Pearse Doherty (Sinn Fein)

Some people have been deported in recent years and others are at risk of being deported as we speak. Those emigrants have the courage to come out and attend meetings of the ILIR lobby group. They have had the courage to come out and march in Washington in the knowledge that they could be deported in the next minute. This House should have the same courage and pass a motion in support of that campaign. It should happen prior to St. Patrick's Day when the leaders of the Government will be in America so that they can say that both Houses of the Oireachtas support the calls to have the undocumented Irish legalised. That motion should be passed without debate. I do not believe any party would have any problem with such a motion which can be placed on Thursday's agenda to be taken without debate. I ask the Leader to facilitate that with the other groups and show those 40,000 that we also have their interests at heart.

Since the Minister last came to the Chamber to debate the pharmacies issue, developments have taken place. There has been a meeting of the Irish Pharmaceutical Union with 1,100 pharmacists informing the meeting that they will be withdrawing from the medical card and drugs repayment schemes on 1 May. I have made clear how I feel on the issue. I have asked the IPU and individual pharmacists not to withdraw their services. However, they have indicated they will. Thousands of concerned patients do not know where they will get their drugs from 1 May. I ask the Leader to facilitate a debate with the Minister returning to the House to let us know what is happening regarding the dispute and what procedure she is putting in place to ensure the patients of this State who require medication under those schemes will be able to get it from 1 May.