Skip to main content
Normal View

Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 27 Feb 2008

Vol. 648 No. 3

Requests to move Adjournment of Dáil under Standing Order 32.

Anois, iarratais chun tairiscint a dhéanamh an Dáil a chur ar athló faoi Bhuan-Ordú 32. Before coming to the Order of Business I propose to deal with a number of notices under Standing Order 32. I will call Deputy Ferris.

I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 32 to debate the following urgent matter: the effective closure of orthodontic services in Kerry from last Friday, despite the crying need in the county for such services and the long waiting list of patients, which comprises over 1,000 children, of whom 400 are waiting more than three years, for treatment for serious problems that require far more urgent attention than is currently being provided.

I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 32 to debate the following urgent matter: the shocking fact that Ireland has the highest death rate from respiratory disease in western Europe, surpassing the death rate for heart disease. According to the Irish Thoracic Society, one fifth of people in Ireland now die from lung cancer and tuberculosis, with deaths among women from lung cancer nearly reaching the level of deaths from breast cancer.

I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 32 to debate the following urgent matter: the need to discuss the north-east transformation programme which is intended by the HSE, with the support of the Taoiseach and the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney, to implement the Hanly-Teamwork report. This will have extremely serious consequences for Monaghan General Hospital. On the one hand Mr. Stephen Mulvaney's report states that the HSE has given a clear commitment that existing services in the north east will remain in place until they are replaced by higher quality, safer or more appropriate services, yet the last item on the same report declares that the HSE will transfer the Monaghan critical care unit to either Cavan or Drogheda — it does not yet know which. This is due to happen in 2008. It will also transfer the remaining acute care service from Monaghan to Cavan in 2008, with the virtual closure of the seven day, 24 hour accident and emergency unit in Monaghan. It will be replaced with a 12 hour minor injuries unit. In other words, the people of Monaghan must have an accident or get sick by the clock. This is the HSE and Government proposal for the rest of the country and people should be aware of it.

I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 32 to debate the following urgent matter: the refusal of the HSE to grant, on appeal, a medical card for a seven year old boy who had a medical card from the age of four months until March 2007, who resides near Drogheda, has a serious heart condition, has undergone open heart surgery twice, is on beta blockers and who will require further medical procedures and possibly a heart transplant in the future.

Tar éis breithniú a dhéanamh, níl na nithe in ord faoi Bhuan-Ordú 32. Having considered the matters raised, they are not in order under Standing Order 32.

Top
Share