It was pretty obvious from yesterday's committee meeting.

Agreed.

We have a personnel crisis in our Defence Forces. There is a cohort of privates and corporals recruited since 1994 who can continue in service only until the end of next year, December 2022. It is estimated that 700 experienced non-commissioned officers in the post-1994 cohort will be leaving. We cannot support this. The knowledge and expertise are going. If the personnel meet the medical and fitness criteria that would allow them to continue to serve, why can the Government not address this? Will the Tánaiste clar…

The welcome announcement of the recommendation of vaccines for five to 11-year-olds is something I am strongly in favour of. I seek clarity for the public because we need it. Will this be done through mass vaccination centres or GPs? The vaccine is recommended for those with underlying illnesses or those living with a child with complex needs or with somebody older who is immunocompromised. I understand that but I have a concern about how we kick this off and the language used. Already a discourse is emanating that…

How that is kicked off is important.

Time is of the essence.

News came on Monday that Ireland is to receive approximately €920 million from the EU's Brexit adjustment reserve fund, with an additional €244 million to be paid in 2025. That is very welcome but we need to ensure that EU funding goes to the traders and sectors that need it most, including those in our fishing sector, businesses dealing with Brexit challenges and, of course, agriculture and food. What plan does the Government have for this money? Can the Taoiseach provide detailed breakdowns for this year and next…

It is unusual for all of us to echo one point, but what Deputy Boyd Barrett said earlier about those appointments is true. It is the case with all of us in here, so I urge the Taoiseach to take it seriously. I wish to raise two issues. The Garda Commissioner expressed serious concerns regarding policing reforms. He told the justice committee that the powers granted to the new Garda ombudsman under the Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2021 were "disproportionate, unconstitutional and will not withstand a…

What about the Commissioner?

What are the Taoiseach's views on that?

That is not an answer. It is ridiculous.

What are the Taoiseach's future intentions for this unit? Will it be underpinned by legislation or is it just a kind of social partnership by another name? The labour employer economic forum, or LEEF, as it is called, is one of the key groups supported by this unit and it is currently examining proposals for a bonus for front-line workers. It is 18 months since this was first brought up. The Taoiseach has been completely inconsistent on this. We do not know where he is at in this regard. Following an earlier reques…

I want to ask what is going on as regards communications with NPHET. I do not want to use the phrase “gag” but that seems to be what it is. Now, all communication has to go through the Government Information Service, GIS. If that is the way the Taoiseach wants to do things, that is fine, but he is responsible for that because it reports to him and GIS is in his Department. Why is this change happening now as regards the process by which NPHET communicates with the public? The Taoiseach is responsible for it, but wh…

I presume the Taoiseach is not referring to my party because, as he knows, uniquely among Opposition parties, we have supported the emergency measures. It is very hard to take the Taoiseach seriously when he says that the message is sometimes lost in translation. What happened in relation to schools was not lost in translation; it was a direct contradiction. I have been raising antigen testing in the House for 14 months. I am worried about GIS and the spokespeople from NPHET, a considerable percentage of whom are p…

What if they contact them directly?

Why?

All of a sudden, two years later.

Yes, about Ministers.

About Ministers.

When you are explaining, you are losing.