Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)

I wish to raise two matters. Yesterday the national co-ordinator of the Irish Foster Care Association, Ms Pat Whelan, described the State's fostering services as being in crisis. I ask the Leader to find time next week for a debate on foster care provisions. It is outrageous that, at a time of such public and private opulence, there are in excess of 4,500 children in need of permanent accommodation with foster parents. Many thousands of childless couples are attempting to adopt children from Romania, Russia and other parts of the world, yet there is a large group of children in this country who cannot be provided with loving homes. This House has a responsibility to debate the issue and examine the measures being put in place by the Government to encourage more people to become foster parents. I know the Leader will agree that the foster parents providing care are probably the greatest living examples of Irish men and women. They are providing children with a loving and decent home. I am aware that the former Minister of State with responsibility for children, Deputy Hanafin, introduced a novel scheme to give financial resources to foster parents engaged in this selfless work. The scheme has not been subscribed to as she and others envisaged.

Yesterday in the House the Minister for the Environment and Local Government, Deputy Cullen, stated he had been asked by the Taoiseach to chair a new working group on Seanad reform. I ask if the Leader was aware of this decision because I certainly was not. The leaders of groups in this House have already embarked on a radical review of the Seanad which will be concluded over the next 12 to 14 months. I ask if the groups will be working in tandem. One would have thought that the Seanad and its Members would have been consulted before the Government took this unilateral decision. I await the Leader's view on the matter.