The Taoiseach may be aware that tomorrow workers in Marks and Spencer will return their ballot papers, which will be counted on Monday, on a voluntary redundancy package. I do not expect the Taoiseach to comment on this. I am fully aware it is between the stakeholders. What has been drawn to my attention is an exclusion clause in the agreement with regard to any worker out of work for longer than six months, which I am informed is a standard clause. I am not commenting on that either. What I am commenting on is tha…

I welcome this Bill and the opportunity to speak on it. As we know, as it has been well discussed, the Bill is intended to close a loophole in Irish law which was brought into acute focus by events on North Frederick Street. I do not think we can mention often enough that scene when we had private security men in balaclavas and without identification in unmarked cars, while gardaí stood by. That is the background. The background is also the precarious position of tenancies, and we have discussed this issue previous…

I was not going to speak on this Bill, although my office has done great work on it. I read it because it is difficult to get my head around the amount of money involved. I welcome this Bill and the fact that money will be made available for small businesses, including primary producers that were excluded from the previous scheme. According to figures from the Central Statistics Office, CSO, with which I am sure the Minister of State is familiar, small to medium enterprises employing fewer than 200 people account f…

Debate on this Bill is for 30 minutes and will then be guillotined. I warn the Deputies therefore that this is a 30-minute session. I will adjourn at that point. We are trying to contact the Business Committee to see if we can bring forward the voting block and we may know more on that topic in a few minutes.

On a point of clarification, this debate has to conclude within the allocated time. The Deputy may continue speaking but I remind him that his colleague wants to get in. In fairness to the Minister of State as well, lots of things are being said and he deserves the right of reply. I cannot stop the Deputy from continuing but I am just pointing those issues out to him.

I advise the next speaker, Deputy O'Donoghue, that he should be mindful of leaving time for the Minister of State to reply.

I am sorry to interrupt the Deputy but we are out of time.

The time permitted for the debate having expired, I am required to put the following question, in accordance with an order of the Dáil of 11 May: "That in respect of each of the sections-----

We are out of time.

Yes. The question is: "That in respect of each of the sections undisposed of, the section is hereby agreed to in committee, the Title is hereby agreed to in committee, the Bill is accordingly reported to the House without amendment, Report Stage is hereby completed, and the Bill is hereby passed."

Will the Deputies claiming a division please rise?

As fewer than ten Members have risen, I deem that the question has been carried. In accordance with Standing Order 82, the names of the Deputies dissenting will be recorded in the Journal of the Proceedings of the Dáil.

Glaoim ar an Teachta Cathal Berry.

I have to choose my words carefully as I only have two minutes and 57 seconds. Forgive me if I do not join in the hymn of praise. I am, nevertheless, obliged to say I am a proud Irishwoman and European woman. However, nowhere in the speech given by the Taoiseach did he refer to Palestine. I am going to quickly go back to something that was said earlier. One of the Social Democrats Deputies referred to the greatest threat to the European project as poverty. I second that. Poverty and inequality are threats, as is th…

I thank Sinn Féin for bringing forward this motion, which I fully support. I missed the beginning of the debate so I am not sure whether the Government is agreeing with the motion. The Minister might clarify that. I am sick and tired of the mantra and ideology coming from both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, through the Tánaiste and the Taoiseach, that we are ideologues on this side of the House. I have repeatedly said that I am a proud Galwegian and a practical, pragmatic politician. Since the day I came into this Hous…

I thank Deputy Lahart. We are finished with that question as the Deputy conceded his time.

I have just come in.

Okay. The Minister can take a minute.

Is Deputy Stanton taking this question?

I thank the Minister.