Seanad debates

Wednesday, 28 September 2016

2:30 pm

Photo of Denis O'DonovanDenis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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I have received notice from Senator Michelle Mulherin that, on the motion for the Commencement of the House today, she proposes to raise the following matter:

The need for the Minister for Finance to grant aid to Ireland West Airport Knock at 90% for development and expansion projects from the connectivity fund, set up under the auspices of the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund, ISIF, upon the sale of the State's share in Aer Lingus to ensure viability and growth, so that the airport can be self-financing after 2023.

I have also received notice from Senator Pádraig Mac Lochlainn of the following matter:

The need for the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to outline his plans to financially support the City of Derry Airport, considering that 40% of the passengers who use the airport are from Donegal.

I have also received notice from Senator Mark Daly of the following matter:

The need for the Minister for Education and Skills to reinstate the provision whereby if a family has a medical card and there is space on the bus, a pupil is entitled to a concessionary ticket to the school of that family's choice.

I have also received notice from Senator Kevin Humphreys of the following matter:

The need for the Minister for Health to outline the current situation with regard to the co-location of the National Maternity Hospital, Holles Street, with St. Vincent's University Hospital, Elm Park.

I have also received notice from Senator Brian Ó Domhnaill of the following matter:

The need for the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to increase the herring quota under the Celtic Sea herring management for the Dunmore box to compensate for the loss of herring quota in the fishery area in 2015.

I have also received notice from Senator Neale Richmond of the following matter:

The need for the Minister for Health to update the House on efforts being made to relocate the European Medicines Agency from London to Ireland following the decision of the British people to vote to leave the EU.

I have also received notice from Senator Maura Hopkins of the following matter:

The need for the Minister for Health to outline what measures the Government is implementing to improve ambulance response times in rural areas, particularly those that have been identified as black spots for ambulance response times as per the most recent National Ambulance Service of Ireland emergency service baseline and capacity review 2015 and the Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, review of pre-hospital emergency care services to ensure high quality in the assessment, diagnosis, clinical management and transporting of acutely ill patients to appropriate health care facilities 2014.

I have also received notice from Senator John O'Mahony of the following matter:

The need for the Minister for Health to restore the motorised transport grant.

I have also received notice from Senator Paudie Coffey of the following matter:

The need for the Minister for Health to reconsider the recent independent clinical review of provision of a second catheterisation laboratory at University Hospital Waterford with specific focus on the base data used to compile the report in the interests of providing equal access to quality cardiology care in the public health service for the citizens of the south east.

I have also received notice from Senator Kieran O'Donnell of the following matter:

The need for the Minister of State with special responsibility for the Office of Public Works and flood relief to ensure that flood relief measures are provided for Castleconnell village and Montpelier, County Limerick, in the current catchment flood risk assessment and management study being prepared by the Office of Public Works.

I regard the matters raised by the Senators as suitable for discussion. I have selected the matters raised by Senators Mulherin, Mac Lochlainn, Daly and Humphreys and they will be taken now. Senators Ó Domhnaill, Richmond, Hopkins, O’Mahony, Coffey and O’Donnell may give notice on another day of the matters they wish to raise.