Before coming to the Order of Business, I propose to deal with a number of notices under Standing Order 32. 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 32
I seek the adjournment of the Dail under Standing Order 32 to raise an issue of national and importance, namely, the urgent need to support St. Michael's senior national school in Raheny, Dublin 5, and its new building project which has been assigned a priority band rating of 1.2; and call on the Government to make this matter a priority issue.
Go gcuirfí ar athló gnó na Dála faoi Bhuan-Ordú 32 chun scéal práinneach agus tábhachtach a phlé, namely, the urgent need for the Government to withdraw the requirement for community development projects to merge with local development partnership companies, which would have the effect of undermining local accountability structures and silencing the voice of the community, and to formally agree to the alternative proposal made by the National Community Development Forum, which involves CDPs entering service level agreements instead with the benefit that strong and direct links with the community would be maintained and more integrated programme delivery achieved; and the need for the Government to do so today because the current CDP contracts provide that if this is not reconciled by tomorrow, their local community development programme funding for staff costs and facilities will cease.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 32 to discuss the following matter of urgent national importance, namely, the shameful and disgraceful removal of essential emergency services from Louth County Hospital, Dundalk, which has a catchment population of approximately 100,000, placing thousands of families outside what is known as the "golden hour"; the implications for those affected; the lack of capacity and staff at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda to cope with this dreadfully planned move; its implications for staff and patients at the hospital, as well as people from the County Louth catchment area; the insufficient ambulance cover in the north County Louth area, which adds to the threat to people in the Dundalk area who need emergency cover; and the disgraceful abuse of staff at Louth County Hospital, including bullying by senior HSE management who lied to me on Tuesday evening last at a meeting convened by the Minister for Justice and Law Reform, Deputy Dermot Ahern.
There is no provision for embellishment when Deputies seek the adjournment of the House under Standing Order 32.
Management told me bare-faced lies last Tuesday evening——
A framework is in place for dealing with these matters. The Deputy's behaviour is unfair and I cannot allow it.
——and received kudos from their political masters for doing so, rather than being held properly to account. Management has refused to outline to Oireachtas Members its plans and the consequences of removal of these services. It is necessary to restore proper, essential emergency services to people in north County Louth.
I ask the Deputy to respect the framework for Standing Order 32 motions.
It is interesting to hear the Ceann Comhairle speak of respect.
We will not have a debate on this matter at this stage.
I would like respect to be shown to the people living in the catchment area of Louth County Hospital and the wider north-east region because no respect is being shown for their medical needs or the need to provide them with emergency cover.
The Deputy has been allowed to make his point. I ask him to resume his seat.
Will the Ceann Comhairle extract an undertaking from the Government that it will respect their needs?
The Deputy is being disrespectful to Dáil Éireann through his continued disorder in the House. I ask him to resume his seat when the Chair is on his feet. I call Deputy James Bannon.
Wait a minute. I thought the Ceann Comhairle was about to elaborate.
I ask the Deputy to resume his seat. I have been more than tolerant with him.
We will see if the Ceann Comhairle will allow a debate on the issue I raise.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 32 to raise a matter of national importance, namely, our Government sanctioned rip-off culture which sees Irish people being forced to pay the second highest food prices in the European Union, after Denmark, despite the recession, with Ireland being twice as expensive as Romania, the country with the cheapest prices, and having similar but even more expensive prices than Finland, a situation which urgently requires an investigation into the pricing structure in our shops, which is crippling lower income families.
I seek the adjournment of the Dail under Standing Order 32 to address the following matter of national and regional importance, namely, the need for the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney, to reverse the HSE decisions to close the emergency department at Louth County Hospital in Dundalk and remove both the rapid response vehicle and patient transport ambulance from Monaghan to Castleblayney, decisions which represent an attack on patient safety in the north-east region.
Having considered the matters raised, they are not in order under Standing Order 32.
On a point of order——
We are moving on.
——what could be more important than putting thousands of lives at risk by removing the element of the golden hour from those living in the north County Louth area?
The Deputy has had a good innings.
While I do not wish to be personal, the Ceann Comhairle is aware of the position and the dangers.
Yes, I am fully aware of them. The Deputy must resume his seat.
Why can he not allow the House to hold the Minister and Government to account?
Will the Deputy resume his seat?
Why did the Ceann Comhairle rule the matter out of order without a discussion? In any other part of the world the issue would be discussed. The issue is part of Government policy and the Ceann Comhairle is ignoring it.
The Deputy must resume his seat or leave the House.
I do not want to leave the House. I am here to represent the people living in County Louth.
Resume your seat, Deputy Morgan.
Will the Ceann Comhairle facilitate me by arranging a discussion or debate on this critical matter?
By all means. The Deputy may table a parliamentary question or seek a debate on the Adjournment. There are many options available to him.
An adjournment debate involves some official writing out some bland reply, a junior Minister is sent into the House and there is no facility for proper debate or discussion. The issue I raise is a decision that will place the health of thousands of people at risk.
The Deputy will leave the House.