Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We will not have a debate specifically on this issue. I suggest to the Leader that we have a public consultation session in the Seanad on this area. That has worked very well before. The local authorities have a role in this with regard to housing adaptation grants and various things that can be done and fixed very quickly without much money. It is important. We are not getting leadership from the Minister for Health on this matter. I await his answers here this evening.

Will the Leader confirm that the Minister for Health is coming to the House to take that debate later today? I hope he is. There will be some good suggestions from this side of the House as I am sure there will be from the other side. The system continues to lurch from one disaster to another, regardless of who the Minister is. There does not seem to be any difference between this Minister, Deputy Varadkar, and his predecessor, Deputy Reilly. This Minister continues to be a passenger. He does not appear to want to take control or make decisions or do anything more than tread water. That is not acceptable to me or my colleagues.