Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

Our friends remain with us as our partners.

Senator O'Toole referred to cartels, particularly that which obtains in the area of agriculture and which is doubling prices charged to consumers. We will debate the Sustaining Progress agreement for two and a half hours next week and I hope we can address such issues at that time.

Senators Tuffy and Ulick Burke spoke about yesterday's Combat Poverty Agency Department of Health and Children seminar and the figures revealed by the Institute of Public Health. I have not read the report, but the figures seem sufficiently high to encourage people to feel regret about the problem to which they relate. However, I would like to see the breakdown of the statistics before I could say that 6,000 people die from poverty each year. I am sure there are many other facts behind the figure.

Hospice funding is an important issue. We can ask the Minister for Health and Children or one of his Ministers of State to come before the House to address it.

Senators Leyden and Finucane requested that the Tánaiste come before the House to discuss the groceries order and the size of large supermarkets or hypermarkets. People want cheaper prices for food and, therefore, a debate on the topic would be useful.

Senators Finucane and McHugh raised the issue of SARS. Senator McHugh also referred to the strike by public health doctors. The Minister for Health and Children said the Department would review the ban on athletes from affected countries as the commencement of the Special Olympics approaches. The Department has a website and a telephone hot-line which are providing good information on both matters. We should all keep abreast of the position in respect of them.

Senators Brian Hayes and Jim Walsh requested a debate on competitiveness in the public and private sectors. The loss of competition is a cause for major concern. Senator Walsh made the interesting suggestion that perhaps the Committee on Procedure and Privileges might agree to establish a small committee which could prepare specialist reports on particular matters. We can put that matter on the agenda for the next meeting of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges and communicate further with the Senator on it.