I have been contacted in the past two days by a young family, with four young children, whose local authority has allocated it a house. The house was vacant for some time and the electricity was disconnected. I am now advised that the procedure for reconnecting the electricity will take three months. It is unacceptable that two State authorities, the local authority and the ESB cannot co-operate to expedite a matter such as this. There are approximately ten different steps that must be taken before a house is reconnected. The local authority-----

I have made a ruling on that this morning.

I am aware of that but this is an issue that cannot be left as it is. This is a young family who want to get into a house before Christmas but which is told that it will take three months to reconnect the electricity. The local authority has to send in an application, the ESB must send back a bill, and the local authority must pay the bill before the reconnection is made. It is outrageous that something like this is happening in this day and age. Ten different steps must be taken. It is not the fault of the local authority officials or of the ESB officials but of the procedure. Will the Leader raise this matter with the Minister to ensure that the relevant Ministers come together to resolve this problem? This is just one case that I know of. I am sure the same is happening in many other local authorities around the country. It is not good enough. It is not acceptable. I ask that some action be taken on the matter.

I support Senator Burke’s call for resolution of that case. It is ludicrous that it should take three months to reconnect a house that is obviously already wired and properly kitted out for connection. I call on the Leader to try to facilitate that request this morning.

I join Senator Norris in calling for the case of the former army officer to be reconsidered by this House. It is correct that a motion was passed unanimously by this House when it was raised as a Private Member’s motion by the former Senator Eoghan Harris. It was supported by all sides, including the then Minister for Defence, Deputy Tony Killeen, who agreed that an injustice was caused to this individual yet nothing has been done to clear his name. I echo Senator Norris’s call this morning that the House again consider the case.

I welcome the publication yesterday of the Smithwick report and I look forward to a debate in this House on that.