Michael Mullins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

While I will not support Senator Darragh O'Brien's amendment to the Order of Business, following the recent "Prime Time" programme on the ambulance service, it would be appropriate for us to have a discussion on the ambulance service at some date. Some elements of the programme may have been inaccurate or exaggerated. To put people's minds at ease and for us all to become aware of what is happening in the ambulance service, it would be appropriate for us to discuss it in the House.

We all welcome the signs of increased economic activity, especially in our larger cities. In rural areas, however, the green shoots are rather slow to appear. Every town has many empty retail units. I would like to have a debate in the next term on how we might revitalise our small towns. The Members of this House have many ideas on what could be done to bring some economic activity back to our town centres, which have taken such a hammering in recent years. Perhaps the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government or the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation could participate in that debate.