Donie Cassidy (Fianna Fail)

Senators Twomey and O'Reilly inquired about legislation for the future. The Bill in question is on Committee Stage in the Dáil. On the urgent matter of nursing homes, I will do everything possible to have this legislation before the House as soon as the Government orders so.

Senators Twomey, Glynn and Norris expressed their strong concerns on suicide, alcohol and bullying. We have seen an unfortunate tragedy in the past few days. As a lay person, it strikes me that we could have CCTV in schools, school yards and other areas where bullying takes place. If CCTV is used, all the activity will be there for everybody to see. No student, boy or girl, at any level should be tortured by bullies. When the Minister for Education and Science comes to the House we will ask her how best to address that problem.

On suicide and alcohol, 13 Senators who are very concerned about drug abuse attended my office yesterday at 2.30 p.m. and we will have our first all-party agreed motion on that next Wednesday from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. Thereafter we will have whatever sittings are necessary, beginning on 6 February 2008, to allow every Senator to make his or her contribution. I will endeavour to have as many Ministers, whether for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Health and Children or Education and Science, present at various sittings in order that the Seanad can play a meaningful role on substance abuse and the plague of suicide. I thank the Ministers for their concerns. We witnessed terrible events in the past few weeks. Hopefully we can play a part in assisting the Government and its agencies in the challenges ahead. The health services and the Garda Síochána have an important role to play and we want to lead the way on an all-party proposal. I thank everybody who gave up time to attend that meeting. It was a difficult day with so many committees and meetings. Senators made a terrific effort to attend the first meeting under the chairmanship of Senator O'Donovan.

Senators O'Toole and Keaveney expressed their views on the Minister's support for books in schools. It is nice to see so many students in the Visitors Gallery. While Senator O'Toole may not be pleased with the book the Minister sent out for Christmas, called Judging Dev——