Paul Bradford (Fine Gael)

I concur with the comments made by Senator Mary Ann O'Brien in respect of the domiciliary care allowance system and chaos to which the administrative blockage therein has given rise. The House should demand a positive and quick response from the relevant Minister on this matter. I thank Senator Mary Ann O'Brien for hosting a most powerful, evocative and emotional meeting last Thursday evening in the audiovisual room. Her friends in the Jack and Jill Children's Foundation presented their case and modest requests to us for support and funding. Out of all the lobbying meetings I have attended through the years in Leinster House it stood out for its humanity and purpose and the generosity of the people who made the case.

It is important we continue to debate the merits of the treaty in the House. I welcome the fact the public will be getting direct information from the Government and Referendum Commission. Issues and questions will arise over the course of the campaign and the Houses of the Oireachtas should have a debate one day a week on the ongoing developments in the treaty referendum campaign. It would be helpful.

This week, as is the case every week, our Government will go to the European banklink machine with its credit card and have to withdraw €300 or €400 million of European money to pay our teachers, nurses, social welfare allowances and pensions. That is the core of the debate, namely, how we fund and continue to fund our country. We must keep that very much to the fore when we ask the people, in a generous, positive and calm way, to vote "Yes" to secure the future financial viability of our nation.