Pearse Doherty (Sinn Fein)

I agree with those Senators who have raised the dispute between the pharmacies and the HSE. Boxes of letters are being distributed to Deputies and Senators outside the gates of Leinster House. They contain 475,000 signatures from people throughout the 26 counties calling for intervention in this dispute. It is amazing and crazy that almost half a million people are demanding action yet we cannot even have a debate on the issue in the Upper House of the Parliament. Will the Leader sort out that issue immediately and facilitate a debate today or tomorrow on the pharmacies and ask the Minister for Health and Children to come in to discuss it?

The Leader may be aware of a study on the use of the Irish language within the Gaeltacht which contains many recommendations. One alarming finding is that unless we change Government policy the truest Gaeltacht areas will disappear within 15 to 20 years. Will the Leader in the lead-up to Seachtain na Gaeilge have a debate on Staidéar Cuimsitheach Teangeolaíochta ar úsáid na Gaeilge sa Ghaeltacht?