Susan O'Keeffe (Labour)

On a different matter, I would like to commend a model which is coming to the Button Factory in Dublin on Thursday. It is the "Leitrim Equation 2" model of musical delight, which is about more than music. It is about bringing older and younger people together in a spirit of co-operation to discover the sort of traditions and the cultural richness of Leitrim. I would like to commend that as a model for the way in which communities can come together and find things in common when times are difficult.

I would like to ask the Leader if the authorities can find as a matter of urgency a way of responding to the increase in the numbers sleeping rough on the streets of Dublin. This is a problem that is particularly acute in Dublin, although there are people sleeping rough in Cork, Galway and Limerick. The number of those in Dublin has gone from 60 in 2009 to 70 in 2010 to 87 as of 9 November 2011.If there needs to be an emergency intervention when the weather gets colder, the authorities need to ensure that we do not find people literally on the streets. This problem occurs every year at this time, but it is particularly difficult this year because there is a shortage of beds to cover the increased numbers. Direct intervention is needed.

I call on the Minister for Foreign Affairs to make a statement on Egypt and Syria. We are all aware that people are losing their lives in both of these countries; that there are serious violations of human rights; that although elections have been promised in Egypt for next Monday, there is no certainty they will occur; and that the situation in Syria is deteriorating daily. It is difficult to calculate how many people have died in Syria - it may be 3,000, it may be 3,500. We do not know because coverage is scant, journalists and so on are not allowed in, and human rights organisations have been prevented from entering. I would appreciate if the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade could make a statement on these matters.