I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 21 and the name of the Member in each case: (1) Deputy Durkan — the reasons for the difference in support between applicants for mortgage and rent supplement whereby the former are given little support while the latter receives up to 80 per cent support despite the fact that the former represents the best value for money; (2) Deputy Boylan — the discrimination against the Border region in relation to recent job announcements by the Government; (3) Deputy Naughten — the need to approve funding for refurbishment of Roscommon and the building of Ballaghaderreen swimming pools in County Roscommon; (4) Deputy Browne (Carlow-Kilkenny) — the decision to withdraw sanction for a 26 house development in Shaw Park, Carlow even though plans were approved in January 1997; (5) Deputy Sargent — the need to reappraise the low provision of places for pupils needing special classes in Swords which has 2,200 pupils in secondary education and only has 17 places in special education; (6) Deputy Browne (Wexfor) — the ongoing problems for meat exporters and the effects it will have on Irish farmers due to the blockades at Welsh ports by Welsh farmers; (7) Deputy Fitzgerald — the urgent need for measures to deal with the serious problems of homelessness in Dublin; (8) Deputy Stanton — the need to review the law on the powers available to the Electricity Supply Board when expanding the national grid infrastructure.
The matters raised by Deputies Boylan, Naughten, Browne (Carlow-Kilkenny) and Sargent have been selected for discussion.