Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail)

The leader may have heard the news this morning of potential job losses in Aviva, which news has been in the ether for some months. Aviva's location of its European headquarters in Dublin three years, which did not create a massive amount of jobs, was seen at the time as a statement of intent in regard to the company's operation in Ireland. The Leader might recall that approximately six years ago, Aviva, then Hibernian, moved 500 call centre jobs to India. Obviously, all of us in parties and none want to ensure the Government does what it can before there is an announcement of job losses. The rumours have not been dismissed by Aviva in any shape or form. Unlike in the case of TalkTalk where the Government was not given sufficient time - I am not criticising the Government in that regard - a warning has very definitely been signalled and I ask that the Leader raise the matter directly with the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Richard Bruton, and the Taoiseach. Will he inform the House of any contact the Minister has had thus far with Aviva? I am aware the Minister was quoted as saying he had heard the rumours. This is more than a listening exercise. I want to know what the Minister has said.

I seek clarification on the Government's stance in regard to support for Palestinian statehood at the forthcoming UN Convention. While we have heard mixed signals, I read with interest the Tánaiste's comments in one of the morning newspapers during his visit to the US. As was mentioned yesterday, there is a motion on the Order Paper from many Members on this side and Independents asking the Government to support the Palestinians in their quest for statehood. What is the Government's position on this issue? It appears it will toe the European line but I hope that is not the case. All Irish Governments up to now have had a proud tradition of supporting the Palestinians. I am concerned that we seem to have rowed back somewhat given that we have been to the forefront in supporting the Palestinian cause. Anyone who read today's The Irish Times will have seen an eviction order has been placed on a Bedouin tribe and the Israelis want to relocate them to a rubbish dump in Bethany. This is the type of government we are dealing with there. Taking unilateral action is probably the last thing the Palestinians wanted to do, but it is their last option. I hope the Government will support the Palestinians in their call for statehood.

Will the Leader clarify if we have a date for the Minister for Health to come to the House? Do we know if he is coming in within the next three to four weeks to deal with the many health issues that have been raised in this House because his silence on many of the issues has been deafening?