Mary White (Fianna Fail)

When does the Leader intend to reschedule last Wednesday's business which was postponed owing to the death of former President, Dr. Patrick Hillery? I am especially concerned about the issue of older people. As Fianna Fáil's Seanad spokesperson on older people, I would like to hear the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy Hoctor, bring us up to date on developments in her Ministry.

On 19 March last I spoke in the House about the fact that Dr. Séamas Hegarty, the Bishop of Derry, raised in his St. Patrick's Day homily the issue of the conditions for Irish prisoners abroad. He called for the urgent implementation of the Government commissioned report on Irish prisoners abroad. There are approximately 800 to 1,000 Irish people in prisons abroad. The majority are in prison in the United Kingdom but many are being held in Central and South America in the most appalling conditions.

The main recommendations of the report were that a special unit be set up within the Department of Foreign Affairs, headed by a senior staff member and that a database on Irish prisoners abroad be set up. Since I last spoke on this matter, money has been allocated to set up a database on all Irish people abroad, including those in prison. I ask the Leader to invite a representative of the Department of Foreign Affairs to the House to outline to us when the aforementioned unit will be set up. As the bishop noted, it is a fundamental requirement. I do not condone the actions of those who committed crimes abroad but I am concerned about their human rights.