Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

That is great news for which I thank the Leader. We are looking forward to earning our turkey.

I welcome yesterday's announcement by the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Alan Shatter, that applications will be accepted from next week for new recruits to the Garda Síochána. This is a positive step and one for which I have repeatedly called. An issue I have raised directly with the Minister in respect of any new programme of recruitment is the position of members of the Garda Reserve, many of whom would be expected to apply. There is a two-year training programme at Templemore before new recruits pass out as full members of the force. Provision should be made whereby those who have served as members of the Garda Reserve, and have thus completed basic training, are given priority in the application process. I understand there might be a legal issue in this regard, but I would like to tease it out with the Minister. Will the Leader clarify how many recruits are proposed to be appointed?

The Bill to establish the pyrite resolution board and thereby allow people to make applications for funding to remediate their homes was expected to be published before Christmas, with the Leader indicating it would be initiated in the Seanad.

We were expecting it before Christmas and the Leader had indicated it would be initiated in this House. I assume now that it will not be ready before Christmas, but perhaps the Leader could give an indication as to when it will be published.

The tax and online betting legislation has been in preparation for some time. Does the Leader know when that Bill will be brought to the House? The independent bookmakers in Ireland, many of them family-run concerns, are under increasing pressure daily due to the lack of a level playing pitch as no tax is levied on online betting. It will be another income stream for the Government.

Finally, with regard to the HSE service plan for 2014, the Leader said yesterday there will not be a debate on the plan prior to Christmas. That is very regrettable. I do not blame the Leader for this but it is a strategic move by the Government and the Minister, Deputy Reilly, to ensure there is no debate on the plan. I expect it will be published just before the Christmas, which the Government is doing to keep it under the radar. That is unacceptable. I indicated eight or ten weeks ago that this would happen, due to the constant delays and time extensions for the plan. I seek a commitment from the Leader that when Members return in January there will be a full debate on the HSE service plan.

In that context, I have written to the HSE and the Minister, and the Leader's office might follow it up, asking how much money was spent by the HSE on legal fees in 2012 and 2013. I would like to get a response to that, because my information is that a staggering amount of money is being paid every year by the HSE for legal services. Obviously, some of that would be valid in the normal course of events.