I very much welcome this reduction in the VAT rate, which is critical to the entire hospitality sector at this time. Contrary to what some speakers have said, this is very important for those operators, particularly as they plan for 2021. Amidst so much uncertainty, that certainty in regard to the VAT rate is important and is appreciated by a huge number of people who have been in contact with me this evening to express their gratitude to the Government for this measure. I remind the House that those of us who supp…

Sinn Féin is still sitting on the fence. It still has not come out-----

The tradition is that Government representatives in a coalition speak on budget day after the budget. This schedule is not breaking with that tradition. We have a three-party Government and the schedule is not unreasonable at all. It is the custom of the House and to depart from it would be unprecedented.

This is a three-party coalition, which is an unusual situation. However, there is adequate time for the Opposition parties to respond. There will also be loads of time next week for the Opposition to go through the budget with a fine-tooth comb and speak about all of the budget's various elements. The schedule is not unreasonable. The people watching want to see both sides of the argument; they want to see what the Government is proposing and how the Opposition responds to the budget. This schedule is the Governmen…

It is rare that I get such a mention in this House so I will have to mark the date in the calendar. I raise the issue of recurring flooding in Kenmare and Sneem, County Kerry. Most recently, at the end of July, we had serious flooding in Kenmare and Sneem. While we also had flooding in other parts of south Kerry, it particularly affected those two locations. I want to keep this matter high on the agenda. I seek an update on progress on measures to alleviate flooding in these areas.

I thank the Minister of State for the response and I acknowledge the visit of the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan, to the south Kerry area following my request after the flooding in July. I also acknowledge the financial supports that were put in place for affected parties in the locality following the request I made in early August. That is very important but it is critical that the tenders issue in October and we see consultants appointed. I understand that the design phase will take up to 18 months before pl…

It is my understanding that we are trying to facilitate that. My understanding is that the Chief Whip is just trying to finalise the detail. We might need two minutes to finalise it.

It is interesting that the people who are advocating stronger democracy will not even allow the Speaker of the House to keep order here.

They should realise they are in the national Parliament. It is not someplace where one can just stand up and shout at people.

These proposals were agreed by the Dáil reform committee yesterday. Could I also call out the blatant lies that have been coming out of certain quarters in this House today, saying that their speaking time is being cut-----

It is not.

-----but the same people want to deny up to 50 Government Deputies-----

-----five seven-minute slots in three and a half hours. That is what this is about. They should be ashamed of themselves. It is a disgrace. They are an absolute disgrace.

They are the ones who are trying to gag fellow Deputies. We were all elected here by the people of our constituencies. We are entitled to have our speaking time on behalf of the people who elected us. I will not take any lectures from the Opposition. It does not have a monopoly on moral authority in here. All of us have our mandates. All of us are elected by the people of our constituencies and we will not be denied our right to speak on behalf of the people that we represent.

That is not true.

The Opposition has 74% of the speaking time.

This is my first time putting a question to the Taoiseach since his appointment and I wish him the very best for the future. I raise a commitment in the programme for Government to expanding the Rebuilding Ireland home loan scheme. One issue that has arisen recently is that some people who are on the wage subsidy scheme or the pandemic unemployment payment, PUP, have had their applications stalled. I was contacted by a man in Kerry who had almost fully gone through the process but he has now been told he will have …

I congratulate Deputy O'Donovan on his appointment as Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, OPW. I wish him the very best. I know that he will do an excellent job. I tabled this question because the Skelligs are important to the economy of south Kerry and, to a lesser extent, west Kerry. Sceilg Mhichíl is one of two UNESCO world heritage sites in the Republic of Ireland. I welcome that a review is under way by the OPW in regard to the reopening of this site for the remainder of the 2…

I thank the Minister of State. I again emphasise how grateful I am that he is being so proactive on this matter and that the review is under way. With the acceleration of the roadmap the overall situation is evolving. I welcome that the OPW position is evolving alongside it. It is important to state on the record that safety and health considerations have to be to the fore in this matter. However, I ask the Minister of State to ensure every effort is made to ensure the health and safety recommendations and precondi…

That is very good to hear. As someone who once held the junior Ministry with responsibility for tourism, the Minister of State gets this and knows what it is about. In fairness to him, he was on the matter as soon as he was appointed. For people I have spoken to in south Kerry, it has been very well received that he is prepared to examine the matter and give it his time. People want to feel that there is a fair hearing and that the issue is given every objective consideration. That is the main thing. If that is don…