David Cullinane (Sinn Fein)

It is very difficult to follow the maiden speeches of Senators Marie-Louise O'Donnell and Martin McAleese, whom I commend for their thought-provoking and powerful contributions. Senator Martin McAleese called for this House to act, be relevant and ensure it does its business. When Senator Feargal Quinn spoke about active citizenship, I was reminded that Margaret Thatcher had suggested there was no such thing as society or communities, that there were only individuals. How wrong she was. It is good that we in Ireland value society and our sense of community. We are very proud of this.

I join Senator Ivana Bacik and others in condemning what we now see as a catalogue of abuse in the Rostrevor nursing home, which has surfaced in the media. We should be conscious of this and act upon it. The Senator was correct to highlight that, while the abuse in the nursing home was tragic and should be condemned in the strongest possible terms, there were wider issues. People who work in such institutions should be able to come forward and tell outsiders or inquiries what is happening therein. I am sure abuses are not occurring in the Rostrevor facility alone. I am sure similar abuses are taking place elsewhere across the State. In recent weeks we have dealt with issues arising from historical cases of abuse in institutions in the State. Let us ensure that in ten or 15 years Members of this House, if it still exists, and the Dáil will not be talking about the abuses in nursing homes about which we are now reading and hearing. I refer to older people who should be treated with respect and dignity being treated in a truly shocking fashion. There is a need for us to have a full discussion about nursing home provision and standards, and also about the ability of members of staff in these facilities to come forward and state what is happening therein.

Yesterday I raised two issues, but they were not addressed by the Leader of the House. One concerned the review of the taxi industry by the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. This is an important review and we should have an opportunity to be part of the discussion. I also called for a debate on housing, which is fundamental to society. It is one of the big issues affecting people. The latest CSO figures suggest there is an urgent need for us to debate it.