Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

If I can answer the issue the Senator raised, the funding position of section 39 organisations is that they get a grant, a service level agreement. There is an obligation on all Departments to engage with Oireachtas committees. In this case, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform cited that the relevant Department was the Department of Health, but it would be helpful it there was a collective will across Departments. People should not use the issue of section 39 agency workers as a political football. I would make that general comment.

Senator O'Reilly referenced the fair deal system and raised a specific issue about it and I would be very happy to arrange for a debate on that matter.

Senator Humphreys called for a debate on directly-elected mayors in local government and I would be happy to facilitate that. The Minister, Deputy Murphy, and the Minister of State, Deputy Phelan, are committed to the development of greater accountability and democracy in local authorities. The Senator raised some interesting points about Dublin but, as he will know, Dublin is not the world. There are many parts of the country as equally important as Dublin.