Feargal Quinn (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I also welcome Ms Ann Widdecombe. In addition to playing a large part in British politics, she has been a very active member of the pro-life movement in opposing abortion and the trend in that direction. She is very welcome and I know that she will continue to act with the same enthusiasm she has shown in the past.

I have often asked ambassadors how they measure success. Those involved in business can measure success at the end of the year by their profits or the level of sales, but I have never quite understood what ambassadors do and how they know if they are doing a good job. We received evidence this week of clear success in the case of the Irish consul in San Francisco. The consulate there represents Irish interests throughout the western United States. When the disaster occurred in Berkeley, the consul acted so well, quickly and movingly that he deserves a great deal of credit. There has been some mention of this in the newspapers. It is a reminder of the important role ambassadors, consuls and others can play and the matter is worthy of consideration.

I hope the Leader can find some time to discuss the following matter. The organisation ALONE has pointed out that a large number of older people are using up hospital beds. We should try to find a way for them to live at home, which is what they all want to do if they can. The programme for Government has called for this, as have the HSE service plan and the national positive ageing strategy. We have a great difficulty with the shortage of hospital beds, yet hospital beds are being blocked by people who are not ill but old. There are so many facilities to have them live at home. It is worth having a debate on the issue. On that basis the ALONE organisation that has pushed for this deserves a great deal of attention.

I wish to make one other point on the situation in Greece. Let us not be too sure of ourselves about what we are doing. The European Union as a whole could overstep the mark. I believe I made my first visit to Greece in 1967. When I went to get my money from the bank in Dublin that morning, I was asked if I was still going because the colonels had moved in and taken over in Greece that day. They introduced some very tough legislation because the economy in Greece was falling apart. I would not be surprised if there was a movement somewhere along the line in Greece to say the colonels were still around and could still move very quickly. Let us be very careful, therefore, that with whatever we do we take into account that there are alternatives that would not be very welcome.