I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 27A and the name of the Member in each case: (1) Deputy Michael Healy-Rae - the restoration of the free telephone allowance to all old age pensioners living alone; (2) Deputy Lucinda Creighton - the need to reassure expectant mothers on foot of the RTE “Prime Time” report on Midland Regional Hospital, Portlaoise; (3) Deputy Derek Keating - the serious national issue of neknomination and the uncontrolled practice on Facebook of young people putting their own lives and those of others at risk; (4) Deputy Catherine Murphy - the access crisis in secondary education in the north Kildare area which has emerged from a serious deficit in provision of primary and secondary places at Gaelscoileanna in 2014 and how it is intended to manage this problem in the medium to long term; (5) Deputy Charles Flanagan - the issues to be addressed following the deaths of four babies at the maternity unit, regional hospital, Portlaoise; (6) Deputy John Lyons - RTE's reported compensation to Iona Institute and others; (7) Deputy Brian Stanley - maternity services and staffing at Portlaoise hospital; (8) Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív - the need for the Government to take urgent action on the damage caused by recent storms, particularly regarding the cumulative effect of these storms over the past two months; (9) Deputy Peadar Tóibín - to ask the Minister to raise the cap on rent allowance in light of increasing rents throughout certain parts of the country; (10) Deputy Sean Fleming - the deaths of four babies at the Midland Regional Hospital, Portlaoise; (11) Deputy John Halligan - recent storm damage and the continuing effects; (12) Deputy Michelle Mulherin - the need for the Minister for Finance and other relevant Departments to ensure there is an appraisal of all homes and property throughout the country which have been damaged by floods and storms and, thereafter, that appropriate State assistance be provided in the short term and preventive measures be pursued for the longer term and in the case of agricultural lands that farmers receive some grant aid for land reclamation and protection to be administered and overseen by Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in conjunction with the Office of Public Works, local authorities and the National Parks and Wildlife Service; (13) Deputy John Browne - the need to provide funding to repair Courtown Harbour pier following recent storm damage; (14) Deputy Dan Neville - the increasing risk of Lyme disease here; (15) Deputy Denis Naughten - the need to reassure expectant mothers on foot of the RTE “Prime Time” report on the Midland Regional Hospital, Portlaoise; (16) Deputy Billy Timmins - to ask the Minister for Health if any difficulties similar to those identified at the maternity unit at Portlaoise hospital have been brought to his attention or exist at any other maternity unit or hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter; (17) Deputy Michael McCarthy - the position regarding the claw-back of single farm payments and the ongoing land parcel review; (18) Deputy Pat Deering - the lack of health services in Carlow and, in particular, radiography and paediatric physiotherapy services; (19) Deputy Clare Daly - the use of unsupervised isolation rooms for children with autism in primary schools; (20) Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl - the ending of community welfare clinics in rural areas; (21) Deputy Mick Wallace - the use of unsupervised isolation rooms for children with autism in primary schools; (22) Deputy Billy Kelleher - the need to ensure any new GP contract does not restrict doctors from bringing issues of concern to public attention; (23) Deputy Niall Collins - the recent surge in bankruptcy applications and its implications for the personal insolvency regime; (24) Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett - RTE and compensation paid to the Iona Institute; and (25) Deputy Michael Moynihan - the measures required to tackle the abuse of social network sites which endanger our young people.
The matters raised by the Deputies Lucinda Creighton; Charles Flanagan, Brian Stanley, Sean Fleming, Denis Naughten and Billy Timmins; Dan Neville; and John Browne have been selected for discussion.