No, Minister. We are-----

We are over time. Can we have a little co-operation, please? As the time allowed for the debate has expired, I must now put the following question in accordance-----

Can we stop, please? This is difficult.

As the time allowed for the debate has expired, I must now put the following question in accordance with the order of the Dáil of this day: "That amendments Nos. 3, 4, 5 and 6 set down to the motion for Financial Resolution No. 1 are hereby negatived and the motion for Financial Resolution No. 1 is hereby agreed to."

Seven speakers have indicated. I ask for Members' co-operation so everybody gets in.

As the time allowed for debate has expired, I must now put the following question in accordance with the order of the Dáil of this day: “That the motion for Financial Resolution No. 3 is hereby agreed to.”

Táimid réidh chun tosú le Ceisteanna chun an Aire Iompair. We are ready to start with Questions to the Minister for Transport but chuir cúrsaí tráchta bac ar chúrsaí na Dála so beidh orainn fanacht beagáinín. It seems traffic matters and a collision have interfered with the attendance of some of the Members so we will have to be a little patient. Maybe we should have extended the period of reflection.

Fad agus a táimid ag fanacht, tá teachtaireacht ó roghchoiste. The Select Committee on Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth has completed its consideration of the following Supplementary Estimates for Public Services for the service of the year ending 31 December 2023: Vote 40 - Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. Ní feidir linn tada a dhéanamh, in ainneoin go bhfuil an tAire agus an tAire Stáit anseo. Is dócha gur an rud is fearr a dhéanamh ná to suspend the Dáil.

Let the Minister reply, please.

I thank the Deputy.

I thank the Minister. He will get a chance to come back in.

Before the Minister of State responds, I call Deputy Leddin.

We are over time. I ask for co-operation with the time because other Deputies are waiting to get in as well.

We do not have time for the next full question. I know Deputy Donnelly's colleague wanted to come in on it, but there is very little time left. It is up to the Deputies.

You cannot come in just now, Deputy.

I have the most serious doubts about this legislation notwithstanding the work by the three gentlemen and in the Department. I fundamentally disagree with Sinn Féin's view on it. I deplore that there has been no pre-legislative scrutiny, which at the very least would have teased out some of the issues here; I hope the committee will do that. In her speech, the Minister of State talked about context. I would like to give some fuller context. Ireland is a neutral country and we should have a voice commenting on the c…

The money has to be borrowed somewhere as well as the contributions that we are making, as I understand it. If I fail to understand this, the Minister of State can imagine how difficult it is for me to explain it to the ordinary person on the ground, and I have taken the trouble of reading it. Perhaps if we had pre-legislative scrutiny all of this could have been teased out. I do my best to earn the money that I earn and I read all of this material to try to understand it. What we are doing here is retrospectively …

That was when people were stretched beyond belief. Our legislation could not be retrospective then but it can be in this case, without any problem whatsoever. This is the same Europe and these are the same rules but we can now go back. I am seriously concerned about what we are doing here. I am concerned about the narrative and the continuation of a war without Ireland using its neutral voice. We should use it in a most positive way to say, “Please do not continue this war in our name”. At the same time, we are com…

It should have been done during pre-legislative scrutiny. When we are giving guarantees to institutions in the event that the people of Ukraine and their institutions are unable to pay back the money, the very least we need is a risk assessment of that. That should be before us today. As Deputy Naughten said, there is a possibility of using this type of mechanism for the greater good, in areas such as climate change and for Afghanistan, as I mentioned, and Palestine and what is happening there. A fund was never set…

I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 37 and the name of the Member in each case:Deputy Carol Nolan - To discuss the replacement of Clara fire station in County Offaly. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae - To discuss the backlog being experienced by those waiting for a driving test. Deputy Darren O'Rourke - To discuss deteriorating standards with public bus services in County Meath. Deputy Pearse Doherty - To discuss the staffing crisis at the Doneg…