Donie Cassidy (Fianna Fail)

—— at the earliest possible time and will endeavour to secure all-party agreement on the motion in respect of statements in the House on alcohol abuse. I call on the leaders of all political parties in the House to join with me in holding an all-party debate and statements on how Members can help the Minister and the Department in this respect.

Senators de Búrca, Coghlan, Callely, Prendergast, Feeney, Buttimer, Healy Eames and others expressed serious concerns in respect of the pharmacy issue. Members are aware that my intention was that the Minister would appear before the House tomorrow. However, she will be in the Dáil tomorrow at the time I had hoped she would come before the Seanad. I am pleased to inform the House that the Minister will be in the Seanad next Tuesday from 5.30 p.m. to 7.30 p.m., for statements on the pharmacy issue and the up-to-date position in this regard. The Dáil will receive an update on this matter tomorrow. As Members are aware, 1 March is the crucial date. I urge all Members who wish to contribute to speak to their Whips and to get their rota in order for the Cathaoirleach because nearly all Members will wish to speak on this issue.

In respect of the proposal for clinical trials, the €10 million the HSE has spent up to now on various trials, as well as those who are taking the Prozac medication, I have no difficulty in passing on these views to the Minister after the conclusion of the Order of Business or in inviting her to attend the House at another time to discuss the entire portfolio of health in respect of this matter, which probably will require an all-day debate.

Senators McFadden and Mary White raised the issue of the delayed trial in respect of the terrible school bus tragedy. I concur with their sentiments and will pass on their views to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. The national Road Safety Authority has a duty to introduce the fitting of black box technology on all registered public transport. I have called on it to so do on two or three previous occasions as 53,000 public transport licences have been granted in Ireland for school buses, ambulances, taxis or whatever. It is the duty of the Government to have in place such black box technology because the cause of such an accident would be known definitively within 20 minutes of it taking place. Members fully support the sentiments expressed this morning by Senators McFadden and Mary White and I will do everything I can to ascertain whether anything can be done through the Minister regarding the request made in the House this morning.

Senators Daly and Quinn mentioned this is Fair Trade fortnight and Fairtrade products are being sold in Leinster House today. I intend to place statements on fair trade on the Order of Business one day next week to measure progress and to discuss how to assist the Fairtrade organisations, which are doing such a wonderful job in this regard.

Senators Coffey and Ormonde called for a debate on waste related matters. Statements on waste management will follow the Order of Business today and I understand the Minister is waiting in the ante-room outside for this debate to take place. Perhaps the particular points raised by the Senators can be addressed in the House this morning.

Senator Terry Leyden, who is the Government's spokesman on European affairs, referred to the Lisbon reform treaty. I concur with the Senator's views on Commissioner Mandelson and the serious concerns about which our farmers must be very vigilant. I congratulate the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Deputy Mary Coughlan, for her steadfast opposition to his proposals on protecting Irish farmers and the farming community at present. I will endeavour to have the requested debate take place at the earliest possible time.

Senator Kelly called for the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to come before the House to discuss small to medium sized businesses, which employ more that 800,000 people in Ireland at present, with particular reference to the technology sector. I can facilitate such a debate and have already made a request to the Minister to have a debate on that worthwhile subject.

Senators Norris and Callely called for an urgent debate on homelessness. I heard Dr. O'Carroll's radio interview this morning and I wish to compliment both him and Ms Alice Leahy, who already has been named in the House, for the great work they are doing. In particular I refer to the night bus that drives around the city of Dublin, as well as to other areas in which great work is being done in respect of homelessness. However, it defies logic to treat someone in hospital for a week or two and then to let that person out with nowhere to go. Such a person will more or less have been put back on the street. This is unacceptable in this day and age and Members will have a lengthy debate on this issue at the very earliest possible time.

All local authorities received a substantial increase in their allocations in recent years. I call on our colleagues opposite, whose parties control 95% of local authorities given their numbers following the outcome of the previous local elections, to assist the Government in ensuring what the Deputy Leader of the House has called on me to take on board. It is important to ensure this, especially when increased allocations have been made for roads, water and sewerage schemes and other essential services and given that local authority members decide where most of those moneys will be spent.

Senator Callely requested information on the general election in Russia. I will pass on his view to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and will endeavour to get a response to his query.

Senators Feeney and Buttimer requested a debate on child psychiatry, with which I agree and I will pass on their views. I can arrange for such a debate to be taken, perhaps in Private Members' time given that it is only four weeks until the Easter recess. Perhaps political party Whips and leaders would consider facilitating some of these urgent worthwhile requests and assist the House in agreeing to such matters being taken in Private Members' time.

Senator Quinn made a good suggestion, namely, that on leap year day, 29 February, which is this coming Friday, all households plug out or turn off their television sets and other electrical appliances and not leave them on standby at night-time in particular. When appliances are left on standby 20% of the electricity it takes for them to be fully powered is wasted. The House will join the Senator in calling on all citizens to respond to an energy request on leap year day and, thereby, get into that good habit. People have got into the bad habit of switching off their television sets with their remote controls and not turning them off manually, which one must do to turn off most television sets.

Senator Healy Eames called for a debate on water quality and the sewerage scheme in Clifden. This is an issue that could be taken during in Private Members' time. Perhaps the information the Senator requested could be obtained more quickly if this matter were taken in Private Members' time.

Senator Doherty called for a debate on a study on Gaeltacht areas being undertaken. We always have a debate once a year on the Irish language and the Gaeltacht. This is a worthy request and I have no difficulty in arranging for such a debate.