Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I want to lend my voice in condemning the appalling contents of the programme we saw last night. It indicates man’s inhumanity to his fellow man. It is hard to believe that after the debates we had for many years on the Leas Cross nursing home, something similar could happen again. It is a blight on our society and it is about basic human dignity.

I recall once going to a hospital to make a will for a woman who was terminally ill with cancer. Her husband had predeceased her and she had a special needs daughter. All that troubled that woman was who would care for her daughter. It was not an issue of money. It was about who would look after Anna. This morning other parents in such circumstances must be shaking, asking is this our society in 2014, one that cannot care for those who cannot care for themselves. It is a sad day for all of us as politicians and society in general. It puts the great march to be held outside today on Merrion Square into the ha’penny place. I had to turn off the last few minutes of last night’s programme because I could not bear to see actions I thought were past history, left behind us many decades ago. However, that is the reality in which we live.

Yesterday, I heard Conor Faughnan from the AA, Automobile Association, on the radio speaking about the three penalty points drivers without an NCT, national car test, can now get on their licence. Several weeks ago, a young man informed me he was five months waiting to get an NCT. I thought at the time it was carelessness on his part in failing to apply on time. My NCT is due at the end of February. On 1 December, three months before it, I rang up to apply for the test but the earliest date I could get was the middle of March. I said I would do the test on a Sunday morning or a Saturday night but was told I could not and the situation with appointments was dire. How many drivers will be faced with getting three points on their licence if their NCT is out of date through no fault of their own? Will the Leader bring this to the attention of the responsible Minister? It is appalling that anyone who has applied for an NCT can only get a test five months later through no fault of their own. It does not add up. More test centres or more manpower must be introduced to deal with this. Eight years ago, the maximum waiting time for a NCT was six weeks. Now the delay can be up to four or five months, which is appalling. These delays are not just one-offs either as they are widespread. It is not good enough for drivers.