The Deputy is entitled to do so, as he is well aware, but not with a hat.

I call the Independent Group. Deputy Joan Collins and Connolly are sharing an eight minute slot.

This week's meeting of the European Council comes at a critical time for many economic sectors in member states. That is very true for Ireland. The pandemic has left a trail of damage in its wake, taking the lives of thousands in Ireland and hundreds of thousands across the European bloc. This has brought significant suffering to Europeans, presenting fundamental challenges to our economy and our way of life. From the outset of this crisis, EU member states have acted in good faith with one another, working togethe…

The Acting Chairman's question, Question No. 66, is due to be taken before my question, if he wishes to take it now.

My question relates to the sports capital programme, the unprecedented level of applications in recent months and the discussion on that in regard to the potential to increase the general fund to facilitate that.

I appreciate the response. I am very pleased there has been such a significant uptake. It is an extraordinarily important scheme, which I know the Minister of State will recognise. I am certainly hopeful the Minister of State would see fit, along with the Cabinet, to increase the level of funding available, given the unprecedented level of applications. I am very pleased to hear that more than 1,000 of the clubs and associations that have applied for equipment grants, if I am reading between the lines, should hear …

I am always pleased with the sports capital programme because it is so significant for community sporting clubs across the country. I refer to a prior question from Deputy Gould answered by the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, about sustaining participation in sport. The sports capital programme forms a critical part of that process. While I appreciate that €200 million for the sports capital programme is unlikely and that €40 million is quite generous, I am interested to see if there will be a move in the near f…

I am sure that the broadcasting team will be delighted to get back to Leinster House where they are able to press a button and update the system much faster than they can here. I welcome the questions from Deputies Ward and Ó Murchú. In the days that followed the Christian Eriksen collapse, I would say many Deputies got emails from members of the public querying the availability of automated external defibrillators, AEDs, in their communities. In that regard, the local Lions organisation in Fingal has an extensive …

My question relates to support for the tourism sector and the expected impact of the closure of Stobart Air.

It is difficult not to stray into the Department of Transport as well, as I am sure the Minister will appreciate. I appreciate the level of funding her Department has offered the sector. There are extreme difficulties, particularly in our regions. As a general observation, I want to express my disappointment that Stobart Air went to the wall, in light, in particular, of it being a PSO carrier. A modest level of funding with a requirement for us to ensure that the routes would be retained and maintained might have g…

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Fleming, for his presence during the debate. There are many good aspects of the national recovery and resilience plan and I welcome its introduction with all the stated aims and programmes outlined by the Minister, and I very much look forward to his closing remarks later. After 15 months of Covid-19, the plan's publication is a decisive moment in the pandemic, as we shift our focus from our emergence from an incredibly difficult period to an opportunity to pause, reflect and d…

I thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Minster of State for the strong statement from this House, and I trust the motion will pass later. I admire the principled stance the Government has taken on this matter. I acknowledge the speed with which the UN has acknowledged that this matter, particularly the forced landing of an aircraft to extract a citizen from it, is very serious. It is a disgraceful act of tyranny. The circumstances in Belarus have been deteriorating for some time. I visited Minsk some year…

Before I call Deputy Shortall, I wish to advise Deputy Flaherty that he has a slot after Deputy Shortall's for the full 11 minutes.

I call Deputy Joe Flaherty who has 11 minutes.

That is absolutely fine. I understand the motion and the Bill being too close together, ostensibly on the same issue. I thank the Minister for bringing this matter before us, which is an opportunity for every Member of the House to have their say on the quite extraordinary measures introduced in the last Dáil and renewed in this one. These are necessary steps at an extraordinary time and not taken lightly as many Members have said over the course of the debate. The extraordinary powers afforded to the Department of…

Ireland is not an outlier, nor should it be. I believe the digital green certificate should be introduced in July. We made a commitment that the recovery proposal for aviation would be published in May and I am pleased to note that will happen on Friday. I am, however, dismayed at certain aspects of the Minister's contribution this afternoon on the basis that it now looks like we will introduce the digital green certificate in the middle of August. While I understand there may be moves with regard to the common tra…

I cannot see the Minister of State but I know he is there. I will start by mentioning a development that occurred this evening. I am pleased to report that Fingal County Council, my local authority, voted for 1,200 houses in Donabate. Rather shockingly, although unsurprisingly, Sinn Féin opposed it. The development will provide for more than 500 social and affordable homes and 700 private homes. They will be available soon at a price of €270,000, far under the cap that will be placed on it by the Government. I rais…

I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive response. There was a lot of information in his reply for me to consider as a member of the climate committee in the coming months. One of the issues mentioned by the Minister of State was grid improvements, and the necessity for us to invest a significant sum in upgrading our grid infrastructure to cater for demand but also for home and-or commercial generation, that is, into power stations. This is something that we encourage, of course. I know the Minister, Dep…

I suspect that the Ceann Comhairle's list may be out of date. I was told I would be after Deputy Gannon.

Thank you, a Cheann Comhairle. I appreciate that very much. As a member of the committee on education, I was pleased, alongside my colleagues, to be able to waive pre-legislative scrutiny on this Bill. It is important we play our part in getting the Bill through the Houses. I thank the Minister for the manner in which it was brought before us through committee in respect of the discussions we had previously with her officials. I take this opportunity to thank the students for the significant advocacy they brought t…