Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

Today is World Food Day with 150 countries around the world signing up to a commitment on The Right to Food at a time when some 850 million people are dying from chronic hunger and others are suffering from obesity. Is there in place a legislative proposal to mark Ireland's contribution to this crisis which continues to worsen as the population increases?

No. 36 on the Government's legislative programme is the George Mitchell Scholarship Fund Act 1998 (Amendment) Bill which proposes to facilitate an increase in Ireland's contribution to the fund during the next five years. Surely this does not require a legislative base and there exists another mechanism through which funds to a scholarship can be increased. No. 49 on the legislative programme is the mental health amendment Bill. I read recently reports of young children with psychiatric problems being placed in adult mental health institutions. This is not the type of Ireland we want in 2007.

In this regard, when will provision be made for children with psychiatric problems who do not deserve to be placed in adult psychiatric institutions? This should not be happening in this day and age.

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