There are eight speakers and I call Deputy Mac Lochlainn now, who has one minute.

Go raibh maith agat, Deputy.

Thank you, Deputy.

There were eight speakers but the time is limited for the Taoiseach to respond.

Thank you, Taoiseach.

I ask the Minister to forgive me if I am focused in my two and a half minutes. There is a lot I would like to say about the occupied territories but I will confine myself to the six human rights organisations that have been designated as terrorist organisations. From my calculations it has been six weeks since then and other than expressing concern we have done little else. While I have never doubted the Minister's bona fides, we have done little else in six weeks. The latest step has been the military commander cl…

She was not the only one.

I thank Sinn Féin for bringing forward this motion, which I support without hesitation. I know the Minister is busy but it is unfortunate that she did not wait for the end of this important debate. The ideology is all on that side of the House, which is extraordinary given the constant jibes across the floor that we are ideologues. This is a very moderate and reasonable motion. It notes the commitment, hard work and professionalism of the people working in job clubs and local employment services. The Minister did t…

Then the Minister of State must reject the motion.

Could we hear the reply through the Chair?

The Select Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment has completed its consideration of the following Supplementary Estimate for Public Services for the service of the year ending on 31 December 2021: Vote 32 - Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

I apologise to the Minister of State but we must conclude there.

The Minister of State is out of time but she will have an opportunity to come back in.

What analysis has been carried out by the Department of Social Protection and what has been learned from the roll-out of the first phase of the procurement for the new regional employment service and equally important, will that analysis be published?

I thank the Minister and I acknowledge her efforts in terms of changing some aspects of this. However, I cannot escape the conclusion that this is the privatisation of the service even though the Minister has stated, very often, that it is not. I wish to refer to the report of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands, which was published in November. There are nine recommendations in that report, all of which are pretty serious. There are 14 cross-party me…

In a previous reply to Deputy Kerrane, the Minister said that we are all here to serve the people, that we are servants and I totally agree. In that context, 14 people who have been elected as Senators or Deputies, across party, have asked for this process to be stalled. Surely that says something. The Minister has said that there is a need to expand but it seems that the Department is on a roller coaster towards expansion. Surely, on the basis of the precautionary principle, the first part should be looked on as a…

It is. The Minister should look at her first tender to see who won the bid. Who was successful as opposed to who was unsuccessful? We must look at this again. If the Minister has any influence, now is the time to use it in view of the committee report. I thank the Minister. I am over time.

I thought you were coming in on this question.

Gabhaim buíochas. Tá cúpla nóiméad fágtha agus glaoim ar an Teachta Ó Snodaigh.

Roimh na Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí, I must read out a health and safety note. Members and all in attendance are asked to exercise personal responsibility in respect of protecting themselves and others from the risk of contact contracting Covid-19. Members are strongly advised to practise good hand hygiene and observe the chequerboard seating arrangement. They should also maintain an appropriate level of social distancing during and after the sitting. Masks, preferably of a medical grade, should be worn at all times d…