The Government has met representatives of the CRU and EirGrid and has taken advice. I have not heard anyone on the Government benches deny the warnings from the CRU, EirGrid and MaREI or call them wrong, but there have been meetings with these bodies. Has the Taoiseach, as a leader, met representatives of Cloud Infrastructure Ireland, including former Labour Deputy Michael McCarthy, who heads up the lobbying group on behalf of the global corporations, towards which the Government's attitude is so servile that it sa…

What did Michael McCarthy tell the Taoiseach?

I rest my case-----

Has he met Michael McCarthy?

Has this Government met him or been lobbied by him?

Data centres employ dozens and not thousands.

He certainly does not.

We have 70 of them.

I asked the Department of the Minister, Deputy Foley, a question. I received the answer this morning and I was alarmed by it. The question was whether the Department of Education would give some guarantee to schools that they will be provided with CO2 monitors before they return in August. Wait until I give the Taoiseach the figures, which are quite startling. I have been told a number of portable monitors will be distributed to schools in August and September. Between two and 20 will be provided at primary level. …

-----to this crucial issue?

We now know ventilation is key and we are providing this tiny percentage.

I would not even begin to try to do the maths on the tiny percentage of monitors we are providing.

They are in the reply to a parliamentary question.

Between two and 20 monitors going to more than 3,000 primary schools is a joke.

Tá sé soiléir gur chearrbhachas atá sa Bhille seo. Tar éis na híobairtí go léir a rinne muintir na tíre seo, is náire é. Ní cheart dúinn díriú ar leas na ngnóthaí agus athoscailt a dhéanamh sula bhfuil an vacsaín iomlán faighte ag go leor daoine. This Bill is a gamble and in particular, we are gambling with the health of young workers. It is only those who are vaccinated who will be able to eat in restaurants and pubs but the young people who serve them and who are unvaccinated will have to wait on them hand and fo…

I move amendment No. 1 to amendment No. 2: In page 6, to delete lines 34 and 35, and in page 7, to delete lines 1 to 3 and substitute the following: " 'climate justice' means the requirement that decisions and actions taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to the effects of climate change must — (a) support the people who are most affected by climate change but who have done the least to cause it and are the least equipped to adapt to its effects, (b) help to address inequality, and support the human…

I will begin by offering the condolences of People Before Profit Deputies to all who lost loved ones during the pandemic, but particularly those who lost loved ones in care home settings. I thank Sinn Féin for bringing forward the motion, but there should be no deed for it. I refer back to the text of two critically important recommendations People Before Profit secured in the Final Report of the Special Committee on Covid-19 Response. That report was published ten months ago in October 2020. The first recommendati…

I ask the Minister about a review into the workings of GSOC and the limitations in that regard compared to a full investigation in view of recent cases, especially involving the killing of Mr. George Nkencho, but also concerning previous investigations completed that body. I refer to the cases of Mr. Shane O'Farrell and Mr. Terrance Wheelock. Senior officers in GSOC have complained about a lack of staff. A report in The Irish Times yesterday referred to senior Garda officers refusing to carry out investigations on …

I understand the Minister cannot comment on the George Nkencho case because it is ongoing. It is worth noting, however, that the inquest into the death of this 27-year-old man with mental health problems recently opened and evidence was given by the coroner that he was shot five times in the back by armed gardaí. Key witnesses were not questioned by GSOC for up to eight days after that event. The Minister keeps repeating that GSOC is robust and independent and has full oversight, but there is evidence, even in the …

Repeating that GSOC is independent and robust just does not cut the mustard. Even the chairperson of GSOC has said it is understaffed and needs reform. According to a report, 42% of all cases initiated by GSOC have been referred back to Garda inspectors. The work it is refusing to do increased hugely during 2020. There has also been a substantial increase in the very serious cases being investigated by GSOC. My point is there have been historic failures and the Minister is not really addressing that point. There ha…