Ann Ormonde (Fianna Fail)

I join with other Senators in calling for a debate on cancer services. We must have clarification on this and I have no doubt the Minister will be anxious to debate the issue in this House. Senator Mullen spoke about the needs of the elderly, which is an issue that is close to my heart. That brings us back to a debate that I looked for earlier on the role of society. It is important that the elderly in our society are looked after and not neglected and cast aside. The Leader should arrange for the Minister of State with responsibility for the elderly, Deputy Hoctor, to give this House an outline of her brief and how to move in the right direction. We need to think about life and those beyond the norms of everyday society.

Another area that is very important to me is how Irish Aid helps the poor in the developing world. There was a White Paper on this issue two years ago and it is important to have an update on how it is working on the ground. More than €370 million was spent on Irish Aid in the past two years and by 2012 we are expected to reach the overseas development aid target of 0.7% of GNP. We should know how and where that money is being spent. The Irish people deserve to know this. In the near future, the Minister for Foreign Affairs or the Minister of State with responsibility for Irish Aid should come before the House to provide a detailed update on the White Paper. Having listened to Niall Mellon report on the Township Trust on which he is working at present, I believe the Government should enter into a partnership and I welcome its move to enter discussions with him. Another issues concerns how the Government works with other stakeholders to ensure that value for money is obtained. I am somewhat worried about this subject, which is very close to my thinking. I seek a detailed update on the White Paper in that regard.