Before coming to the Order of Business I propose to deal with a number of notices under Standing Order 31. I will 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 seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 on the following specific and important matter of public interest requiring urgent consideration, namely, the unprecedented crisis in the health service which is continuing to either reduce or close services, particularly at Louth County Hospital, where expectant mothers are forced to endure the pain and suffering of travelling past the closed maternity ward to drive to the already overcrowded facilities at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda. The gynaecological and maternity units at Louth County Hospital were closed two years ago and the children's ward was closed some years previously. We can conclude, therefore, that the policy of this Government when it comes to closing health services is a case of the old Titanic cry “women and children first”.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss a matter of national importance, namely, the need for the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to intervene to find a solution to the dispute at Ronan Industries, Dudley's Mill, Clonmel, as the Labour Relations Commission, despite strenuous efforts on its part, has failed to resolve the impasse. The intervention of the Minister at this time could provide the mediation necessary to solve the dispute.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss an issue of urgent national importance, namely, the public health doctors' dispute now entering its sixth week and the likelihood that they will be joined by other medical professions leading to a serious escalation of this dispute and the particular need to have our house in order in sufficient time for the commencement of the Special Olympic Games on 21 June.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss the following issue of urgent national importance, namely, the proposed reintroduction of third level fees and the proposal to introduce these fees on a sliding scale making many courses prohibitively expensive which will dictate for many current second level students whether they will be able to afford to go to college in the future and which will cast grave doubt on the participation of many existing and prospective third level students in further education.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss the following matter of urgent national importance, namely, the escalation of the public health doctors' dispute by the Irish Medical Organisation by advising general practitioners not to complete pre-school booster vaccines for children; not to supply medical reports for people needing nursing home subventions and other allowances; the direction to notify the chief executive officer of their health board directly about an outbreak of a notifiable disease as the medical officers would now be on strike; the urgent need for input from the medical health doctors in deciding on attendance of athletes from SARS-affected countries; and the failure of the Minister for Health and Children to address the dispute in its sixth week.
Having considered all the matters raised, they are not in accordance with Standing Order 31.