Michael Mullins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I second the amendment to the Order of Business proposed by Senator Colm Burke, that No. 12 be taken before No. 1. I also support his request that the Minister for Health be invited to the House to discuss the HIQA report on the ambulance service. It is unconscionable that people occupying such key positions in the health service would have inadequate training. Senator Burke also raised a serious issue regarding the number of staff within the HSE who have been put into key positions without interview or adequate training, according to reports. It is important that the Minister respond to the comments made by Senator Burke.

I compliment everybody involved with the forum on homelessness last week, including the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, and the team he brought with him. I welcome some of the good decisions and positive action taken in its immediate aftermath. I hope the commitments given will be fulfilled before the end of the year. I agree there should be a regular review of the work of the forum on homelessness.

However, there is another element and I ask the Leader to schedule a debate on it in the new year. The events of recent weeks bring into sharp focus the level of funding that is being channelled through charitable organisations to deal with homelessness. I wonder if that is an appropriate way to deal with the most vulnerable in our society and a serious social issue such as the lack of housing. In 2014 should it not be the role of the local authorities and the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government to ensure there is adequate housing available for people who are homeless? Is this an effective and cost effective way to deal with homelessness? Over last weekend one of the newspapers produced a big feature on the amounts of money being channelled through various agencies. We should examine this in the new year to assess whether it is the right way to deal with a major crisis that is facing many people in this country.