-----Dr. something-or-other. I cannot think of her name but she said it yesterday.

A Leas-Cheann Comhairle, I-----

I am calling a vote on that amendment because I am against it.

Not agreed.

Vótáil.

Not agreed. Vótáil.

Mind your own A, B, C. When you will go to the doors, you might get your answer this time.

No, it is factual-----

That is rubbish.

Carbon tax and-----

The Taoiseach is dancing to the tune of Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, and the music is bad.

I thank Sinn Féin for giving us the opportunity to discuss this very important matter. There is so much involved in this area but I will start by thanking all of the childcare providers in Kerry for the great work they are doing. I think of places like Little Acorns in Kilgarvan where my two grandsons, small John and Dan, go. I also think of places like Raheen and the Two Mile School which do so much work in very rural areas. These are the types of crèches and childcare facilities that are under savage pressure. Th…

We must retain our neutrality because it has served us well since de Valera stood up to Churchill in the Second World War. We want no part of military alliances, but we should not abandon our own Army. It was ridiculous to have them on income supplement to feed their families. We must keep a proper peacekeeping force. We must modernise the Army, Naval Service and Air Force. We need a navy to protect our fishermen and not to be depending on fishermen from Berehaven, Dingle and other places to talk to the Russians ab…

I also respectfully ask the Government to help the pig industry through the prolonged crisis it is experiencing at present. I thank the Minister for meeting many of the pig farmers yesterday. There are 8,000 jobs in the pig industry. They are currently losing between €40 and €50 per pig. Feed has gone up from €270 a tonne to €430 a tonne, and they have been told it is going up a further €70 a tonne next week. There are pig farmers all over Kerry, at Killorglin, Causeway, McAuliffe’s and Knocknagoshel. We have the R…

I will say one thing. If the Government cannot or will not help them, please tell them right away and do not keep them hanging on because they are losing massive sums of money daily.

I thank the Taoiseach and the Minister.

I am glad to get the opportunity to speak to this matter again because it is so important. The Government, the Department of Health and the HSE are really letting down children with disabilities. It is a tough cross to bear for these parents and the children when they do not come into this world 100% and are lacking what they need. An assessment of needs takes forever and they do not get the speech and language therapy they need so much. There is also occupational therapy, physiotherapy and all the other therapies.…

I am glad to get the opportunity to speak. I thank Deputy Cian O'Callaghan and the Social Democrats for bringing this Bill before us. I am amazed that there was no way to deal with this offence before. Remarkably, the Minister for Justice has confirmed that no specific criminal offence for this practice currently exists in Ireland. It is amazing that, as matters stand, there is no way to deal with some landlord or other person who could prey on vulnerable women, and men also. It is wrong and we have to support this…

I welcome the Bill. Many parents of babies born through surrogacy have contacted me about anomalies that occurred when they brought their babies home. Many couples are unfortunate, in that they cannot have children of their own. For one reason or another, they have been deprived of this. They then do the next best thing, which is surrogacy. Some years ago, a lady I was very close with lost her life trying to have the baby that she and her husband so dearly wished for. They went through many IVF treatments. This lad…

Is it something the Tánaiste cannot realise right here?