Before coming to the Order of Business I propose to deal with a number of notices under Standing Order 31.
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 lending restrictions imposed on credit unions in the Credit Union Act 1997, which restrict lending to 20% of the unions' loan book over five years and 10% over ten years; the consequent stifling of the credit unions' ongoing growth and development, whereby their limited lending capacity may force many families with minimal equity to resort to moneylenders who charge exorbitant interest rates; and a call on the Minister for Finance to level the playing field for credit unions by issuing a ministerial order revising the lending restrictions upwards from 20% to 40% over five years and from 10% to 20% over ten years.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to raise a matter of national importance, namely, the very serious condition of a hunger striker, Peter Preston, who has been protesting at the Dáil gate for many weeks; the urgent need for the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to meet this victim of crime; and to urgently support this person and his family in this urgent situation.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to raise a matter of national importance, namely, to appoint a temporary teacher to a school in County Kerry in which 118 pupils will be on the roll on 30 September 2006 and which will have three classes with 30 or more pupils before amalgamating in 2007. As a result the school will not be able to make this appointment and, therefore, it needs to be granted a temporary appointment with effect from 1 September 2006.
The Deputy should withdraw his support for the Government.
Where is the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism when the Deputy needs him?
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to raise a matter of national importance, namely, the alarming MRSA infection rates and the emergence of similar and potentially life threatening infections in our hospitals.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to raise a matter of national importance, namely, the increasing MRSA infection rates in our hospitals and communities and the need to put in place a national surveillance system for measuring the extent of health care associated infections to bring infection rates under control.
I second Deputy Finian McGrath's appeal to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform regarding Peter Preston, who has been outside the Dáil for the past 44 days on hunger strike.
The Deputy cannot go off on a tangent. He is messing with Standing Orders. If he does not wish to pursue his matter, I will move on.
It is a serious situation. It has been going on for 44 days. Get off the stage.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to raise a matter of national importance, namely, how AIB Wexford could overcharge a small business, Tweedswood Limited in Wexford, so much that it almost went into bankruptcy last week; that AIB has admitted this overcharging but disputes the amount of €460,000 on foot of overcharging calculated by a specialist company Bank-Check of Belfast and is offering €66,000 as the amount overcharged; to ask how much overcharging is going on and how this can happen, despite legislation and a financial regulator; whether legislation can be introduced to protect the citizen who has little remedy before he can take action, as the courts and the Ombudsman can take at least a year to deal with such matters; and the lack of independent audit of the banks to ensure they are accountable.
I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to raise a matter of national importance, namely, the recent report that showed that Ireland was second from bottom in a league table of 26 European countries in the delivery of health services and particularly the total failure of the Government to address the ongoing crisis in accident and emergency units throughout the country.
Having considered the matters raised they are not in order under Standing Order 31.