Yes.

I am national now.

I ask for an update on post-primary capacity planning in Clontarf, Killester and Raheny, including the current assessment of projected enrolment pressure and the steps the Department is taking to ensure an adequate supply of secondary school places, particularly in co-educational schools as a survey has shown that 89% of parents in the area want co-educational education.

I appreciate that every child has a space but these spaces are not where parents desire to send their children. It is bananas. I was recently at an event with a load of up-and-coming parents, the new generation, and they were unanimously for this. The report submitted to the Minister's office shows a community that is ready for change and parents who are willing to support that change. Is there an indication of whether the Department is actively considering the establishment of new co-educational secondary schools …

I appreciate that. It is very important that Education Equality is invited to the national convention on education. It represents a large cohort of parents and a large cohort of the future generation. It needs to be replied to. We can be assured that representatives from State bodies and patrons will be there to fight their cases. It is important that Education Equality is there to show the other side on behalf of people who want change. I thank the Minister of State on the record of the House for all the help he h…

I, too, wish the Athenry camogie team the best of luck. We need to change the public perception of trades. I am aware that Jim Hargis, at the education and training hub in St. Andrew's Resource Centre, Dublin, is playing a key role in designing and running community-focused education. For the construction industry, the skills programme and the future of our offshore renewable energy, we need more trades and skilled workers. We need to change the public perception to show this is a very good option for people to go …

I am glad the Minister of State has visited the training board at St. Andrew's in Dublin. Having gone through the points race in the leaving certificate, apprenticeships were never really an option and were not discussed among my peers because we were not shown and educated about the trades route. I now see a lot of people going into it when they move abroad, or if they come up, but they need to be shown more. We need to do more advertising to show people because with the development of housing or offshore renewabl…

It is great to see that. I welcome the engagement the Minister of State has had with me so far. Especially for my constituency, and from speaking to young adults, it would be great if we could continue to see the investment she mentioned into more apprenticeship programmes. There are a lot of derelict sites in north Dublin that could be upgraded and used as an apprenticeship college. There are ones we could invest in. We need to show, north Dublin especially, that there are other options for these kids and future a…

Ba mhaith liom ceist a chur ar an Taoiseach faoin flooding we saw in Clontarf yesterday. I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Boxer Moran, for coming down and sorting out the dreaded sandbags, but households and businesses were very worried yesterday. I had tens of people-----

Clontarf. Does the Taoiseach not know I am a Clontarf man? The flood defence is critically needed. Will flood defences be included in critical infrastructure with the recent announcement last week? This needs to be fast-tracked and people and businesses need assurance.

I concur with some of the other younger Deputies. I was brought up with this. I remember going to school when the first phones came out and growing up through the smartphone era. I remember my first time having that urge to check the phone and feeling like I was tied to it. I currently have a blocker on my phone that restricts my social media access but kids are not very aware of what they are doing. We also have to put parents on notice not to give their children phones at such an early age. I do not encourage ano…

I thank the Minister of State for her visit to the CRC in Dublin Bay North. It was great to see her and long may her visits to north Dublin continue. This topic was one of the first things I spoke about in this House as well. When we were in discussions on government formation as regional Independents, it was big part of our negotiations. We made a clear commitment in the programme for Government that every child in this State deserved timely assessment, timely intervention and the right support to thrive. The Mini…

I wanted to raise this as well to ask the reason a graduated-----

Sorry, I am still new to the House.

I would support a graduated tax system based on business size and turnover - a tiered system, like in other EU countries. I would particularly support small family-run SMEs. Is the Department examining such an approach to providing meaningful relief for community businesses? Are alternative measures being developed to ease the VAT burden on smaller enterprises? The Minister referred to this in his statement. I also raise the issue of the burden of the cost of renewing the general employment permit after two years. …

I am not asking for more supports. I know there have been a lot of them, and I am proud of some of the supports in the budget. I am asking whether the Department is examining a tiered tax system based on turnover per business, say, €300,000 to €400,000, based on the differentiation in their turnover. The Minister spoke about supporting entrepreneurs. The current wage subsidy scheme needs to be reviewed for self-employed people with disabilities and self-employed entrepreneurs who are employing people with disabilit…

Cuirim ceist faoi fhorbairt an phobal Gaeltachta. Cé go bhfuil an tAire le moladh as an ardú suntasach a baineadh amach i mbuiséad 2026 don Ghaeilge agus don Ghaeltacht, an bhfuil socrú déanta i dtaobh an €2 mhilliún a gealladh d’Fhoras na Gaeilge?

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. Tá sé go deas é sin a cloisteáil. Maidir leis an maoiniú le haghaidh Foras na Gaeilge, ba mhaith liom míle buíochas a ghabháil ar son mo Dháilcheantar agus ar son muintir na Gaeltachta. Bhí mé ag caint le hionadaithe agus tá siad an-bhuíoch. An féidir leis an Aire an €2 milliún atá beartaithe d’Fhoras na Gaeilge ó mhí Eanáir ar aghaidh a mhíniú? Can this funding be channelled directly through Foras na Gaeilge from that date? What interim or alternative solution has been designed so th…

Ní raibh mé ag an gcruinniú sin; bhí mé ag cruinniú eile. Táim fíorbhuíoch as an €2 milliún sin d’Fhoras na Gaeilge. Bhí mé ag caint le hionadaithe aréir nuair a chuir an tAire an fógra amach. Gabhaim buíochas leis as sin. Agus muid ag caint mar gheall ar an nGaeilge agus Foras na Gaeilge, ba mhaith liom ceist eile atá ag goilliúint ar phobal mo dháilcheantar a ardú. B'fhéidir nach bhfuil an tAire in ann caint faoi. Tá mé ag caint faoi deighilt a dhéanamh idir an bhéalscrúdú agus ceist na gramadaí. Tá go leor daoin…

Tuigim é sin.