Marie Moloney (Labour) | Oireachtas source

If a report in yesterday's newspapers is to be believed - God knows, they get things wrong when publishing bad news and rile people - the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht is carrying out a review of national parks with a view to outsourcing work. I am surprised at the Minister if this is the case, as we come from County Kerry which hosts the finest national park in Ireland in which there is a superb workforce. As the park rangers, gardeners and guides are very experienced, we must resist any such process at all costs. Some may remember that approximately 20 years ago there was a proposal to build a golf course which would have looked beautiful in the national park at Killarney, but the people were not having it. They came out in force to say, "Hands off our national park". They will come out again if this proposal goes ahead and, God knows, I will lead them in the charge to keep hands off the national park. Whether there is truth to the story, the Minister should come to the Seanad to which he is not a very regular visitor. Will he advise the House on whether this is one of his proposals and let us know where we stand?

A number of weeks ago I called for a debate on a report on the topic of living with neurological disease. I asked the Leader to ask the Minister for Health to come to the House for a debate on the issue. Will he update us on what he has heard from the Minister and when he will facilitate the debate sought?