Liam Twomey (Fine Gael)

A number of pieces of legislation were rushed through the previous Dáil before its end. These were the Pharmacy Bill and Bills concerning the new Medical Council and new nursing home standards. Could the Leader find out whether these pieces of legislation have even been implemented or if their commencement orders have been signed? There is considerable concern about what is happening in nursing homes and other institutions. We rushed the legislation dealing with these issues through both Houses just before the previous general election but we do not seem to have the standards in place and the work does not seem to be carried out. We have done this to protect elderly and young people in institutions throughout the State yet, even today, we discover reports which clearly state that these institutions are not being inspected. Why have we gone to the trouble of debating these issues and pushing the necessary legislation through only to find out that the Departments involved simply are doing nothing about it? I would like the Leader to find out what is happening in respect of these specific pieces of legislation and these very important issues.

I also wish to raise the link between alcohol and suicide, which has been known about for years. We see reports again today regarding the considerable effect alcohol and binge drinking have on teenagers. Why have we failed in respect of this issue? Perhaps we need to bring the Minister involved to the House to discuss this issue because young people are binge drinking to a greater extent than before and there is a very clear link between binge drinking and suicide. We need to bring the Minister in to discuss that issue and why we are failing so much in respect of it.