I welcome to the Public Gallery the newly elected councillor for Cork city, Councillor Pádraig Rice. He is very welcome. I thank him for being here.

Will the Members claiming a division please rise?

As fewer than five Members have risen I declare the amendment defeated. In accordance with Standing Order 61 the names of the Senators dissenting will be recorded in the Journal of the Proceedings of the Seanad.

When is it proposed to sit again?

Is that agreed? Agreed.

I have received notice from the following Senators that they propose to raise the following matters: Senator Róisín Garvey - The need for the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to make a statement on the supports available to assist people living in older houses of high heritage value to help them to improve their building energy rating using traditional or more modern building methods. Senator Emer Currie - The need for the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to make…

I am informed that Senator Garvey is running late. I apologise to the House and to the Minister of State, Deputy Ossian Smyth, who is here. With the permission of the House, we will take Senator Currie's Commencement matter because she is here and so is the Minister of State, Deputy Colm Burke.

He is. I apologise to the Minister of State for inconveniencing him. We will reverse the order and take Senator Currie now.

That is true, yes.

He has ruled himself out after this morning's "Morning Ireland". I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Burke, and Senator Currie for being here.

The third Commencement matter is in the name of Senator Garvey and will be taken by Minister of State, Deputy Ossian Smyth. I apologise to the Minister of State, Deputy Burke, and other Members who were brought in.

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Smyth, for his patience and flexibility. I call Senator Garvey, who has four minutes.

I thank the Minister of State. I welcome students from Saint Columba's primary school in Glasnevin who are here this morning. You are very welcome to Leinster House. I know it is the second-last or third-last week of school but the Cathaoirleach has a particular power to give homework off. In the event of you not getting homework, I am sorry you will not get homework off, but in the event of you getting homework, I offer you homework off for the rest of the week. I am sure you are getting homework off anyway for th…

Could I ask the Senator to be a project manager on some projects I am involved in? It would be great to have her doing it.

That is what I mean.

The fourth Commencement matter is in the name of Senator Lombard and is being taken by the Minister of State, Deputy Colm Burke. We will wait for the Minister of State to come in. I apologise to all concerned for the change in the schedule. I thank the Minister of State for his flexibility.

I will break with protocol now, even though I should not comment as Cathaoirleach, but as a former teacher and as someone who has family members involved in exams, I wish to concur with Senator Lombard. I know that the Minister of State is not the line Minister but this is an inordinate delay and it is having a negative impact on many students. I should not pre-empt the Minister of State's reply but I want to support Senator Lombard.

Before I call the Acting Leader to outline the business, I welcome the other group of students, from St. Columba's School in Glasnevin, who are here with us. They are very welcome. As I said to the other group, one of the special powers the Cathaoirleach has is to give homework off. I know it is the end of the term, but can I give you homework off for the rest of the week anyway and hope that it can be transferred to the future? I also thank your teachers for the great work they do. Thank you and welcome to Leinste…

Well done to Senator Ardagh.

I thank Senators. We are on the Order of Business. Members will have a chance to speak in their own slots and they can disagree or agree, whichever they choose.