I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given to me under Standing Order 20 (3) (a) and the name of the Member in each case: (1) Deputy Michael Moynihan, the serious position of applicants for rehousing in the Killarney Urban District Council area due to Minister's failure to make the necessary funds available; (2) Deputy Nuala Fennell, whether the Minister intends to revise the 1977 Employment Equality Act to compel employers to pay amounts awarded for sexual harassment by the Labour Court; (3) Deputy Mervyn Taylor, the question of the failure of the EC Finance Ministers to reach agreement yesterday on a compromise measure on the 48-hour cross-Border shopping rule and the question, therefore, of the ongoing illegality, under EC law, of Ireland continuing to enforce the 48-hour rule declared unlawful by the European Court; (4) Deputy Jimmy Deenihan, the crisis at Tralee General Hospital because of the reduction of staff and the lack of replacement staff in the physiotherapy department resulting in no outpatient physiotherapy facilities; (5) Deputy John Browne (Carlow-Kilkenny), the overnight closure by British owners of the glass firm company in Graiguenamanagh, County Kilkenny; (6) Deputy Eamon Gilmore, the pupil/teacher ratio in primary schools in the Dún Laoghaire constituency; (7) Deputy Roger Garland, the failure of the Department of the Marine to ensure fin fish farming is operating off the coast of Connemara under a valid licence which is not the case currently; and (8) Deputy Pat Rabbitte, the reported plan by publicans in Dublin and a number of other parts of the country to raise the price of the pint by 4p or more, and if the Department of Industry and Commerce intend to take any action.
I have selected for discussion the matters raised by the following Deputies: Deputy Mervyn Taylor, Deputy John Browne (Carlow-Kilkenny) and Deputy Pat Rabbitte.