the river basin from where the River Shannon rises in the Cuilcagh Mountains in County Cavan to where it flows out to the Shannon Estuary in Limerick. This Bill seeks to remove specific…

I thank the Minister of State for his response. In case I forget to say it, I fully agree that if we manage to get this legislation through, it has to be very carefully managed. I accept that. Listening to the Minister of State and Senator Paul Daly, it is extraordinary the amount of money that has been invested in flood relief from 1995 right up to now. There is a serious commitment from the Government to continue that, and that must be acknowledged. One shudders to think, if we had not done that work, the consequ…

Next Tuesday.

Next Tuesday at 2.30 p.m.

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Jack Chambers, and his officials. Before we commence, I remind Members that a Senator may speak only once on Report Stage, except the proposer of an amendment who may reply to the discussion on it. Each non-Government amendment on Report Stage must be seconded. I ask Senators to bear that in mind.

As the proposer, Senator Higgins has the right to reply. Does she wish to respond?

Amendments Nos. 2 to 5, inclusive, are related. Amendments Nos. 4 and 5 are logical alternatives to amendment No. 3. Amendments Nos. 2 to 5, inclusive, may be discussed together, by agreement. All of these amendments are in the names of Senators Higgins and Black. I ask Senators to note that if the question on amendment No. 3 is agreed then amendments Nos. 4 and 5 cannot be moved.

The amendments are grouped so they are discussed together.

If the House agrees then I understand the amendment can be grouped with the rest. Does the Senator want to discuss amendment No. 2 separately?

Is that agreed? Agreed.

Amendments Nos. 3, 4 and 5 are related and may be discussed together by agreement. If No. 3 is agreed to, Nos. 4 and 5 cannot be moved.

We are almost at the end of the discussion on this Bill and I am supposed to adjourn the proceedings at 2 p.m. I would like to get this finished. It is not up to me; it is up to the Senators. I will allow anybody who wishes to contribute now as well as the Minister of State. Then Senator Higgins can contribute again. Can I get agreement that we can finish the debate? We still have a little time. Is that agreed? Agreed.

I genuinely appreciate the Senator's co-operation. She can have her final word on it now before we decide on the amendment.

When is it proposed to take Fifth Stage?

Is that agreed to? Agreed.

Before we conclude, I thank the Minister of State and his official, as well as the Seanad officials and Senators Wilson, Ward, Craughwell, Higgins and Ó Donnghaile. I appreciate their co-operation. It was a nice discussion of several matters.

I welcome the four MEPs. Their performance has been excellent. Mine is a different type of question. Richard O'Halloran is held against his will in a Chinese jail. His wife and family are going through torture. Robert Pether from Elphin in Roscommon, originally from Australia, is jailed in Iraq. His wife and family are going through absolute torture. I know the Pether family well. I have been representing them. Mr. Pether's wife, Desree McCarthy, is originally from Dublin. I ask all four MEPs to think of those fami…