Every week I become more alarmed at how out of touch our public service, public service unions and the political establishment in general is with the difficulties people are encountering and at the complete disconnect or lack of empathy with their problems. This House could usefully focus on those issues. I appeal to the acting Leader that we address issues like banking on a weekly basis. The banks were recapitalised so that we would have a credit flow to SMEs and business. Nothing of the kind is happening, even though huge amounts of money have been invested in the banks. People have personal debt and are struggling with mortgages but banks are not dealing with the issue. The Personal Insolvency Bill is languishing somewhere in some civil servant's office and there is no credit flow to SMEs.

I agree with Senator Hayden that there has been some good news on job creation this week but we have also had a lot of bad news. I felt there was an air of unreality about the interview the Taoiseach did with Time magazine. The jobs being created is like placing a plaster on a tumour. It really will not achieve what is needed given the magnitude of the task. People are unemployed and people are emigrating. We face huge issues and we are talking about all sorts of partisan political issues in this and the Lower House.

As I said yesterday, the Government parties are squabbling with each other when people are crying out for leadership and for some answers to their problems. Unemployment is a major issue, as is public expenditure. We talk about allowances. Even without the allowances, there are no low paid public servants. I did an analysis going back a number of years which benchmarked pay across a broad range of public service positions with those in other western European countries, such as Britain, France, Italy and the Benelux countries. We are at the top, or near the top, of the list in all of them. Pay in the public service is way ahead. Some estimates put it at nearly 40% to 50% ahead of similar positions in the private sector.

We are crucifying the working class and middle class who are struggling as never before. No Government has tackled the disgrace of legal fees, a report on which was published in 2006 but has not been acted upon by any Minister. We owe it to the people to prioritise and deal with these issues and cut out the propaganda from all sides of the House in order to give hope to the younger generation who are facing unemployment and emigration.

As there is less than one month to the referendum on children's rights, I call on all Members to get out and promote it and ensure the passage of the most important referendum the country will deal with for many years to come. It will help to safeguard children, support families and ensure that some of the awful atrocities that happened to young children in the past will never happen again. That voting takes place on a Saturday affords an opportunity to many who, heretofore, may not have had the opportunity to vote mid-week, particularly students who return to constituencies at weekends. Another issue that must be addressed is those who are not registered to vote. During the general election many people who should have been registered discovered when they arrived at polling stations that they were not registered. They have until 23 October to get themselves on the supplementary register. We should spread that message to ensure a large turnout and a resounding "Yes" vote in order to safeguard and protect the children of Ireland. As public representatives it is incumbent on us to play our part in the next four weeks to ensure the referendum is passed.

We have had a number of calls in recent weeks for a debate on suicide. I am very disturbed because I have spoken this morning to a man who has told me he is suicidal. The reason is that he is an asylum seeker in Lisbrook House, a direct provision hostel in Galway, and a decision was taken yesterday to close the centre. I do not doubt that he is genuinely morose. The Lisbrook centre is part of a broader direct provision system which is hugely flawed and needs to be examined. A meeting sought with the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Alan Shatter, on behalf of all the Galway West and Galway East representatives was not forthcoming and the centre is being closed on the recommendations of the Reception and Integration Agency without discussing the issue with representatives of the residents. It would be only right and fair that Oireachtas representatives be allowed meet the Reception and Integration Agency and the Minister to discuss the issue and give their side of the case. That has not happened. I call on my colleagues to intervene with the Minister to speak to us and representatives of the residents.

I am calling for a debate on direct provision as I believe there is broad agreement that the system is not working. I note that the Minister, when in opposition in July 2010, said the manner in which it operates should be subject to a fundamental review, preferably in the next six months. The Minister of State, Deputy Joe Costello, in opposition, is also on record as describing direct provision centres as a prison for people. He also said that asylum seekers should be allowed to work while they await the decision on their applications. It should be a mark of civilisation of our country that we would ensure that people who come here seeking asylum be treated fairly and humanely and at present that is not the case.

Yesterday the Ombudsman, who appeared before the Joint Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions, said she had serious concerns regarding the way in which direct provision is being handled. The Irish Refugee Council report, which is frightening, has highlighted potential instances of abuse. There is much ill-informed commentary in the media and in the public domain about direct provision which must be counteracted. There are allegations of abuse of women and children in the centres. There is also deprivation and mental illness. I fear we are witnessing another State sanctioned scandal happening on our watch and something must be done soon.

I too welcome the jobs announcement this morning by Paddy Power and the announcement earlier in the week by the Kerry Group. I am amused at Senator Walsh's comments who said we are living in an air of unreality in the House. Every Member realises the difficulties being experienced in the country and which we debate daily. The report on legal fees was published in 2006 when the party of which he is a member was in Government, yet now he is very upset that nothing has happened about it.

He acknowledged that.

That is the unreality of where Senator Walsh is living that he should make such a statement.

Does the Senator have a question for the Leader?