David Norris (Independent)

On numerous occasions, I raised the question of hygiene, particularly in accident and emergency units where approximately 75% of cases over a weekend are caused by alcohol and people behave in an extremely unhygenic fashion. I ask the Minister for Health and Children come to the House to discuss the following ideological element. As a result of the notion of competition and capitalism in action we do not have an efficient cleaning service but a specified number of hours of cleaning provided per week. When the 100 hours are completed the staff pack up their mops and leave, regardless of whether the place is clean. These are the issues we need to address.

I also seek a debate on the Shell oil company and the Corrib gas field in light of the granting of a licence for the development at Bellanaboy. On Saturday I attended an anniversary commemoration of the judicial murder by Nigerian authorities of Ken Saro-Wiwa, in which Shell was at least marginally implicated. It is clear his brother entered into negotiations with senior executives of the company who indicated that if the campaign for the Ogoni people was called off, they would intervene to save his life. I wonder if that is acceptable. A film screened at the commemoration showed the way in which oil pipelines were driven through the native people's land, polluting and destroying it. The organs of the state were used to force that through.