With regard to special advisers and the special relationship between the three political leaders at the heart of government, all three individuals knew about the upcoming issue in the leaving certificate a week before it was announced by the Minister for Education and Skills. This information was not shared with the Cabinet. I am quite sure the special advisers attached to the Taoiseach's office knew. While the three party leaders knew, the entirety of the Cabinet did not know. Does the Taoiseach not think the Labo…

The Taoiseach shared his assessment of Brexit developments with EU leaders last week. Next week's budget is being prepared on a no-deal basis. Will the Taoiseach share with us the key outcome of that meeting and his discussions with Ursula von der Leyen? Was there any agreement on taking action against Belarus? It appears to us in the Labour Party that the European Union has been very slow to speak strongly and with one voice about the rise of unrest across Europe and the rise of right-wing, almost neo-fascist, sen…

I welcome the Tánaiste and thank him for his speech. The Labour Party has always been pro-business and pro-Europe on the basis of what business and Europe can do for ordinary people, including workers. I am sure the Tánaiste shares my party's concern over potential export losses to the tune of €18 billion in respect of the UK land bridge. Eighteen billion euro is 40% of our entire export revenue. About 150,000 trucks are involved. The Tánaiste and many others who watch these matters carefully will know that the pub…

Everybody in the House would accept that the Minister has had a lot on her plate. She tried to reopen schools and deal with a lot of inherited messes on her desk. Nobody is suggesting for a second that all of this is her fault. There are things she has to address in the coming time. She has to address too-large class sizes in primary and secondary schools. A teaching union is balloting for industrial action because of the nature of what is going on in second level schools. She has to sort out pay inequality. She ha…

I am astounded by the Taoiseach's answer to my colleague and party leader, Deputy Kelly, that there has been yet another foul-up from the Department of Education and Skills in respect of the leaving certificate. The leaving certificate was postponed, the calculated grades system replaced it, the results date was postponed, and now it has been reported that for 10% of all students, there is an error in their calculated grades. Does the Taoiseach not think this deserves more of a reaction from the Government? Does he…

It is not technical.

I move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to amend Part X (Admission to Schools) of the Education Act 1998 insofar as it relates to taking into account a student's connection to a school by virtue of a family member having previously attended the school when deciding on an application for admission to that school, and to provide for connected matters. It feels strange to speak on an education Bill, considering what we just heard from An Taoiseach, but we will return to that in due course. Th…

I move: "That the Bill be taken in Private Members' time."

All the issues to be discussed by the citizens' assembly are important but none more so than that of drugs. The Minister of State with responsibility for the national drugs strategy has stated in the House that he has twice written to the Taoiseach to try to find out when the citizens' assembly might take place. There is a feeling that in the middle of a pandemic, all that momentum for radical drug reform that had been building for years, on issues such as drug use, addiction and recovery, has, unfortunately, been …

As the Taoiseach indicated, we cannot say we will deal with the drugs citizens' assembly question when the Citizens' Assembly meets. There was great co-operation across these Houses on the issue of injecting centres and decriminalisation. I will return to the Seanad matter for a moment. The Taoiseach nominated Colette Kelleher to the Seanad in a previous Oireachtas and the Government took on the suggestion of appointing a Traveller representative. It would be a strong sign if the Government could nominate somebody …

I am sure the Taoiseach has a view on it.

I wish to join other speakers and note that the Labour Party supports moves towards a united Ireland. We are interested to know whether the shared island unit in the Department of the Taoiseach has discussed the Government's vision with unionist leaders.

I welcome the announcement that was made earlier today. I note the Taoiseach stated that two places on the commission are yet to be filled. My party and I hope that full-time journalists will be appointed to those positions. In concurring with the remarks of Deputy Bruton, I would note that journalism is in a very difficult position, not least in these Houses where it has never been more important to have good journalism. Anybody who is reading the book "Champagne Football" or listening to the online podcasts about…

I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I will be sharing time with Deputy Nash. I am very proud to propose this Bill to the House as a member of the Labour Party. This party and the labour movement were founded to protect workers and what is more important in a pandemic and health crisis? What greater action can the State take to protect workers during this pandemic only to ensure there is statutory sick pay for all? Sick pay is required in a health crisis. It may surprise many people in this country th…

I will be sharing time with my colleague, Deputy Duncan Smith. The Labour Party will support Deputy Ward's motion. I have sympathy with what the previous speaker said about not demonising young people and, indeed, particular areas. There is an area in my constituency which is having a particular issue at the moment. The Minister knows that because I wrote to her, the Garda Commissioner and the local Garda station about it. I do not want to name the park in question but I met residents of the area on Friday evening …

While the Minister is here I will recap-----

I did not interrupt Deputy Donnelly.

I am being truthful.

To recap the points I have made, I have written to the Minister regarding the particular park I have a concern about. The crime commission on the northside is important. The Garda station is important. The funding of local communities is important. Members cannot come to the House and speak about a lack of funding when they are voting, through their parties, to cut it at a local level.

It might be appropriate that the Minister of State, Deputy Feighan, is taking this because he is in charge of the national drugs strategy. The issue of drugs is an important issue throughout the country but on the north side of Dublin, it causes great heartache. In June 2019 on a visit to political leaders in Dublin Bay North, the assistant Garda commissioner confirmed that a Garda station was to be located in the Dublin 13 or Dublin 17 area to serve the vast expanding community in Clongriffin and Belmayne. It is e…