Paul Bradford (Fine Gael)

The Cathaoirleach is calling for questions and I have one for the Leader. What is happening with the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Bill 2008? We on this side have been seeking information on it for many months. We have had debates on the proper provision for the care of the elderly. The Bill was flagged and it has been published, but we are now getting indications that it may not be taken in the other House until well into the spring. I presume we have a parliamentary mechanism that would allow for the Bill to be republished and taken in this House. We have a duty of care to the elderly in the community. Even though the contents of this Bill will be the cause of much debate, at least it will be the start of a debate. Is it possible to take this Bill in the House before Christmas? The Minister for Health and Children indicated that the Bill was almost ready over 12 months ago. We then heard of parliamentary and legal difficulties. At least it has been published. The publication of the Bill is of no use to tens of thousands of people until such time as it enacted. We have the time in this House before Christmas to deal with the Bill.

A colleague of the deputy Leader believes that this House is almost redundant and that we should all be taking pay cuts. That is a bit rich coming from somebody who has a full Oireachtas salary and chairs an Oireachtas committee as well. As we demonstrated last week, we in this House can do our job very effectively. Could we take charge of this nursing homes Bill and put a scheme in place for the tens of thousands of people who are urgently awaiting it?