During the Order of Business in the Seanad, I said: While offering best wishes to those doing their examinations, I remind the House that the leaving certificate applied examinations are also taking place today. I mention this because a number of State bodies do not recognise this curriculum and there is a necessity to debate this issue...

During a Seanad Debate on the Forth Report of the Special Rapporteur on Child Protection, I said: I welcome the Minister. When she was demoted from this House to the Lower House, I thought we might not see her again, but then she was promoted to this position. I was pleased by her contribution and I am pleased we have a Department of Children and Youth Affairs....

During the Order of Business in the Seanad, I said: Last year criticism was expressed about newspapers that printed only bad news. A few of us said that we would make sure we have good news. I came across some good news today. NUI Maynooth has become the first and only university outside North America to be included in the 2012 edition of The Princeton Review, a guide to the best 376 colleges. It is good news. Let us ensure we look for good news every now and then...

During the Order of Business in the Seanad, I said: Will the Leader organise a debate on the Prison Service, a subject about which Senator Bacik has spoken eloquently in the past? It is some time since we had a debate on the service and several changes have occurred in the past several months...