Kathleen O'Meara (Labour)

I support the call for a debate on the deployment of Garda resources across the country because it would be very useful. Such a debate should include an examination of how Garda resources are deployed in rural areas, as well as in urban areas. There is a significant deficit in Garda presence in villages and rural areas where people fear for their lives at night. I would welcome a debate on this very important issue.

Could the Leader ask the Minister of State with responsibility for children, Deputy Brian Lenihan, to come to the House to discuss issues relating to child care, specifically, the registration and management of crèches in light of the very disturbing evidence revealed in the Irish Examiner yesterday? I understand the Minister of State is introducing a review of the current regulations, which date back to 1996. Under these regulations, a crèche is only required to notify the local Health Service Executive area of its existence. It is not required to register with it, meet a certain standard or have training programmes in place. These measures must be minimum requirements of any new regulations. It would be useful if the Minister of State came to the House to debate this very important issue and hear the views of Members even before the review of the current regulations is published.