What I've been saying

If one strips away the polite public service jargon, the report is an indictment of the HSE and will lead people to question the extent to which Government responses extend beyond the commissioning of reports.The Fail

The Health Service Executive said 20% of patients could benefit from thrombolysis, a clot-busting treatment which can have miraculous effects in preventing death and disability from stroke

I support the call for a debate on Greece. There are many issues we could discuss. One fact is the report that 75% of applications for asylum in this country have been rejected. It would be timely for the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to come to the House to give us an update on the operation of our asylum laws and for us debate whether that is an appropriate percentage in light of the circumstances.

I am asking for a debate on the need to tidy up Irish law, to harmonise it with that of Britain so we do not have the appalling spectacle of people coming south of the Border to avail of the sexual services of persons who are victims of human trafficking.

The agrifood sector is of fundamental importance to the economy. Almost 50,000 people are directly employed in the food and drink sector, with a further 60,000 employed indirectly in all regions of the country. The industry uses 90% of the output of Ireland’s 120,000 farmers. In 2008 it accounted for a figure of €8.3 billion or almost half of all purchases of Irish goods and services offered by manufacturing industry. It is one of the few major industries controlled mainly by indigenous companies. While the agrifood sector is of importance now, it will become even more important in the future.

Another area in which we need a debate is on the report from the Forum on End of Life in Ireland. There is a great debt of gratitude owing to the Irish Hospice Foundation for the excellent work it does in hospice-friendly hospital care. I was honoured to be asked to take part in one of the sessions in the forum and the report has been published today.