Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail)

I would welcome a debate on tribunals generally so that we can all participate. It is important that we would monitor the progress of all our tribunals to ensure they operate to the highest standards and to ensure they are working in a way that is consistent with the way that the Oireachtas established them in the first place in terms of achieving the expectations of the public and in terms of ensuring adherence to the standards set by Fianna Fáil in government by its, soon to be, seven leaders and the leadership they have shown over many decades. I proudly call on the Leader for that debate to take place as a matter of urgency.

I beg the Cathaoirleach's indulgence on two other issues. I join Senator O'Malley in calling for a debate on social partnership and the partnership talks which are to begin again in approximately one month's time. As finance spokesman on this side of the House I believe it would be appropriate to have such a debate. I ask the Leader to consider establishing an all-party committee to monitor the progress of those negotiations.

I have asked on many occasions recently for a debate on the HSE. I believe we would have all-party agreement on one of those taking place. The HSE is undertaking a national review of its funded adult day services. I recently received correspondence stating it is having a consultation process throughout the country. I call for a debate because the north west has been substantially ignored on a variety of issues, not least cancer care services. To be true to my name I must bring to the attention of the House the map that accompanied the invitation for consultation to this process. The four venues are all south of a line from Dublin to Galway, which is consistent with the cancer care services that are available. It is an endemic problem with the HSE that it refuses to acknowledge the existence of the 250,000 people who live in the north west region. I again ask for an urgent debate on the HSE to address some of these issues.