Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I wish to refer to the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's most recent reports, the grave warnings that have been articulated in respect of the future of our planet as a result of the impact of climate change and the lack of any sense of real leadership on the part of the Government regarding this issue. The Taoiseach confirmed that at Question Time when he indicated that the Cabinet committee on climate change and the green economy only met twice during the past 12 months. There is also the matter of the failure to bring forward a Bill on climate change. Will the Taoiseach indicate when such legislation will be published and will he provide a timeline in the context of when it will be debated by the Houses of the Oireachtas?

There is a considerable degree of dissatisfaction among members of the health community, including GPs, in respect of a range of matters including the vulnerability of those with multiple disabilities and injuries. A range of legislation has been promised in respect of this matter but none of it has yet been forthcoming. In that context, I ask the Taoiseach to indicate when the following items of legislation will be published: the health care initiatives Bill; the health transport support Bill - the purpose of which is to provide for a scheme to make individual payments to people with severe disabilities who cannot access public transport as a contribution towards their transport costs; the human tissue Bill - the purpose of which is to meet the key recommendation of the Madden report that was published some years ago; the licensing of health care facilities Bill - the purpose of which is to provide for a mandatory system of licensing for public and private health care facilities; and the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board Bill - the purpose of which is to provide for an amendment to the functions and membership of the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board.

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