Before coming to the Order of Business, I propose to deal with a number of notices under Standing Order 31 and 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 the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss the following urgent matters: the failure of the Minister for Health and Children to have Monaghan General Hospital brought back on call so some of the operations being paid for under the national treatment purchase fund can be dealt with at a minimum cost in the hospital, which has been off call since July 2002, two months after the last general election; the serious problem people experience in obtaining appointments with consultants and the fact that there are waiting periods of up to a year. It is vital that these people be added to the waiting list.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss the following urgent matter: the continuing hunger strike of Mr. Tom Sweeney, whose health is deteriorating rapidly each day; the urgent need for the Minister for Education and Science to make a public statement on what he intends to do about the concerns raised by Mr. Sweeney; and the need for the Minister, for humanitarian reasons alone, to meet Mr. Sweeney to discuss these issues.
Hear, hear.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil to debate the Government's dishonest policy of taxation by stealth which is resulting in ever-heavier burdens of direct and indirect taxes on working people while major corporations have received substantial tax cuts; the repatriation since 1997 by multinational corporations of an incredible €150 billion in profits; and the increases by local authorities in bin taxes, development levies and other charges, which equally amount to further taxation and burdens by stealth on ordinary people.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil to discuss the following urgent matter: the confirmation by the Eastern Regional Health Authority that it is to cut 200 jobs this year as part of the continuing Department of Finance restriction on health spending, in spite of new Exchequer figures that show income tax returns nearly 20% ahead of target and in spite of the need identified by the Minister for Health and Children in his leaked memo to Cabinet for a supplementary health budget of €50 million this year to bring on stream the health facilities currently lying idle and which were provided at a cost of €400 million of taxpayers' money.
I seek the adjournment of the House under Standing Order 31 to discuss the crisis at Tralee General Hospital. The hospital was underfunded by €2.5 million in 2003 and by €1.25 million this year. This will mean that one ward will be closed for the summer due to a lack of holiday cover, thus undermining the provision of cancer services at the hospital. Last year, this led to old people having to lie in corridors and to their being discharged before they had fully recovered. The continuation of this practice punishes those who are unfortunate enough to find themselves in need of urgent medical care.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil to debate the following urgent matter: the need for the Government to settle today the crisis caused by the ongoing hunger strike by Mr. Tom Sweeney and his son, which could involve an out-of-court settlement, for example, that would not be in breach of legislation, bearing in mind the extreme urgency of the matter caused by the fact that this House will not meet again until next Tuesday, by which time Mr. Sweeney could be dead, which would have profound and tragic implications not just for the family concerned but also for the State.
Having considered the matters raised, I do not consider them to be in order under Standing Order 31.
On a point of order, this is an issue that must be discussed today——
There are other ways in which it can be raised in the House. It has already been raised on the Adjournment.
He could be dead next Tuesday.
It is not appropriate under Standing Order 31. I ask the Deputy to resume his seat.
It is no reflection on the Ceann Comhairle but I will not resume my seat until——
I call on the Tánaiste to take Riar na hOibre.
——the Tánaiste makes a statement to the effect this will be sorted out.
There are other ways in which the Deputy can raise the issue in the House.
There are no other ways. It has been raised by my colleagues before.
I ask the Deputy to resume his seat.
I am not going to resume my seat.
I ask the Deputy to leave the House.
Am I being asked to leave the House?
The Deputy is a shallow publicity seeker.
If the Deputy will not resume his seat, he must leave the House. He cannot disrupt business in this manner.
It is a matter of conscience.
Will the Deputy leave the House?
I ask the Ceann Comhairle to intervene to bring about some resolution to this matter.
I am dealing with a point of disorder. Deputy Gogarty must leave the House.
A Cheann Comhairle, is there some way in which this can be——
Deputy Gogarty is a shallow publicity seeker.
That is a low jibe.
The Chair proposes that Deputy Gogarty be suspended from the sitting of the House.
I do not believe this is right.