Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I was actually. Senator Horkan raised the issue of hospital waiting lists. They are a source of concern and Government has committed to a further allocation of funding to tackle the trolley crisis and reduce inpatient and outpatient waiting lists. We have some seen some action in terms of numbers. It is important to recognise that reducing waiting times is a priority for Government. We saw a €50 million increase in funding for the National Treatment Purchase Fund. Under the action plan drawn by the Minister of Health, the number of patients waiting longer than nine months has fallen. It looks like the overall number of people waiting for hospital appointments and procedures will be reduced by a further 70,000. The point made by the Senator is a valid one.

He also raised the increase in electricity and gas prices by Electric Ireland. We have an independent regulator, as the House is aware. The points made by Senator Horkan are very pertinent. This is about fuel poverty and the people who are most vulnerable and who need access to heating and light - thankfully, not today because of the weather - but in the winter months. The Senator's points need to be monitored. I hope the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection with the rest of Government and the industry can look at how we can ensure that prices do not go berserk.

I concur with Senator Horkan regarding the issue of litter. Collective responsibility is needed on the part of all of us and not just because of tourists. I welcome the fact that overseas visits to Ireland have increased by 7.6%. A total of 273,300 more people have come to visit our country. It is important that the céad míle fáilte they receive also includes an impeccable public realm. All of us recognise that there are black spots that need to tackled. I concur with Senator Horkan in terms of the role city and county councils can play. I hope we would have an action plan for litter because it is a blight on our country. If one looked at the edition of "Prime Time" on the waste industry and if one looks at the individual, never mind the collective, attitude to litter, one can see that we need to do something about it because we are actually slipping as a country in terms of our attitude to litter. Senator Horkan also raised the case of Yvonne Walsh. I do not have the answer but I would be happy for the relevant Minister to come to the House. Alternatively, the Senator could table a Commencement Matter.

Senator Marshall raised the very important issue of Brexit. Again, he made a wonderful contribution to the Order of Business and showed the importance of having his voice in this House. I reiterate what the Senator and Chris Patten said. It is important that the UK works with all of us to ensure we have a solution to Brexit. The Taoiseach is right as well in that it is not our duty to come up with a response to the UK, which voted to leave. However, it is important because as the Senator said, there is economic uncertainty. The worrying part of Brexit is the economic uncertainty for us and in the UK if we look at the potential number of jobs that could be lost in the UK and the potential loss to us in terms of agriculture and our economy. The point made by the Senator is very relevant. Unfortunately, I did not get to attend Chris Patten's lecture in Iveagh House last night. Today is a very important summit in the EU and I wish the Taoiseach and the Minister of State with responsibility for European Affairs, Deputy McEntee, well. Obviously, we are heading towards an October timeframe. The points made by Senator Marshall are important. I hope that we will have an update from the European Council meeting before the summer recess.

In response to Senator Ruane, it is also my intention to have a debate if we can on the implementation of the national drugs strategy. The Senator is right. There has been a huge consultation process. I commend her on what she has been doing and I would encourage as many Members as possible to go to her briefing next Tuesday.

If I am correct, what Senator Devine is asking for in her amendment concerns No. 11, the National Asset Management Agency (Amendment) Bill 2017. Is that the one?