Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)

I propose an amendment to the Order of Business, that No. 1 be discussed for a period of one hour. I put the Leader on notice on Tuesday of the intention of my party and other colleagues to debate risk equalisation. The Leader is aware that whenever a report returns from a committee, she regularly asks the members of the committee who wish to lead a debate in this House to inform other colleagues about the committee debate. My party's spokesperson on health, Senator Browne, would like to lead such a debate with other colleagues today for one hour. I would have liked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children to come into the House to outline her views conclusively on risk equalisation but that does not seem likely today. Nevertheless, we should debate the issue rather than nodding it through.

In May 2005 the Health Insurance Authority made a recommendation to the Minister in respect of triggering the risk equalisation argument within health insurance. The Minister should at least publish that report. The House should have the opportunity to debate with the Minister the rationale of her decision on this issue. The House would do itself a service and in view of this I seek cross-party support for the amendment.

Many Members and the wider public were dismayed at the imprisonment of five people yesterday in County Mayo. I do not underestimate the seriousness of contempt of court and understand why the High Court made the decision to imprison these people. Discussions are under way to resolve this issue but there should be some compromise from Shell, which is a large multinational.

I do not know anyone in the west or throughout the country who opposes bringing gas onshore but the issue is the way in which it is being done in a small community and the consequent risks to that community. Calm, reasonable minds should be brought to bear on this issue. That five law-abiding, decent people had to go to prison last night and will remain there indefinitely until the issue is resolved is quite appalling. I urge the powers that be to broker a deal in this situation before it gets worse.