Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 14 Nov 2002

Vol. 557 No. 3

Request to move Adjournment of Dáil under Standing Order 31.

An Ceann Comhairle

Before coming to the Order of Business, I propose to deal with a number of topics under Standing Order 31 dealing with five different issues. I propose to deal with them separately and I will call on the Deputies in the order in which they submitted their notices to my office.

In regard to the first topic, I have received notice from Deputy Gogarty and I call on him to state the matter.

As Deputy Gogarty is not in the House we will move on to the second topic. I have received notice from Deputy Michael D. Higgins and I call on him to state the matter.

Mr. M. Higgins

I seek leave to move the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to raise the following matter: the urgent need for the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to apologise on behalf of the State to Carolyn Swift for the disgraceful action of the police against the Pike Theatre on the occasion of its production of the "Rose Tattoo" in May 1957. Will the Minister acknowledge the impact this action by the police and the State had on the members of this small and courageous theatre? Will he now, as a gesture of goodwill, make such reparation as is appropriate to the surviving member of the company, the lives of whose members were irrevocably damaged by the actions taken in the name of the State.

An Ceann Comhairle

Having considered the matter fully, I do not consider it to be in order in accordance with Standing Order 31.

In regard to the third topic, I received notice from Deputy Crowe. In regard to the fourth topic I have received notice from Deputies Timmins and Cuffe and I call on them to state the matter.

Mr. Timmins

I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 on a matter of national importance: the discovery by the EPA of levels of uranium 238 in the public water supply in Baltinglass, County Wicklow; the fact that there are no parametric values for uranium 238 in either national or EU drinking water regulations and there are no such values in the new regulations which will come into place in 2004; the consequences of this and what measures the Minister for the Environment and Local Government and the Minister for Health and Children propose to take to address the situation.

Mr. Cuffe

I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 on the same issue to discuss a matter of national importance: the high levels of uranium found in a County Wicklow well. Will the Minister for the Environment and Local Government instruct the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland to work with local authorities in assisting households to monitor and prevent radioactive contamination of their drinking water supply?

An Ceann Comhairle

Having considered the matter fully, I do not consider it to be in order in accordance with Standing Order 31.

In regard to the fifth topic, I have received notice from Deputy McManus and I call on her to state the matter.

Ms McManus

I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss the following specific and important matter of public interest requiring urgent attention: the decision of the Government to renege on its commitment to extend medical card eligibility limits to bring in another 200,000 people and the need for the Government to indicate how it intends to address the primary health care needs of those on low incomes who do not qualify for medical cards.

An Ceann Comhairle

Having considered the matter fully, I do not consider it to be in order in accordance with Standing Order 31.