I am sure colleagues will join me in offering best wishes to the two prison officers who were so brutally wounded yesterday during an escape by a prisoner they had accompanied to Tallaght hospital. There has been a good deal of commentary in respect of this particularly heinous attack, which is the subject of an ongoing Garda operation. Yesterday, a number of colleagues raised the issue of crime. The Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality is due to begin its hearings on gangland crime at 2.30 p.m. If colleagues have an interest in that matter or in ways in which the Government and legislators can take action, then perhaps they might consider attending.

I welcome the passage through the Seanad last night of the Gender Recognition Bill after lengthy but very constructive Committee Stage and Report Stage debates, to which many colleagues contributed. I highlight the importance of the Government's introducing the Bill in the Seanad. In fact, the Government put forward some significant amendments on foot of the debates which took place here. I refer, in particular, to the amendment which will ensure the legislation is reviewed two years after its enactment. It is clear that any changes identified during that review will be made. The Bill is progressive and it is long overdue, and we can be pleased that the Seanad had quite an impact on it.

I welcome the announcement by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, in respect of a €300 million housing investment programme which will be jointly supported by the European Investment Bank and the Housing Finance Agency. I am sure Senator Aideeb Hayden will have more to say on this matter. This is the first ever support provided in respect of housing in Ireland by the European Investment Bank. This is an extremely welcome and major investment which will facilitate the construction of an additional 2,000 social housing units in the next three years.

I express my deep concern and alarm at the fact that two prison officers were seriously injured yesterday when accompanying a prisoner - apparently he is a diabetic - to hospital. There are serious questions to be asked in respect of this matter. How did the criminal in question, who escaped and who some years ago was serving 22 life sentences in England before absconding, arrive in Ireland in the first instance? Where did he get the knife he used in his escape? Did he bring it with him from the prison? If the answer is in the affirmative, then serious questions arise. How is it that Irish taxpayers are paying for this man to be imprisoned in this jurisdiction? I would be quite happy if he were returned to Britain serve his life sentences at Her Majesty's pleasure. Why was an armed garda not tasked with accompanying this very dangerous prisoner to hospital? Two prisoner officers were obliged to undergo surgery after he attacked them and another was seriously traumatised. What would be the position if a member of staff at the hospital had been badly injured? That could easily have happened. There are major questions to be asked about how this particular prisoner managed to escape and why no armed protection was provided for the prison officers who accompanied him to hospital. I propose an amendment to the Order of Business that the Minister for Justice and Equality come before the House to make a statement on the matter.

For logistical reasons and because the prisoner is still at large, there are the operational difficulties in this regard, but she could make a statement to assuage the fears in this House and among the public. There is deep concern, not alone throughout Dublin but throughout the country, that such a dangerous criminal is at large.

It may not be facilitated in the other House, but I also ask the Leader whether the Assaults on Emergency Workers Bill 2012, which was geared towards protecting prison officers, firemen, etc., and which was introduced in the other House by Deputy Niall Collins, could be looked at again by the Government. The Bill included measures to protect prison officers, firemen and front-line service staff. It is an important issue. It is so urgent that the Minister should come in here today, even for 30 minutes, to make a statement on this incident.