Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

No. Deputy Brennan wishes to come back.

Senator Mooney raised the matter of the President's bounty being extended to the Irish diaspora. Do Members know to whom we can give the credit for that? I do not want to take away from Senator Mooney or the President, but it is Mr. Joe Duffy. There was a long debate on the issue on his radio programme around a year ago. He was like the country's ombudsman on the issue of the President's bounty being extended and I am glad that will happen. Senator Mooney also called for a debate on Ireland's peace-keeping role.

Senator Ulick Burke spoke about accident and emergency departments and the declaration of a national emergency. I am glad it has been named thus. He asked about the review of the acute hospital services in the west and mid-west and the future of small hospitals. More beds are needed but everybody is afraid to say so. The large number of beds taken out of the system will have to be progressively reintroduced.