Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am trying to assist. Senator Davitt is right that local authorities and local representatives must work to ensure that we protect our towns and villages because they are the lifeblood of rural Ireland. To be fair to the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Deputy Ring, he has a programme of work and he is engaging with it. There needs to be a collaborative approach.

On Senator Devine's question, I only heard a snippet regarding the report on Cherry Orchard that is emerging from the Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA. It is a concern. The report needs to be implemented. I refer also to the issues raised in respect of resuscitation, engagement and communication. It is a source of worry. Senator Devine works in the area and I am involved myself. This is one that we need to get right. It is not just about resources, it is also about a combined effort on resourcing, communications, staffing and engagement. To be fair, we are very lucky that the vast majority of the facilities and homes that people live in are of an impeccable standard. However, the points Senator Devine raised need to be worked on. I would be happy for the Minister to come to the House to discuss the report.

Senator Gallagher comes in with the hard question at the end nearly every day. He raised the issue of CCTV today. The Government committed €1 million last year and this year to the project. There have been four CCTV projects commenced, four are awaiting approval and 14 more are going to be approved. The Senator's point on the issue of data protection is one that is exercising the local authorities because they will be the data controllers. There must also be engagement with the local joint policing committees and the councils. We should not be putting bureaucracy in the way of CCTV equipment being erected. That is the point Senator Gallagher is making and I agree with him.

The final point I will make is that while I understand where Senator Bacik is coming from, I will not be accepting her amendment to the Order of Business.