Paul Bradford (Fine Gael)

I support what was said by Senator Coffey regarding a debate on housing and planning. I noted with satisfaction last week the report from the EU indicating that the rule on local use, only applied by some local authorities, may be deemed illegal. This would be of great advantage to those of us who advocate the entitlement to build and live in rural Ireland. I look forward to the debate and a response from the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley. If the Minister had his way, the people of this country would live in single, high-rise apartment blocks. That is the policy of his party and I do not want it to have an impact on planning guidelines across the country. We urgently need a debate on planning with a view to providing strong support for rural people's entitlement to live in their communities.

I repeat the question I asked last week and perhaps the Leader will avail of the opportunity to answer it on this occasion. The long-awaited Bill containing the fair deal proposal was published by the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney. We can debate the pros and cons of it but we have awaited the legislation, as thousands of people are awaiting its implementation. The political story from the other House is that the Bill will not be debated for months. Given how this House has proved its political worth in recent weeks, can the Leader ask the Minister to reprint the Bill as a Seanad Bill to get the debate under way in this House before Christmas? It is the ideal House to debate such contentious, interesting and futuristic legislation. We could consider it in great detail, giving it the type of debate it would not get in the other House. I ask the Leader to show the worth of this House by requesting that the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Bill be debated before Christmas because it requires serious consideration and a lengthy debate. Seanad Éireann is the ideal place to get the work done.