Last week, the Taoiseach stated it would be reckless and irresponsible for the UK to trigger Article 16. As we all know, tensions continue to rise. A meeting between the EU negotiator, Mr. Maroš Šefčovič, and Lord Frost on Friday ended without any form of agreement. It is reported today that face-to-face talks are taking place this week between senior Irish and British Government figures. The Taoiseach might outline to the House in detail what that involves and who is taking part in those discussions. Discussions b…

The publication of the draft transport strategy for the greater Dublin area raised a huge amount of concerns. It will be at least 2031 before MetroLink is in place. For growing towns like Swords it confirms what the NDP pointed out, namely, this project has no actual start or completion dates. Is that not fair to say? Will the Taoiseach respond? Suburbs like Lucan and Finglas are also facing another ten years of congestion with new Luas lines years away. So many people are so depressed by what was revealed as the r…

Afforestation will play a key role in climate change mitigation; the Minister has acknowledged this. It has been a huge cost for us to have missed our afforestation targets in Ireland in recent years. Over the past five years, we have missed planting targets by more than 15,000 ha. Had this area been afforested, these forests had the potential to remove 5.4 million tonnes of carbon. This is a major missed opportunity. Furthermore, afforestation for 2021 will be approximately 2,000 ha, which is well below where we s…

That is badly needed.

I raise an issue to do with the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan. It does not relate to his double, strange PCR tests. We know we are dealing with a Covid crisis and, potentially, a Brexit Article 16 crisis. However, if the Taoiseach and his Government colleagues cannot keep the lights on or the houses warm this winter nor plan for industry and inward investment, that is the rock on which they will perish. I have serious concerns about this, which I have repeatedly raised. We are facing a perfect storm in energy supply.…

Finally, can the Taoiseach give some comfort to those renewable energy projects, such solar and offshore, that the regulatory system will be fit for purpose? To date, and over the last five years, it seems that has not been.

I am not jumping to conclusions.

It did not go ahead.

The High Court decided that. It did not decide but threatened to decide it.

The Taoiseach knows what I am saying.

The court did not decide it. It threatened to.

We do not technically have an energy problem. We have a great deal of potential energy in this country, given the amount of wind that we have. Our problem is getting it into the grid. There is potential but we do not actually have it. The Taoiseach knows, more than anyone else in this House, about bad politics and regulation failure when it came to the banking industry. We have an issue here with regard to energy. Too many companies are pulling out. We are all for regulation but if the regulation is not working, it…

Did the banking regulation work 15 years ago? When something is seen, it has to be called out.

Call it out.

The lights going off.

It will not be a problem.

Unions representing the community and voluntary sector have lodged a 3% pay claim and are seeking improved terms. As I am sure the Taoiseach appreciates, these workers are the glue that holds our community together. Section 39 organisations, and home help and home care workers, represented by SIPTU, Fórsa, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, INMO, and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, have all launched a campaign, Value Care and Recognize Work, looking for a fair future for them. Their work is very precar…

Will you meet them?

When will the citizens' assembly on drug use be established? There has been call for action on the tsunami of crack cocaine addiction in south-west Dublin. The issue has been all over the airwaves and it will become bigger and bigger in the years ahead. It is not isolated to Dublin. Ailbhe Conneely has covered the issue in depth for RTÉ, as the Taoiseach is probably aware, over the last two days. The Tallaght Drug & Alcohol Task Force found that one third of those seeking help for addiction are women. The task forc…

I have been studying health for many years. It is the reason I got into politics. I do not think we realise what we are facing into over the coming months. I am not saying this in any political way but genuinely. I have never seen so many people, and I have family members who work in the healthcare area, who are so exhausted. They are facing into a perfect storm because of where we are with Covid. We do not fully know where we are going. This winter will not be like last winter because we will have other issues suc…