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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 18 Dec 2003

Vol. 577 No. 5

Business of Dáil. - Requests to move Adjournment of Dáil under Standing Order 31.

Before coming to the Order of Business I propose to deal with a number of notices under Standing Order 31.

I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss the following urgent matter of national importance: the failure of the British Government to publish the Cory report into incidents of collusion between the British armed forces and loyalist paramilitaries, resulting in deaths, including those of Rosemary Nelson and Pat Finucane; the beating to death of Robert Hamill in the presence of RUC members; the British Government's refusal to co-operate with the inquiry into the Dublin and Monaghan bombings; and the ongoing series of loyalist attacks against vulnerable Nationalists, which resulted in the death of one man during the Assembly election campaign, and which have escalated since the elections.

I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss the following urgent matter of national importance: the failure of the British Government to advance the human rights and equality agenda under the Good Friday Agreement, including the repeal of repressive legislation; its failure to implement its commitment on policing under the joint declaration of April 2003, and to fully implement the Patten report; the failure of the Irish Government to honour its commitments in the Good Friday Agreement to carry out a review of the Offences Against the State Acts, in that only a token review was undertaken and the Acts were made more draconian thereafter; and the pattern that has emerged whereby the Irish Government routinely disregards the concerns raised by the Human Rights Commission in this jurisdiction.

I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss the following urgent matter of national importance: the continuing refusal of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to release from custody in this jurisdiction the remaining prisoners qualifying for release under the Good Friday Agreement, despite confirmation by the High Court that they do so qualify.

I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss the following urgent matter of national importance: the failure of the British Government since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in April 1998 to demilitarise the six Irish counties it still occupies, and to remove its network of spy posts, military bases, barracks, heliports and warships, which continues to cause disruption and intrusion in many communities with adverse effects on social and economic life, including damage to lands and livestock, and the potential for tourism and other economic development.

I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to debate a matter of major national and local importance: the failure of the Minister for the Environment and Local Government to deal with the terrible scourge of interference with the planning laws by hoax letters of objection to planning applications submitted by anonymous and fictitious persons—

He is not that anonymous.

—which is causing havoc and frustrating communities and individuals who are endeavouring to construct social and family housing. Fictitious letters of objection are accepted at face value as bona fide letters of objection by the planning authorities to the detriment of the planning applicant who is treated as a totally inferior citizen, while the cruel perpetrator of a fraudulent and mischievous objection to a legitimate planning application gets off scot-free without any fear of criminal sanction, despite his interference in the fulfilment of local housing needs.

Following on from my timely raising of the matter on the Adjournment last night—

Self-praise is no praise.

—and in light of the news about the Taoiseach's Roscommon escapade, I would ask—

You should read the notice submitted to my office, as appropriate, Deputy. This notice was on the Order Paper yesterday but you were not here to move it.

It is nice that he turns up the odd time.

The Chair has facilitated you this morning, so I would ask you to speak about that notice.

I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to debate at length an issue of urgent national importance: the need to amend planning legislation or increase resources to local government to ensure that abuses of the planning process do not take place, that enforcement orders are issued and followed up when they should be, and that no further planning applications be entertained from businesses or developers until the outstanding enforcement matters are dealt with first.

I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to allow the Taoiseach and the Minister for the Environment and Local Government each to make a full statement on the reasons section 261 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 has yet to be given legal effect, which would regulate the operation of quarries, and the serious significance therefore of the Taoiseach requesting that last-resort legal enforcement proceedings on a quarry owner be put on hold.

I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to debate the Taoiseach's intervention in a planning enforcement matter in Roscommon County Council, to allow the Taoiseach to make a full statement on the matter and to take questions on the issues arising.

Having considered all the matters raised, they are not in order under Standing Order 31.

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