This question relates to an old bugbear of mine with the number of people who fall short of the necessary contributions due to a variety of circumstances, such as women who are spouses of self-employed people, where the Department does not always allow a partnership to exist in determining the eligibility for an insurance-based pension, and where people have a shortage of contributions in any event and the number of those contributions have reduced their entitlements, if they have any at all.

It does not actually. In a short sojourn in that Department, I made an attempt a number of times to change the situation whereby people had an entitlement because they had an average of more than 21 contributions in a year and qualified for a pension, and people with fewer than 21 contributions qualified for no pension. I contended that it was unconstitutional despite the fact that Departments always make these decisions and arbitrarily decided that there is a cut-off point. I know the Minister has been looking at …

I agree that the Minister has made many important improvements, but there is always room for more, particularly in cases where there is an obvious want or deficiency in the system that does not meet a particular situation. Might the Minister look at the possible costs of having a pro rata pension made available to all persons based on their level of contributions and without reference to the necessity to have 500 contributions in a particular period?

The Minister of State's progressive attitude towards sports capital grant funding is to be welcomed. One thing I would ask is that perhaps special consideration might be given to clubs and groups that have not previously received any recognition. There are a number of such organisations and they have been feeling a little neglected for some years. This is an opportunity to help them and one which I am sure the Minister of State will seize.

The Minister has to be congratulated for the progress to date in a very difficult situation between economic factors, Covid, Brexit and all the things that have impeded progress not only on housing but on everything else as well. We welcome the success to date. Everyone will agree that we now need a push forward. We spoke about this recently. We need to push forward and it is possible to do it now. When one gets to a certain stage of delivery it is easier than when one is low down in the production rate. I ask that…

I acknowledge the progress the Minister is making. There is a multiplicity of schemes, some of which are more helpful than others. Would it be possible to look at the schemes in their totality with a view to discontinuing some and adding more of an incentive to other schemes that might have a bigger impact?

I raise again reports of antisocial behaviour that seems to primarily target women or households where women are the head of the household. In some cases, the family, the victim, has to leave the home, sometimes into homelessness. Will the Tánaiste try to ascertain the full extent of this problem throughout the country, maybe through the local authorities? The issue affects both local authorities and private authorities all over the country, however.

There must be no interruptions.

In accordance with Standing Order 80(2), the division is postponed until the weekly division time on Wednesday, 12 June 2024.

Before we go back to Deputy Ó Cathasaigh, I congratulate him on the futuristic nature, as it should be, and the thought-provoking nature of the debate. His proposal is important in the time in which we live. The Deputy has ten minutes.

I thank Deputy Ó Cathasaigh for a very interesting debate. It is very appropriate for this particular time.

The question has been carried and the Bill will be dealt with in the usual way in due course.

I am glad to have an opportunity to speak in this very important debate. While many people in the House have said that this has come too late and should have come earlier, the fact is that it has come. It is the right decision and it had to be taken now, in view of the happenings over the past six or seven months. The situation was not started by the Israelis but it was continued by the Israelis. As someone who tried to use his small influence with both sides in the past, when I was Chairman of the European affairs…

This question seeks to ascertain from the Minister the extent to which she remains satisfied she can accommodate primary and secondary level schoolchildren throughout County Kildare and throughout the country in time for the enrolment next September. This is a very important time for children, and the indecision or doubt we had last September would not be a help if it were to reoccur.

I thank the Minister for her helpful reply and I acknowledge the tremendous investment in education in County Kildare in school buildings in particular and in improving standards generally. We all came through the time when it was not so. We are anxious to ascertain certain things. For instance, Mercy Convent in Naas appears to be completed in terms of building works, but is not. It is completed on the outside but not the inside. The Minister kindly arranged for Oireachtas Members to meet with the planning section …

I agree the Minister has given much time to ensuring the fastest possible delivery takes place and that accommodation needs and the needs of children in education are kept to the fore. St. Farnan's Post Primary School in Prosperous is another one we all thought would be well advanced by now but it is not. I reiterate the point I made on the climate element. This is a red herring that has been drawn, though not by the Minister. It is a mistake made by somebody in terms of planning for the future. It is impossible to…

Does the Minister have information on the number of post-primary schools which do not deliver the social and political curriculum?

Is the Minister satisfied all schools are participating equally or is there a variation between different areas, particularly disadvantaged areas? Can she evaluate the extent to which that is happening? For example, is there a known situation whereby particular schools invariably do not participate or do not participate fully?

Would it be possible to get information from the inspectorate on the level to which it has witnessed the participation that is expected and which would provide invaluable educational support to children, particularly in areas of DEIS schools and where there is obvious social deprivation?

This question seeks to alert the Minister of the need to deal with the issue of school transport. Difficulties have arisen in relation to the availability of school places. It has become necessary for some parents to drop their children to school and pick them up. This involves four trips for parents in the day and in some cases, to more than one school, which makes life extremely difficult. Could the transport system be improved or made more flexible?