It is important to acknowledge that there has been progress in the health system. We have 700 more nurses in the system now than we had this time last year.

According to the INMO the number is down by 200.

Senator Hayden without interruption.

We now have more doctors in the system than at any time in the history of the State. I have no difficulty with having a debate on health and I am sure the Leader will facilitate it when possible.

I am very happy we passed the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill through the Seanad last night. The Bill will introduce a deposit protection scheme for tenants and a rent-freeze period. These are important measures which will take some of the heat out of the currently over-heated rental market and improve security for tenants. However, the issue of supply of housing remains to be addressed. We will not be going back to business as usual any time soon and basing our rental sector on accidental landlords and people who got into the sector with the intention of making capital gains. Some of the REITs and other commercial companies that have moved into the sector are not remotely interested in providing housing for low income families. Social housing will address some aspects of the issue but the issue is a wider one. We need a debate on the more extensive issue of housing supply and the wider reform of the private rental sector. I ask the Leader to arrange the debate, particularly in view of the passing of the legislation.

I welcome the announcement by Irish Water this morning that it intends to spend more than €2 billion between now and 2021 solving the waste water treatment problem. Like everyone here, I was shocked by the Environmental Protection Agency's report that said there were 45 locations in the country where sewage waste was being pumped directly into the water. Had I known when I was sitting on Duncannon beach in Wexford last summer that it was one of the beaches affected I would not have been so happy. This issue, which shows the justification for having an overarching agency dealing with something as important as water, has to be addressed.

I support the Tánaiste's call for openness and transparency in terms of the earnings of CEOs in any organisation, and not just NGOs, that receives State support.

Hear, hear.

We were all shocked to see the level of earnings of one of the CEOs of an organisation with which we are all familiar and the debate that has ensued in the organisation. The debate could easily take place in a large number of other organisations. The State needs to take whatever measures are necessary to ensure people know the exact level of earnings in some of these organisations and companies.

Will the Leader arrange a debate on foreign policy? We have had an extraordinary week and a half in Europe between the events in France and the more recent events in Brussels. One of the principal cities of Europe was in lock-down. Last night we saw the shooting down of a Russian aircraft by Turkish military. Unrest and uncertainty around security is escalating. Will the Leader arrange a debate with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade about Ireland's state of preparedness to deal with such a situation? Just because we are an island does not mean we are immune or unique. We need to address the issue of where Ireland stands in terms of our preparedness.