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 Allen – the ever increasing incidence of violence in urban areas, with particular reference to a serious fatal incident on 26 March 2001 in Cork city involving the death of Adrian Moynihan; and if the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform will carry out a ministerial inquiry into the incident, especially in view of the conflict that has arisen between the Cork city coroner and the DPP because of the DPP's decision not to prosecute; (2) Deputy Costello – the need for the Minister for Health and Children to outline his policy for providing community based services for the elderly, including meals for the elderly, and to explain why his Department has not provided adequate funds to enable the Eastern Regional Health Authority to fund the meals for the elderly and the meals on wheels scheme in Dublin health administration area 7; (3) Deputy Kirk – that the Fischler mid-term review proposals take account of the force majeure position of farmers in the Cooley peninsula, as a result of the livestock depopulation during the foot and mouth crisis; (4) Deputy Perry – the need to proceed with the proposed extension for the Ursuline College, Sligo, which is urgently needed; (5) Deputy Howlin – the serious implications for the people of Wexford of the proposed closure of the accident and emergency service at Wexford General Hospital arising from a dispute over the registration of non-consultant hospital doctors and the need for the Minister to take action to ensure the continuation of A&E services at the hospital; (6) Deputy Finian McGrath – the need for an extra allowance of €5,000 for teachers working in disadvantaged schools; (7) Deputy Hoctor – the need for the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Dermot Ahern, to immediately investigate the serious and unacceptable slowdown in postal deliveries in Nenagh and its hinterland due to the move transferring postal sorting from Nenagh to Portlaoise; (8) Deputy Crawford – the urgent need for the Bonner report to be finalised and Monaghan General Hospital to be put back “on call” in light of the major cutbacks in services to areas like Monaghan from the Dublin hospitals; (9) Deputy Hayes – the need for the Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Department of Education and Science, with special responsibility for children, Deputy Brian Lenihan, to say why he has failed to reach agreement with the teaching staff of St. Joseph's School, Ferryhouse, Clonmel bearing in mind that if this matter is not resolved, strike action will be taken on Wednesday, 21 May causing severe disruption to everyone concerned; (10) Deputy Neville – the Pollock report on the facilities provision at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin; (11) Deputy Joe Higgins – concern over the case of a young man found unconscious in Rathfarnham shortly after being released from Rathfarnham Garda station; (12) Deputy Kehoe – to ask the Minister for Health and Children to intervene with the Medical Council to ensure the registration of two junior doctors at Wexford General Hospital in the interest of patient care and for the people of County Wexford; (13) Deputy Enright – that Dáil Eireann calls on the Minister for Health and Children to immediately furnish, equip and staff Birr community nursing unit, Birr, County Offaly; and (14) Deputy Hogan – the need for the Minister for Education and Science to retain full funding for the stay in school retention initiative at Coláiste Mhuire, Johnstown, County Kilkenny until the completion of the programme in 2004-05.
The matters raised by Deputies Kirk, Perry, Finian McGrath and Crawford have been selected for discussion.