Caít Keane (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I agree with all those who spoke about St. Patrick's Institution and called for a debate in the House. It is being closed down and something is being done about it. We have been years and years listening to issues concerning St. Patrick's Institution. I pay tribute to Judge Michael Reilly who, night time, day time and every hour of the day, went into the prison when he was not expected. We know of his inspection reports.

A point was made about the delay in the report. The report was available but the Minister had said, and repeated on radio this morning, that he was ill himself, which was one of the reasons, and we have to take such matters into consideration. There was another glitch in that the computer system broke down at the time the report was due. Fair is fair. It was mentioned on the radio, so I am not telling any secrets of State or anything like that. While I did not stand up to raise that issue, it is very important and we should raise it because many of the residents of St. Patrick's Institution deserve that.

I stood up to raise the issue of the report on local government, Putting People First. I was not present in the House yesterday because, as spokesperson on local government, I was at the launch of this important report. The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government must be commended for ensuring we have, for the first time in history, a real overhaul of local government which is going to put the people first. It does and we will. I hope I will be able to come back in a few years and say it did what it said on the tin and put the people first.

I have two questions.