Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail)

I wish to raise two issues, the first of which relates to the Family Home Bill published today by Senator Marc MacSharry and me. As Senator Darragh O'Brien said, it forms part of the Fianna Fáil strategy to deal with mortgage indebtedness and personal debt. Protecting the family home is a priority for everybody in the House. As Senator Darragh O'Brien said, there was cross-party support for a Labour Party motion in this regard. No doubt there will be some aspects of the Bill that people may or may not like and that they can address on Committee Stage. However, no one can be in any doubt that the objective of keeping people in the family home is one that should be supported in legislation in this House. I look forward to that debate when the Bill is taken in Private Members' time.

Some serious issues have arisen in the media and I hope they will be the subject of discussion at the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party meeting. Allegations have been made in the media that the issue of whether a Deputy was loyal to the Taoiseach in last year's leadership battle is having an influence on which hospitals should be closed or kept open.