I have received notice from the following Senators that they propose to raise the following matters:
Senator Vincent P. Martin - The need for the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to provide an update on the efforts being made to bring the chair of John Devoy to Ireland in advance of the celebrations being organised by Kildare County Council in his honour.
Senator Aisling Dolan - The need for the Minister for Health to provide an update on progress on the expansion of the emergency department at Portiuncula hospital, and the spatial development plan for Roscommon hospital.
Senator Fintan Warfield - The need for the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to make a statement on the publication of the Housing Commission report on a referendum on housing.
Senator Tim Lombard - The need for the Minister for Education to provide an update on progress on the new extension for Ballinspittle National School and to outline the timelines for each stage of the project.
Senator Paul Daly - The need for the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to review the targeted agricultural modernisation scheme grant reference costs given the differential between the reference costs and actual costings.
Senator Erin McGreehan - The need for the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to support the continuation of the THRIVE programme, which is focused on women in STEM careers.
Senator Eugene Murphy - The need for the Minister of State with responsibility for mental health and older people to provide an update on the proposed 50-bed unit at the Sacred Heart Hospital, Roscommon.
Senator Malcolm Byrne - The need for the Minister for Health to make a statement on the total number of vacant or derelict properties nationwide in the ownership or possession of the Department of Health or the HSE, and his strategy to address this issue.
Senator Robbie Gallagher - The need for the Minister for Education to make a statement on the need for a special needs secondary school for counties Monaghan and Cavan.
Senator Micheál Carrigy - The need for the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to allocate additional funding for St. Christopher's Services in Longford.
Senator Emer Currie - The need for the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to make a statement on the protection of brent geese, to include the utilisation of Dublin public parks.
Senator Martin Conway - The need for the Minister for Health to provide an update on the provision of funding for new medicines in 2024 and the plans to provide a sustainable funding model and system for 2025 and future years.
The matters raised by the Senators are suitable for discussion. I have selected Senators Vincent P. Martin, Aisling Dolan, Fintan Warfield, Tim Lombard, Paul Daly and Erin McGreehan and they will be taken shortly. The other Senators may give notice on another day of the matters that they wish to raise.
The Minister of State, Deputy Peter Burke, who is taking the first four matters, texted me to say that he was stuck in an accident of some type and he will be delayed. With Members’ permission, I propose we suspend until 12.15 p.m. Is that agreed? Agreed.