Rónán Mullen (Independent)

The quality of debates in this Chamber will be determined by how often they are organised to address relevant matters. I know the Leader has a duty to the Government parties to organise debates when the Government has something it wants to say. However, he also has a duty to represent our desire to have certain issues surface from time to time. That is why I support Senator Fitzgerald's call for a debate on banking today. I also support Senator O'Toole's call for action against Goldman Sachs, particularly when the general secretary of Germany's Christian Social Union has said that as long as investigations into the company are ongoing, government dealings with it should be put on hold. That is the kind of issue that should be at the core of our discussions today.

I remind the Leader that I asked him before the break for a debate on the Government's cardiovascular implementation plan. He said at the time that the Government would continue to examine that issue but I want a debate. We must consider the importance of investment in stroke care. If we invest in stroke care now we could save tens of millions of euro in years to come and save many lives. We have only 11 acute hospitals with stroke units. These are the type of issues we need surfaced in the Seanad at the earliest opportunity. While I greatly appreciate the Leader's courtesy when we ask for debates, it is not enough for him to say that he has no problem with it. We need a date in the diary.