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 Crowe.
Requests to move Adjournment of Dáil under Standing Order 31.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to raise a matter of national importance, namely, the latest broken promise by the Government, which is its abject failure to bring before the House legislation that has long been sought by the disabled community, namely, the Disability Bill and the Education for Persons with Disabilities Bill, despite the fact that both Bills are listed as priorities in the Government's legislative agenda and repeated assurances on an almost weekly basis from the Taoiseach and his Ministers that the Education for Persons with Disabilities Bill would be presented before the summer break, and the implication this failure will have for the disabled community and their families.
I request the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss a matter of urgent national importance, namely, the need to debate the deteriorating state of the public finances as evidenced by the release of the half yearly Exchequer figures which indicate a likely €0.5 billion shortfall in tax revenue for the year and the need to ensure the Government does not repeat the pattern of cutting expenditure on vital public services.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to raise a matter of regional and national importance, namely, to debate the underspend of almost €650 million in the first three years of the national development plan in the Border, midlands and west region, the disproportionate spend in the more advantaged parts of the BMW region, the widening economic gap between the BMW region and the south and east region and the failure by the Government to achieve its stated objective of balanced regional development in a strategic or planned way.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss the following important matter of public interest, namely, the findings of the first annual report of the inspector of prisons and places of detention, particularly with respect to the unacceptable conditions in Mountjoy Prison, Portlaoise Prison and Limerick Prison, and the need for the Minister to take immediate action to redress the problems identified to bring Irish prisons up to a humane standard and to present his plans to implement the inspector's recommendations, including the establishment of the office of inspector of prisons and places of detention as a statutory and independent unit.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss an issue of national importance, namely, the need for the Government to adequately fund children's health care services, to establish the office of the ombudsman for children without further delay, given that the Act was passed a long time ago, and to ensure that children's fundamental human rights are protected and promoted.
I call for the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to allow us to debate a matter of urgent national importance, namely, the likely decision this month by the Government on whether it will ask consortia to give detailed bids for the construction of the first phase of the Dublin metro, to clarify the position regarding the likely cost and route for such a metro service given the differing comments by the Minister for Transport on the matter and also to discuss what new legislative, environmental assessment and tunnelling methods should be considered for such a project.
Having given the matters full consideration, I do not consider them to be contemplated by Standing Order 31 and therefore I cannot grant leave to move the motions.