I have reflected on this budget. It is an enormous amount of money - €18 billion. No doubt one has to welcome many of the measures in it. What is missing, as I said yesterday, is the transformative action needed. More than anything else, the greatest challenge facing us is climate change. It must permeate all our actions, and yet we have associated it with a negative tax, a carbon tax, at a time when the loudest and clearest message from the Government is to not use public transport. Do not go near public transport…

We are moving more quickly now. Since several groups are not present, we will go to the Government side.

The Select Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands has completed its consideration of Vote 42 for the year ending 31 December 2020.

There are five Deputies to speak in the Rural Independent Group slot, beginning with Deputy Mattie McGrath, who will have ten minutes.

I beg your pardon.

I welcome the opportunity to take part in the debate. I wish I could say the Government has embraced the challenge to give a transformative budget but I am afraid it has failed miserably. There are good parts of the budget, which I welcome. As my time is limited, I will not itemise them but I welcome the contributions to TG4 and Údarás na Gaeltachta. I welcome the changes to disability supports, small though they are. There are many other elements that I welcome. What is missing is an overall recognition that we ha…

There is a limited amount of time and ten speakers have indicated, so I ask Deputies to be brief.

I do not mean to interrupt but there are nine speakers and I want to make sure that everyone gets in. The time is down to a minute if Deputies can manage.

Deputy.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you. With Deputies' co-operation, everyone will get to speak but I would like to leave the Minister a little time. Otherwise I will have to bring down the guillotine for the vote at the end. I ask for Deputies' co-operation.

I thank the Deputy.

There are a number of Deputies remaining. In fairness to the Minister, we need to allow him a few minutes, but we will run out of time. I ask that Deputies only make quick contributions. I cannot stop people, so I will ask for their co-operation.

I thank the Deputy.

With the House's permission, I will give the Minister two minutes to respond. I was going to give him four. There are no rules. There are three Deputies remaining and only three minutes left. I ask for just a quick comment each. It is impossible to get all of them in, so I ask for their co-operation.

I call the final two Deputies for a brief comment each.

I am afraid so.

The time allowed for this part of the debate has expired.

Thank you Deputy.