Donie Cassidy (Fianna Fail)

I have no difficulty whatsoever in allocating whatever time is necessary to continue our deliberations on the financial difficulties and the challenges being experienced by a very good Minister for Finance at present. It is the view of the majority of Members that we should do anything we can in the House to assist the Government in this regard.

Senator Callely called for a debate on the HSE and made a very good proposal on the breakdown in percentage terms of the allocation of staff to services, especially in respect of staff in administration and at the front line in hospitals, be they nursing staff or consultants. He asked that the debate encompass every medical challenge faced by the HSE. I have no difficulty in inviting the Minister to the House to discuss the difficulties emerging in regard to what would seem to be the high percentage of staff now employed in administration. In an era of computerisation there should be a greater opportunity to prioritise financial assistance for front-line staff, including nursing staff, rather than administrative staff. I have no difficulty in allocating time for this debate.

Senator McFadden quite correctly alluded to Senator Cummins who brought to my attention the question of whether asylum seeker accommodation centres should be accessible to every canvasser during an election campaign. I passed this view on to the Minister and am awaiting clarification from him on the issue.

Senator McCarthy referred to the awarding of contracts to ferry operators, workers' rights and all the challenges in this area. I will pass on his views to the Department today, try to ascertain the up-to-date position and revert directly to the Senator on his query.

Senator Jim Walsh pointed out the urgent need for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to review the local town boundaries in regard to elections to town councils. The population of Ireland has increased by more than a million and certain towns in respect of which there are local elections may have doubled in population since the boundaries were drawn.

Senator Healy Eames referred to the bilateral adoption agreement with Vietnam. I have a lengthy response from the Minister of State on this and will pass it on to the Senator directly after the Order of Business.