Sean Barrett (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Disability groups lobbied overnight on two occasions last week outside the Taoiseach’s office and Leinster House. They were asking that payments be made to them directly rather than through corporate bodies. We have discussed, at the instigation of Senator Colm Burke, the position of section 39 bodies. I ask the Leader to organise a debate on the possibility of directing finances directly at disabled people in keeping with what they were seeking last week.

I second Senator John Crown’s motion that No. 15 be taken before No. 1.

I call for a debate on housing costs which have moved out of line, from 2.5 times to as much as 12 times average income. There are decisions to be made about the future of the National Asset Management Agency, NAMA, empty sites and ghost estates around the country. We need to debate the problem the banking inquiry committee encountered that short-term finance was being used to fund the purchase of long-term assets such as housing. Will the Leader arrange a debate this term on housing?

In August, unfortunately, several workers died in public service. On 13 August Mr. Padraig Noone was killed while fixing hedges near Castlebaldwin on behalf of Sligo County Council. He was described as a gentle soul and a much loved father. On 31 August, at Thomond Bridge, two public service workers were killed while repairing the bridge which has such historic connotations. They were Mr. T. J. Herlihy from Castleisland and Mr. Bryan Whelan from O’Brien’s Bridge, both of whom were described as family men. The people mentioned went to work on 13 and 31 August to serve our society and we owe their relatives our sympathy. We owe them our appreciation as individuals who served this society so well every day.