Senator Micheál Carrigy

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider extending membership of the supplementary assignment panel for special needs assistants to those who were made redundant prior to 1 May 2013 and SNAs involved in service in 2012/13 in a suitable capacity as the panel militates unfairly against such SNAs; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Last night I mentioned a minor worry I had about the absence of the words "imminent nor inevitable" which were part of the original Supreme Court judgment.

The nub of this legislation rests in sections 7 to 9, in inclusive, which detail the physical threat to health, emergency situations and suicidal intent. The debate, particularly in recent weeks, has focused on section 9, which deals with suicidal intent. The suggestion from some is that hordes of suicidal pregnant women will suddenly come forward and these will run rings around professional psychiatrists. There is also a suggestion that these women may only "think" they are suicidal and that they should be locked up for their own protection. The reality is that women in crisis pregnancies, whether suicidal or not, will continue to do what they have always done when this legislation is passed, as I hope it will be. They will go to England. To stay in Ireland and subject themselves to the process we are putting in place means they would be suicidal when finished with it if they are not when they begin.

The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD, today (Monday) launched the new Enterprise Ireland €375K Competitive Feasibility Fund aimed at stimulating new start-ups, or expansion of existing business activity in the aviation sector.

Mr Richard Bruton TD, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and Mr Seán Sherlock TD, Minister for Research and Innovation today (Monday) announced funding, through the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, of €30 million to support world-class research at the Synthesis & Solid State Pharmaceutical Centre (SSPC) based at the University of Limerick.

Fine Gael Meath East TD, Regina Doherty, has today (Monday) said that alternatives to the Slane bypass must be fully explored before an application is resubmitted to An Bord Pleanála. Deputy Doherty added that a rushed re-submission would be risky and counterproductive, and it would be much wiser to exhaust other options first.

Fine Gael Cork South Central TD, Jerry Buttimer, has today (Thursday) welcomed the announcement that Pfizer is investing €23 million in its facility at Ringaskiddy in Co. Cork. The investment will be focussed on developing specialist new capabilities to manufacture some of Pfizer’s newest medicines in cancer and other future pipeline medicines.

Fine Gael Clare Senator, Martin Conway has today (Monday) welcomed the announcement of €30 million in funding from the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, and an additional €10 million from industry partners, to support world-class research at the Synthesis & Solid State Pharmaceutical Centre (SSPC) based at the University of Limerick.

The Minister for Finance, Mr Michael Noonan TD, has today published the implementation plan for outstanding sections of the Credit Union and Co-operation with Overseas Regulators Act 2012.