Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

If the Labour Party Senators support the amendment, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government can easily come into the House to clear up the matter if it is the case that he does not want to abolish Sligo County Council. Either he wants to abolish it or he does not. It is as simple as that. I understand that the Minister is, ironically, in Swords, County Dublin, this morning. Some 30 gardaí have closed off North Street in Swords to allow him to speak at a conference on housing. This is an example of the waste of Garda resources that is occurring at present in areas like Swords, where Garda numbers have decreased by more than 25% in the last three years. I do not necessarily lay the blame for this at anybody's feet. The Taoiseach said yesterday that he does not need a corridor of gardaí to protect him. I wonder why the Minister, Deputy Kelly, needs such protection. Is this the correct use of Garda resources?

A debate is taking place in the Dáil over yesterday and today on the fair deal nursing home scheme and the pressure it is experiencing. I ask the Leader to arrange a specific debate in the Seanad on this issue. The numbers waiting in the Dublin region have increased by 300% in less than one year. This Government removed €23 million of funding from the scheme and waiting times have increased to an average of 15 weeks. These are senior citizens who are assessed as requiring nursing home care. The Government has taken €23 million out of the scheme and waiting lists have gone through the roof. As of yesterday, more than 2,541 people were waiting 15 weeks or more for funding under the fair deal scheme. This is something we could address in the Seanad. The debate in the Dáil is worthwhile but we should also address this issue. If we are concerned about our senior citizens, surely they should be a priority and the €23 million taken out of the scheme should be reinstated immediately.