Frances Fitzgerald (Fine Gael)

Last night on "Prime Time" RTE broadcast a chilling documentary on the lives of Irish people in totally unsuitable psychiatric facilities which would have been unsuitable at any time but which are so inadequate in this day and age, yet more than 1,000 men and women live in them. As we saw last night, they are institutionalised in such horrible facilities. The Seanad could play a role in prioritising the issue of mental health and we can begin to do so on 1 March when the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy John Moloney, will make an announcement on the new funding to be made available for mental health facilities. We must make this issue a higher political priority and I want the Seanad to play a role in it. Yesterday, I received a commitment from the Minister of State that the practice of placing children in adult psychiatric facilities would end by the end of 2011. While this is welcome, it is unfortunate that a couple of hundred children with mental health difficulties will be put into adult facilities for treatment this year. I urge the Leader to ensure the Minister of State's announcement on the future of mental health in this country is made in the Seanad so that we can begin to prioritise this area. A number of Senators across the political divide, including Senators Corrigan and Mary White, have raised the issue and we must receive a response. We have an opportunity to make a difference in an area which has not been given the priority it deserves.

I wish to raise the 750 job losses in Bank of Scotland Ireland due to the closure of its Halifax branches here. This follows 1,500 job losses in our main banks in recent months, resulting in a total number of job losses of in excess of 2,000 in the banking sector. We need a job creation plan because it is clear we have not turned the corner and the banking sector is facing into serious flux and uncertainty. Will the third banking force be implemented and what are the Department of Finance's plans in this regard? I repeat the call I made yesterday for a debate which would allow every Member to express a view on these issues. I ask that the Minister for Finance attend the House to discuss the issues and, accordingly, I propose an amendment to the Order of Business in order that we hold a debate on the banking sector today.