Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Senator Marc MacSharry raised the question of Aer Lingus. The Government will make a decision on the sale of the 25% share after considering all points from the committee established to inform its deliberations.

I was asked for a debate on the budget of the Department of Health. The Minister was in the House recently to discuss the health service plan and the matter was discussed then. We had a very comprehensive debate on the budget, but we can certainly try to get the Minister to come here again to discuss that matter and those raised by Senator Marc MacSharry this morning.

The debt issue at Sligo County Council was the subject of a Commencement Matter recently when the Minister provided all of the information he had available. Budgets are the responsibility of local authorities which must run their finances in a proper manner. While I note the Senator's points about the expenditure in Sligo on many infrastructure items, in particular, in the past few years, the Minister answered comprehensively only a couple of weeks ago.

Senator Aideen Hayden raised the issue of whether we needed to change the regulatory framework for credit unions and asked for a debate on the matter. She also raised the issue of housing.

We had a comprehensive debate on housing last evening. The Minister was very forthcoming on the Government’s housing strategy. Senator Hayden called for a further debate on home ownership which we will try to arrange.

Senators van Turnhout, Noone and Bradford referred to the Stop Out of Control Drinking campaign and questioned the fact it is funded by a drinks company. They suggested it is a public health issue which could be dealt with by other agencies in the system rather than being sponsored by a drinks company. They called for a debate on alcohol-related harm. We have had debates on this issue in the past but I will ask the Minister to come into the house to address the matter again.

Senators Quinn and Leyden referred to the very good debate in the House on GSOC, the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission. They also commended the efforts of several gardaí in Galway yesterday. I join in congratulating those gardaí on their wonderful work, as well as the work done by all members of the force across the country.

Senator Quinn also raised the issue of the work of Oireachtas committees. Much of the work done by joint Oireachtas committees goes unnoticed by the public and journalists. Journalists tend to go for juicier points made at some committees. However, all the committees do hard work, day in, day out, which is not recognised. I would like feedback from Members if they feel the arrangement for Commencement debates rather than Adjournment debates is more successful.