Ivana Bacik (Independent)

I stand corrected. She assured us in October that funding had been allocated. We had all hoped very much that the hotline would be operational by now. I am not sure of the reason for the delay. The Senator will be aware that the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality held recent hearings on the issue of missing persons and it issued a report on missing persons. Part of that report sought a missing children day and also that we would recognise a missing persons day. A number of initiatives are possible, as well as the hotline. I agree that we should ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Fitzgerald, to come to the House. One of the issues she might address with us would be that issue.

Senator Crown spoke about Professor Ernest Walton and Mary Patricia Cole and this can be followed up with the relevant councils. Senator Moloney asked about the missing children's hotline and the re-introduction of the orthodontic treatment scheme. This is an important issue which might be worth raising as a matter on the Adjournment in the first instance but we can also raise it with the Minister for Health within a more far-reaching debate.

Senator Leyden raised the issue of communications. I think what he said may be misleading the House on the question of who controls RTE. The RTE board members are today attending a meeting of the Joint Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, along with the BAI. Senator Leyden's colleague has pointed this fact out and I was aware that they have been quite a number of hours before the committee. They will answer to that committee and it is nonsense to suggest that RTE is under the control of the Minister, Deputy Rabbitte, or any other Minister for that matter. However, I have previously answered Senator Leyden and other colleagues that the House will be looking for a wide-ranging debate on the media with the Minister, Deputy Rabbitte, before the end of the summer term. A number of Members have sought such a debate. We held that debate on 22 February but I know the Minister would be happy to come here again but I suggest we leave until a little later towards the end of the summer recess.