Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Senator Eamonn Coghlan also expressed support for the protection of the national anthem.

Senator Ó Domhnaill raised the issue of rural Ireland and I think I have dealt with that. He referred to a specific matter relating to State board appointments which I think, again, is more appropriate to a Commencement matter debate.

Senator Brennan spoke about tourism and called for a recognition of the role of voluntary activists and community workers in tourism, which is an important point.

Senator Bradford asked about the Technological Universities Bill, with which I have dealt.

Senator Walsh raised the anniversary of the first election and called for a debate on housing. The Leader, Senator Cummins, gave a full response to a question earlier this week on housing, a number of us having looked for a debate on the subject. There is a great deal of work going on at present to ensure we deal with the very serious crisis of homelessness. In particular, the current funding allocation for emergency accommodation for homeless people was increased in budget 2016 by an additional €17 million, bringing Exchequer support up to €70 million, an increase of 56% since 2014. Many initiatives have been taken. In 2015, over 13,000 units were delivered across all social housing programmes, representing an 86% increase from 2014, and the target for 2016 is to deliver over 17,000 units. A very ambitious social housing programme is in place but, as anyone who saw the television programme on Monday night will know, there is still a very serious problem and we need to move very swiftly on it. I will look for that debate and Senator Cummins has already done so.

Senator Crown referred to the failure to reform the health service as a disappointment. He would acknowledge that there have been massive reforms, notwithstanding the failure to bring in the universal health insurance system that was hoped for. There have been massive reforms in the provision of free GP care for children and the elderly, very significant changes in hospital governance and in primary care investment. He also raised the issue of Private Members' Bills and we can look for time next week to bring forward any Private Members' Bills that are still on the Order Paper.I urge the Senator not to lose heart. In 2011, at the last election, I had a Private Member's Bill on the Order Paper, the Bill to prohibit female genital mutilation. I am happy to say that it was restored to the Order Paper by the Government in 2011 and is now in force.