Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)

Has the Acting Leader been informed that an emergency Bill has been put forward today in the Lower House relating to the role of registrars of deaths, births and marriages? Will the Bill be taken in this House this week or next week, or will we sit on Saturday or next Monday to deal with the matter?

Will the Acting Leader invite the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children to come to this House when we return in the autumn to debate the MRSA crisis? This is a war against what is a serious problem for hospitals. People need to be acutely aware of the dangers to vulnerable patients. I propose bringing back matrons to run hospitals because when they did so hospitals were clean and conscientiously run. There was no MRSA or winter vomiting bug. Visiting rules should be reviewed and everyone who enters a ward should wash their hands and wear protective footwear to minimise the danger of cross-contamination. Visiting should be by invitation only where patients are vulnerable. I commend the Minister again on waging this war against MRSA and I wish her victory.