Frances Fitzgerald (Fine Gael)

Yesterday Senators from across the political divide raised a concern at the judgment on the Ó Cuanacháin family and applied behavioural analysis, ABA, education. There were urgent calls for the Minister for Education and Science to attend the House so that we could have a debate on this matter. What progress has the Leader made in ensuring that we have discussion as soon as possible? I note the Minister commented on it yesterday, while the Minister of State said that he would defer to her on the issue. It would be helpful if the Leader could tell us if he has made any progress.

There has been a continuing drip feed of information on the Taoiseach and I noted the fairly empty Government benches last night during the debate on the Mahon tribunal. When does the Leader expect legislation on this matter to come before the House?

The Taoiseach yesterday opened the Office for Older People and the Office for Disability and Mental Health. We clearly welcome the focus on these two areas, but we need an action plan from both Ministers of State in the areas and we need to know what resources they will get. We could usefully pursue that issue here in the Senate with both Ministers of State. We do not want more bureaucracy, red tape, quangos and more appointments, but we want to see action on the ground. Given the focus this House has placed on mental health issues, last week's report by the Irish Psychiatric Association, The lie of the land, should be of great concern to us all. It makes for very disturbing reading as it states that the resources from the land banks from psychiatric hospitals do not appear to have been put into the mental health services. Last year saw a reduction in the budget for mental health services. We now have a new Office for Disability and Mental Health, but there has been a reduction in the budget for the area.

We have great concerns about the land banks which are being given for co-located hospitals. At the same time, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Martin, has questioned co-location in Cork. I wonder if this is the beginning of the end of the co-location plan. It appears as if it is full of contradictions and will not enhance public health services, but lead to a deterioration. I would like the Leader to ask both Ministers of State to come before the House so we can find out about the resources and the action plans. This is the second anniversary of Vision for Change and it is not being implemented. It is an area of great concern to this House and we should be pursuing it in the near future.