Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It might be useful to have a debate on the programme for Government because there seems to be some confusion this afternoon. I agree fully with Senator Hayden's sentiments on the Focus Ireland report highlighting that homelessness in Dublin has doubled in the past 12 months, which is a very serious issue. I would argue that has arisen as a result of the Government's austerity programme. She also called for a debate on upward-only rent reviews. From my recollection that used to be in the programme for Government. Perhaps we should have a debate on the programme for Government because I have been approached by a number of business people in Galway who are suffering severely from the lack of Government action to legislate over upward-only rent reviews.

Yesterday in Dingle I spoke in a debate on mental health issues along with the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch. The focus was on the mental health of politicians and how we make decisions in these Houses and whether we are in a fit capacity to do so. It touched on issues such as mental disabilities, depression, etc. and also people making decisions under the influence of alcohol or other substances. Although the Minister of State was speaking on this, we have seen very little action on the 440 new social worker jobs that were supposed to have been put in place to try to support people in the community with similar issues. I call for a debate on mental health issues and what has happened to A Vision for Change. It has been seven years in the coming and is very slow to be implemented. We can also discuss our own capacity to make decisions in these Houses from a mental health perspective.