I call the Minister. He has ten minutes.

As the House must be cleaned, we will have to conclude shortly. I call the Minister to conclude.

I thank the Minister.

As the Minister said, the Senator will get a written response. I thank all Senators for their co-operation. That concludes statements.

I congratulate the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, personally and on behalf of colleagues, on the great joy in her family on her becoming a grandmother for the first time. I also congratulate Sean and Eva on the birth of their baby boy on 25 January, Arthur Humphreys Egan. It is a very special time in her family. As her colleague, I am delighted to congratulate her on that. I invite the Minister to make her contribution on the matter before the House.

I thank Senator Buttimer, who has set a precedent for exemplary timing which I hope will be followed to allow everyone to speak.

I appreciate the Senator doing that. I want to try to fit in the last two speakers.

Thank you, Senator Currie. You have that well condensed. The Minister has approximately six minutes. We are ordered to be out for 6.45 p.m.

I thank the Minister and all colleagues for their co-operation with this very important debate. The statements are adjourned. When is it proposed to sit again?

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Niall Collins, to the House and thank him for taking this matter. Like most people, I am not quite sure how to pronounce the name of this drug, Duodopa, but this is my best shot. It is the only flippant remark I can make about this, as it is otherwise a very serious matter. Duodopa is a pump-based system that infuses a liquid form of Parkinson's disease medication, levodopa, to provide more consistent relief of symptoms on a minute-by-minute basis. It is very effective and th…

I am encouraged by this paragraph in the Minister of State's reply: At that time the drugs group made a positive recommendation for reimbursement to the HSE executive management team. This was in the context of the recognised unmet need, the clinical evidence, the cost-effectiveness evidence and the resources available to the HSE. That was in February 2020. I ask the Minister of State if he could arrange, through the Department, for me to get a note specific to this recommendation regarding when it will be implemen…

The programme for Government and the 2021 legislative programme reference the introduction of a gambling control Bill. When it is it proposed to bring forth that Bill and will the Leader indicate if the Government is willing to ensure its speedy passage to enactment? While 64% of our population engage in some gambling, some 29,000 people do so problematically to a level that damages the family and the individual, leads to a trail of destruction and causes psychiatric disorders, alcohol and drug misuse, physical and…

Given the gravity of the issue, I indulged Senator Ó Donnghaile. I call Senator Flynn.

I informally said to the Cathaoirleach earlier that nothing could be more apt than Senator Boyhan, who has been so courageous and eloquent in his own testimony, chairing this session. I welcome the Minister. I have listened to him on many occasions and I know he is patently sincere and committed to doing the right thing. Two parallel approaches to the report of the commission are needed. We must first remember, acknowledge and apportion and accept blame. We must also give people access to their family history and a…

I draw the House's attention to the fact that from now on speeches will be six minutes, as per the Order of the House. I asked Senators to co-operate with this as a number of people are waiting to speak. Colleagues have come up to me to say they will have no chance to speak if people do not respect this.

By way of clarification and lest there be any misunderstanding, I exhort to let everyone here get an opportunity but there will also be an opportunity next week. I should have said that earlier. We continue on this next week, given the gravity of what we are discussing.

I thank the Cathaoirleach for affording me the privilege of saying the last word. I wish him a very happy Christmas and a good 2021. It is a pleasure to work with him in my role as Leas-Chathaoirleach. I wish our Leader and all my colleagues across the House a good Christmas. There is tremendous commitment in this Seanad. There is also great dedication and genuine ambition to do the right thing, be responsible and make a difference for people. This is very palpable. Maybe the privilege that the Cathaoirleach and I …

I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Ossian Smyth.

I omitted to point out that Senators have five minutes each. I do not think that presents a challenge.

I agree with Senator Buttimer on a number of issues. For example, I agree with his point that the sheer scale of the budget merits further discussion and longer sessions. I join the Senator in congratulating the Minister of State on his appointment and, in the context of what I am about to say next, I recognise the Minister of State's background in local government. It is a disgrace that, in the weeks before Christmas, the Government did not announce an increase in councillors' pay. It was a ludicrous form of cowar…