Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)

Tréaslaím le an Seanadóir as an méid atá ráite aige agus aontaím leis. Tá an ceart ar fad aige agus tá súil agam go mbeidh sé ag tacú leis an leasú ar an rún atá molta. I hope Senator Heffernan will support the amendment to the Order of Business because it is important that the Minister come to the House to deal with the matter.

It is interesting. There was cross-party support in Galway on Monday night on another health issue, the closing of St. Francis' home, a HSE-run home for the elderly. All of the public representatives from all parties were present and agreed that the home should be kept open. It has passed HIQA audit with flying colours. The HSE tells us that one of the reasons it is closing down the home is it would cost €200,000 to refurbish it, this at a time when the Government intends, in the next five weeks, to provide €700 million to repay an unguaranteed bond, yet it cannot find €200,000 to keep open one of the best community nursing homes in the country. It is scandalous. That comes on top of the crisis surrounding the fair deal scheme.

I want the Minister to come to the House. At this stage, we do not need him to come for one day; we probably need him to come for one week to discuss all of the issues raised and to tell us what the Government's policy is. Is it intended that the closure of St. Francis' home is merely the first step in the privatisation of the homes for the elderly system? If it is, the people will not put up with it. The people of Galway will not put up with it. Certainly, we will campaign against the closure of St. Francis' home.

Where has big Phil gone? I have been looking for him for the past couple of weeks. We have been raising the issue with-----