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

The need for the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to provide an update on the N5 Ballaghaderreen to Scramogue project; and to confirm whether the necessary capital funding has been allocated to the project.

I have also received notice from Senator Robbie Gallagher of the following matter:

The need for the Minister for Health to provide an update on plans for the HSE to introduce a national policy for hospitals to start providing free parking for patients undergoing cancer treatment, as proposed by the Irish Cancer Society.

I have also received notice from Senator Victor Boyhan of the following matter:

The need for the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to confirm when all outstanding 2016 GLAS 1 and GLAS 2 payments will be made to farmers; and to provide assurance that this matter is receiving urgent attention.

I have also received notice from Senator Jennifer Murnane O'Connor of the following matter:

The need for the Minister for Education and Skills to confirm his support for Muine Bheag Vocational School Bagenalstown, County Carlow, to continue as an education and training board, ETB; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

I have also received notice from Senator James Reilly of the following matter:

The need for the Minister for Education and Skills to outline his plans to address the shortage of school places in Fingal Swords in the immediate term; and to outline his future plans for new schools in Swords.

I have also received notice from Senator Gerard P. Craughwell of the following matter:

The need for the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to make a statement on the announcement by Bord Na Móna of the closure next April of its peat briquette plant in Littleton, County Tipperary, without any prior engagement with staff or unions; and to outline the plans in place to provide alternative employment for the 69 full-time employees who work there.

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

The need for the Minister for Health to carry out a full national review of the availability of respite care facilities which are currently available for over 18,000 families who are caring for those who have physical or intellectual disabilities, in view of the fact that many centres previously available are no longer able to provide respite care.

I have also received notice from Senator Grace O’Sullivan of the following matter:

The need for the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government to outline the reason he approved the licence for 1,860 acres of kelp seaweed harvesting in Bantry Bay, County Cork; whether adequate environmental impact assessment has been carried out in regards to this project; whether he is happy that the advertisement and public consultation on this application was in compliance with the letter and the spirit of the law; whether he shares our concerns over the mechanical harvesting of the kelp at low height on the stem; and other questions.

I regard the matters raised by the Senators as suitable for discussion. I have selected the matters raised by Senators Hopkins, Gallagher, Boyhan and Murnane O'Connor and they will be taken now.

Senators Reilly, Craughwell, Burke and O'Sullivan may give notice on another day of the matters that they wish to raise.