I appreciate the opportunity to speak on this important matter. I welcome the report and the relevant remarks from the Ministers who spoke at length earlier. The data compiled by the Central Statistics Office provides a stark insight into the prevalence of sexual violence in our country. The data reveals the extent to which people of all ages continue to encounter sexual violence and live with the aftermath of those experiences. I commend the CSO for carrying out this research, which will provide valuable data with…

I ask Deputy Ó Murchú to be brief or the Taoiseach will not have time to respond.

The Taoiseach has 12 seconds to respond.

I invite the Taoiseach to respond briefly.

The Deputies who asked the questions in the next group might agree to disagree.

To be fair, as Members have raised the matter, the Standing Order under which we are operating, Standing Order 47, does not allow for questions or groups of questions to exceed 15 minutes.

I thank the Minister of State for his presence. I have been listening carefully to this debate. It is one that interests me greatly and our heritage and historic infrastructure up and down the country is extremely important to me and, indeed, it is the bedrock of our story as a people. It offers a link to our past as to where we come from and, of course, we must improve how we preserve and protect such sites. Unfortunately, as with many countries that emerge from the control of another, we have lost vast amounts of…

Okay. I was not aware of that. To conclude, this Bill will allow the State to take ownership of archaeological items with no known owner and this is important. I echo the call made regarding the need for a dedicated unit to be created in An Bord Pleanála that would work to ensure that our cultural, historical and archaeological sites will be treated as such and their significance protected during any future planning or construction projects. I certainly commend the Bill to the House and I thank the Minister of Stat…

It is a lovely view.

I take this opportunity to commend the membership of the committee, particularly the chair, Deputy Whitmore, and the vice chair, Deputy Higgins, on the great deal of positive work it conducted. I say to the Minister that he has a great deal of goodwill in the room. He must accept that. While it will be difficult, it is good to hear that the Minister's own target is for the appropriate Bill to be completed by the summer recess. I am sure the members of the public who are present to witness this discussion will appre…

I understand Deputy McAuliffe is asking a question on behalf of Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan.

I am sorry. The Deputy is over time.

I am sorry. The Deputy is well over time.

I have to allow other Members in.

I am the Cathaoirleach.

I will manage the House, thank you.

As the first group of questions was quite extensive, I propose to facilitate Deputy Aindrias Moynihan, with the agreement of the House, with a one-minute response to his question from the Taoiseach followed by comments from the Deputy. I call the Taoiseach to answer Question No. 16, briefly.

I was mistaken; I rushed Deputy Moynihan unnecessarily. We have until 1.58 p.m., so the Taoiseach can respond. I apologise.

I requested that this debate take place primarily because this is such an important issue for the House to discuss. Timing-wise, I could not have gotten it better, as the Special Criminal Court made its decision on Monday. I welcome the opportunity to speak on what is a significant matter for our country. Organised crime poses a direct threat to our population, society and the workings of a stable democracy. It tears at the very fabric of our communities. Organised crime and its footsoldiers have no place in our so…

In recent weeks and months we have seen an increasing number of events outside, and unfortunately inside, libraries involving intimidatory behaviour towards library staff and the general public in an attempt to remove, to deface or outright remove without permission certain library books for children. I am sure the Minister will agree with me that a library is a place of learning, information and study and is certainly no place for extreme politics of any kind. What assurances can he give me that the Government can…