Ivor Callely (Independent)

I welcome the publication of the four-year economic plan and support the multi-annual approach of addressing and running our nation's affairs. As we head into the general election in early 2011 and reflect on party political election promises of previous elections, I suggest that, since the four-year plan is the first attempt to set out our stall, costed and explained to the public, all future party political proposals should be costed and explained and the strategy for their implementation clearly set out. A mechanism should be put in place to allow all proposals to go to the Department of Finance where a senior official, be it an Assistant Secretary General or someone of similar rank, could consider and comment on them. As we all know, political parties in years gone by made promises and did not deliver on them. The public remain somewhat frustrated, having given votes to a particular party on a specific issue on which the party then did not deliver. This is wrong and other countries have implemented a mechanism that works. Will the Leader consider these mechanisms and determine whether we could take this opportunity, particularly in light of the first attempt that is the four-year plan, to set fair procedures in stone?

I wish to raise a recurring issue, namely, mental health, inappropriate placements and unacceptable waiting periods for treatment. We should debate the issue.