Before coming to the Order of Business, I propose to deal with a number of notices under Standing Order 31. I will call on the Deputies to raise the matters in the order in which they submitted their notices to my office.
Requests to move Adjournment of Dáil under Standing Order 31.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to debate a matter of major national importance, namely, the announcement of a further €16 million to the Punchestown exhibition centre by Government while last year only €23 million was made available to be divided among 11 health boards for the development of cancer services and regional oncology centres remain underfunded and underdeveloped to the detriment of cancer patients and their families.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to debate a matter of urgent national importance, namely, the failure of the Minister for Finance to announce the decentralisation programme, as repeatedly promised but never delivered, particularly in view of the Minister's approval for €15 million for the Punchestown centre in his constituency and the decentralisation decisions in favour of his constituency, that of the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Deputy O'Donoghue, and the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Dermot Ahern.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to debate the following specific and important matter, namely, the necessity for the Government to address the serious underfunding of local government which has resulted in local authorities imposing substantial levies on already stressed first-time home buyers while doing nothing to address the serious problem that exists in the State regarding inflated land prices as a result of decades of unhindered land speculation. These levies will cause a further escalation in house prices across the State and force ever increasing numbers of young people away from the house market and on to the social housing waiting lists, while increasing the hardship for those young couples who are already hit by the removal of the first-time buyer's grant in the last budget.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss a matter of urgent national importance, namely, in light of last night's "Prime Time" report on the breach of EU regulations regarding crash barriers and the potential civil liability to the State of the NRA's non-compliance with both specification and procurement procedures, there is an urgent need for the Minister for Transport to make a full statement to the House outlining his Department's knowledge of the issue and the action he intends to take to address both the EU and road safety concerns.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss the intention of local authorities to impose massive so-called development levies on the construction of new homes, the impact of this on young people seeking their first home, the policy of local authorities relentlessly raising local charges such as refuse charges and the need for a just taxation system to fund local authorities adequately, without imposing further burdens on ordinary working people who already fund the bulk of the taxation system.
Having considered the matters raised, they are not in order under Standing Order 31.