Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Senator MacSharry raised many items relating to the health service. Many of these were addressed yesterday. There is no question that next year will be a challenging year in the health services. They have funding of €13.263 billion in current expenditure and €397 million in capital expenditure for 2014 while savings, which have been outlined, amount to €666 million. There is a determination by the Health Service Executive, HSE, and the Minister for Health to ensure the budgets and savings are tightly monitored through 2014. The goal, wherever possible, is to cut the costs of services rather than the level and quality of the services delivered, as well as accelerating the rate of reform in the sector.

That is easier said than done and it will be a very difficult task. The HSE’s annual service plan has been given to the Minister and he has a further 21 days until Monday, 16 December, to consider it. I am sure the House will debate the plan when it is announced. The Minister is working on this, unlike a former Fianna Fáil Taoiseach who called the Department "Angola" and the party’s current leader who ran out of it because he was knocked over by the many reports on it. I am sure there will be plenty of debates on health over the coming months.

Senator Bacik inquired of the legislation to extend the university franchise for the Seanad. There is no question of that legislation coming in before Christmas, as was suggested by some newspapers. We will have it some time in the first half of next year. She also called for a debate on Northern Ireland, as did Senators Ó Clochartaigh, Wilson and Paul Coghlan. I will try and facilitate such a debate.

Senator Barrett and several others raised the issue of ghost estates and demolishing houses in them. I understand that ghost estate houses will not be demolished in areas where there is a demand for houses. I am sure the Minister of State, Deputy Jan O’Sullivan, is more than willing to discuss this problem and that of homelessness, as raised by Senators Ó Clochartaigh, Hayden, Wilson, Conway and Mullins.

Homelessness is a major problem. The most recent rough sleeper count conducted in April revealed 94 people sleeping rough in the Dublin area. Figures from the November count will be available in the coming weeks. Regardless of the number, the Government believes no one should need to sleep rough. In the short term, the cold weather initiative operated by the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive, in partnership with voluntary organisations, has begun and will increase emergency bed level accommodation in the Dublin region. At a more strategic level, the Government has set itself the goal of eliminating long-term homelessness by 2016. As part of that policy, the Minister of State with responsibility for housing appointed an oversight group to review actions on homelessness and recommend actions that will assist in reaching the policy objective. Work by the group is well advanced and its report will be published in several weeks. There is an immediate short-term issue to ensure, particularly in winter, sufficient emergency accommodation available in the Dublin region. This is a priority for Dublin Regional Homeless Executive and the voluntary organisations in partnership with it. We must ensure there is a focus on the elimination of long-term homelessness.

Senator Sheahan asked when the Coroners Bill 2007 will be brought before the House. I will have to find out about it and get back to him.

Senator Ó Clochartaigh raised the recent death of Fr. Alec Reid who played an important part in the peace process. We should all acknowledge this role.