Paddy Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have received notice from Senator Gerard P. Craughwell that, on the motion for the Commencement of the House today, he proposes to raise the following matter:

The need for the Minister for Education and Skills to make a statement on the issue of the weight of school bags.

I have also received notice from Senator David Cullinane of the following matter:

The need for the Minister for Education and Skills to give an update on plans to deliver a technological university in the south east.

I have also received notice from Senator Tom Sheahan of the following matter:

The need for the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to recognise the additional workload local councillors have taken on since the enactment of the Local Government Reform Act 2014, and to carry out a survey of all councillors, in conjunction with their representative bodies, to ascertain how these changes have affected their personal, professional and public lives.

I have also received notice from Senator Paul Bradford of the following matter:

The need for the Minister for Defence to re-examine all of the procedures surrounding the discharge of an army private (details supplied) and fully review the medical examination of this person and all the issues subsequent to this examination.

I have also received notice from Senator Colm Burke of the following matter:

The need for the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to clarify the position concerning the fact that social welfare payments are taken into account in assessing entitlement to social housing support while the same social welfare payments are not taken into account when assessing entitlement to a local authority housing mortgage.

I have also received notice from Senator Lorraine Higgins of the following matter:

The need for the Minister for Education and Skills to review the decision not to approve the application for a special educational needs room for special needs pupils in St. Thomas national school, Peterswell, Gort, County Galway.

I have also received notice from Senator Martin Conway of the following matter:

The need for the Minister for Health to update the House on the policy of the fluoridation of public drinking water and the effect this policy has on the health of the population.

I have also received notice from Senator Fidelma Healy Eames of the following matter:

The need for the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to comment on the failure of current Irish language policy and to discuss the shared benefits of using the Gaeltacht throughout the school year for language immersion for students in the Gaeltacht and to prevent the forecasted decline of Irish language-speaking communities in the Gaeltacht.

I have also received notice from Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh of the following matter:

The need for the Minister for Health to state if he is aware of serious concerns regarding patient safety in the Roscommon and Galway mental health area and if he will outline the actions his Department has taken to address the issues.

I regard the matters raised by Senators as suitable for discussion. I have selected Senators Craughwell, Cullinane, Sheahan and Bradford and they will be taken now. Senators Burke, Higgins, Conway, Healy Eames and Ó Clochartaigh may give notice on another day of the matters they wish to raise.