Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Let us not forget that she is implementing a policy that has cross-party support - a previous Government's policy in A Vision for Change, which is a policy to close the big residential facilities and move to smaller facilities. The report, as I said this week, exposes inconsistencies in standards and certainly it is cause for concern and it would be good to have a debate on it. However, this is part of an overall policy that everyone has signed up to - stakeholders in the mental health services and all parties. I agree to look for that debate but I cannot accept the amendment to ask the Minister of State to come in today.

Senator Paul Coghlan welcomed the package agreed at Cabinet on Tuesday for survivors of Magdalen institutions. I agree with him that it is very welcome to see that overdue series of measures being approved at Cabinet. I know many people in this House have been looking for that over the past year or more. The former Senator, Dr. Martin McAleese, was very instrumental in ensuring that a package of measures would be put together on the conclusion of his report. The Senator also wished the Taoiseach and the Irish delegation in Ypres well, to mark the 100 years since the start of the First World War. It is very important that Ireland is represented there and that we mark these important centenaries. It is also, of course, a summit that is of importance in deciding the future agenda for the EU and deciding on the President of the EU Commission. Certainly, we all wish them well on that.

Senator Quinn raised the serious issue of waiting lists for kidney transplants. He also raised a very interesting point about a policy in Sweden and Finland of tax credits for home helps, which as he pointed out has wiped out the black economy there on that issue and created up to 90,000 part-time jobs. It would be an excellent idea for a Private Members' debate in this House because it seems like the sort of innovative policy we could consider implementing here in Ireland.

Senator Kelly spoke about medical cards and the non-user-friendly procedures before the PRCS. He raised the particular case of a student with no income. I think that particular case might be the subject of a matter on the Adjournment. I am certainly happy to ask the Leader to invite the Minister for Health to come in to deal with the broader issues. The Minister for Health will be here next week on a number of health-related Bills and there may be an opportunity to raise some of those issues with him then.

Senator Daly paid tribute to the late Gerry Conlon. I spoke on this, as did many colleagues, on Tuesday in this House, expressing sympathy to his family and paying tribute to him. I had the privilege of meeting him many years ago and I am a huge admirer of his work on miscarriages of justice. I would absolutely agree with the words Senator Daly used about Gerry Conlon. The Senator also made some comments relating to the past and the British Government's treatment of Irish citizens and so forth. It would be good to have a debate in this House on the progress of the peace process because the issue of how we deal with the past in terms of the conflict in Northern Ireland has been a huge issue for the Richard Haass negotiations and it is a big issue before the Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement. It would be good to have a debate in this House particularly on the issue of how we deal with the past and address injustices from the past. The Senator also spoke about a letter from the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, which might be a suitable matter on the Adjournment.

Senator Comiskey welcomed the opening today by the Minister, Deputy Coveney, of an $80 million cheese manufacturing facility for the Irish Dairy Board in Wisconsin. I join the Senator in welcoming this very important facility. A $12 million research and development facility completes the final phase of the $80 million expansion programme. The facility is part of an Irish Dairy Board business, manufacturing cheese and other value-added cheese-based ingredients. The point of this initiative is that through it the Irish dairy Board will help to build a reputation for the Irish dairy sector in the US, which is a new and growing market for us, particularly when dairy production in Ireland is on the cusp of dramatic expansion following the abolition of quotas. We all very much welcome that development and hope it will lead to further expansion of the sector in Ireland.

Senator Barrett raised the very serious issue of energy bills. I saw the reports today that 20% of households are in difficulty with their energy bills. The Senator called for a debate on the Green Paper on energy, which would be a good debate to have in the House. I will ask the Leader to make progress on that. The Senator also spoke about the reported increase in house prices in the Dublin area, particularly the stark increase in the past 12 months of 22%. This has positive and negative aspects to it. Clearly, it is a very serious problem, not just for first-time buyers. I have also received representations from people who were seeking to move from their first home, perhaps a small apartment, and who now have one, two or more children. They are living in very cramped and unsuitable conditions, but simply cannot get the necessary mortgage to move up to the next stage. Clearly, there is a real difficulty with a lack of affordable family homes in the Dublin area. While I know it is a very specific problem, it would be good to have a debate on housing policy more generally and the sorts of measures we can introduce to assist first-time buyers and people who are looking to trade up and buy houses more generally in the market.

Senator Gilroy called for a debate on mental health services, a topic he has raised on many occasions. I know the Leader has agreed to that already. September is not that far off and that would be appropriate timing for that debate.

Senator Cullinane welcomed the announcement by Bausch and Lomb that it will invest in an upgrade of its Waterford facility. We all very much support and welcome that announcement. I think we will all join in commending the workers whose sacrifice has effectively secured the future of the plant there. We all very much welcome that the investment by Bausch and Lomb will be supported by IDA Ireland capital grants. The Bausch and Lomb vice president of manufacturing was in Ireland to meet unions and management. I also note the Senator's point that there has been very good cross-party work by public representatives from the area, including the Leader, Senator Cummins. That is very good to hear. The Senator also called for a debate on regional development given the particularly high levels of unemployment in the south east which has been a real issue for many years. We can certainly have that debate on the implementation of reports on the topic.

Senator Conway also spoke on mental health services and called on the Seanad Public Consultation Committee to take up the issue of mental health services in our next consultation process, which is a very good idea. We should put it before the Seanad Public Consultation Committee. We have had some really good consultation exercises on issues such as cancer prevention, the rights of older people and the implementation of international human rights standards.

Mental health services is a very appropriate topic on which to have a consultation with different stakeholders. We might pursue it in the next session of the Seanad in September.

We all join with Senator Conway in wishing baby Gavin from Greystones the very best with his lifesaving treatment in Texas. I commend the fund-raising efforts of all the many people who have helped to send him there.

Senator O'Keeffe mentioned the launch of the Leitrim Recreation Strategy on Monday and called for a debate on rights of way. As she said, the latter is very closely linked to walking rights and tourism more generally. Therefore, it would be useful to have a debate on the matter. Also, Deputy Robert Dowds put forward a Private Members' Bill in the Dáil on walking rights. As Senator O'Keeffe said, the issue of rights of way, and obstacles to those who wish to walk and engage in walking holidays in Ireland, means the matter needs to be resolved. I shall ask the Leader to arrange the debate.

Finally, Senator Mullins supported Senator Conway in his call for the PCC to deal with the topic of mental health and welcomed the legislation on sunbeds, which we all welcome. There has been some very positive publicity on it. There are some very nice photographs of young people wearing debutante outfits to highlight and publicise the new law which will be called the Public Health (Sunbeds) Act 2014.

The legislation is due to take effect before the end of July and is very much welcome. It will ban the use of sunbeds by persons under 18 years of age, make it an offence to sell or hire a sunbed to anyone under 18 and it will ensure sunbed operators make clear to all users the dangers of sunbed use. It is a major pubic health initiative and a robust tool to prevent the dangerous effects of ultraviolet radiation, and in particular to protect children. It is very positive legislation and I am glad to see it being highlighted in this House and the media.