It is proposed to take Nos. 6 and 7. It is also proposed that No. 6 be taken without debate.
Order of Business.
Is it agreed that No. 6 be taken without debate? Agreed.
First, may I commend Deputy Ahern, the Minister for Labour, for his efforts overnight and ask him if he will take the opportunity to make the terms of the settlement available to Members of the House as soon as possible? In commending him, one can only express regret at the tendency of some of his Cabinet colleagues to wander into offside positions which made this dispute necessary in the first place.
The Deputy is taking a liberty.
Would the Taoiseach convey the appreciation of the House to the engineers who refused to go on strike for their act of public spirited community solidarity?
May I ask the Taoiseach for Government time to have a special debate on the crisis in the health services? Would he give the House an opportunity to discuss the ever-deepening crisis in the health services?
The provisions in regard to the health services have been fully and adequately debated already.
It is regrettable that the Taoiseach will not give the House an opportunity——
I must call Deputy Séamus Pattison.
——to discuss the implications of the decision——
I am calling Deputy Pattison. Deputy Allen must desist.
(Interruptions.)
Would the Taoiseach give the House an opportunity to discuss this——
I have called Deputy Pattison.
It is very regrettable that Deputy Allen is refusing to stand up to the implications of the decisions which his Government took before they left office.
(Interruptions.)
There was no closure involved——
The Deputy will please resume his seat.
I am asking that this matter be discussed——
You may not ask it now.
I ask the Taoiseach to reconsider his decision——
Please resume your seat. I am calling Deputy Pattison.
May I raise on the Adjournment the decision of the Minister for Health which is resulting in a severe reduction in the number of hospital beds in my constituency of Carlow-Kilkenny and the closure of two important hospitals in that constituency?
I will communicate with the Deputy.
On a point of order, would the Taoiseach give a guarantee that no hospitals will close——
That is not a point of order.
——until the full implications of the decision are discussed——
I must again ask the Deputy to desist from interrupting on the Order of Business.
May I, with your permission, raise on the Adjournment the serious situation which is developing in Clare because of the proposal of the Mid-Western Health Board to close three district hospitals — Ennistymon, Kilrush and Raheen — and the closure of the one maternity hospital in the county, the reduction of 50 beds in the general hospital in Ennis and the further reduction of 74 beds in St. Joseph's Hospital?
I will communicate with the Deputy.
In view of your refusal, which I accept and do not challenge, to allow a question by me on the abolition by the Minister for Education of second chance education and the reduction in the payments to the National Adult Literacy Association, may I ask the Taoiseach if he will make Government time available for a debate on this reduction?
That is hardly in order now.
I am asking the Taoiseach if he will make Government time available to discuss this matter——
That matter would be more appropriate for arrangement between the Whips.
May I have your permission to raise this on the Adjournment?
I will communicate with the Deputy.
Would you allow time on the Adjournment for a discussion on the chronic conditions of overcrowding and undermanning which exist in Mountjoy Prison?
I will communicate with the Deputy.
May I have an opportunity to refute the statement made by the Taoiseach? Our proposals did not result in the closure of wards——
(Interruptions.)
There will be no more questions on the Order of Business. I am calling Item No. 6.
May I point out——
The Deputy is being grossly disorderly.