I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given to me under Standing Order 20 and the name of the Member in each case: Deputy Dermot Ahern — the situation regarding decentralisation of Revenue staff to Dundalk; Deputy Quill — the predicament of hundreds of women who are due backpayment arising from the 1986 EC Directive on equality and to whom payment remains outstanding; Deputy Owen — the case of a student (details supplied) in a regional technical college who has been told that he cannot continue his course lectures because he failed the Christmas examination; Deputy Doyle — the issue of pregnant women being refused epidurals at Wexford General Hospital; Deputy Michael Kitt — the question of allowing medical cards as of right to the handicapped; Deputy Nealon — the urgent need for an undertaking by the Minister for Education for an immediate start to renovation works and extension of St. Mary's boys national school, Carrick-on-Shannon, in view of the strike by the Irish National Teachers' Organisation which will close the school tomorrow Friday, 19 February; Deputy McManus — the withdrawal of the epidural service for expectant mothers in Wexford General Hospital because of the absence of a resident anaesthetist, and the consequent suffering and distress for pregnant women and Deputy Browne (Carlow-Kilkenny)— the subject matter of Parliamentary Question No. 50 of Wednesday, 17 February 1993, namely, the discrimination against gardaí who retired prior to 1 October 1982 in not having their rent allowance considered for pension purposes.
I have selected for discussion the matters raised by Deputies Dermot Ahern, Quill and Doyle.