The Deputy following Deputy Harkin has five minutes.

I call Deputy Connolly to speak now, please.

I thank the Minister of State. Next, I call Deputies Joan Collins and Thomas Pringle, who are sharing ten minutes.

Make an apology.

The spectre of parental alienation still roams across the country and is being used regularly to inflict the maximum amount of punishment on parents and children and continues to be used with increased vigour. I have been promised by the Minister for Justice, who is well-meaning, that she will deliver with regard to a change in regulations to prevent this atrocity from happening. Will the Taoiseach lend his full weight and support to that proposal?

This question seeks to ascertain, given recent announcements, the Departments which are responsible for spending more money than was anticipated in the year to date. Will the Minister make a statement on the matter?

Can I further ask whether, given that the Minister's colleague, the Minister for Finance, issued a similar statement bringing to the public attention the tendency to overspend in certain areas, is it within the capacity of management to curtail this in sufficient amounts and numbers between now and remainder of the year? The tendency in an election year, and we have two elections coming up shortly, is that various commentators call for more expenditure. When more expenditure, or over-expenditure, takes place, they …

I will ask the Minister about the degree to which inflation has been a contributory factor in the year to date and is likely to continue in the future. What are the sources of that inflation if it is impacting?

I thank the Minister.

I am seeking an up-to-date position on the strategic development requirements in education, roads, transport, agriculture and drainage, whether arterial or otherwise, and the degree to which it will be possible to meet the targets within the time identified.

I thank the Minister and welcome his reply. I am thinking also of the most urgent requirements that have been urgent for a number of years such as, for instance, the Derry road which was mentioned in respect of another tragic accident overnight. There are several other projects like that, which we have talked about and where we put forward the various reasons they are an urgent necessity. While I am reassured by the Minister's affirmation on this area, what are the likely impediments to speedy progress and to what …

I again thank the Minister and note his warning in that regard. I wonder if it is possible to take any steps to avert, in so far as possible, the possibility of interventions or obstacles that might lead to delays of any nature.

Again I raise the issue of the continued use of the concept of parental alienation in family law, which has no basis in Irish law whatsoever, is in violation of the Constitution and the rights of the child and is continually abusing the rights of parents - mothers and fathers - and children, who are being psychologically damaged by the continued use of this. I ask that every effort be made. The Minister has promised this but it needs to be done now.

I do not have the relevant sheet in front of me. I have all the other sheets.

To what extent has the Taoiseach gleaned the conclusion that current measures taken against the Russian invasion of a fellow nation have been effective so far? Are they sufficiently progressive to ensure or bring about a change of mind in respect of the attitude of the Russians? Was there a general consensus that there needed to be a change in emphasis or a different approach in order to deal with the situation?

I congratulate the Minister on advancing the school meals programme. I ask the Minister about the efforts that continue to be made to ensure a balanced and nutritious diet is maintained in what are children's formative years.

I asked about the dietary balance.

This question seeks to ascertain the extent to which the Minister has identified issues likely to impact or impede the rapid development of the various aspects of the national development plan.

I thank the Minister for that reply. Are they the most important challenges or are there others in the wings that might have a similar impact? Is the Minister certain adequate progress has been made in dealing with the issues to which he referred?

I ask the degree to which the Minister's Department, or any other Department, is in a position to drill down into the causes of inflation and where it most seriously impacts negatively on the work the Minister is trying to do? Are there positive signs it is being controlled? In line with the progress in other jurisdictions, will the Government do something similar?