The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment will recall that we discussed recently in this House the need to accelerate the provision of enterprise centres and the development of work space. Enterprise centres have been important in the development of the rural economy. As the Minister of State, Deputy English, knows, in my own counties of Cavan and Monaghan there have been good development enterprise centres but we need further development. We must develop a new policy, particularly with a dedic…

I thank the Tánaiste for his reply. I agree that substantial funding has been provided for more than 20 years with the development enterprise centres. Taking the case of my county, we have had a good track record of the local authority developing work spaces, enterprise centres and sites for providing services. They can draw down financial assistance of grant aid towards development but the local contribution is a very hefty demand on a local authority with a low rates base. There is a need for a better funding mod…

I am thinking in particular of space for manufacturing businesses. I am thankful we have a good network hubs developed. We must think about and develop a policy on an all-Ireland basis. Last week I arranged for the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement to meet representatives from Cavan and Monaghan county councils, with a presentation on the development of workspace enterprise centres and working with neighbouring local authorities north of the Border. I am thankful the deve…

As the Taoiseach is aware, the British Government has now come up with a new variation on its already despicable proposals for an amnesty for people who committed murder during the Troubles. The British Government is now proposing that those who assist a new independent recovery body and co-operate will not face prosecution. The British Government is now introducing a charter for the perpetrators of murder and other heinous crimes. We will have a coalition of murderers from the state forces and murderers from the p…

As the war inflicted by the evil regime of Mr. Putin continues in Ukraine, it is obvious from listening to contributors from Ukraine and those associated with the Ukrainian Government that there is an urgent need to continue to provide humanitarian aid and financial support. The European Union has been very responsive, as has our own Government and that help needs to be continued. I would like to take the opportunity to compliment the schools and communities throughout the country as well as our local authorities a…

One of the many benefits of the Good Friday Agreement has been the development of the all-Ireland economy. That economy has evolved without any political sloganeering, waving of flags or fanfare. I welcome the research on economic and social opportunities on an all-Ireland basis under the shared island initiative. The Taoiseach may recall that at the Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement, I mentioned that within those studies, there should be a subset with particular reference to the developm…

Will the Taoiseach please comment on enterprise in regard to the shared island initiative?

It is very regrettable Ulster Bank and KBC Bank will be exiting the market. Traditionally, Ulster Bank had a very significant presence in the Border region. I know of many families, individuals and businesses in Cavan-Monaghan that are very concerned about the loss of banking services. This is by far the biggest logistical challenge for Irish banking since the introduction of the euro as there are 960,000 Ulster Bank accounts and 300,000 KBC accounts in the State. The backdrop to this is one of significant branch c…

I welcome that the Taoiseach raised again with President Biden the need to make progress regarding immigration reform. The E-3 visa Bill was previously stopped in its tracks at the last minute by one Senator objecting. Irish advocacy groups estimate that there could be up to 10,000 people in the United States whose position has not been regularised, who are referred to as "the undocumented". We know how precarious that position can be when a pandemic hits. Those people are working hard, contributing to society and …

Yes.

As the Taoiseach is aware, the 48th anniversary of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings, which took place on 17 May 1974, is approaching. There were many dark days on our island during the era known as the Troubles, but that was the darkest day of all because 33 innocent people were murdered and hundreds were badly injured. Sadly, nobody has been brought to justice for those horrific crimes. The Taoiseach will recall that in 2008, 2011 and 2016 this House unanimously passed motions calling on the British Government to …

As we are all aware, for quite a number of years the people of Ukraine were subjected to very serious military aggression by Russia on the border. Sadly, since the end of February, we have witnessed daily on our television screens the horrors being inflicted on an independent and sovereign country by an evil regime in Russia. Sadly, we have seen suffering and loss of life and millions of people displaced. I was glad that at the most recent meeting of the European Council there was a very strong and firm commitment …

I thank the Taoiseach for his reply. I had the opportunity to listen to some of the discussions in the shared island dialogue on the provision of health services on this island. There was a great outline in those discussions of the opportunities to provide more health services on a cross-Border and all-Ireland basis. Indeed, in those discussions there was impatience with the slow pace of progress in this area. I recognise the importance of the establishment of paediatric cardiac care in Crumlin and also the great p…

It is good to see Deputy Verona Murphy in the Chair. It may be a sign of things to come in the future. I appreciate the Ceann Comhairle's decision to allow this subject to be taken this evening. Following a number of parliamentary questions to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine during January, I also raised directly with An Taoiseach in this House through questions the urgent need to provide adequate Government support to the crisis-hit pigmeat sector. I welcomed the introduction in early March of th…

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy McConalogue, contacted me directly to let me know he is attending a Council of Ministers meeting in Europe and that he could not be here this evening. I appreciate that. Only last night, I engaged with the Taoiseach and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Michael McGrath, to emphasise again that the proposal submitted by the IFA, the meat processors and the Irish Grain and Feed Association, IGFA, must be considered, finalised and implement…

As the Taoiseach is aware, coach operators are not at present eligible to register for VAT. That would enable them to claim back the VAT paid on fuel, tyres and other running costs. I understand some EU requirement does not allow for such registration. The Taoiseach has been advocating at EU level for some flexibility on VAT issues. In that context, this is an area that needs urgent consideration. Coach operators are under particular pressure at present. One small-scale operator in my county operates a cross-Border…

Sadly, we continue to see the horrors inflicted on the people of Ukraine by a brutal Russian invasion. War crimes are being committed daily. The united European Union response, in its strongest possible format, needs to be continued, with additional measures as well. This military aggression has to be anathema to every right-thinking person. I welcome the withdrawal of more Irish companies from Russia. Those decisions should be commended and strongly encouraged in respect of any Irish businesses that remain in Russ…

In the Taoiseach's meeting with US President Biden next week, I presume among the many areas for discussion will be the need to strengthen further bilateral relations between our countries. We are very glad a friend of Ireland holds the presidency. I am thinking in particular of the undocumented Irish, with best estimates indicating there may be up to 10,000 Irish people in the US who have not had their status regularised. Those people, in the main, are working, paying taxes and raising families while contributing …

I welcome the Taoiseach's response. Earlier today, the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement, of which I am a member, had a meeting with the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, at which Brexit and the protocol were major issues of discussion, along with the need to implement the Good Friday Agreement fully. People with all shades of political opinion at the meeting spoke about the need for pragmatic solutions and getting a consensus on the outstanding issues. We have to be re…

As the Minister knows, up until 2012 the local improvement scheme had a substantial and specific funding stream. Unfortunately, that ceased at that time. As we know, the local improvement scheme provides for the upgrading of more minor local roads which are particularly important for rural communities. At present, most counties have a significant backlog of such roads in need of urgent attention. There is a limited scheme at present, but we need substantial investment by the line Department on an annual basis to en…