Before coming to the Order of Business I propose to deal with a number of notices under Standing Order 31 and I will call on Deputies 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 raise a matter of national importance, namely, the need for clear direction to hospitals and hospital managers in respect of the European Working Time Directive and specifically to clarify if the directive is still to be implemented in spite of the absence of any planned implementation plan and the proliferation of tales from hospitals around the country of the planned reduction in services, shorter clinic times, ward closures and the planned referral of emergencies to hospitals outside of the jurisdiction.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to raise a matter of national importance, namely, the pressure imposed on the Heritage Council by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Cullen, to set up a biological records centre in the Waterford Institute of Technology without advertising it for tender.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to raise a matter of national importance, namely, the initiative by the chief executive officer of Aer Lingus and other executives to privatise the national airline by leading a move to have the company purchased by private interests; the massive conflict of interest on many levels of executives of a semi-State company seeking to privatise the company; the need to dismiss from his position the chief executive officer because of an irreconcilable conflict of interest and elect a board committed to the development of Aer Lingus in public ownership from among the airline staff and users of the service; and the need for the Minister for Transport to make a clear statement on the Government's approach to this issue.
Having considered the matters raised, they are not in order under Standing Order 31.