Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail)

Will the Leader indicate whether it would be possible to have a debate on the national spatial strategy? I am interested in particular in the gateway innovation fund, which was announced some years ago. I know that in this time of scarcity it is not possible to proceed at the pace initially planned or foreseen. However, in the context of the nine gateways and the planning that went into applying for funding under that fund, it would be prudent for the various Departments to indicate the projects that will be acceptable under the gateway innovation fund and the level of commitment that may be given over a period of years as resources become more freely available.

The budget for the undergraduate nursing education programme nationally is administered by the HSE. In that context, we need an urgent debate on the HSE. Recently, as part of its savings and adjustments, it has decided to reduce by 310 the number of nursing places around the country. To my extreme disappointment, it seems the north west is to suffer the most discrimination. St. Angela's College, which is the only constituent colleague of the National University of Ireland north of the line between Dublin and Galway, will suffer a 30% reduction in nursing places, whereas Trinity College Dublin's courses will be reduced by a mere 6.4%. The reduction in TCD's numbers will have an insignificant impact given the overall number of students at the college but the impact will be much more severe at St. Angela's. I am informed that people working within the Health Service Executive made the determination on where savings would be made and which colleges would be most affected.

As the Leader will be aware, I have a particular problem when it comes to discrimination against the people of the north-west region and, in line with my commitment las week and previous weeks, I ask him for a formal response to the failure of the national cancer screening service to roll out services in the north west. I remind the Leader of the contempt shown by the chief executive of the service in the comments he made to the Joint Committee on Health and Children. I ask the Leader to come back with a formal response in that regard and, while it is not my intention to bore my colleagues, I make no apologies for representing the people of the north west to the best of my ability.