I am sorry the Deputy thinks that the Government is putting it on the never-never. To be clear, the Tánaiste responded to the Deputy in the autumn and told her that the report would be published and an updated statement provided by quarter 1 of 2022. It has slipped into quarter 2. We accept that there has been a delay with it. However, in our view, that means that the work is being done right. An updated statement will be published in quarter 2. The reason that it is being updated is because the previous statement …

Maybe I have to say it for the third time. It is quarter 2 that is the target.

I think the Deputy is being a bit unfair here. She keeps referring back to a statement from 2018. We have already committed, and it is an action in the climate action plan, to review that policy and to update it. That work has begun. It will involve all of the conversations the Deputy has just touched on and all of the reasons to recognise where we are in respect of the climate change and climate adaptation measures, but also to recognise the importance of data centres in this country and how we can balance the two…

An SME growth task force of entrepreneurs, business leaders and other stakeholders was established in September 2020 by the Tánaiste to fulfil the commitment made in the programme for Government to draw up an ambitious long-term strategic blueprint for SMEs and entrepreneurs beyond Covid-19. Between September and December 2020, the SME task force, which was assisted by four dedicated subgroups, developed a range of recommendations to build a better business and regulatory environment for our SMEs and entrepreneurs.…

I will work backwards on the two questions. On the MERITS hub, I totally agree with the Deputy. It is a fabulous investment and I have been on that site twice at this stage. I am glad it featured in the 2019 regional enterprise plan that was launched next door to it in Kildare by the Minister, Deputy Humphreys. The new updated regional enterprise plan for the mid-east region is again focused on the importance of MERITS and benefiting from the investment in that. The Deputy will recall that additional money was allo…

That is one I forgot to mention. There has been a review of the export credit insurance scheme under way in the Department for the last year and a half and that report is complete. While I have not had a chance to go through it yet, I believe it is either on my desk or on the way to my desk. It comes under the “access to finance” element of the SME task force. It is something we took a very serious look at because there is a strong case to be made for it but we also have a poor history in that regard, so we wanted …

I thank the Deputy for his question and agree with him about the urgency in this area. It is something we have been working on for a number of years. I am glad it is coming to the stage that it will be up and running very soon. The question concerns the important issue of the adoption and use of new technologies in the construction sector in the context of delivering the Government's ambitions in Housing for All as well as in energy efficiency and decarbonisation of the built environment. As the Deputy is aware, Ho…

Absolutely. The Deputy has raised matters I did not have a chance to cover, but they are exactly what the construction technology centre will deal with. The overall aim of the centre is to identify the optimal consortium of research-performing organisations in the Irish ecosystem that will deliver productivity and sustainability for the Irish construction and built-environment sector through research, development and innovation, with a focus on skills and everything else the Deputy touched on. The Deputy asked abou…

The Deputy covered most of the five key industry challenges set out: productivity, affordability and cost; quality and safety; collaboration within the sector; labour shortages, skills and training; and sustainability. The Deputy referred to the town centre first initiative. I totally agree with him in this regard. There was a lot of effort on the part of several Departments to achieve a commitment to putting town centres first, following on much of the advice and guidance associated with the Scottish model, but al…

I thank Deputy Gould for raising this issue. It is quite timely, as it turns out. In 2021, the Low Pay Commission was asked by the Tánaiste to examine and make recommendations on the best approach to achieving the commitment in the programme for Government to progress to a living wage over the lifetime of the Government. The Low Pay Commission asked researchers at Maynooth University to undertake a background research report on the concept of a living wage. Last week, the commission's report and recommendations wer…

We have received the report of the commission. It would be wise for us to read it, go through it in detail and see what is in it before we start making comments.

Apologies.

To be clear, the work is on our desk and we can complete it. There is a commitment in the programme for Government to implement it over the lifetime of the Government. I am not sure what the Deputy's party manifesto said a couple of years ago. I do not recall seeing a commitment to a living wage overnight in it, to be honest. The approach we are taking is measured and brings together all stakeholders, with proper consultation, to determine how we can get the balance on this right. We are very much committed to it. …

I assure the Deputy and the House that I live in the real world, and it is the same world the Deputy lives in. He has to give up on the line he uses constantly. As Deputies, we are all engaged with people just the same as Deputy Gould. We know exactly what is going on. The difference is that we are prepared to make decisions to help and not just keep talking. We are prepared to go into government to make changes to help in the short and long term. The Deputy's party chose, for whatever reason, not to do that. That …

The point I am making is that people who live in the real world, like us on this side of the House, act and make decisions and improvements. The minimum wage, for example, has increased from €8.65 in 2016 by more than 20% to €10.50 this year because we made changes, and we will continue to build on that. That is based on proper, evidence-based research involving all sectors in order to get an agreement by everybody.

It works extremely well and we will continue to make interventions.

The Deputy obviously does not like people pointing out the reality that the real world wants actions, decisions and improvements, and for people to go into government and make decisions. That is what we are doing with the Low Pay Commission on a regular basis. We have taken every recommendation it has made over the past number years on board. The programme for Government contains a commitment to move to a living wage over the term of the Government. That is what we are doing. All of the work behind that has been do…

The Tánaiste has made it clear that over the past 18 months we in the Department have been very committed to improving the terms and conditions of all workers in this country, and have backed that up with legislation and changes. I understand that in most cases Sinn Féin supports that, and rightly so. We are leading with action. Likewise, the report of the Low Pay Commission on a living wage is on our desks and we can act on it in the weeks and months ahead. To be very clear, work should always pay and we are very …

I move: That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach pursuant to Standing Orders 95(3)( a ) and 181(1).

Did the Deputy make a submission?