Vol. 559 No. 1
Before coming to the Order of Business I propose to deal with a number of topics under Standing Order 31 dealing with seven different issues.
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. I call on Deputy Ferris.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss the following specific and important matter of public interest requiring urgent consideration, namely, the disastrous effect which the order to end fishing of certain species will have on the Irish fishing industry and the urgent need for the Government to rectify this matter.
I call Deputy Coveney on the same matter.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to raise a matter of national importance, namely, the looming crisis for the Irish fishing industry with the potential introduction of blunt stock conservation measures and the reductions in overall fish quotas proposed by the EU Commission; and the need for the Irish Government to renegotiate a fairer shareout of EU fish quotas to adequately reflect the size of our fishing fleet and the waters surrounding our country.
The matter is not in order under Standing Order 31. In regard to the second topic I have received notice from Deputy Allen. I call on the Deputy to state the matter.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to allow the Minister for the Environment and Local Government, Deputy Cullen, to make a statement and take questions on the reported deficiencies in the electronic voting system as outlined in the Zerflow report which the Government has in its possession since March of this year.
The matter is not in order under Standing Order 31. In regard to the third topic I have received notice from Deputy McManus. I call on the Deputy to state the matter.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss the following specific and important matter of public interest requiring urgent attention, namely, the need for the Minister for the Environment and Local Government to outline the latest information available to his Department about what is reported to be the biggest illegal dump in the country yet discovered; and to indicate what steps it is intended to take to make the site safe and ensure the public is not exposed to any further risk.
The matter is not in order under Standing Order 31. In regard to the fourth topic I have received notice from Deputy Olivia Mitchell. I call on the Deputy to state the matter.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to raise the following matter of national importance, namely, the reported deteriorating relationship between the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Health and Children in view of the potential implications of this for the health service; the lack of clarity around the number of jobs to be lost to the health service; and the implications of this decision for delivery and development of health care.
The matter is not in order under Standing Order 31. In regard to the fifth topic I have received notice from Deputy Naughten. I call on the Deputy to state the matter.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to raise the following urgent matter of national importance, namely, that in light of the decision by Irish Rail to close its rail freight to Galway, Waterford, Dundalk and Belfast from 3 January next, in direct contravention of a commitment by the Taoiseach to the House, there is now an urgent need for the Government to ensure that this decision is rescinded.
The matter is not in order under Standing Order 31. In regard to the sixth topic I have received notice from Deputy Gogarty. I call on the Deputy to state the matter.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss an issue of national importance, namely, the need to suspend the designation of Adamstown in Lucan as a strategic development zone pending a full investigation into the controversial and potentially dodgy rezoning of the lands in 1998 and the role played by developers, lobbyists, councillors and council officials in south Dublin, as well as an examination into matters pertaining to Adamstown's subsequent designation as a strategic development zone in 2001 by the former Minister of State at the Department of the Environment and Local Government, Mr. Bobby Molloy.
The matter is not in order under Standing Order 31. In regard to the final topic I have received notice from Deputy Boyle. I call on the Deputy to state the matter.
I seek to have the business of the House adjourned under Standing Order 31 to discuss a matter of urgent national importance, namely, the findings of a recent report showing that the incidence of asthma in this country is pro rata currently the highest in Europe.
The matter is not in order under Standing Order 31. The House will now hear expressions of sympathy on the death of former Deputy Jim Mitchell.
