Maire Devine (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

If Senator Mulherin was in government, she might be able to do something about the insupportable CAMHS waiting lists that are leading to the neglect of our children and their health and well-being but sin scéal eile.

I wish to raise the Shannon LNG project. It is on the list of projects to be confirmed today by the EU. Along with other members of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Change, we have requested that the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment take it off the list so that it is not given the go ahead by the EU because this country does not want it to be given the go ahead. We are taking in fracked gas that has been deemed a major risk to public health. It is now called a stranded asset because the mayor of New York made the very brave decision some years ago because of the evidence of the effect on public health. Senator Swanick spoke about that previously. It has been linked with premature deaths because of the pollution caused by fracking. We are going to take second-grade pollutants all the way from the US, where they constitute a stranded asset. They have looked around to see where they can try to sell it and decided to sell it to Ireland and to that end, to set up a receiving port down in Shannon. I would be most grateful if the Leader could ask the Minister if he is cognisant of the letter to him asking him to remove this project from the list of projects of common interest the EU will decide on today.

The next issue is the failure of Ministers to come to the House to take Commencement matters. We are told at the last minute by email that Ministers will not be attending. This happened to me on two occasions. The Commencement matter I wish to raise focused on the consultant position relating to sarcoma at St. Vincent's University Hospital, which has been left open for 2.5 years, but the Minister for Health has not been available. I also raised this matter in the Seanad on 10 October.I discussed with the Cathaoirleach the disrespect that is shown to this House when Ministers appear to be hiding. No Minister of State at the Department of Health was available to take the matter. On the last occasion, 10 October, I told the Minister's private secretary that I would prefer the Minister, Deputy Harris, to come to the House to discuss it. I believe the matter was chosen in the belief that he would come to the House, and 9 last night was quite a late time to be told that nobody would be available.