Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I must revert to the Deputy on the issue of ground rents and what legislation is in hand or whether it is under active consideration at present.

As for the other matter that was raised, much investment quite rightly has been made in that area, with €1.5 billion being spent this year and more than 25,000 people on the data register indicating they are receiving services. The issue that is arising, as I mentioned on Leaders' Questions last week, is that as we seek to try to protect front line services we must consider how we rearrange the non-front line service part of the sector. There is a significant number of section 38 and section 39 organisations, which have done an excellent job and which are very committed, but in the context of sustainable levels of service and developing services for the future we must be prepared to consider whether we can reorganise how that is delivered. The efforts that are being made by the Minister of State, Deputy Moloney, and the Department of Health and Children, not just this week but in recent times is to try to achieve that. I assure Deputy Ó Caoláin that everything we can do in that respect is being investigated.

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