He did not resign from the Taoiseach's party. He is still in the parliamentary party, getting rounds of applause.

That is not what the Taoiseach did.

It was good enough for you, Taoiseach.

Make the order.

Come on. This is a total distraction.

They are as bad as each other.

Hear, hear.

The Taoiseach did it himself. When he leaked the document, he took questions.

I agree with the Minister. Our country is heartbroken this morning. More will be said about that later but I join with the Minister in his condolences with the family of the lost soldier. Will the Minister make a statement on the ways in which the ongoing review in energy security will integrate sectoral emissions ceiling and carbon budget obligations, his plans to ensure that as-demand reduction measures are prioritised in the review, and the ways in which the principles of a just transition will be integrated int…

The Labour Party has concerns partly because briefing documents prepared for the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy McConalogue, which were obtained under freedom of information, reported in The Business Post at the weekend, stated it is not feasible for Ireland to cut methane emissions by 30% by 2030. We are particularly concerned to see this concession made by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Agricultural methane emissions from livestock account for 95% of Ireland's methane e…

As the Minister knows, the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, has made it clear a methane emissions reduction of almost 30% is required to achieve a 22% reduction in agricultural emissions, and we all remember the row over the summer in regard to emissions savings. We would have liked to have seen a commitment closer to a 30% reduction. The lower ceiling which is in place instead was accepted on the basis that it could not be exceeded. However, going by this report in the newspaper at the weekend, no credible pa…

What are the Minister's plans to ensure confirmed data centres connections will not increase emissions? What are his plans to ensure that such connections do not lock in higher gas demands?

Ireland could have 146 data centres if all approved projects and projects seeking planning permission go ahead. If all of these projects are completed, the power demand capacity will triple. The disorganised nature of this rapid growth in the sector is problematic for our climate ambitions and for families who are worried about the lights and heat going off this cold and dark winter. The Government needs to institute a moratorium on new connections until it gets to grips with what is happening. Those making these p…

As the Minister knows, demand for gas for electricity generation, heating and other uses must fall by 40% this decade and by a further 80% in the 2030s if we are to meet our climate commitments. Despite this, we continue to prepare to build new gas-fuelled electricity generation plants. Even if all future data centres were to run on renewable energy, it would leave shortages of clean energy for other sectors. Gas is wrongly being peddled as a silver-bullet transition fuel. As the Minister knows, the effect of carbo…

I congratulate my colleague Deputy Bacik on being true to her commitment, at the time of the Dublin Bay South by-election, to introduce this legislation and for dealing with so many local groups. As a fellow baywatcher, I believe this legislation is particularly important for the area I represent, Dublin Bay North. One of the communities in my constituency is grieving today as a result of the laying to rest of a four-year-old girl this morning. I wanted to acknowledge that on the floor of the House today. All of us…

Marino. How dare you.

The Minister is in enough hot water.

The members of the Government have surpassed themselves today. I was speaking to somebody in the education sphere last week. Our conversation turned to teacher shortages and the person said to me that whatever those in government come up with, we can be sure their plan will put the blame on teachers. Sure enough, as if by magic, just as they are scrambling around to try to find answers to come up with some sort of a response to the excellent motion tabled by my colleague, Deputy Gary Gannon, and the Social Democrat…

The purpose of this instruction is to allow the Minister to extend the scope of the existing provisions of the Bill. An increasing trend of the Government is to bring forward new and substantial amendments to Bills going through the Houses unrelated to the original purpose of the proposed legislation. It is not good practice and it hinders our ability to scrutinise legislation. It was used extensively on the Electoral Reform Act earlier this year. This week we have also seen a similar approach to the Patient Safety…

I wish to give credit to the Minister of State and the work he has done here. He gave a commitment that this legislation would be brought before the House and he has been true to his word. Often in politics, people in his position do not get any praise whatsoever so I will say that much. It can be difficult to wade through all the different responsibilities, find the time to engage with all the stakeholders, produce a piece of legislation and bring it before the Oireachtas. I give credit to the Minister of State fo…