Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

Last week I asked the Tánaiste, in the absence of the Taoiseach, whether the Ethics Bill that was proposed last October to keep the Progressive Democrats in power would be taken or dropped. The Tánaiste said that it would probably be taken in the Seanad this week and that it would then return to this House, but I do not see it listed on the Order of Business for tomorrow or Thursday. Will the Bill be taken in the Seanad and, if so, will it then come back here or will we have to wait for it until the autumn?

Has the Taoiseach finalised a date for a referendum on the revised European treaty? Does he intend to hold the proposed referendum on children's rights on that date or before then? Obviously the former Minister of State, Deputy Brian Lenihan, was dealing with that issue but I wish to know its current status.

Is it proposed to amend the appropriate Act to give effect to the result of the referendum held in Dingle-Daingean Uí Chúis? The Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív, dealt with this matter. The people voted for a change and either a ministerial order or legislation is required to deal with that.

Is it proposed to change the legislation dealing with accreditation in the health services, where there are currently 83 different organisations dealing with acute care hospitals? Many of those organisations are funded by the State. There seems to be an extraordinary number of organisations dealing with a central feature of our public hospital system. Is there any proposal to change that situation to provide greater clarification?

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