I have received notice from the Senator Maura Hopkins that, on the Commencement of the House today, she proposes to raise the following matter:
The need for the Minister for Health to outline the measures the Government is implementing to improve ambulance response times in rural areas, particularly those which have been identified as black spots as regards ambulance response times, in accordance with the National Ambulance Service of Ireland emergency service baseline and capacity review 2015 and the Health Information and Quality Authority's 2014 review of pre-hospital emergency care services to ensure high quality in the assessment, diagnosis, clinical management and transporting of acutely ill patients to appropriate health care facilities.
I have also received notice from Senator Neale Richmond of the following matter:
The need for the Minister for Health to update the House on formal and informal efforts being made to relocate the European Medicines Agency from London to Ireland following the decision of the British people to leave the European Union.
I have also received notice from Senator Brian Ó Domhnaill of the following matter:
The need for the Minister for Social Protection to extend the free travel scheme to third level students.
I have also received notice from Senator Gerard P. Craughwell of the following matter:
The need for the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality to explain the current delays under the Garda vetting programme which have resulted in many participants having to withdraw from community employment in schools for which they were otherwise eligible owing to the four to five month delay in vetting.
I have also received notice from Senator Tim Lombard of the following matter:
The need for the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to secure an EU aid package for Ireland's struggling grain industry.
I regard the matters raised by the Senators as suitable for discussion. I have selected the matters raised by Senators Maura Hopkins, Neale Richmond, Brian Ó Domhnaill and Gerard P. Craughwell and they will be taken now. Senator Tim Lombard may give notice on another day of the matter he wishes to raise. Senator Gerard P. Craughwell has withdrawn his Commencement matter which I had selected for discussion.