Vol. 556 No. 5
Before coming to the Order of Business I propose to deal with a number of notices under Standing Order 31 dealing with six different topics. I propose to deal with these topics separately and I will call on Deputies in the order in which they submitted their notices to my office.
In regard to the first topic I have received notice from Deputy Neville and I now call on him to state the matter.
I seek to move the Adjournment of Dáil Éireann under Standing Order 31 to discuss a matter of urgent national importance, namely, the extension of the statutory vetting system for persons wishing to work with children to include persons working with children in community, part-time and voluntary capacities to safeguard children from paedophile predators who use these areas to get close to children.
Having given the matter full consideration I do not consider it to be contemplated by Standing Order 31 and therefore I cannot grant leave to move the motion. In regard to the second topic I have received notice from Deputy Coveney. I call on Deputy Coveney to state the matter.
I wish to adjourn the business of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to raise an issue of national importance, namely, to discuss the escalation of a dispute between postmasters and An Post that will result in the closure of 540 rural post offices for two days next week, resulting in a collapse of postal services in rural areas.
Having given the matter full consideration I do not consider it to be contemplated by Standing Order 31 and therefore I cannot grant leave to move the motion. In regard to the third topic I have received notice from Deputy Ó Snodaigh. I call on Deputy Ó Snodaigh to state the matter.
I seek the Adjournment of the Dáil to discuss the following important matter of public interest requiring urgent consideration, namely, the forthcoming United Nations Security Council vote on the new draft resolution on Iraq that allows the Security Council to resort to the use of force against Iraq, and the need for Ireland to use its vote to oppose this resolution.
Having given the matter full consideration I do not consider it to be contemplated by Standing Order 31 and therefore I cannot grant leave to move the motion. In regard to the fourth topic I have received notice from Deputy Healy. I call on Deputy Healy to state the matter.
I seek the Adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss a matter of national importance, namely, the decision by the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to decimate the community employment scheme, thereby creating chaos in community schemes, youth schemes, drug awareness schemes, tidy towns schemes, community arts and sports schemes and other socially beneficial services.
Having given the matter full consideration I do not consider it to be contemplated by Standing Order 31 and therefore I cannot grant leave to move the motion. In regard to the fifth topic I have received notice from Deputy Cuffe. I call on Deputy Cuffe to state the matter.
I ask the House to adjourn to consider a matter of national importance, the implications of the grounding of a British Government nuclear submarine off the Isle of Skye and to discuss this matter in detail.
Having given the matter full consideration I do not consider it to be contemplated by Standing Order 31 and therefore I cannot grant leave to move the motion. In regard to the sixth topic I have received notice from Deputy Gogarty. I call on Deputy Gogarty to state the matter.
I ask that the House be adjourned to discuss an issue of national importance, the shocking results of the INTO survey which highlight the shameful and disgraceful fact that up to 10% of teachers in primary schools do not have recognised primary teaching qualifications, most notably in disadvantaged areas in the inner city and west Dublin. Given that a report was published during the lifetime of the last Dáil with no less than 28 recommendations, it is vital that this matter be discussed now with a view to implementing immediately these recommendations.
Having given the matter full consideration, I do not consider it to be contemplated by Standing Order 31 and therefore I cannot grant leave to move the motion.
