Before coming to the Order of Business, I propose to deal with a number of notices under Standing Order 31. I will call 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 to debate the following urgent matter, namely, the inexcusable delay in approving applications for special needs assistants for students with disabilities and severe learning difficulties and to ask the Minister for Education and Science to make a statement on the matter.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to debate the following urgent matter, namely, the landslide in north Mayo. A debate was granted under Standing Order 31 last year when flooding occurred in Dublin. I ask for equality so that we can have a debate under Standing Order 31 to discuss the effects of the landslide in north Mayo.
Deputies
Hear, hear.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to debate the following urgent matter, namely, the jailing in Mountjoy Prison of 15 people, including two mothers of young babies and a grandmother, as a result of their taking part in a peaceful protest highlighting their opposition to what they regard as double taxation in the form of bin tax which disproportionately hurts low income families and against the policy of non-collection of domestic refuse from compliant PAYE taxpayers, a policy that is increasingly causing protest in low income working class communities with the prospect that many more law-abiding people will find themselves before the court unless this inflammatory policy of non-collection of household waste is rescinded and all peaceful protesters released from prison.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to debate the following urgent matter, namely, the failure of the Government to provide multi-million euro funding to the people of Inver-Pullathomas in County Mayo for damage resulting from the 20 plus landslides. The onus is clearly on the Government to act immedi ately due to the stated non-availability of EU disaster fund assistance. What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. What is good enough for Dublin is good enough for Mayo.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to debate the following urgent matter, namely, the current orthodontic crisis in the Mid-Western Health Board region where some children will never be treated and others will be forced to wait for many years to get urgent orthodontic treatment. I call on the Minister for Health and Children to establish an outside independent review committee comprising professionals, health board officers and parents. I further call on the Minister to charge this body to investigate and remedy the crisis he has presided over for the past six years.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to debate the following urgent matter, namely, the serious consequences for the Irish fishing industry of the agreement reached by the Council of Fisheries Ministers in Luxembourg on Monday to downsize by two thirds the protected Irish fishing zone, known as the Irish Box and the need for the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources to outline the steps he proposes to take to protect the industry in light of this development given that he voted against the proposal and that the plan will last for only four years.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to debate the following urgent matter, namely, the continued policy of imprisoning citizens for their passive and reasonable protests against the unjust bin tax; the necessity for the immediate release of the 15 protesters currently in prison and the need to imprison those responsible for smashing community employment schemes, wrecking FÁS jobs and destroying essential home help services while presiding over an inequitable tax system that allows 7% of the top earners of this State to skive off without paying a cent in tax.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to debate the following urgent matter, namely, the decision by the Minister for Health and Children to renege on a commitment to fund the counselling programme of the sex abuse help group, One in Four, which forced the organisation to give all staff redundancy notices on 9 October.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to debate the following urgent matter, namely, the need for the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to clarify the vetting procedures, if any, followed prior to the appointment of Mr. Justice Mahon to the planning tribunal and to state when he informed the Cabinet of Mr. Justice Mahon's settlement with the Revenue Commissioners.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to debate the following urgent matter, namely, the recent landslide disaster at Pullathomas, County Mayo, which resulted in a large number of families being displaced from their homes and being compelled to live in temporary accommodation and the ongoing human tragedy being visited daily on these families resulting from the fact that the area is at high risk from imminent recurrence of this tragedy.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to debate the following urgent matter, namely, the plight of the people of Pullathomas and the suffering they must continue to endure following the recent landslides, which have disconnected them from their surrounding communities.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to debate the following urgent matter, namely, the imminent withdrawal of section 481 tax breaks for the film industry, resulting in the loss of up to 3,400 jobs and the removal of Ireland from the list of locations for major film productions.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to debate the following urgent matter, namely, the serious and dangerous escalation of the bin tax protest, which today left one man injured at a picket line on Collins Avenue; the effective lockout of bin workers by management at Ballymount depot; the obstruction of all bin collections across Dublin city and county; the need to have the different local authorities step back from the path they have adopted, which has resulted in the imprisonment of 15 people for peaceful protest; and for the councils to collect all bins in the Dublin region to avoid environmental and health problems.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to debate the following urgent matter, namely, the need for a strategic, speedy and properly resourced response to the recent mudslides in Pullathomas, Count Mayo, where nine families have still not returned to their homes and others who have done so are still greatly concerned for their safety; where livelihoods, particularly in agriculture, tourism and fishing, have been wiped out and there is an immediate need for a national response, properly funded, to co-ordinate the work of the different agencies and Departments similar to that put in place to deal with the flooding of the River Tolka.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to debate the following urgent matter, namely, the incarceration yesterday of more people for protesting peacefully against the double tax on waste removal. Chrissy Heffernan, Karen Heffernan and Brid Smith have joined 12 others in prison while another anti-bin tax protester was injured by a truck this morning. This escalating situation demands not only that the Government reconsider its policy but that the Dáil should have the opportunity to debate the need for the Minister to direct Dublin City Council officials to withdraw their order for the non-collection of bins from non-compliant households and to begin discussions with councils, trade unions and community representatives to prevent further escalation of this crisis.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to debate the following urgent matter, namely, the need to clarify and update the Government's position on genetically modified organisms in agriculture in light of the tests in the United Kingdom which show that contamination of conventional and organic crops can occur within a 16 mile radius of a GM trial site; that it can take at least 16 years before non-GM crops can be grown and sold once a GM crop has been planted and that this debate take place before ratification of international treaties on this matter so that Ireland can develop as a GMO-free food producer.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to debate the following urgent matter, namely, the imminent closure of the One in Four organisation due to the decision by the Department of Health and Children to renege on a commitment to fund its counselling programme and the need for the Department to reconsider its decision.
Having considered all the matters raised, I do not consider them to be contemplated by Standing Order 31 and, therefore, I cannot grant leave to move them.