Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

Unlike other Opposition parties, Sinn Féin Deputies will not oppose this legislation. There are genuine concerns that the creation of additional Ministers of State may be for the purpose of rewarding political colleagues. However, in looking at the list of junior ministerial positions, Sinn Féin is not so much concerned about numbers. For us, the key question is whether these positions allow for necessary additional focus on vital areas of public policy. We are, therefore, taking an open-minded position on the increased numbers of Ministers of State and are not prepared simply to oppose it for opposition's sake.

For example, we welcome the fact that the drugs portfolio and the housing portfolio each has a full junior Minister looking after what are important areas of social policy. We have long argued that these two portfolios needed a stronger focus and this arrangement should allow for such an approach. Given that it is the start of the new Dáil, I express the hope that the creation of the position of Minister of State with responsibility for housing, urban renewal and developing areas will concentrate the minds of the Government on the need for a real housing policy with a proactive role for the State and local authorities. For the past decade the Government has abdicated its responsibility to provide social and affordable housing and has abandoned to market forces this key area of public need. All around us we see the dire consequences, in terms of bad planning, substandard housing and prices spiralling way beyond the means of many thousands of people seeking a home.

We are disappointed by the fact that the Minister of State with responsibility for drugs strategy and community affairs is linked only to the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. We believe that a cross-departmental approach, including the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and the Departments of Health and Children and Justice, Equality and Law Reform, is necessary for the development and implementation of a cohesive drugs strategy. We believe the threat to our society posed by drugs warrants such an approach and we call for it to be adopted. I would welcome the Minister giving a positive indication in that regard in his closing remarks to this debate.

I welcome the appointment of Deputy Brendan Smith, my constituency colleague, to the position of Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, with responsibility for children. This is an important post, with much progress needed in areas such as child care, children's health, special needs and tackling educational and economic disadvantage. I wish the Deputy well in his new portfolio responsibility. As Sinn Féin's spokesperson on health and children, I will be carefully following the progress that he will record across all the key areas that impact on the needs and well-being of our children.

I welcome the new position of Minister of State with responsibility for integration policy, who has a cross-departmental portfolio similar to the position Sinn Féin advocates for the drugs portfolio. Perhaps the Minister of State, Deputy Noel Ahern, will again note the point I have made. If it can apply in this instance, surely it should apply in the other instance. It makes best sense. We will be watching the performance of the Minister of State, Deputy Conor Lenihan, in his new role. He can be assured of that.

I welcome the appointment of a Minister of State with responsibility for services for older people and I congratulate Deputy Máire Hoctor on her elevation to the junior ministerial ranks. We in Sinn Féin advocated the creation of this post in line with the campaigning case put forward by Age Action and other senior citizen lobby groups. There is a need for more clarity and more concentration on the implementation of the national disability strategy. Sinn Féin proposed that this would be a function of the Department of the Taoiseach, with a dedicated unit in that Department with cross-departmental responsibility. The Government has appointed a Minister of State with responsibility for disability and mental health under the aegis of the Minister for Health and Children. I extend good wishes to Deputy Jimmy Devins in his first ministerial brief. Disability is primarily an equality issue rather than a health issue. Nonetheless, we hope that the full implementation of the national disability strategy, with yearly targets, will be pursued vigorously by the new Minister of State.

We are concerned that tackling educational disadvantage has been dropped from the title of the Minister of State at the Department of Education and Science. We hope that this is not a signal that the incoming Government will put less emphasis on tackling educational disadvantage. There needs to be clear responsibility and a clear determination to make progress in this vital area.

However these posts pan out in practice, we will all monitor each of them carefully and Sinn Féin will present keen and focused opposition throughout the term before us. Non-governmental organisations and campaigning groups across a whole spectrum of interests will welcome the designation of their focus, their issues and their needs to a stand-alone portfolio holder. This has long been a demand of many groups and organisations whose expertise and recommendations should be acknowledged, appreciated and acted upon. These new Ministers of State and their streamlined senior Ministries have a real opportunity to make a critical difference in the lives of many people, including people with disabilities, drugs issues and housing needs, older people and children. On behalf of the Sinn Féin Deputies — this is something they will not always hear from an Opposition party or group of voices — I wish all the new Ministers of State a fair wind, but I caution them not to disappoint.

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