It is a question of how we go about that.

The latter part of the question is whether we will have a democratic debate about these plans. Are they being marshalled below the political waterline? I have one more question. In terms of the Belfast office, I understand the Minister does not want to make it a big issue but the issue is a surprise for most of us when it was an accepted fact up to recent times. Is there any logical reason or understanding of the British position on having a Northern Ireland office?

Before the decisions are taken.

An answer was given to every other speaker to date.

In terms of the Belfast office.

I thank the Acting Chairman for the opportunity to address the House in these surreal times. In my long sojourn here I never envisaged the day I would come in to see seats in Dáil Éireann roped off from Members but that is the reality we face now. Clearly, from everything we know, businesses in Ireland have never faced the unique pressures that they are facing and that exist right now. Government supports will remain vital if we are to achieve our collective responsibility, which is to keep businesses and jobs aflo…

Like others in this House, I begin by expressing my solidarity and that of the Labour Party with everyone who is affected by the coronavirus, especially those who are ill right now, those who are in the front line of providing health and social care, retail, transport and logistics and policing, and the amazing 30,000 or more people who have volunteered to support our health services in this time of national crisis. People have shown extraordinary resolution in the way they have co-operated with social distancing a…

How far away are we from getting the amendments?

Can we not wait minutes? If we waited an hour and a half, we can wait minutes.

We can twiddle our thumbs.

I move amendment No. 1: In page 4, to delete lines 16 to 35 and substitute the following: “(3) Subject to subsections (4) and (5) , each of the amendments effected by this Act shall continue in operation for six months from the passing of this Act and shall then expire. (4) An amendment effected by this Act may be continued in operation from time to time by a resolution passed by each House of the Oireachtas before its expiry, resolving that that amendment should continue in operation for such period as may be spec…

I am aware of the discussions at the committee earlier today. I wrote to the Ceann Comhairle in respect of the Dáil establishing an all-party committee on the Covid-19 virus. I am strongly of the view that this is necessary, particularly if the Dáil is not going to sit for another two weeks. We are in the unusual situation of being in an interregnum period where, by convention, significant policy decisions are not taken by a Government. I think it is a requirement, if there are to be significant policy decisions wh…

The European Council of 20 February failed. It failed to reach agreement on the multi-annual financial framework for the next seven years. It failed to take robust action to resolve the humanitarian rights abuses and the growing crisis occurring in Syria, and, according to official documents, it failed to even discuss Covid-19, which had already been declared a public health emergency of international concern three weeks before, on 30 January last. As others have stated, there is a crisis of leadership in the democ…

Comhghairdeas leatsa, a Cheann Comhairle, as a bheith atofa i do Cheann Comhairle. The office of Ceann Comhairle is one of the most important in this State. Deputy Ó Fearghaíl held it over the past four years, with great skill and forbearance, more often than not. He steered a difficult Dáil through those four years with enormous understanding of the role of Parliament. I commiserate with Deputy Naughten who brought many ideas to the debate. I hope those ideas will be advanced by this Dáil. Other speakers talked ab…

Each Member gathered in this House has spent the past number of weeks talking and, I hope, listening to thousands of our people. We are here because we have been selected by our people to be here - each one with his or her unique mandate - each one equally legitimate. Nobody's mandate is stronger or better than that of anybody else. Each one of us looks to his or her constituency for his or her strengths. I thank the people of Wexford for electing me to be their representative here on the ninth successive occasion.…