Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Earlier, I voted against the proposal to extend the time allocated for this debate not because I disagreed with the proposal, but because I find it bizarre and out of touch that the first topic of discussion in this House following the summer recess is a vote of confidence in the Government, under the guise of the Fennelly commission and its report.

The report is important. It should be debated and there should be an opportunity for questions and probing, but I do not think this should be done in the way it is being done today. In fact, the report is being diluted by being presented through the guise of the vote of confidence or no confidence.

As far as I am concerned the vote of confidence or no confidence is rather misplaced and mistimed because in two months' or five months' time the electorate will have time to show whether they have confidence in this Government. Why is the work of the Dáil, the normal Tuesday business, been diverted, cancelled and delayed? It would be fair enough if this was an emergency, but this debate is not an emergency. It is not an issue for which the Dáil business needed to be changed.

Another issue that is an emergency but which is not being seen as an emergency is housing. Others have alluded to this. There are 1,500 children living in emergency accommodation in Dublin, a 63% increase since last January, and the situation is worsening. Another emergency for which we could have changed the Order of Business - the Taoiseach met the group last week - relates to the disability group and the stark and heartbreaking findings they presented to the Taoiseach. I met them as well and I have met them previously on many occasions. Fully 68% of those using disability services say they are of poor quality while 93% of those in residential homes have indicated that the homes have been found to be lacking in certain standards.

Whether the former Commissioner, Mr. Callinan, was pushed, shoved, encouraged or went of his own volition, what difference does it make to the real issues taking up the lives of the people I represent or those represented by others here? We are all public servants, we are all answerable and we are all here to serve the public. I know the Department of Justice and Equality needs reform but as far as I am concerned the emergencies involving real people and the issues they have to deal with in their lives are more of a reason to change the Order of Business, rather than this bizarre debate that we are having for three hours today.

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