Frances Fitzgerald (Fine Gael)

I welcome the initiative by the Leader in response to a discussion we had at a leaders' meeting about Ministers taking questions following statements. This is a very good innovation and I am pleased the Leader has been able to bring this to the proceedings and that Ministers have agreed to do it. I hope we can develop and extend this initiative.

I wish to return to an issue raised yesterday by Senator O'Toole, which was initially raised in the House by Senator Bacik and on which many Senators have spoken. I refer to the position of Íngrid Betancourt. The article by Lara Marlowe in The Irish Times is truly shocking, as a Senator stated yesterday. We have had our own experience in this country with hostage taking and captivity with Brian Keenan. I would like to think the Seanad could be effective in this area and that we can agree a strong all-party motion. Perhaps we can suggest to the Dáil that a cross-party motion would be tabled in that House as well. We should agree a motion, have it passed in both Houses and ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs to raise it at the next EU Ministers meeting as a priority issue. It is truly shocking to read the plight of the female Colombian politician who has been held for five years in the most appalling conditions. If there is anything we can do, and small actions can make a difference sometimes, we should try to do it.

While much has been said about yesterday's budget it fails a number of people, especially the vulnerable in our society. For example, there was no change in the means test for carers, many of whom work full-time in the home and are not eligible for this aid.

I return to a topic discussed in the House some time ago, namely, child care. The budget did not address the serious concerns arising from the changes in child care subvention. I attended a meeting on the matter last week with many child care providers. Will the Leader raise this matter with the Minister for Health and Children? I had hoped the budget would address the child care supplement issue given the costs of child care for parents in this country which are among the highest in Europe, but it did not, nor did it address the changes being brought about by the early child care supplement. The increases in that would only pay for five weeks of child care approximately and, therefore, many parents are left struggling with the cost.

The budget failed to address the issue of families struggling to meet child care costs and with no changes in the medical card scheme and minor changes in the qualified child allowance and the back to school clothing and footwear allowance, consistent poverty among children has increased in the past year. We must invite the Minister back to the House to discuss the range of issues affecting children and families.