I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order and the name of the Member in each case: (1) Deputy Ring — the plans, if any, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has to regulate or prevent public demonstrations on the main streets in Dublin and whether a section of Phoenix Park could be used instead; (2) Deputy McGennis — the up-to-date position regarding the provision of independent counsel to represent rape victims at criminal trials; the legislative or other changes necessary to implement this measure; and the probable timescale; (3) Deputy Clune — the concern regarding the effectiveness of the childhood immunisation programme as now administered by general practitioners; (4) Deputy Neville — the need to provide 31 residential places and 42 day places to meet the requirements of the mentally handicapped in the mid-west region; (5) Deputy Browne (Carlow-Kilkenny)— the answer to Parliamentary Question No. 230 on 3 March 1998 to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform regarding renovations to Muine Bheag Garda Station; (6) Deputy Michael Kitt — the need to review the means test for the nursing home subvention; (7) Deputy Creed — the need for urgent improvements and extension to Aghinagh national school, County Cork; (8) Deputy Gormley — the plans to close the Adelaide, Meath and Harcourt Street hospitals, and the need to retain an acute hospital in the south inner city due to the huge increase in population; (9) Deputy Fitzgerald — the urgent need to review hospital services in the south inner city area of Dublin pending the proposed closure of the Meath, Adelaide and Harcourt Street hospitals and the opening of Tallaght Hospital; (10) Deputy De Rossa — the need to increase from £7 million to £25 million the budget allocation for services for those with mental handicap in order to meet the residential and day care needs of those with mental handicap and their families; (11) Deputy Broughan — the urgent need to complete the employee share ownership arrangements in Telecom Éireann given the Taoiseach's written commitment of May 1997.
The matters raised by Deputies Gormley, Fitzgerald, De Rossa and Browne (Carlow-Kilkenny) have been selected for discussion.