Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)

Four days will be more than enough to lose money.

Senator Norris raised the Residential Institutions Redress (Amendment) Bill. The other House took approximately one and half hours to complete all Stages of that Bill. I am allocating two and a half hours for the debate on it. If that is not sufficient, we can look at it again but I hope we will be able to complete our business in two and a half hours, given that the Lower House spent less than an hour and a half on it. I take on board his question regarding the involuntary use of ECT. I will check the status of the Bill.

Senator MacConghail and Senator Daly referred to a matter raised by Senator Quinn last week, the famine in the Horn of Africa. It is a dreadful situation. Mary Robinson is travelling to the region, and the suggestion that we invite her to address the House is excellent. We currently have requests for approximately ten people to address the House and we will try to deal with that in the next session. Two of the people who have been asked to address the House are former Senators, Mary Robinson and Maurice Manning, who can speak on human rights. I am sure they will accede to our requests. It would be excellent to have them in the House to address Members on their experiences on those issues.

Senator Cullinane referred to the remarks of the Minister for Social Protection. The Minister, Deputy Burton, has clarified the matter. She was referring to less than 2% of the people on social welfare. She is an excellent Minister for Social Protection.

Senator Mullins asked that contact be made with the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. I remind Members that tomorrow the House will see a new departure with questions and answers on agriculture, rather than statements. The Minister will spend an hour and a half dealing with agriculture and an hour on fisheries. He will address the House for ten minutes on agriculture and for another ten minutes on fisheries. That will be followed by a question and answer session, similar to what takes place on the Order of Business. I hope there will be almost full attendance in the House. It is what we envisage for such question and answer sessions. If a Minister is prepared to come to the House and take questions and answer them, there should be a good attendance. It might be a way in which we could change the way the House conducts its business. I believe it should be the way for the future.

In response to Senator Byrne and the press reports, I did not receive a letter from the Minister for Justice and Equality on that matter, as was reported. With regard to the Minister for Social Protection coming to the House to clarify matters, she was in the House to deal with the Social Welfare and Pensions Bill. She is an excellent Minister and I have full confidence in her abilities. I have already addressed the question about health and the Ministers of State coming to the House.

Senator Kelly referred to social welfare fraud. The Minister is tackling that problem and I am sure we will see the result by the end of the year.

Senator Mooney spoke about money for essential services. Undoubtedly, that matter will be addressed in the budget but as I have said on a previous occasion, we are spending €18 billion more than our income. That problem must and will be addressed by this Government. There will be painful decisions as a result but they must be taken as they are necessary.

Senator Conway spoke about a buy Irish campaign and supporting Irish business. I would not be anti-Tesco in any way. The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food will inform the House tomorrow that Tesco spends well over €1 billion on Irish produce, thus supporting Irish producers. We all hope they will support us even more. They have created thousands of jobs. I am sure the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food will address the question of food supply, producers and so on tomorrow and that the relevant questions will be asked of him.

Senator John Crown raised the financial health of the VHI and its vulnerability or otherwise. It is something I will address to the Minister along with his advice, like that of Senator Sean Barrett, that we advance the agenda of reform and universal health insurance. I am sure the Minister would like to advance it but it will be difficult. The Minister is totally committed to advancing universal health insurance. I will address the questions asked in regard to the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, on the number of psychiatrists and on an amendment in regard to smoking in cars in which children are present.

Senator Terry Leyden raised the dreadful Donegal case about which we read in the newspapers and heard on the news. I share the concerns expressed by the judge in that case. I also welcome the fact the Senator withdrew remarks in regard to Senator John Kelly.

Senator Tom Sheahan raised the bank guarantee scheme. Senator Mark MacSharry called for a solution-focused debate on financial matters next week. The Minister for Finance will be in the House for the next two hours to deal with the Finance (No. 3) Bill, and it will not be the first time he will have been in this House.

Senator Mark Daly raised the Palestine situation. I hope we will agree on an all-party motion today which we will put to the House. Senator Mary White raised the issue of jobs and small business. The Minister for Finance has written to the banks in regard to releasing credit for small and medium-sized enterprises and business in general. I hope the banks will act on the letter from the Minister. I agree with Senator Mary White in regard to Deputy O'Dea. He has a cynical view of many issues.

Senator Brian Ó Domhnaill raised the issue of budgets in hospitals. As I said, we are spending €18 billion more than we are taking in. Householders are expected to balance their books from one week to the next and hospitals are being asked to do the same. That is not a big thing to ask of hospitals.