Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Your personal view is reflective of that of many in the House who share your sentiment that we are forced to suspend business because of the lack of availability of a Minister. Perhaps the group leaders of all Members of the House, particularly opposition Members, might speak to their party Whips with a view to pairing Ministers for that period of time for voting on a Thursday or even allowing Ministers to be deemed present in terms of casting their votes because it is discommoding Members of this House. It is also disrupting the business of this House, a Chathaoirligh, and you are correct when you say that if we tried to change how we do our business and it imposed on the other House, we would not be long hearing about it and we would be told we could not do it. There is merit in your suggestion.

Perhaps it is a matter the Committee on Procedure and Privileges, CPP, can take up on our behalf, but it is something we should definitely reflect on. We speak of new politics but at one level new politics has ground legislation to a halt, whether because of pre-legislative scrutiny, which we welcome, or other matters. Members of this House are united regarding the approach to be taken to that.

I thank the 18 Members who spoke on a variety of issues. Senator Ardagh raised the issue of housing and of the Simon Community report published today. I am sure the Senator will join me in welcoming the Minister, Deputy Coveney's decision today to extend the rent pressure zones across the country. Supply is the issue we have to tackle. That is why Rebuilding Ireland provides for solutions to address the unacceptable number of people who are homelessness and in emergency accommodation. We need to see supply start. I am disappointed that the Senator spoke of not being able to see sods turn. I would be very happy to bring her to the Deanrock estate in my own constituency, where just this week we have seen bulldozers going in and work beginning on the construction of new units of social housing. It is important that we see units being built, vacant units being sourced by the Housing Agency and being put back to use and the continuation of the expansion of the housing assistance payment, HAP, for homeless tenants, which happened this year.However, I hope the Rebuilding Ireland targets will be met. The Minister is committed to coming back to the House as the Senator knows. I thank the Senator for raising the matter because it is important that we keep it at the top of the political agenda.

Senator Ardagh raised the issue of the funding of drug and alcohol agencies and the task force. This year's budget includes an additional allocation of €3 million to support drug and social inclusion measures in 2017. The extra funding given to the HSE and local drugs task forces will, I hope, continue to provide interventions aimed at improving the health outcomes of the most vulnerable. The Minister of State, Deputy Catherine Byrne, is from Senator Ardagh's constituency and she is progressive, proactive and, I am sure, will be happy to work with the Senator to address the issues she has in terms of her constituency. There has been an increase in the budget and I am sure we will all work to ensure that increases continue in regard to the issues Senator Ardagh has raised.

Senators Boyhan, McDowell and Wilson referred to judicial appointments. The Government is committed to reform in this area. It is important to recognise that we have been served well by the men and women we have appointed to a variety of judicial posts. Anybody who wants to investigate or analyse the role and work of our Judiciary will find it is exemplary. There may have been a minority who acted to the contrary over time, but one will always have that. It is important to set out that context. I hope that as part of the discussion around the judicial appointments Bill, common sense will prevail and that there will be a listening to what Members of this House say and to what was said in the Joint Committee on Justice and Equality yesterday. I have great faith in the current Chief Justice as I had in her predecessors and it is important that we allow for that independence of the Judiciary from the Executive to continue. We are governed by the Constitution. I hope we do not personalise this into an attack on the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Shane Ross, who has a very hard view of what should happen. I cannot answer for him.