Before coming to the Order of Business I propose to deal with a number of notices under Standing Order 31.
Request to move Adjournment of Dáil under Standing Order 31.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss the following urgent matter: the crisis in our accident and emergency departments, the immediate provision of 500 extra beds, the expansion of medical assessment units, supporting creative new proposals to provide an out-of-hours general practitioner service for all patients, and the urgent need to fund home care packages for the elderly.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss the following urgent matter: to allow Dáil Éireann to debate a motion of no confidence in the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy McDowell, on his abject failure to protect the public, his failure to increase Garda manning levels, his abject failure to appoint community gardaí, his abject failure to resource and man local Garda drug teams properly and his arrogant refusal to listen to local and Oireachtas representatives, local authorities, community drug initiatives and RAPID organisations.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss the following urgent matter: the urgent need for a missing persons help line to be re-established without delay. The evaluation of the national missing persons helpline by Kevin Lawlor and Callus Pope in December 2003 made 12 recommendations not only highlighting the importance of the helpline but also recommending that its funding be continued and services increased and expanded. However, the aspect of the report on which the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy McDowell, focused on in his rationale for withdrawing funding was the number of calls made between October 2002 and October 2003 without consideration of the need for a dedicated advertising budget and strategy. It is appalling there is no such service for those affected. I urge the Minister to recommence the funding of the missing persons helpline and to implement fully the recommendations of the evaluation report.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss the following urgent matter: the Government's plan to partially privatise the national airline, Aer Lingus, the steps that will be taken to protect the company from corporations whose only agenda is the maximisation of profit, the plans the Government has to secure the future development of Aer Lingus, employment positions for its staff and, most importantly, their pension plans, what the Government will do to ensure the previous mistakes made in the flotation of Eircom will not be repeated, and the safeguards to be put in place to ensure the new owners will not simply strip most or all the valuable assets, landing bays and profitable routes, as a reward to the venture capitalists financing the privatisation.
Having considered the matters raised, they are not in order under Standing Order 31.