Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

Much progress has been made on the question of inappropriate placement of intellectually disabled people in mental hospitals. I welcome and support such progress. The Minister of State, Deputy John Moloney, has shown admirable commitment and preparedness to work with the disability community in that respect and in every way he can. I commend him on the work he does and I have every confidence in his ability to continue with that work, having reappointed him to the position today.

On the question of extending the guarantee period, that is in order to ensure that we can compete for funding for five-year money as well as two-year or one-year money, given that the guarantee was due to expire on that date. It is a question of ensuring that we have available to us the prospect of getting money at a cheaper rate by having it over a longer term.

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