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FIANNA FÁIL is to attempt using a little-known Dáil procedure to force James Reilly to offer an on-the-record explanation of the criteria that he used to add extra locations to the list of towns being considered for primary care centres.
The party’s health spokesman Billy Kelleher has tabled a ‘Special Notice Question’ for this afternoon’s Dáil sitting – a form of urgent parliamentary question which forces the appropriate minister to attend the Dáil and speak on the issue concerned.
Kelleher’s question describes the rollout of primary care centres as a matter “of national concern”.
“I am asking that Minister James Reilly explain to the House the recent criteria he used to add fifteen centres to the primary care list and to clarify what criteria will be used for future Primary Care Centres, and if he will make a statement on the matter,” the question reads.
Dáil rules allow short-notice questions to be tabled if they are on “matters of urgent public importance”, subject to the discretion of the Ceann Comhairle who chairs all Dáil proceedings.
A Fianna Fáil spokesman said this morning that the method of raising the question was effectively the only way of ensuring that Reilly was called to the Dáil to give a full explanation on the affair, given that his rostered parliamentary questions had only been taken last week.
Ministers take turns fielding one set of oral questions each day – meaning it would be at least five weeks before Reilly would be certain of being in the Dáil again.
Though the matter of primary care centres could be raised in the Dáil as a ‘Topical Issue’, Dáil rules do not require the appropriate minister to be present – any minister or junior minister is permitted to read a written statement in response.
The Ceann Comhairle, Seán Barrett, is not expected to indicate whether he will permit the question until after 3pm.
Only one similar question has been tabled so far this year; on October 25 last year eight TDs submitted questions dealing with the severe flooding that had hit Ireland the previous evening.
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The Hoverboard Scandal of 2015 will be talked about for generations to come. “So did they really go on fire Grandad?” “Yes, Tommy they did, and the worst thing was they didn’t even hover.”
How can something with wheels be a hoverboard??
Morons call them hoverboards. So they’re not really hoverboards – some people are actually just thick morons.
Segways with no handlebars are NOT hoverboards.
Yes, finally someone has cracked it!
THEY ARE ********** N O T ********** HOVERBOARDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hoverboard
Next time someone calls them hoverboards I’m gonna slap ‘em across the face. When they ask “what was that for?” I’m going to tell them my hand was just ‘hovering’ over their face
I have yet to see one of them actually hoover.
You haven’t seen the Dyson ones…
STOP. CALLING. THEM. HOVERBOARDS!
Apart from the fact that they don’t hover in any way, you’re meant to be journalists and shouldn’t be using slang in your reports?!
Emphasis on “meant to be”.
The Journal isn’t a Journal either. What’s going on!!! Everyone is gone nuts!
If that’s a hoverboard, I’m a vermicious kinit
I have yet to see one of them actually hoover.
Why sell hoverboards that don’t actually hover when they already sell other forms of transport like horses?
Hoverhorse? I’m off to the drawing board…
Nothing ‘hoovers’ as Hoover is a brand name. They vacuum, and Dyson’s do it rather well.
What ????? You mean we put the brick and on the accelator??????…
Pmsl at your comments .take a bow folks .very funny lol.
And yes there will be morons texting while on one and cause serious accident. . But that probably isn’t important
Hopefully they take a few selfies while they’re at it. let natural selection take care of them.
A lot of Bover and it don’t even hover.
They’re called self balance scooters, not hoverboard’s
have your say