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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 29 Jun 2004

Vol. 588 No. 2

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 will call on the Deputies in the order in which they submitted their notices to my office.

I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss the following issue of urgent national importance: the strike by prison doctors which has caused the withdrawal of the prison medical services, including checks on the mental and physical health of prisoners on their entry to prison; in particular, the urgent need for psychiatric treatment for a woman who is on suicide watch in an isolated cell away from other inmates following her sentence for the murder of her seven year old son.

I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss the following important issue: the need for the Government to defer the flawed State Airports Bill 2004, which will give the new Dublin Airport Authority control over the day-to-day running of Cork and Shannon airports until the end of April 2005, which in turn could be detrimental to the future development of the airports as there will be no representatives from Cork or Shannon on the board.

I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss the following matters of urgent national concern: the current position on the broadband diffusion plan of the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources; the circumstances in which Eircom enjoys an exclusive monopoly in the provision of broadband to Eircom PhoneWatch subscribers; the inability of rival Internet service providers to circumvent the Eircom PhoneWatch alarm system to enable them to install broadband; the restrictive practice this creates and the physical and psychological barriers created to the further development of the telecommunications market in Ireland.

I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss the following matter of urgent national importance: after months of safety critical testing of the Luas trams, the Railway Procurement Agency has failed to receive the final approval of the interim Railway Safety Commission. As a consequence, there is an urgent need for the Minister for Transport to explain the reason for the failure of the Railway Procurement Agency to achieve this safety critical target.

I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss the drastic effects that rising fuel and other energy costs are having on farmers and fishermen as a consequence of fuel and energy prices outstripping the prices being received for produce, thus damaging income levels.

I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss the following specific and important matter of public interest: the very grave circumstances in the nursing sector, as shown by the startling figures highlighted by the Irish Nurses' Organisation, which indicate that the number of vacant nursing positions in the State will rise from 700 currently to over 2,000 in the next 18 months; the fact that 70% of nurses in training leave the system within two years of qualifying; the implications of this shortage for our beleaguered public health system; and the need for urgent and effective action by the Minister for Health and Children to address what is now a nursing crisis.

I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to ascertain the Government's position on the flagrant breaches of legislation and guidelines pertaining to pre-paid Oireachtas envelopes following the evidence amassed from all around the country to the effect that candidates supporting Government parties in the main sent canvassing cards in such envelopes or, more famously, a forged letter purporting to be from the Taoiseach and signed by him seeking votes from the people of Gorey. What action will the Government parties take to uphold the law?

I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss the following specific and important matter of public interest: in light of the announcement of the closure of the Chapelcross nuclear power station in Scotland, the necessity to redouble our efforts to close the infamous neighbouring Sellafield nuclear reprocessing plant; the failure of the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to use the opportunity afforded by Ireland's Presidency of the European Union to further efforts to bring about the closure of Sellafield — a golden opportunity squandered — and to work for the progressive realisation of a nuclear-free Europe; and the necessity to appoint a new Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, perhaps after the reshuffle, who would be more proactive on this issue.

I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss the following issue of urgent national importance: the fire on Sunday last at Dublin Port and the need for the Ministers for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources and the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to investigate the causes and to ensure the best safety procedures are put in place, including an examination of storage facilities, some of which are made of plastic, in order to avoid serious pollution and possible injury and loss of life in the future.

Having considered the matters raised, I do not consider them to be in order under Standing Order 31.

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