Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Senator Darragh O'Brien raised the question of discretionary medical cards. We will try to get the Minister for Health to come to the House for a debate on the issue. A number of Members raised the question of medical cards. The new enhanced assessment process takes account of the burden of an illness or a condition, which is to be welcomed. The greater exchange of information between the medical card central assessment unit and the local office which has been lacking in the past couple of years is also to be welcomed. People with various illnesses who hold discretionary medical cards will retain them pending the implementation of actions to improve the operation of the scheme, which is also to be welcomed. The power of GPs to extend medical cards in difficult circumstances will be strengthened. A number of Members, including Senators Darragh O'Brien and Mary Moran, have mentioned that people with a terminal illness who hold a medical card will no longer have their medical cards reviewed. The review of such cases was a dreadful practice. I will invite the Minister for Health to come to the House to address the matter. Senator Darragh O'Brien asked for the starting date for the process, but, unfortunately, I cannot give him that information. However, I will ask the Minister to address the matter.

Senator Ivana Bacik stated the change in the law on prostitution had been agreed to by the Cabinet and that there would be reform of sex offences. She called on the Minister for Justice and Equality to come into the House to address the matter. I will invite the Minister to do so.

Senator Feargal Quinn mentioned the efficiency of the tax system. He also made an important point that the Department of Education and Skills should address about the provision of compulsory swimming lessons for pupils. Many schools use swimming pools in the locality to teach pupils to swim properly. I agree with the Senator that swimming lessons should be availed of by all schools and might perhaps be made compulsorily. As he mentioned, there would be a cost factor involved, but I will raise the matter with the Minister.

Senator Hildegarde Naughton mentioned the need for greater humanity, especially for people with a terminal illness, where medical cards were concerned.

Senators Denis O'Donovan, Terry Leyden, Cáit Keane, Michael Comiskey, Fidelma Healy Eames, Michael Mullins and others mentioned the new Garda Commissioner, Nóirín O'Sullivan, and congratulated her on her appointment. Senator Denis O'Donovan mentioned that morale within the Garda needed to be restored. I know that issue will be a major priority for the new Commissioner.

The Senator also raised the question of funding for non-Gaeltacht islands, an issue raised by Senator Gerard P. Craughwell yesterday. The issue of funding for these islands fell between the stools of several Departments, but I am confident it will be addressed in early course by the Government.

Senator Aideen Hayden mentioned three reports on housing and the private sector and called for a debate on the matter. I have asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government on a number of occasions to come to the House to discuss the matter. I hope that either he or the Minister of State, Deputy Paudie Coffey, will be able to come in the next couple of weeks.

Senator Paul Coghlan mentioned the importance of retaining the public service obligation in respect of Kerry Airport and the tourism industry. I am sure its retention would be welcomed by everybody in County Kerry and the south-west region.

Senator David Cullinane mentioned those on waiting lists. I will again ask the Minister for Health to come to the House to debate the matter. The Senator made the point that people had to wait for appointments. That has been the position for the past year and a half; before then people received appointments but had to wait for operations. It is only in the past year or two that there has been a system in place that allows us to know the numbers waiting to see consultants. This information has been used to highlight the issue and I agree with the Senator that the Government must address it.

Senator Denis Landy mentioned that €2.2 billion had been committed to the housing strategy. We should await the full details of the strategy. As I said, I will try to arrange a debate on the matter with the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government.

Senators Paschal Mooney and Cáit Keane asked for child care issues to be addressed. Senator Cáit Keane referred to the Growing Up in Ireland strategy. The two Senators asked for a debate on these issues to be arranged with the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs.

Senator Mary White raised the issue of parental leave for fathers and inquired about the current status of the Bill. The legislation is still being worked on by the Department of Justice and Equality and the Department of Social Protection and it will be some months before we will see progress. However, we will keep the matter under constant review.

The Senator also called for humanity and leadership to be shown in addressing the plight of undocumented migrants in Ireland. I will ask the Minister for Justice and Equality to come to the House to address the matter.

Senator Mary Moran mentioned discretionary medical cards. She also referred to the movement of alleged child abusers, paedophiles and rapists by the republican movement and called for a debate on the matter in the House.

Senator Diarmuid Wilson asked that the housing strategy prioritise the issue of homelessness. It will very much be part of the strategy to be announced this morning by the relevant Minister.

The Senator also called on the Minister for Education and Skills to intervene to prevent strike action by teachers. I disagree with the Senator that changes are being made for the sake of it. I agree with him, however, that a longer timescale could be envisaged for implementation of the changes and assure him that I will bring the matter to the attention of the Minister.

Senator Michael Comiskey mentioned the need for early agreement on the rural development plan in the European Union. I am sure the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine is working on the matter.

Senator Fidelma Healy Eames mentioned the Finance Bill. We will have ample time to discuss the Bill in the House in the coming weeks. I can assure the Senator that points have been made by many Fine Gael Oireachtas Members in the past week or so. I hope these matters will be addressed in the course of the debate on the Bill.

Senator Michael Mullins mentioned a survey conducted by Enterprise Ireland and Deloitte on the positive projections for the economy. He also pointed to some deficiencies in the system which needed to be addressed. We have tried to get the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation to come to the House to discuss An Action Plan for Jobs and I am glad to report that he will be here next week to address the issue.

Senator Lorraine Higgins mentioned petrol stretching, an issue which has been raised by Members on several occasions. She also mentioned the difficulties it was causing with insurance companies. Criminals and former so-called republicans are involved in this activity which has caused grave distress for many motorists the length and breadth of the country. The Government is doing everything possible to address the matter. In addition to the problem of petrol stretching, there is the issue of diesel laundering. I will try to have the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Simon Harris, come to the House to outline what the Government is doing to resolve the matter.

Senator Mary Ann O'Brien mentioned medical cards and called on the Minister for Health to come to the House to debate the matter. I will try to arrange such a debate.

Senator Tom Sheahan called on the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to come to the House. The Minister will be here this afternoon to discuss tourism matters, but I take on board the Senator's important points about road safety and flyovers. It is a very serious issue.

I imagine we could bring the Minister to the House to address the matter of road safety at a later stage.

I do not propose to accept the amendment to the Order of Business as tabled.