Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The EU external action service has sought urgent clarification of the situation in both Washington and Brussels. The EU is now expecting to hear from the US authorities and I understand that the EU High Representative, Catherine Ashton, has also spoken directly to the US Secretary of State, John Kerry at a meeting in Brunei. Ireland has already expressed its concerns to the US Embassy in Dublin at senior official level, including that Ireland expects clarification to follow on the EU request. It is important that clarity and transparency are provided on this matter as soon as possible.

Senator Fidelma Healy Eames also mentioned the Anglo Irish Bank tapes. As I stated, all resources will be given to gardaí and other agencies to ensure that people will be brought to justice for any wrongdoing. I remind the Senator that to date three people have been charged in regard to that matter.

I dealt with turfcutting, as raised by Senator Ó Clochartaigh, when I replied to Senator Whelan. Senator Mary Moran spoke about the cases of child neglect. The Government is working very hard in this area and the matter was covered in what is only the first phase of an audit commissioned by the Government. I am sure the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, will come to update the House on the progress of the audits as they occur.

Senator Brian Ó Domhnaill also raised the banking situation. I reiterate that the law must take its course in spite of the frustration we all feel because things are not happening fast enough. It is very important that we allow time for the Garda and the Director of Public Prosecutions to build up a case so that people are charged and brought to court for any wrongdoing that happened in those days of the problems we had with the banks. I agree with the Senator about the lack of values shown by bankers at that period, which was mentioned by President Higgins recently.

I refer to the future of community hospitals. We have had several debates with the Minister for Health in regard to the report on hospitals, in the course of which there was ample time to discuss those points with the Minister. We cannot continue to have debates on the same issue day after day, week after week.