Dáil debates

Thursday, 13 May 2010

Requests to Move Adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 32

 

10:30 am

Photo of Séamus KirkSéamus Kirk (Louth, 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 32. I will call on Deputies in the order in which they submitted their notices to my office.

Photo of Paul Connaughton  SnrPaul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 32 to raise a matter of national importance, namely, the drainage of the Dunkellin River, County Galway, and to ask if the Minister is aware that there are several householders in the catchment area of the Dunkellin River who have not yet returned to their flooded homes; that there are thousands of acres of farmland that have not yet recovered; and that it is now obvious that there will be no relocation money for flood victims. In these circumstances I seek an assurance from the Minister for Finance that the money will be made available for this work in 2010 to prevent a recurrence of the flooding that took place last year.

Photo of Finian McGrathFinian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 32 to raise a matter of national importance, namely, the urgent need for all Members of the Oireachtas to actively support the move to close down all head shops; to express our strongest concerns about new developments in the past 48 hours where the same drugs can now be ordered over mobile telephones, following the distribution of leaflets advertising them in urban and rural areas; and to call on the Garda and the drugs squad to move against the sale of these dangerous drugs.

Photo of Dan NevilleDan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 32 to discuss the following matter of urgent national importance, namely, the increase in suicides for the first three quarters of last year, from 279 the previous year to 354, representing an increase of 26%; the need for the Government to recognise the pressures people are experiencing because of the economic recession and for it to understand the pain that so many people are suffering and that they see no other solution to their situation but to take their lives; to recognise the special circumstances of the bereaved by suicide who experience a sense of stigma, shame, loneliness and rejection; and the need for the Government to resource suicide prevention programmes and suicide bereavement counselling.

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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I seek the adjournment of Dáil Éireann under Standing Order 32 to discuss a matter of urgent national importance, namely, the need for the Minister for Health and Children to outline her plans to address the impending crisis within the health service due to the lack of non-consultant hospital doctors from July, which threatens the operation of accident and emergency departments at hospitals like Roscommon County Hospital and Portiuncula on a 24-hour, seven day a week basis and will lead to the implementation of the Government's Hanly report overnight and without planning and will result in the loss of life.

Photo of Aengus Ó SnodaighAengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Ba mhaith liom cead a lorg an Dáil a chur ar athló faoi Bhuan Ordú 32 chun déileáil leis an gnó práinneach agus rí-thábhachtach seo a leanas, the urgent need for the Government to reverse the disproportionate cuts of from 18% to 20% made to the community and voluntary sector, which according to a report commissioned by Impact will result in the loss of up to 5,000 vital jobs by the end of the year. This is in a sector that is increasingly stretched as it picks up the pieces left in the wake of budget 2010 and on which our most disadvantaged communities are dependent for basic services, supports, representation and advocacy. These cuts demonstrate a deliberate Government policy to silence the voices of the disadvantaged and must be seen against a backdrop of debilitating cuts made at national level to bodies such as the Human Rights Commission and the Equality Authority. The Government is trying to gag all those who have rightly criticised its manifestly unfair policies.

Photo of Terence FlanaganTerence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 32 to raise a matter of national importance, namely, the need for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the Government to help immediately the 20,000 householders whose homes are defective because of the presence of the defect pyrite in the foundations of their homes. The Government is of the opinion that simply by ignoring and denying this issue exists, it will go away. Unfortunately, it will not. Responsibility lies with the Government to help those homeowners suffering anxiety, stress and depression because of what has happened and is happening to their homes. If the Government had not allowed light touch regulation in the building industry, this catastrophe would not have happened. The Exchequer has collected more than €12.2 billion in stamp duty in the past five years from hard-pressed homeowners. I appeal to the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to tackle the issue head on as it has been dragging on for two years.

Photo of Kathleen LynchKathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 32 to raise a matter of national importance, namely, the fact that the last remaining in-patient beds at St. Mary's orthopaedic hospital in Cork are to close. This is the only hospital on the northside of Cork city. I call on the HSE to retain full control of the grounds of the hospital so that it can be used as a health facility into the future. The sale of any section of the land for retail or commercial development would be a backward step and would interfere with the integrity of St. Mary's hospital as a long-term health facility. I also call on the HSE to put in place a mechanism to engage with the 220 staff affected by this decision to ensure there will be no job losses and that all personnel will be meaningfully redeployed to specific roles in the health service.

Photo of Séamus KirkSéamus Kirk (Louth, Ceann Comhairle)
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Having given the matters full consideration, I do not consider them to be in order under Standing Order 32.