Ned O'Sullivan (Fianna Fail)

I agree with my fellow Kerrymen, Senators Joe O'Toole and Paul Coghlan, in their welcoming of the decision by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy John Gormley, on the Dingle-Daingean Uí Chúis issue. He has shown the wisdom of Solomon on the matter and I hope both sides will be satisfied with his verdict. I know I will be.

I commend the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Deputy Trevor Sargent, who yesterday launched the organic farming action plan. Will the Deputy Leader invite the Minister of State to outline to the House the imaginative programme he has in mind? It is a challenging document, which seeks to achieve 5% of all farming to be organic by 2012. He has made remarkable progress in the area. Any farmer with 55 hectares or more in the REP scheme can switch to organic farming and receive grant aid in excess of €20,000 for the first two years and €16,000 per annum thereafter without having to apply for REPS 4.

The Union of Students in Ireland are lobbying Members today on problems faced by students. It has presented a very good case. The most critical problem for students at present and one of several problems raised by the union is the matter of student accommodation. I understand the Minister, Deputy Gormley, has promised that there will be a report on this matter. I ask that the Minister expedite the publication of this report and that the Deputy Leader would secure this.

I support the comments of my colleague, Senator Larry Butler, on the issue of various bugs in hospitals. We have seen problems in hospitals throughout the country. There seems to be a new super-bug appearing every so often. There have been deaths in hospitals as a result, whether it is Ennis or Loughlinstown hospitals. Recently the mother of a friend of mine, a woman of advanced years but in reasonably good health, was admitted to a hospital in County Kerry. One week later she succumbed to one of these bugs and is now unfortunately dead. It is not for Senator Buttimer to challenge the Government on this issue as it is not a matter of finance, but a matter of procedure.