Like the Minister, I was looking forward to live events being rolled out. I have been critical of the slow pace of the roll-out of pilot events, in particular, in comparison to other countries. We could have been further along the road with those pilot events. It is welcome that the Minister has announced the use of the antigen testing on 3 July. If it had been used in the other events, we may have been further down the road of rolling out and opening up live events, which would have been a very significant encoura…

I do not expect venues to reopen overnight, given the practical problems the Minister has outlined, but they need some indication in order that they can plan. That is why it is important that as many as possible of these test events are held in the proper manner and given the full range of supports and protections in order that lessons can be learned and processes can be set down as quickly as possible for the next series of events. In doing so, organisers will have a better idea of whether there is a need for incr…

I take on board what the Minister of State said on the scheduling and will pass it on to our Whip and the Ceann Comhairle to try to ensure that debates of this nature are not held at the midnight shift. Maybe if we were back in the big House, there would be more people around.

I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 37 and the name of the Member in each case: (1) Deputy Paul McAuliffe - to discuss the issue of the local employment services tender; (2) Deputies Dara Calleary and James Lawless - to raise the proposed removal of rail infrastructure from Dublin Port arising from increased Brexit shipping movements; (3) Deputies Aengus Ó Snodaigh and Joan Collins - to discuss the consequences for the Dublin 8, 10 and 1…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach Gníomhach as seasamh isteach dom chun deis a thabhairt dom an cheist seo a ardú. Hesed House provided a valuable counselling service in Inchicore serving more than 80 clients a week. Anybody who knows the area will know of many of the problems that have been visited on not only the Inchicore area but Dublin 8, 10 and 12 in general on top of having just come through a pandemic. This counselling service served individuals, couples and the local schools. It provided a vital serv…

I thank the Minister of State for the reassurance regarding ongoing issues. It is still raw because the service has only just closed. Indeed, the closing date was brought forward. There was a creditors' meeting at which no answers were given. I am glad the Minister of State has given the assurance that the HSE will ensure that the Dublin 8, 10 and 12 areas will be provided with counselling and that any gaps in service provision will be addressed through those services. Those who have now been left without counselli…

I am sorry Deputy Murphy, you cannot speak a second time.

No, Deputies can only speak once on Second Stage. Deputy Devlin is next.

As the Government proposes to dissolve the Digital Hub Development Agency, what steps does the Minister of State propose to take to retain the cluster of digital companies that are in the digital hub in the Liberties?

The Minister of State is correct that I have raised this matter on a number of occasions. It is a bizarre decision to collapse what was, and is, a successful enterprise and successful regeneration of an area which underwent huge urban decay and has managed to come out of it. It is illogical to transfer the 5.6 acres from the digital hub to the Land Development Agency. There are problems in regard to the Land Development Agency anyway. There are other sites as large and maybe larger in the Dublin 8 area that are in …

Again, what the Minister of State is saying is illogical. While Dublin may be successful in attracting businesses, the Liberties area has been because of the Digital Hub but that facility will not be there in the future. Housing is not the only issue. As I said, the State has quite a lot of land in close proximity to the area, including in Bridgefoot Street, St. Michael's Estate, the CIÉ works land, which nobody is talking about, OPW land and two sites on Davitt Road. All of those sites are quite large. Nobody is t…

I listed a whole range of sites in the area that could be used for housing but which the State has not even bothered its arse to look at.

I hope Deputy Bruton will learn some lessons and look at what I am talking about.

The question is that the amendment be made. Na Teachtaí atá ar thaobh na ceiste, abair Tá.

Níl aon duine ar thaobh an leasaithe.

Yes.

Baineann mo cheist leis an Mol Digiteach i mBaile Átha Cliath 8. This is vital infrastructure in an area that suffered from inaction for many generations and that is still suffering from it in some cases. The area has a low level of educational attainment and a high unemployment rate. It is recognised throughout Dublin and beyond for its concentration of local authority housing complexes, or flats. Also in the area is Guinness, with all the employment it has brought. I was elected in 2002 and the Digital Hub starte…

I do not think the mandarins, the Minister of State or the senior Minister get exactly what the Digital Hub was. It was a beacon in an area which has suffered significant dereliction through the years and has significant need for regeneration. Just when it was achieving success, it is being closed down. In fact, it has been successful from day one, but even recently it was discussing a significant contract with St. James's Hospital. I presume that is now gone out the window. It involved moving towards digital and m…

There has been a housing crisis in this State for decades. It has many facets and it has been presided over by this Government and previous Governments. That is a fact that cannot be denied by the Government or its predecessors. They have presided over the chaos that is housing policy in this State. They have facilitated developers continuously, year in and year out, decade after decade. Even when developers went bang, Governments have stepped in and bailed them out. There have been many facets to this crisis, as I…

The Deputy is over time.