Ivor Callely (Fianna Fail)

——and all involved who have done Trojan work in respect of our national debt.

I wish to raise an important issue to which many speakers have referred and which I have raised in the past but have not got any satisfaction. As a parent with young children and as a member of the public aware of what is happening in the area of substance abuse, I ask that the House would come up with a mechanism to deal with this. We have heard numerous Members speak about this issue. Senator Keaveney outlined earlier the list of what has been done. We have a tremendous new committed Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy who, I believe, will prove to be a great asset to the security of the State. When one raises issues, as I have done in the past, one is told it is a matter for the joint committee. When one goes to such a joint committee one is told the Garda Commissioner was before another joint committee the previous week and will be back before it in three months' time, and that the issue raised is not for this committee. We are not dealing with the issues. Will the leaders agree a mechanism whereby this Chamber could address the tremendous anxiety of the general public, parents and a large number of responsible young people who are aware of extent of substance abuse? All arms of the State should get involved to deal with the serious issues that arise in this regard. If we must suspend Standing Orders or introduce a new Standing Order, surely this House is empowered to do so. Let us do this and find a way so that we, the Members of the House, can have a system and a mechanism through which to question all the relevant bodies.

Senator Keaveney listed all the reports available and we have charged very committed people with responsibilities, such as the new Garda Commissioner, who is really committed. One sometimes hears from members of the Garda or other State agencies that their hands are tied or they need the Legislature to change legislation in this, that or the other regard, but we do not act. I ask that we would try to find a mechanism whereby we would have a body that would do good work over a relatively short period, come up with an appropriate system, put it in place and implement it.