Now, I call the Deputies in the same order, with 30 seconds each.

I welcome the announcement by the Minister for Justice on the setting up of a pilot scheme to monitor and protect the rights of the child in family law situations. I urge that the relevant legislation, which is already before the Houses of the Oireachtas, will be expeditiously brought through the Houses. I point to the scandal of the abuse of children and mothers, who in some cases are being imprisoned in order to silence them about what is going on in the family law system at present. I ask the Minister to expedit…

I thank the Minister.

I smile to myself when I hear many of the things that have been repeated over and over - I am sure the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach does likewise - with regard to the obstacles facing people who are in need of homes. These people have various income levels. We have listened to people rightly say that on the one hand there are people whose income is too high to qualify for local authority housing and too low to qualify for a mortgage. They are certainly encouraged or even forced to rent, in many cases from funds that are…

My question seeks to ascertain the extent to which students in the academic and technical areas can expect to benefit from the measures proposed by Government throughout the course of the coming year.

I thank the Minister of State. May I ask the extent to which the respective students in the academic and technical areas can see the improvement manifest itself for them in the course of the coming year and how this is likely to reflect on the market requirements in that area, given that the requirements are increasing all the time?

I thank the Minister of State for the positive information. May I ask the degree to which indications have been sought or research done into the extent to which this is likely to impact on the marketplace in terms of addressing shortages of skills in each of the areas mentioned?

Correct.

I wish to zoom in on the degree to which the relevant vacancies have been identified throughout industry, both in the public and private sector, with the view to matching up the qualifications and identifying the precise areas in which weaknesses have appeared and the degree to which it is anticipated to be able to address them.

I thank the Minister of State for that reply. To what degree have the individual shortages of skilled operatives been identified precisely? In order to meet that market requirement, it is absolutely essential we can identify the precise number of, for example, crane operators and to what degree they are required at the present time. Have we enough or nearly enough crane operators, or are we far short of the target? The same applies to a whole series of other areas. The Minister of State has listed a number of them.…

I thank the Minister of State. House-building technology has changed in recent years. The building of structures in factories now takes place to a great extent. Can the Minister of State be sure that we have sufficient numbers available to use their skills to good advantage to support this part of the industry and maximise output in the area, which is obviously one we all have concerns about?

To what extent will the Kildare-west Wicklow section to which the Minister of State referred see a noticeable improvement such that patients and potential patients can put their minds at ease, with specific reference to access and follow-up?

I strongly support the sentiments expressed by the Deputy. This applies not only to north Cork but all over the country and has been raised numerous times in the health committee over recent years. The Minister himself has identified the word "discretion". The request has to be that the criteria need to be broadened to take into account the fact, as described by Deputy O'Connor and as we have described many times at the health committee, that there are people who are really under pressure, who find themselves in pa…

This is a similar question. It seeks reassurance for patients who suffer from various illnesses, from scoliosis to cataracts, to spina bifida. Whether they are public or private patients, their concern is for access to treatment within a reasonable time. Do we have the facilities to treat them within this jurisdiction? My belief is that we do. Whether they are public or private, can the two share the burden with a view to delivering to the patients an immediate and rapid service?

The Minister's reply shows an intimate knowledge of the system and its flaws and weaknesses and so on, which we all accept. We have to strive towards universal healthcare. However, it is no good telling that to the patient who has to wait, whether it is scoliosis or whatever else. I had spinal surgery during the summer. It was not possible for somebody to say to me, "We are working towards it. We will get to it in a year or five years." That does not work. We should select, insofar as we can, the sensitive cases su…

The Minister is aware and understands this issue. He is at the coalface of it, as are the patients. It is about bringing the two sides closer together. I am aware the Minister realises the urgency of the situation. I know a patient who had cataract problems and was on a waiting list but could not wait because he was blind. He lived alone and he was blind. He could not drive, communicate, read the newspaper, look at television or anything. His friends, neighbours and family came together to get the surgery done priv…

I again bring to the attention of the House the activities of Pepper Asset Management. Some of its operatives are behaving in a very aggressive manner in the pursuit of vulnerable long-term borrowers who, for compelling reasons, were not able to service their loans. Those loans were sold to vulture funds, some at a fraction of the face value, but people are now being pursued aggressively for the full face value and arrears, leaving them with no option other than to become homeless, in which case they do not qualify…

I will do that. I thank the Minister.

I get depressed very often when I come into the Chamber and hear the Opposition Members voice their opinions, which they are entitled to voice-----

-----but should it always be negative? I cannot recall when I last heard a positive sound come from the Opposition. I am aware the job of Opposition is difficult at any time. In the bad times it was difficult because there was no money in the country so nobody could complain about anything. However, it is no harm to step outside the box, to use the current phrase, and examine the situation in which we find ourselves. We should be grateful that we are where we are now and that we do not have to beg for money. We do …