Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Before coming to the Order of Business, I propose to deal with a number of requests under Standing Order 32. I will call the Deputies in the order in which the requests were received.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, 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 extremely serious changes being introduced by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Hogan, such as the motion on the planning and development regulations which with a stroke of a pen will require planning permission to be obtained for every parcel of land of more than 30 m by 30 m perceived to be wetland and an environmental impact statement to be obtained on any parcel of such land of more than 2 ha before such lands can be used by rural families for productive use. The only ones who will benefit from this motion will be engineers and agents. Surely we cannot allow this EU directive to be passed.

Luke Flanagan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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I left my copy of the notice in my office. I am raising the same matter as Deputy Mattie McGrath. I want the changes being made under the planning and development regulations to be discussed as a matter of national urgency. If we go through with them, one will not be able to take a child's spade to one's back garden and people in special areas of conservation or natural heritage areas will be prevented from cutting turf in the future.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Thank you, Deputy.

Luke Flanagan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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This is a massive issue. I cannot see how the Government is going to let it through. Has it done another U-turn and let down rural Ireland again?

Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 32 to discuss a matter of major public importance, namely, the crisis in agricultural colleges caused by the fact that over 2,000 students have applied for just 850 places. Some 198 applicants are seeking 90 available places at Pallaskenry Agricultural College in County Limerick. Given the importance of the agricultural sector to the economy and job creation and in the light of the need to discuss Teagasc's proposal to employ 16 more teaching staff to meet the demand for college places which is being considered by the Departments of Finance and Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Dáil needs to address this matter as soon as possible.

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 32 to raise an issue of urgent national importance, namely, the need for a swift response from Ireland and, more importantly, Europe to the famine that has been declared in sub-Saharan Africa. In the light of the extent of the crisis that is unfolding, I ask the Government to outline the intended Irish response, to raise this matter at the highest levels in Europe and to ensure it is not overlooked in favour of an exclusive focus on the financial crisis in the eurozone.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 32 to raise a matter of national importance, namely, the impending closure from 31 August of the male and female acute units at St. Ita's Hospital, Portrane, County Dublin, the resulting major deficit in mental health care provision and the vague assurance from the HSE to the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, and from the Minister of State to the Dáil that unspecified acute mental health services will be provided for the people of north Dublin after that date.

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 32 to raise a matter of national importance, namely, the unbearable burden being endured by hospital management teams across the State as they try to meet the impossible budget targets set by the Government and the HSE which essentially amount to the systematic underfunding and downgrading of local hospitals and the outrageous comments made by the Taoiseach to the effect that hospital managers are guilty of incompetence or mismanagement in trying to meet these impossible budget targets.

Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)
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I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 32 to raise an issue of national importance, namely, the continuing housing crisis whereby social housing development has been brought to a complete halt, over €500 million is being spent each year to subsidise developers and landlords and feet are being dragged on the issue of a social dividend from NAMA which is essential if the huge housing problems across the State are to be addressed, especially in the case of stalled regeneration projects such as that at St. Teresa's Gardens where people are living in conditions that have been described by medical experts as unsafe and at Dolphin House where a resident recently won a case stating his housing conditions were unfit for human habitation.

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 32 to raise a matter of national importance, namely, the planned introduction of water and household charges at a time when people have less disposable income and simply cannot afford them. Such charges can only lead to further mortgage defaults, a problem not helped by increasing interest rates, as well as poverty and anguish for many.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Having considered the matters raised, I do not consider them to be in order under Standing Order 32.