Kathryn Reilly (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Joan Burton, will come to the House this afternoon to discuss a broad range of issues related to her portfolio. No further business has been ordered for today. When I asked the Leader to arrange a debate on youth employment, I was advised to use the opportunity of today's meeting with the Minister to discuss the issue. Given that no other business has been scheduled, I propose an amendment to the Order of Business to extend today's business and have a specific debate on youth unemployment with the Minister for Social Protection. I am concerned this issue would get lost if it was included in this afternoon's wide-ranging debate as Senators wish to raise a large number of pressing issues related to the Minister's portfolio. I mentioned youth unemployment, an increasingly important issue, to members of the troika yesterday.

I support the amendment proposed by Fianna Fáil to have representatives of the Department of Health before the House for a discussion on home help hours and home-care packages. Last night the Government defeated by 78 votes to 49 a Dáil motion tabled by my party seeking to reverse ¤8 million in cuts to home help services and ¤1.7 million in cuts to home care packages. Senators must have an opportunity to express their opinions on the removal of almost 500,000 home help hours and indicate whether they support the cuts or would vote to have them reversed.

Will the Leader arrange to have the Minister for the Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Jimmy Deenihan, come to the House to discuss the Moore Street campaign? An important documentary broadcast last night showed that Dublin City Council and a slew of developers had been engaging in smoke and mirrors tactics about this development. The Minister should outline to the House the current status of the national monument on Moore Street.