Deputies have a choice whether to use their time for statements or questions. I do not mind. It is entirely up to them. The next speaker is Deputy Denis Naughten who has six and a half minutes.

The time has been used up. I am trying to be consistent. At the end I will offer the Minister a minute or two if he wishes to come back on a few of the issues. I am sticking to the time limit as best I can. If the Minister wants to give a "Yes" or "No" answer, he can. He is not in a position to do so.

The Deputy can come in if he lets the Minister of State finish.

The Deputy is not making a point of order. While the Deputy may be unhappy that his question has not been answered, he did not make a point of order.

I said I would come back to the Minister if he needed a little leeway at the end.

Sin deireadh leis an seisiún seo.

Question No. 2 is in the name of Deputy Sherlock, who is not present. We will, therefore, move to Question No. 3 in the name of Deputy Kerrane.

I call Deputy O'Sullivan.

There was a list but the Minister referred to four or five.

Certainly.

Tá ceist agam maidir le cúrsaí oileánda agus an polasaí atá beartaithe ag an Rialtas. My question is on the policy for the islands, which has been planned for a long time. Where does it stand and when will it be ready and published?

I appreciate the problems owing to Covid and that it has not been easy, but there is a serious background to this. "Serious" is not an appropriate word. Rather, there is a long background to the failure of every Government to provide a policy for the islands based on legislation. In September 2019, we tabled a motion in the Dáil that was accepted by the majority of Deputies. I believe the Government did not vote for it but accepted it regardless. As a result, a policy process was started. The 1998 planning framewor…

I welcome the positive changes, including the change in the allowance, but we are missing a policy. We need a policy that is positive, sets out specific targets and is based on legislation. Our neighbour, Scotland, has managed to do this. Surely we could take the best lessons from it. I appreciate the Minister's efforts, but there was a change in Governments and Departments after this process was set in progress and now it lies with her. There is a serious issue with the declining population and the Irish language.…

I ask my question in the context of the Irish Government's economic and evaluation service spending review and assessment of the impact of Brexit and Covid-19 on Údarás na Gaeltachta and its client companies. Specifically, what analysis has the Tánaiste’s Department carried out on the low uptake of the Brexit loan scheme compared to the uptake of the future growth loan scheme?

I ask that the Tánaiste might address himself to the spending review because it is very interesting with reference to the Gaeltacht areas. First, 85% of all of the jobs there are in microenterprises of less than ten employees. Second, they are the most exposed sector to Brexit in all of Ireland. Why is that? It is because most of their exports go to Britain. I know that the Tánaiste is well aware of this but I will give him a number observations from this review: Gaeltacht companies are significantly more exposed t…

Tá a fhios agam go bhfuil an Tánaiste tiomanta don Ghaeilge agus, ar ndóigh, tá éacht déanta aige. Is eiseamláir é ó thaobh na Gaeilge ach maidir leis an gceist seo, tá sé thar a bheith soiléir nach bhfuil an tacaíocht ar fáil do na daoine ar an talamh. Mar shampla, má léann sé an giota seo as an tuarascáil: Despite the large suite of measures available to companies through Enterprise Ireland to deal with Covid-19 take up by ÚnaG client companies was very low. Feedback from those companies would suggest that this i…

I thank the Deputy.

I thank the Deputy.

There is a list of speakers.

With Members' co-operation I am going to get through everybody on the list, even if we go a tiny bit over time. It is Christmas and we are going to get through it. I call Deputy Paul Murphy. I ask for co-operation from all Members.