Mary Henry (Independent)

I do not believe Senator Brian Hayes or any other Member should apologise for bringing up individual cases regarding visa problems. Several times I have brought to the House the repeated problems I have with non-EU doctors, desperately needed by the health service, experiencing terrible trouble with the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform regarding their visas. Another area where there have been visa problems is at Trinity College, Dublin. In one instance a lecturer at the college returned home to St. Petersburg for the summer and was not allowed back into Ireland until Christmas the following year.

Will the Leader ask the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Parlon, to come to the House to discuss the issue of the Office of Public Works? There is a need for more lateral thinking regarding some of the office's properties. For example, there has been a great deal of criticism about the residences it bought for refugees, which were then not used due to objections from people living in the local areas involved. On the television news last night, I saw that the Jesuits' institution, Brock House on Nutley Lane, was one of these buildings. This is situated across the road from St. Vincent's Hospital which has an appalling problem regarding bed shortages. Some lateral thinking might allow the Department of Health and Children to make use of this excellent premises. I was there several times and it is a first-class building. As the Office of Public Works could not get permission for it to be used for refugees, it can be used in another capacity.