Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am not sure if Senators are aware that our colleague in County Kildare, Councillor Willie Crowley, was the victim of a hit and run accident last night. His condition is critical and I am sure all Senators will join me in sending our good wishes to him.

This morning, representatives of the Organisation of National Ex-Service Personnel and the Irish United Nations Veterans Association appeared before the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality. I commend both organisations on the tremendous work they have done in the past 25 or 30 years improving the welfare of retiring and departing members of the Defence Forces. The establishment of a house for ex-service personnel in Smithfield is a credit to them.

A former member of the Defence Forces residing in the Smithfield house suffers from Huntington's disease and urgently needs to be transferred to a medical facility. I understand the facility in question has indicated it will accept him but there is a problem with a bed. The Organisation of National Ex-Service Personnel is extremely worried that the individual in question will be injured in the house because he is no longer capable of looking after himself. I will not name the individual but I will pass on his personal details to the Leader. I ask him to request that the Minister, who I know is sympathetic to the man's case, try to make the necessary arrangements on his behalf before Christmas. The individual in question cannot be left in the house in his current condition.

While I accept that volunteers are working to relieve the floods across the country, members of the Defence Forces do not have a choice in the matter. They are issued with an instruction and must mount their trucks and work in the most horrendous conditions every day and the House must acknowledge this.