Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)

I have two questions for the Leader. The former Minister for Defence, Deputy Willie O'Dea, got €100,000 in disappointment money when he resigned his Cabinet post. I was struck yesterday in seeing six mothers on International Women's Day who wanted me to highlight a particular case. They are flood victims and are disappointed not to have yet received one penny in aid. I am looking for the Leader's help on this as both he and I know about the humanitarian aid being made available for flood victims. None of them has received any insurance money.

These people are being discouraged in applying for humanitarian aid because they have been told it will be means-tested and people will not qualify. That is fundamentally unfair as these people did not cause the floods. They are now paying two electricity and heating bills and I ask the Leader to intervene personally and speak to the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Deputy Hanafin, and see that these people get their fair share of humanitarian aid as a matter of urgency. These people are feeling let down by the Government.

There is a crisis in child protection in this country. Why are children dying in care from non-natural causes? What is going on in the country? These children have been failed once by their parents and families and they are now being failed by the State. Children are disappearing from care and there is no national outrage. It does not make sense. The Minister of State with responsibility for children, Deputy Barry Andrews, must come in to explain to the House the deficiencies and problems in care. Is it a problem with staff? The fundamental issue is that 14 children have died of non-natural causes so what is the problem and what is going on?