Nach bhfuil sé ar fáil faoi láthair?

Fáiltím roimh an deis páirt a ghlacadh sna ráitis seo. Ní díospóireacht, faraor, atá i gceist leo ach ráitis arís. Tá sé bliana caite agam anois sa Dáil ag éisteacht le ráitis ó thaobh na Gaeilge de. Ní mór dom a rá go gcuireann sé beagáinín díomá orm go bhfuilimid fós ag caint laistigh de fhráma ráiteas seachas an Ghaeilge a bheith mar chuid lárnach den Dáil agus dá próiseas. Nuair a toghadh mé mar Theachta Dála breis is sé bliana ó shin, sa bhliain 2016, bhí an agóid is mó a bhfaca mé riamh, Dearg le Fearg, ar na…

I will zone in on two areas in my short time and I would appreciate a reply. The Minister of State will remember the debacle last year with the July provision. A service was eventually provided. What is the position regarding that service this year? It took seven months last year to make repayment regarding the agreed travel allowances, and even then the figure was disputed by the Department. Will the Minister clarify the agreed figure per mile? I understood that 39 c was the agreed rate per mile. Why are we arguin…

I did not use my minutes to make statements or to waste time. I asked a specific question. Perhaps the Minister of State could answer me in written form regarding why it took so long to make the repayments for travel and why less money was given. I would appreciate that, because it was a specific question. My second question, and I do not whether the Minister or the Minister of State will answer it, concerns DEIS schools, and two in Galway in particular. I wish I did not have to raise this issue on the floor of the…

That is not my question.

Sinn Féin has indicated that its second speaker has five minutes. I am not sure if Sinn Féin wants to give the Minister more time. Deputy Mairéad Farrell is to speak, and we are eating into her time. It is agreed to let the Minister continue.

We move to a Government slot, which is being shared by three Deputies, beginning with Deputy McGuinness.

The next slot is the Government slot. There are four speakers and Deputy Neale Richmond is first.

Thank you, Minister. I am sorry to interrupt but there are three more speakers. They may wish to give the Minister more time - I do not mind.

I call Deputy Calleary.

I am not sure who is next. Is it Deputy Calleary or Deputy O'Callaghan? Are they both speaking in this slot?

Yes.

I thank the Deputy.

The Minister will have to correspond with the Deputy or answer in a different forum because we have gone beyond the time. I am moving on to the next group, an Grúpa Régiúnach, a Theachtaí Tóibín agus Naughten.

Is that agreed? Agreed.

I will have to stop the Minister. There are three speakers left and we have to be fair.

We are moving on to the Rural Independent Group, whose three speakers have approximately two minutes each.

I am sorry, but Deputy McNamara has run out of time.

I thank the Minister.

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this legislation. While I welcome the introduction of quarantine, I deplore the fact that it is being introduced on a piecemeal basis. This makes absolutely no sense in light of the serious threat we face. A previous Fianna Fáil speaker used the term "bolt of lightning". There was no bolt of lightning here. To go into the background to this, on 11 February 2020, more than a year ago, the World Health Organization declared Covid-19 a public health emergency of international conc…