Paudie Coffey (Fine Gael)

I agree with colleagues and welcome the Cabinet decision to do a U-turn on a search and rescue helicopter emergency service in the south east. That decision should never have been made and the reversal of it is a victory for people power and common sense. I am glad the decision was reversed.

Today, a burden of over €5,000 will be placed on every man, woman and child in the country as a result of the recapitalisation we heard about yesterday - the €22.5 billion that will be required to recapitalise the zombie Anglo Irish Bank. I agree with those who say the entire system must be purged of both banking and political leaders. Discussion of this crisis is very relevant. It was due mainly to the lack of oversight and regulation for many years. There must be accountability. Therefore, I support the calls for a debate on the matter.

I agree, to an extent, with Senator Ó Brolcháin's assertion that there is a need for good news stories. In recent days I attended a function at Kel-Tech Engineering in Waterford . Kel-Tech is a small manufacturing company which employs over 60 people and it received an international award from Caterpillar for the work it was doing. It must be acknowledged that small businesses remain successful and competitive and the public must be informed about good news stories such as that to which I refer. We cannot give up on high quality manufacturing and the message must be got across that a great deal of such activity continues to be engaged in.

Will the Leader make time available for a debate on dental health? The dental treatment services scheme has been cut to a large degree. If we fail to invest and make proper resources available in order that people might avail of proper dental services and practise good oral hygiene, we will be obliged to deal with the issue of tooth decay in the future. I ask the Leader to arrange a debate on this important matter at some future date.