I have received notice from Senator Robbie Gallagher that, on the motion for the Commencement of the House today, he proposes to raise the following matter:
The need for the Minister for Health to provide an update on progress in providing the primary care centre for Monaghan town.
I have also received notice from Senator Victor Boyhan of the following matter:
The need for the Minister for Health to outline the procurement policies and requirements the Irish Blood Transfusion Service currently follows.
I have also received notice from Senator Martin Conway of the following matter:
The need for the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation to inform the House when she intends to ratify the Marrakesh treaty which deals with copyright issues in producing books in electronic format for people in Ireland with print disabilities.
I have also received notice from Senator Niall Ó Donnghaile of the following matter:
The need for the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to work with his officials in expediting the opening of an Irish Passport Office facility in Belfast to meet not only the regular high demand for Irish passports but also to deal with the unprecedented number of applications following the referendum on membership of the European Union.
I have also received notice from Senator Colm Burke of the following matter:
The need for the Minister for Health to amend, with reference to the three-year rule, the current rules of the fair deal scheme that apply to members of the business and farming communities.
I have also received notice from Senator Máire Devine of the following matter:
The need for the Minister for Health to acknowledge the worsening problem of illegal and legal steroid use in Ireland which is becoming more prevalent in sports clubs, gyms and facilities throughout the country and to outline when legislation will be enacted to deal with the issue.
I have also received notice from Senator Maura Hopkins of the following matter:
The need for the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to provide an update on the N5-Ballaghaderreen to Scramogue Road project, the estimated timeframe for delivery of the project and the interim measures required to address current identified road safety issues on the existing N5 route, particularly between Frenchpark and Tulsk.
I have also received notice from Senator Jennifer Murnane O'Connor of the following matter:
The need for the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government to amend the terms of qualification for the new tenant purchase scheme in order that persons in receipt of social welfare payments will not be excluded from it.
I have also received notice from Senator Paddy Burke of the following matter:
The need for the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to review Government policy on the Road Safety Authority's tendering process for driving licences to allow post offices to act as agents in processing and co-ordinating applications.
I have also received notice from Senator Aidan Davitt of the following matter:
The need for the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation to provide an update on plans to assist the 90 staff of Imperial Tobacco, Mullingar, given its pending closure, in sourcing new employment and to ensure IDA Ireland will replace these jobs in Mullingar.
I have also received notice from Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh of the following matter:
An gá atá ann go dtabharfaidh an tAire Oideachas agus Scileanna soiléiriú ar cén uair an bhfuil an Roinn chun maoiniú breise a sholáthar le h-áiseanna agus seomraí breise a chur ar fáil ag an scoil Tigh Nan Dooley ar an gCeathrú Rua, i gContae na Gaillimhe, le gur féidir leis an scoil an curaclam iomlán a chur ar fáil do na daltaí ansin.
I have also received notice from Senator Ivana Bacik of the following matter:
The need for the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to outline the safeguards and mechanisms in place to ensure good governance policies and procedures are adopted within national sports organisations funded by the Irish Sports Council.
I have also received notice from Senator Pádraig Mac Lochlainn of the following matter:
The need for the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation to outline her Department's strategy for investment and job creation on the Inishowen Peninsula, County Donegal, an area which is larger than County Louth and which has a population greater than that of County Leitrim.
I regard the matters raised by the Senators as suitable for discussion. I have selected the matters raised by Senators Robbie Gallagher, Victor Boyhan, Martin Conway and Niall Ó Donnghaile and they will be taken now. Senators Colm Burke, Máire Devine, Maura Hopkins, Jennifer Murnane O'Connor, Paddy Burke, Aidan Davitt, Trevor Ó Clochartaigh, Ivana Bacik and Pádraig Mac Lochlainn may give notice on another day of the matters they wish to raise. Senator Niall Ó Donnghaile has withdrawn his Commencement matter which I had selected for discussion.