There is less than three minutes left so, with the permission of Deputies, I will not continue, as there would be no time for supplementary questions. There would be barely enough time for the Taoiseach to reply. Is that agreed? Agreed.

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this, however short our time is. In her speech, the Minister acknowledged that this is a vital service and pointed out that it is going now since 1967, which is 56 years. During that time it has proven to be a valuable service but completely limited and exclusionary. The Ombudsman for Children in his 2022 submission to the review on transport highlighted a lack of transparency in how distances are calculated. As we know, issues arise every single year and this year is no except…

I am sharing time with Deputies Harkin and Joan Collins. I welcome the opportunity to speak on this topic. I support the intention of the motion and thank Sinn Féin for tabling it. Rather than focusing on temporary solutions, which are important to relieve the financial pressure, it is time to look at a new model. We have been struggling with this issue for some time. The Government's approach to early education is based on three strands, with which the Minister is very familiar. The first was announced in 2009 and…

In accordance with Standing Order 80(2), the division is postponed until the weekly division time on Wednesday, 4 October 2023.

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 Aodhán Ó Ríordáin - To discuss the restoration of criminal barristers' pay. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae - To discuss the connection of Birch Hill estate and the Old Killarney Village estate in Killarney to the public sewerage system. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire - To dis…

We are over time. The Tánaiste will get a chance to come back.

We are moving on. We are way over time.

I am horrified at the Tánaiste's recent comments on the use of rifles to the effect that they are non-lethal. On this grouped question, it is really difficult to keep up with what is happening and with the logic of the Government. I deplore the Russian invasion of Ukraine; let us get that out of the way. However, we are a neutral country. We should offer any humanitarian assistance we can. We are joining up more and more with a military alliance, despite what the Tánaiste tells us. The figures are absolutely horrif…

I am not given to hyperbole or to exaggeration. I repeat my horror at what is happening in a neutral country. The Tánaiste shaking his head does not help the situation. Deputy Bríd Smith already mentioned the horror related to what Israel is doing in Palestine and we have really stood idly by, other than expressing our deep concern. I will give some figures from the European fact sheet entitled EU Solidarity with Ukraine. As of September 2023, the EU and its members individually had provided approximately €25 billi…

Shaking your head does not-----

-----add to the argument.

Absolutely, Tánaiste. I agree with you.

Absolutely.

It is what I am expecting Ireland to do.

To follow up on the Minister of State’s comments about community energy and how the Government will put an emphasis on that, my question relates specifically to that matter. Will the Minister of State outline the work that is under way by his Department to support community-led renewable energy generation?

We declared a climate emergency and a biodiversity emergency in 2019. While I welcome the Minister of State’s positive comments, I have no idea as to how the Government is making decisions. In RESS 1, seven community projects were successful but only four remain. I have no details in that regard. I understand that three pulled out and four are in progress. In RESS 2, eight community projects were successful, but we do not know how many are still functioning, if they will be extended or what review the Department ha…

I welcome that it has gone into the non-competitive section and that the Department is working on this. My difficulty is that I have no analysis before me as to what happened in RESS 1 and 2, where community groups were involved. Is there documentation, data or an analysis of what did and did not work which led the Department to what theoretically would be a very welcome change in terms of moving into the non-competitive area? My trust is at an all-time low. We are facing a precipice in regard to climate action and…

I want an analysis of what happened, not what the SEAI is now doing.

Dear God.

I have a very specific question. What engagement, if any, has the Minister of State's Department had with the company which intends to build three more data centres in Dublin? Equally importantly, what issues, if any, have been raised by his Department on energy security concerns given the plans for the three data centres, and the cumulative effect of these centres and all of the other centres?