I have received notice from Senator Frank Feighan 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 outline the possibility of the HSE rolling out a national sleep training programme to provide assistance for the parents of babies and young children who are facing challenges in that area.
I have also received notice from Senator Maura Hopkins of the following matter:
The need for the Minister for Health to provide an update on the provision of increased ground and air ambulance services in County Roscommon, as committed to in the programme for Government.
I have also received notice from Senator Pádraig Mac Lochlainn of the following matter:
The need for the Minister for Rural and Community Development to provide urgent funding to facilitate the reconstruction and re-opening of Swan Park, Buncrana, and Glenevin Waterfall, Clonmany, County Donegal, following recent flooding.
I have also received notice from Senator Gerry Horkan of the following matter:
The need for the Minister for Education and Skills to provide a progress update on the construction of the new Ballinteer Educate Together national school.
I have also received notice from Senator Colm Burke of the following matter:
The need for the Minister for Health to outline what action is proposed to make the nine respite beds at Fermoy Community Hospital fully operational.
I have also received notice from Senator Victor Boyhan of the following matter:
The need for the Minister for Health to make a statement on plans by the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group to downgrade services at Portlaoise Hospital and to publish the five-year strategy for the hospital.
I have also received notice from Senator Kieran O'Donnell of the following matter:
The need for the Minister for Health to include the building of a 96 acute-bed unit at University Hospital Limerick in the forthcoming ten-year national capital plan.
I have also received notice from Senator Maria Byrne of the following matter:
The need for the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to provide funding for the repair of the Olympic swimming pool in the University of Limerick.
I have also received notice from Senator John O'Mahony of the following matter:
The need for the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to develop a national strategy to deal with the invasive plant, Japanese knotweed.
I have also received notice from Senator Máire Devine of the following matter:
The need for the Minister of State at the Department of Health with special responsibility for mental health and older people to provide an update on the proposed closure of the high-dependency psychiatric unit at Tallaght Hospital.
I have also received notice from Senator Rose Conway-Walsh of the following matter:
The need for the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government to outline how he intends to implement recommendation 6.1 of the Report of the Joint Committee on the Future Funding of Domestic Water Services regarding the principles of equity of treatment and equivalent financial support.
I have also received notice from Senator Aidan Davitt of the following matter:
The need for the Minister of Housing, Planning and Local Government to provide an update on the timeframe for the increased €1,000 representational allowance for county councillors and to clarify when the new increased vouched expenses scheme and options for county councillors will commence.
I consider the matters raised by the Senators as worthy of consideration. I have selected the matters raised by Senators Feighan, Hopkins, Mac Lochlainn and Horkan and they will be taken now. I regret that I have had to rule out of order the matter raised by Senator Davitt on the grounds that it is a repeat of a similar Commencement matter raised on the 27 September 2017. The other Senators may give notice on another day of the matters they wish to raise.
I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly, to the House. The first matter to be tabled is that of Senator Frank Feighan.