I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 20 and the name of the Member in each case: (1) An Teachta Éamon Ó Cuív — an gá atá ann cleachtas teanga a chur ar fáil do na boird sláinte maidir le cúraimí sláinte do mhuintir na Gaeltachta, go mór mhór maidir le seandaoine ón nGaeltacht gurb í an Ghaeilge a gcéad teanga; (2) Deputy Eric Byrne — the reported use of the Government jet on 13 October to transport the Minister of State at the Department of Social Welfare and her husband from Zurich to Dublin at an estimated cost of £30,000, in view of the fact that there was a scheduled flight available the next morning; and the need for new guidelines to limit the use of the Government jet, particularly where alternative scheduled flights are available; (3) Deputy Theresa Ahearn — the urgent need for the appointment of a temporary fifth teacher to Ballingarry National School, County Tipperary, in view of its designation as a school of disadvantaged status and the high level of unemployment in the area; (4) Deputy Shatter — the inadequacy of the resources and funds made available to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal for payment of compensation awards already determined; (5) Deputy Michael McDowell — the imposition of health contribution and employment and training levies on maintenance payments despite the fact that the same levies have already been paid on the original income; (6) Deputy Hogan — the need for the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications to clarify his statement to the Dáil on 26 October in which he failed to give the full information regarding the involvement of his Department in the alteration of documentation associated with the environmental impact statement in connection with a proposed mining development, and (7) Deputy Enda Kenny — the limited opening hours of the Department of Agriculture offices at Davitt House, Castlebar, which causes great inconvenience to farmers all over the country.
The matters raised by Deputies Michael McDowell; Eric Byrne; Enda Kenny and Theresa Ahearn have been selected for discussion.