Before coming to the Order of Business, I propose to deal with a number of notices under Standing Order 31. I will call on 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 leave under Standing Order 31 to adjourn the Dáil to discuss the following matter of urgent importance, namely, the need for the Minister for Health and Children to report on his visit to the World Health Organisation headquarters in Geneva yesterday, the outcome of any discussions he held with either Ministers or officials of the countries he has banned from participating in the Special Olympics and his plans to participate actively in the resolution of the public health doctors' dispute, the resolution of which would allow Ireland to come into line with the WHO guidelines for mass events, thus allowing the full attendance of all countries at the games.
I ask that the House be adjourned to discuss an issue of urgent national importance, namely, the need for the Government to clarify for leaving certificate students the fees issue in good time, failing which they should not be introduced and, more importantly, for the parties in government to clarify whether their public disagreements on fees are part of a phoney war given that both parties, if one reads between the lines, actually support a loans system which will act as a disincentive for students to study and graduates to work here, which is in direct contrast to the Tánaiste's comments on the need to attract highly skilled labour and build an added value economy.
It is not in order for Deputies to go beyond the statement they submitted to the Ceann Comhairle's office.
I had to mention the Government's hypocrisy.
I seek leave under Standing Order 31 to adjourn the House on a specific and important matter of public interest requiring urgent consideration, namely, the need for the Government, given the need to protect the rights of children and the requirements on the State both to protect and vindicate those rights, to state if and when it proposes to appoint an ombudsman for children now that more than one year has elapsed since the Ombudsman for Children Act was passed, yet the office has not been established and the post remains both unadvertised and vacant. Will the Taoiseach and the Chief Whip, Deputy Hanafin, comment on the matter?
As I pointed out to the Deputy's colleague, it is not appropriate for Deputies to go beyond the statement they have submitted to the Office of the Ceann Comhairle.
I thought we could.
Standing Order 31 is quite specific on the matter.
Given that we are honoured with the presence of the Chief Whip, I hoped she would—
I am always in the House.
I seek leave under Standing Order 31 to adjourn the House on the following specific and important matter of public interest requiring urgent consideration, namely, the deplorable state of Scoil Mhuire Fatima, Drogheda, and Scoil Uí Mhuirí, Dunleer, County Louth, and the failure to include these schools on the list of schools on the updated 2003 schools building programme. Parents whose children attend these two schools are distraught at their condition. Parents at Scoil Mhuire Fatima national school, who were promised a new school in 1998, feel misled and betrayed by the Government. Scoil Uí Mhuirí in Dunleer was promised a replacement school 20 years ago. The schools in question do not meet the building standards regulations or fire safety regulations. The Government should act now.
Having considered the matters, they are not in accordance with Standing Order 31.