Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the initiative on mortgage arrears being announced today and which has been discussed in the media in recent days. It is undoubtedly a very pressing issue. The Taoiseach and Tánaiste have expressed concern over the past two years over the delays and lack of impetus in the banks in dealing with this. It is really welcome that the focus will be on owners of investment properties and ensuring that banks will have targets to reach resettlement of mortgages and will not be simply be allowed to let things drag on further. The priority must be to ensure that people are able to remain in their family homes. It is welcome to see steps finally being taken to address this and an agreement being reached with the Central Bank on it.

I again raise the issue of the Guthrie cards from the newborn heel-prick tests that I raised yesterday. I commend the Irish Heart Foundation on raising this issue yesterday. It also raised a similar concern to that which I expressed yesterday, namely, that many parents of children born up to 2002 are not aware that they only have until 31 March to ensure those records are retained and that they must take the initiative in order to ensure the records are retained. I agree with Senator Norris that it is most unfortunate that a data protection ruling has prevailed, resulting in these absolutely invaluable records on the health of children and future adults being destroyed. I am glad that the Minister, Deputy Reilly, has agreed to take up with the HSE the issue of whether parents have been sufficiently informed. I hope we will see an extension of the 31 March deadline to ensure that people have adequate time to contact the relevant hospitals and to get the records of their children retained.

During our Private Members' time this evening, the Labour Party group will introduce the Employment Equality (Amendment)(No. 2) Bill 2013 and I would welcome support from all sides of the House for it. Senator MacSharry mentioned Senator Power's Bill and I commend her on her initiative last year. It was unfortunate that at the time she did not withdraw the Bill because both Ministers, Deputies Quinn and Shatter, who were present during the debate had suggested to her if that had been done it could be reintroduced as a Government Bill, which is what had happened previously with my FGM Bill. It is a good way to approach Private Members' legislation. We are hopeful that tonight the Government will accept our Bill, which goes somewhat further than Senator Power's Bill in that it covers all nine grounds of discrimination and changes the current opt-out from the anti-discrimination laws of religious-run institutions in respect of all nine. Earlier Bills, including Senator Power's, did not cover all nine grounds. However, we are not claiming that this is a perfect Bill and I would welcome input from colleagues from both sides of the House as to how it could be improved and how protection for employees and prospective employees in religious-run schools and hospitals could be made more robust. I believe the Bill can be strengthened and improved upon, and I look forward to this evening's debate.