Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will be happy to ask the Minister to come to the House, but I think the committee might be the best location for a debate on this issue.

Senator Bacik raised the specific issue of policing. I will be happy to invite the Minister for Justice and Equality to address the House in that regard.

Senators Hopkins, Gavan and Feighan spoke about the closure of beds at the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dún Laoghaire. It is open to any Member, irrespective of his or her party affiliation, if any, to come to the House to raise any matter he or she considers to be important for him or her to raise. Those of us who are familiar with the health sector will be aware that after the Minister issues an order directing how money is to be allocated, the spending of that money is administered by hospital management and the HSE. The Minister might not be specifically responsible for the closure of beds. Senator Hopkins made a good point about the closure of beds when she said it is about fast and timely treatment and access to care. Senator Feighan mentioned that Roscommon County Hospital is to become a rehabilitation centre for the west. We all join him in welcoming that.

Senators Swanick, Feighan and Mullen referred to the case of Paul Egan. This good Samaritan should certainly not be obstructed by the State or the laws of the land. Senator Mullen is right when he says we might need to look at whether a lacuna exists in the law in this area. I am not familiar with the legal position. What has happened to Paul Egan should not happen to somebody who acts in good faith to help a fellow citizen. Perhaps we can ask the Minister to come to the House to consider this matter. If the Senators take a joint approach to raising it as a Commencement matter, it might be a way of discussing it. Maybe it can be raised at committee level. I thank the Senators for bringing this issue to the House.

Senator Byrne highlighted the changes being made at Bank of Ireland. We have no direct influence on that. There is a movement towards peopleless banks or, in the case of telephone banking, contactless banks. This is something we need to take up with the bank on behalf of the Senator.

I did not mean to be disrespectful to Senator Gavan while he was speaking. I was reading a note I had received. As he knows, I share his view regarding Palestine. I would be happy to invite the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, to come to the House to discuss this matter. I have received the same correspondence to which the Senator referred. This is an important issue, not least in the context of what the Trump Administration could potentially do or is threatening to carry out. I think there is a vital role for Ireland and the EU as a whole in this respect. This matter was also mentioned by Senator Davitt. It is important for us to recognise the need to have an honest debate on the role of Israel and on how it interacts and sees itself across the world stage. Equally, we should debate the Palestinian people. I would be happy to have such a debate in this House.

Senator Dolan raised matters of disability and mental health again. It is important to recognise that he is a champion of these issues. I believe he has been in contact with various Departments. I will be happy to help him to expedite the situation he raised here this morning. It is disappointing that the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities has not been ratified. I hope this will be done promptly.

I agree with Senator Davitt there is on onus and an obligation on the OPW, county councils and developers - both public private partnerships and private developers - to work to expedite idle sites around the country that can be used to provide social housing, as in the case the Senator outlined, or to develop various social and community care facilities. It is important for the Minister to come to the House for such a debate.