I have received notice from Senator Fintan Warfield 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 explain Question No. 52 in the new Irish Blood Transfusion Service questionnaire for blood donations from potential donors who take medication to prevent HIV infection.
I have also received notice from Senator Ned O'Sullivan of the following matter:
The need for the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to recognise the real threat to Ireland's energy security posed by the decision of the United Kingdom to leave the European Union, in particular its gas supply; and, noting the recent report of the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, the need to engage immediately with the principal parties that are proposing to establish a liquefied natural gas terminal on the State-owned site in north Kerry and, if necessary, to take an equity stake in the project.
I have also received notice from Senator Gerald Nash of the following matter:
The need for the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality to discuss the need for improvements to the operation of the permit scheme for non-EEA fishermen.
I have also received notice from Senator Tim Lombard of the following matter:
The need for the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government to put in place a boundary commission to review the local election boundaries in the light of the geographical nature of and population distribution in some constituencies and, in particular, to consider reviewing the large ten-seat constituencies to ensure the efficiency of local democracy.
I have also received notice from Senator Brian Ó Domhnaill of the following matter:
The need for the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to take urgent and immediate action to end the unacceptable delays in processing GLAS-AEOS payments and to provide a full update on the current payment schemes.
I have also received notice from Senator Martin Conway of the following matter:
The need for the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to indicate when fibre power broadband will be connected and fully functional in the Kilkee area of County Clare.
I have also received notice from Senator Catherine Noone of the following matter:
The need for the Minister for Social Protection to expedite implementation of the Civil Registration (Amendment) Act 2014 which provides for a record of deaths abroad to be maintained by the General Register Office.
I have also received notice from Senator Colette Kelleher of the following matter:
The need for the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality to outline the steps the Government is taking to ensure Ireland's penal system is compliant with the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Female Prisoners and Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders (the Bangkok Rules).
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 Scramoge, project and indicate if the necessary capital funding has been allocated for it.
I regard the matters raised by the Senators as suitable for discussion. I have selected the matters raised by Senators Fintan Warfield, Ned O'Sullivan, Gerald Nash and Tim Lombard and they will be taken now. Senators Brian Ó Domhnaill, Martin Conway, Catherine Noone, Colette Kelleher and Maura Hopkins may give notice on another day of the matters they wish to raise.