I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 21 and the name of the Member in each case: (1) Deputy Creed — the urgent need for a review of planning legislation, to provide for a coherent regulation of retail shopping developments in the vicinity of large urban centres; (2) Deputy Ulick Burke — the need to expedite the Government's decision in relation to the proposed acquisition by Coillte of the Balcas company, and to outline the requirements of the mergers and take-overs control group and the position of the Competition Authority on the proposal; (3) Deputy Ring — the need to make funds available to save the Stella Maris secondary school in Ballycastle, County Mayo, from closure; (4) Deputy Lawlor — the anomalous position of payments for caretakers in primary schools by comparison with the procedures for caretakers in second level schools of similar size who enjoy higher emoluments and benefits; (5) Deputy Clune — the dispute at the Cork office of the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs which has meant that the office has been closed to the public in the afternoons and a complete ban on telephone inquiries since 16 March; (6) Deputy Ferris — the ongoing delays in awarding a contract for the national convention centre; (7) Deputy Brendan Smith — the need to provide additional milk quotas in the Border region under the EU's programme for peace and reconciliation.
The matters raised by Deputies Ulick Burke, Brendan Smith, Clune and Ferris have been selected for discussion.