Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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Before coming to the Order of Business I propose to deal with a number of notices under Standing Order 31. I will call the Deputies in the order in which they submitted their notices to my office.

Paudge Connolly (Cavan-Monaghan, Independent)
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I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss the following urgent matter: the Teagasc recommendations on the EU nitrates directive, arrived at after extensive independent scientific analysis by 24 scientists, which would be acceptable in Europe if they were vigorously pursued and received uniform national support from the Departments of Agriculture and Food and the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the Environmental Protection Agency, in addition to the support they enjoy from the Irish Farmers Association and Teagasc. The positive recommendations in the Teagasc proposals for changes in the nitrates directive and the extreme urgency for the future of Irish farming warrant a united approach on the part of farming organisations, Departments and the EPA in ensuring the adoption and implementation of the Teagasc document in Brussels.

Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss the following urgent matter: the Aer Lingus privatisation timetable and how the jobs of Aer Lingus staff in Shannon and other locations will be protected, what guarantee there is that the transatlantic fleet maintenance staff in Shannon will not be centralised under a new ownership structure and whether, in an economic downturn under an open skies policy, Shannon will be by-passed as a transatlantic airport by a privatised Aer Lingus with only a feeder service being provided to Dublin, which would have huge consequences for tourism and industry in the region.

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss the following urgent matter: the urgent need to have more community gardaí engaged in frontline policing on the streets and working with people in their communities; that priority be given to investment in disadvantaged areas to urgently expand services to the youngest children in these communities by supporting pre-school and primary school initiatives; the urgent need to provide more social housing and to provide a clear Garda strategy, with resources, that deals effectively with the drug gangs that are destroying communities; and to make each of these issues a priority for the Government.

Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss the following urgent matter: the need to get agreement in Brussels for the implementation of the nitrates directive based on the scientific evidence produced by Teagasc for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the Minister for Agriculture and Food. It is vital that the Dáil has a full and frank discussion on this important issue, which will decide the future of thousands of Irish farmers and the workers involved in the food industry. These decisions must be taken by the Ministers concerned, who should have some knowledge of the serious potential damage that would be caused by failure to get agreement.

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss the following urgent matter: the need for the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources to reverse his decision not to designate the forthcoming Ryder Cup at the K Club, County Kildare, as a free-to-air television event as this will deny millions of Irish households the opportunity to watch the most significant international sporting event to be held here. In view of the importance of this issue, I hope the Ceann Comhairle will agree to this request.

Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss the following urgent matter: in light of the disclosure by the Scottish authorities that preliminary tests have found a highly pathogenic strain of H5 avian flu in the wild bird population, there is an immediate need for the Minister for Agriculture and Food to outline the steps she is taking to protect the domestic poultry industry against a potential outbreak of avian flu and to inform the consumer of the safety of Irish poultry products.

Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss the following urgent matter: that the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform explain why funding would be removed from the immigrant welfare group NASC for its daring to seek to represent the interests of refugees and asylum seekers staying at the Kinsale Road accommodation centre, where management of that centre has raised many concerns and the residents of the centre feel their concerns are not being addressed.

Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss the following urgent matter: the need for the Minister for Agriculture and Food to outline the steps she is taking to prepare for the arrival of avian flu, following the death of a swan in Scotland suspected to be caused by the deadly H5N1 virus, and the need for the Government to take a more proactive role in this regard to protect public safety.

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss the following urgent matter: the need for the Minister for Transport to establish a task force to identify and tackle congestion in the area bounded by the N4, the N7 and the M50 in west Dublin, with real funding commitments, given that the problem is already clearly unmanageable and people feel they are living in a gridlock box. The ongoing development of Adamstown and the new welcome employment opportunities at Grangecastle are going ahead without sufficient public transport infrastructure, some of which could be immediately provided, such as more buses, while the rail network could and should be electrified long before 2015.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss the following urgent matter: the need for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to indicate his acceptance of the Teagasc report on the implementation of the nitrates directive in Ireland; the need for the implementation of an amended directive in a manner that recognises Irish conditions; and the needs of the environment and of agriculture as established by the Teagasc report.

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss the following urgent matter: not only must census data be collected and compiled but the Government must make a strong commitment to realise the promises made in the census 2006 advertising campaign. The public is being told in this campaign that census data is needed so that services can be planned for but similar promises were made in previous census years and the under-provision in many service areas, such as schools and hospitals, continues to pose significant problems for the people of Ireland. I call on the Government to recognise and act on the urgent need for targeted investment in schools, transport networks, hospitals, and public services so that rapidly developing areas like north Kildare are adequately supported and provided for.

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss the following urgent matter: to debate the need for plans to counteract the threat of the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian flu following the report of a case in Scotland this morning and the need to ascertain the level of preparedness required by Government to protect the health, economic and ecological well-being of the country.

Jerry Cowley (Mayo, Independent)
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I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss the following urgent matter: the reason 250 women from the south and the west of Ireland must die owing to the failure of the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children to provide a temporary breast screening service which has been offered by the Galway Clinic since 2003 and which is necessary to save their lives as BreastCheck will not be fully rolled out for all the women of the south and west until 2009.

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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Having considered the matters raised, they are not in order under Standing Order 31.