I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 32 to discuss a matter of national importance, namely, the failure of the Government to increase competitiveness and reduce the cost base to attract and retain foreign investment and stem the escalating closure and moving of existing businesses abroad, which is adversely affecting the nationwide employment profile The publication of the live register for March showed a dramatic rise in unemployment levels, particularly in the midlands, with Longford and Westmeath having lost 683 jobs in the past couple of weeks and County Longford having had no such level in March of any previous year. The impact on those workers who have lost their jobs and on their families is shocking and my sympathies go to them.
Requests to move Adjournment of Dáil under Standing Order 32.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 32 to discuss a matter of public interest requiring urgent attention, namely, the serious implications for employment and the general economy in the midlands, with the appointment of a liquidator to Iralco, Collinstown, County Westmeath, and the constant threat to 420 jobs there, the urgent need for the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Martin, and the industrial development agencies to support all efforts by the liquidator to ensure the continued operation of the plant as a going concern. In view of the importance of this issue, I hope the Leas-Cheann Comhairle will agree to this request.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 32 to address a matter of national importance requiring urgent consideration, namely, the catastrophic situation facing Monaghan and Cavan general hospitals, as clearly set out by hospital consultants in correspondence to the HSE, if the HSE proceeds with its plan to further downgrade Monaghan General Hospital resulting in the loss of its capacity to care for 3,000 acute medical admissions per annum and placing the burden of care on Cavan General Hospital, which already has 5,000 medical admissions per annum and 160% bed occupancy; and the need for the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney, and all her Government colleagues to reverse their disastrous centralisation and privatisation policy, which will result in further deaths of patients and the deterioration of our public health system.
I request the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 32 to discuss an urgent and specific matter of public interest, namely, the reports that the new €5 million accident and emergency unit at Mercy University Hospital, Cork, will close each evening at 8 p.m. because of financial cutbacks. The accident and emergency unit at this hospital treated 25,000 people last year and 10,000, or 40% of these patients, were treated after 8 p.m. Mercy University Hospital has a proven track record of providing quality health care and managing its affairs in a business-like manner and it makes no financial sense to invest €5 million in a facility and keep it closed for half of the time. The hospital, its staff and, most importantly, the people of Cork are being treated shamefully by the Minister and the HSE and I call for the adjournment of the Dáil to discuss this most important issue.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 32 to discuss a matter of local and national importance, namely, that the HSE north east is insisting on removing and continuing with its plans to remove on-call service from — in other words, close — Monaghan General Hospital by November 2008 at the latest despite the public commitment by the Government and the HSE not to remove any service until as good a service or better is available. I wish also to discuss the fact that HSE staff are instructing ambulance services to bring patients to other hospitals to lie on trolleys rather than allow them into the safe and good care of the consultants and staff of Monaghan General Hospital. The Minister, Deputy Dermot Ahern, has made it clear that there is not a red cent to build a hospital in the region. He recently advised that the only alternative was to retain the five hospitals. Is life in Monaghan less important to this Administration than anywhere else on this island?
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 32 to address a matter requiring urgent consideration, namely, the need for the Minister for Health and Children to reverse the proposed HSE cutbacks targeting the weakest and most vulnerable in society, particularly in the Ballyfermot area from June with its plans to reduce the number of respite beds available in Cherry Orchard Hospital from 24 to 12 and the serious consequences this will have on the quality of life for more than 50 elderly and disabled patients in the area who avail of the service for three-day or four-day respite periods and the effect on their families and carers; and the fact that this cutback comes on top of other short-sighted cuts in services announced recently by the HSE which will affect other vulnerable groups in the Ballyfermot area, including children in need of speech and language therapy and recovering addicts in need of methadone treatment or other supports.
Having considered the matters raised, they are not in order under Standing Order 32.