Before coming to the Order of Business, I propose to deal with a number of notices under Standing Order 31, dealing with four different topics, from Deputies Neville, Crawford, Naughten, Joe Higgins, Ó Caoláin, Timmins and Jim Higgins. I will deal with these topics separately and I propose to call on the Deputies in the order in which they submitted their notices to my office.
Requests to move Adjournment of Dáil under Standing Order 31.
I hereby seek leave under Standing Order 31 to move a motion for the Adjournment of the Dáil to consider an urgent and important matter, namely, the continuing industrial relations dispute which has closed down the Anglo-Irish Beef Packers plants at Rathkeale, Nenagh, Clones and Waterford, the difficulties this creates for the employees and suppliers, and the serious implications it has for the beef industry at a time of crisis due to the outbreak of foot and mouth disease, and the need for immediate intervention by the Labour Court to facilitate a resolution to the dispute.
I hereby seek leave under Standing Order 31 to move a motion for the Adjournment of the Dáil to consider a matter of urgent national importance, namely, the fact that the AIB plants at Clones, Nenagh, Rathkeale and Waterford are closed due to strike action at a time when the cattle industry is in crisis due to foot and mouth disease. In the national interest there is an urgent need for Government intervention via the Taoiseach or the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development.
Having considered the matter fully, I do not consider it to be contemplated by Standing Order 31. I cannot grant leave, therefore, to move the motions.
I hereby seek leave under Standing Order 31 to move a motion for the Adjournment of the Dáil to consider a matter of urgent importance, namely, the threatened loss of more than 250 jobs and the postponement of a £20 million investment creating a further 100 jobs in Imagine, due to the delay in opening up competition to the mobile telephone market and a need for immediate action to be taken by the Minister for Public Enterprise to expedite the Telecommunications Regulations Bill to ensure full competition and to reduce the cost of mobile phone charges.
Having considered the matter fully, I do not consider it to be contemplated by Standing Order 31. I cannot grant leave, therefore, to move the motion.
(Dublin West): I hereby seek leave under Standing Order 31 to move a motion for the Adjournment of the Dáil to consider a matter of urgent public importance, namely, whether, in light of revelations on RTE's “Prime Time” television programme last night, which dealt with the 1970 Arms Trial, a conspiracy was enacted at the highest levels of political life, and-or the Army and-or the Garda Síochana, to pervert the course of justice in this State, to falsely accuse an innocent person or persons of criminal activity for reasons of political expediency and arising from intra-party rivalries, and to discuss how this matter should be investigated and innocent persons vindicated.
I hereby seek leave under Standing Order 31 to move a motion for the Adjournment of the Dáil to consider an urgent matter of national importance, namely, the revelation that the key witness statement of Colonel Michael Hefferon was fundamentally altered in the Department of Justice, and the altered statement included in the book of evidence for the 1970 Arms Trial, and that, at a time when defenceless Nationalists in the North of Ireland were under daily attack, powerful elements in this State conspired to make scapegoats of people involved in the effort to import arms for their defence, while the knowledge and approval of the operation by the then Minister for Defence, Jim Gibbons, was covered up.
I hereby seek leave under Standing Order 31 to move a motion for the Adjournment of the Dáil to discuss a matter of public importance requiring urgent consideration, namely, the need to investigate the alleged altering by the State of the statement of a key witness in the 1970 Arms Trial.
Having considered the matter fully, I do not consider it to be contemplated by Standing Order 31. I cannot grant leave, therefore, to move the motion.
(Mayo): I hereby seek leave under Standing Order 31 to move a motion for the Adjournment of the Dáil to discuss a matter of urgent public importance, namely, the decision by SIPTU and ESBOA staff at the ESB to withdraw their services next week on foot of a refusal by the company to meet a 28% pay increase claim, a situation which will lead to widespread power cuts and give rise to major difficulties for both domestic and commercial consumers.
Having considered the matter fully, I do not consider it to be contemplated by Standing Order 31. Therefore, I cannot grant leave to move the motion.