I hold in my hand a model of Bunratty Castle, a 600 year old building. We used it as a teaching aid. I was a teacher up to a few weeks ago when I was elected to this House. That 600 year old building has withstood sieges, famines, two or three burnouts and many battles but it is now facing its greatest challenge, namely, solvency and financial survival. The Minister made a whistle-stop visit last year, which was so quick I did not get to meet him. I was mayor of the county but he was gone in a flash. We desperately…

I thank the Business Committee for facilitating this session, which I requested. Aviation is the sector most exposed to the Covid pandemic. It has been utterly ravaged. It took the sector 18 months to recover from the 9/11 attacks and it is now anticipated that it could take three to five years for the sector to recover from the current health and economic crises. For this reason, I implore the Minister to set up the aviation task force urgently. If we wait until the late autumn to introduce supports for aviation, …

I ask the Minister-----

I have a few valuable seconds. One has to be like Usain Bolt to get points out in this Chamber. The Minister of State might respond to my queries and questions since my time is limited. I want to get out of the Chamber to comply with the social distancing rules. I quickly want to draw the Minister of State's attention to inconsistent planning decisions by An Bord Pleanála. It recently dealt with two almost identical planning files in County Clare relating to mobile phone masts - one in Quilty and the other in Doonb…

As my speaking time is limited, I would be grateful if my questions could be responded to in writing. A few short weeks ago, before I was elected to this House, I was a primary school teacher teaching a class of 33 fourth class pupils in Parteen national school, County Clare - I am still in the habit of using the old red pen. When these pupils return to school in September, social distancing as we know it - that is, two metres apart - will be very difficult or virtually impossible to implement. Two metres of separa…

I have more.

I welcome back the Minister, Mr. Ross. There are a number of topical issues I wish to bring to the Minister's attention today. In my constituency, we have Clare Bus, a not-for-profit company operating a fantastic rural transport service since 2002. For the past 18 years, it has provided transport links to the most rural parts of Clare. We are not a leafy suburb with DARTs and Luas trams going down through it. We rely very much on rural transport. It is essential in our county. At the time of its founding, Clare Bus…

Since this is an unorthodox time of social restrictions, my speaking opportunities in this Chamber are rather limited these days. I take the opportunity to express my immense gratitude to our heroic staff, especially our nurses and doctors. When this pandemic is over, we must remember them. That will have to come up in the autumn when we are into the budget process. As health staff risk life and limb to treat Covid-19 patients, Ms Gemma O'Doherty and her band of followers are flouting all laws on the street, giving…

Gabhaim buíochas as an deis labhairt ar an ábhar fíor-thábhachtach seo. It is right that this House should be sitting tonight to discuss the coronavirus. It is a pity that we did not sit in the past number of days as many communities in our country lay beneath flood waters. As is well documented, there are four confirmed cases of the coronavirus in north County Clare. The health and welfare of the affected family is topmost of my concerns. The HSE has chosen, quite similar to last week's confirmed case in Dublin, t…

Ar dtús báire, déanaim comhghairdeas leis an gCeann Comhairle as a bheith tofa inniu. I congratulate the Ceann Comhairle on his election. As a new Deputy from County Clare, it is my honour to also throw my support behind Deputy Micheál Martin for Taoiseach in my maiden speech. I am now a Deputy, though I was a mayor and schoolteacher last week, and I am the man who got the ball rolling with regard to the RIC controversy. That is how some people came to know of me, but the people of Clare know me longer from working…