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. I call Deputy Connolly.
Requests to move Adjournment of Dáil under Standing Order 31.
An Leas-Cheann Comhairle
I propose the suspension of Dáil Éireann under Standing Order 31 to discuss a matter of urgent national importance, namely the ongoing public health doctors' dispute, which is now in its seventh week, and the fact that the chief executive officer's spokesman stated that the strike was causing great difficulty, particularly in the following areas: cancelled health examinations in schools; administrating of booster vaccinations for diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio and MMR to four and five year olds; suspended developmental child checks of hips and hearing, etc.; non-processing of applications for nursing home subventions; and suspended medical examination of sexually abused children in some areas – all of which issues require urgent and immediate attention. We must remember too that we are only days away from the start of the Special Olympics.
In accordance with the terms of Standing Order 31, I seek to move the Adjournment of the Dáil to discuss the following specific and important matter of public interest requiring urgent attention: the increasing price of food, especially as it impacts on the elderly and the disadvantaged and the need for the Government to take action to prevent exploitation of consumers.
In accordance with the terms of Standing Order 31, I seek to move the Adjournment of the Dáil to discuss the following specific and important matter of public interest requiring urgent attention: the impact on disadvantaged communities of the Government's decision to cut the community employment scheme by 40%, thereby denying another 5,000 people the opportunity of training and employment in the current year.
In accordance with the terms of Standing Order 31, I seek to move the Adjournment of the Dáil to discuss the following specific and important matter of public interest requiring urgent attention: the impact on disadvantaged communities of the failure of the Government to honour its commitment to extend eligibility for medical cards so as to bring in another 200,000 people.
In accordance with the terms of Standing Order 31, I wish to move the Adjournment of the Dáil to discuss the following specific and important matter of public interest requiring urgent attention: the serious anomaly in the planning process whereby the members of a local authority, Cork County Council, having rejected a motion for the material contravention of the development plan, now find that the developers of a proposed toxic waste facility can now appeal to An Bord Pleanála without reference to the county development plan, and in view of the importance of this issue I hope that you will agree to this request.
In accordance with the terms of Standing Order 31, I seek the Adjournment of the Dáil to discuss the following specific and important matter of public interest requiring urgent attention: the betrayal of people in disadvantaged areas who missed out on the benefits of economic growth and the lack of commitment, utter confusion and deplorable lack of progress with the RAPID programme.
In accordance with the terms of Standing Order 31, I seek to move the Adjournment of the Dáil to discuss the following specific and important matter of public interest requiring urgent attention: to establish, if this Government is so committed to tackling disadvantage, why the Taoiseach, or the Tánaiste, will not instruct the Minister for Social and Family Affairs to pay workers at ADM in Cork their social welfare entitlements. The workers have been locked out of employment for the past 12 weeks and for that period have received no payment. In view of the importance of this matter and the fact that the ADM workers are in the Public Gallery today, I hope you will agree to this request.
In accordance with the terms of Standing Order 31, I wish to move the Adjournment of the Dáil to discuss the following specific and important matter of public interest requiring urgent attention: the serious problems created for rural communities, both in the social and voluntary areas, due to the loss of young men and women students who now must emigrate during the summer months to obtain employment to supplement their income due the loss of the summer jobs scheme and the back to education allowance, and due to the huge increase in registration fees which has increased the cost of education for each one of them.
In accordance with the terms of Standing Order 31, I seek to move the Adjournment of the Dáil to discuss the following specific and important matter of public interest requiring urgent attention: the cost of tax breaks for very wealthy individuals and specifically the recent reports that an Irish consortium purchased the yacht, the Christina O, formerly owned by Aristotle Onassis, for use in the Mediterranean and reports that the consortium may get tax breaks in Ireland worth up to €25 million over the lifetime of the venture.
In accordance with the terms of Standing Order 31, I seek the adjournment of the Dáil to discuss the following important matter of public interest: the latest figures from the CSO household budget survey showing another increase in unemployment and a further decrease in manufacturing employment, the urgent requirement for a Government strategy to deal with unemployment, the growing pressures of inflation and the strengthening euro.
In accordance with the terms of Standing Order 31, I seek the adjournment of the Dáil to discuss the following important matter: the Government's decision to cut the budget for local authority housing by 20%, despite the increase from 26,000 to 48,000 in the numbers on local authority housing lists since the Fianna Fáil-PD Government took power six years ago.
What an appalling record.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss the following matter of national importance: the leaked Hanley report which recommended that Ennis General Hospital and Nenagh General Hospital be downgraded as local hospitals. The Minister for Health and Children should immediately allocate the €15 million as promised for the upgrading of Ennis General Hospital. Is the Government using this report as a justification for not spending the €15 million as promised?
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss the following urgent matter: the need for a review of our management of the wild salmon stocks following publication of the report by the Central Fisheries Board showing that the promotion of conservation and leisure angling measures would provide a greater economic return than our current emphasis on commercial drift netting of wild salmon.
An Leas-Cheann Comhairle
Having considered the matters raised, I do not consider them to be contemplated by Standing Order 31 and therefore I cannot grant leave to move the motions
We should hold a competition to see who will succeed with a matter.