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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 27 Mar 2007

Vol. 634 No. 4

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 wish to seek the adjournment of the Dáil to discuss a matter of national importance namely, the indications by the Taoiseach that he will hold the next general election on a Thursday, thereby disenfranchising thousands of students and other people who may work away from home during the week. It flies in the face of democracy not to hold the election on a weekend where a majority will have the time to go to their local polling station. The 2001 South Tipperary by-election was held on a Saturday and, contrary to the Taoiseach's experience, the turn out was huge, especially among young people who were pleased to be back at home to exercise their democratic rights. This House needs to be given an opportunity to debate the issue.

I wish to seek the adjournment of the Dáil to discuss a matter of national importance namely, the need for the Minister for Health and Children to make a statement to the House outlining the reasons for the delay in opening the Cork maternity hospital, and to explain interventions she has made that seem to have contributed to this delay.

I wish to seek the adjournment of the Dáil to discuss a matter of national importance namely, the fact this Government spent 68 days in the High Court with two high powered legal teams attempting to deny a six year old autistic boy his right to an education that addresses his needs, applied behavioural analysis, ABA, and in doing so disregards and denies the first document we all read when entering this House — the Proclamation, which promises to cherish all children of the nation equally.

I wish to seek the adjournment of the Dáil to discuss a matter of national importance namely, the report of the National Cancer Registry; its implications for people living outside the eastern region whom the report reveals are less likely to receive radiotherapy for breast cancer or surgery for prostate cancer; the delay in the full national roll-out of both BreastCheck and the cervical screening programme; the regional variations in the use of both chemotherapy and radiotherapy for patients which have persisted outside the eastern region; and call on the Government to radically expand cancer care countrywide to ensure equal access to cancer services for all our people.

I seek the adjournment of the Dáil to discuss a matter of national importance namely, why the Government can still allow cancer patients waiting for radiotherapy to die while they wait for beds that are not available to them. They wait for months for this treatment but cannot get it because the Government is not providing beds.

I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to debate the following urgent matter: the serious concerns in County Wexford, particularly in the vicinity of Wellington Bridge, about the spreading of human waste on land; the fact that nobody in authority can ascertain whether the waste has been treated; the horrendous smell emanating from the waste; the profound implications for water quality and the potential for causing the sort of health problems recently experienced in Galway; and the need for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to immediately order the suspension of the spreading of this waste.

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

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