Perhaps the Minister might comment on when we, in the Houses of the Oireachtas, might see the carbon budgets. Also, I ask him to reference the opportunity there will be for stakeholders to engage in the process and when they might have that opportunity. On the broader question, and I am not entirely clear about the relationship between the fiscal, economic and climate objectives, are there conversations at governmental, ministerial and departmental levels as to how we are going to square all of that? My understandi…

Will the Minister provide an update on the introduction of the microgeneration scheme? When will it be in operation and how will it operate? Will he make a statement on the matter?

I thank the Minister for the update. This is one of those areas in which all of us can see opportunity. We are all frustrated with the rate of progress in this area. My party colleague, Deputy Stanley, published legislation four years ago which would have introduced a scheme, had it been adopted. There are great opportunities in this area. Any of us who have seen similar schemes in operation elsewhere know the potential of it. My colleague, Senator Boylan, and I made a submission to the public consultation and high…

By way of follow-up question, another group which is falling through the cracks in all of these developments, and there are a range of developments although they are not happening nearly as quickly as we might like, is renters. We have the prospect of an increasing number of renters living in private rented accommodation or, it is to be hoped, social rented accommodation. Will there be specific measures for private landlords to ensure renters are not left behind in terms of the opportunities for microgeneration and…

We had the NBI before the committee yesterday and it might be useful to relay some of what I heard clearly from there, some of which has been well recounted. One of the major issues now and into the future is the piece between the engagement between the NBI and the local authorities. We heard accounts of their experiences. There has been some progress on section 24s, but one goes to the planning department for the poles, to transportation for the road opening licences and sometimes to different municipal districts.…

I ask the Minister his views on claims made in advertisements relating to carbon offsetting and neutrality by companies that provide little detail on such claims, if he will strengthen legislation in this area to prevent misleading advertisements or so-called "greenwashing", and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. There is significant opportunity. There is potential. I can see some early indications of it where, with the green movement and the positive way that it is held broadly, it might be misrepresented in a way to take advantage in a marketing term in advertising. There is a need for regulation of the area whereby, if people claim zero emissions or carbon neutrality, that it means something and that there is a standard it is held against. That would be increasingly important in the time ah…

Will the Minister of State provide an update on the implementation of the recommendations of the aviation task force report and the aviation restart plan and what plans there are to sustain the aviation sector and aviation jobs over the coming winter period?

I thank the Minister of State for that update. She outlined well the challenges facing the sector. Covid has had a major impact everywhere. Now it is a question of how we recover. While I appreciate the extension of the EWSS until the end of the year, the Minister of State and I know that the season is over and will only pick up again around St. Patrick's Day of next year. That is what the industry tells us. Is consideration being given to extending the EWSS beyond the end of the year? I understand that there were …

I wish to make a couple of follow-up points. A number of recommendations in the aviation task force report specifically targeted the aviation environment. Recommendations Nos. 5 and 6 related to rebates and a common fixed sum per passenger. Have these measures been considered? Will they be included in the budget or among upcoming supports for the sector? The issue of transatlantic travel is of major concern for the sector. It is a large part of the market. To what extent has there been engagement to try to reopen i…

I would like to ask the Minister for an update on BusConnects in Dublin, if he has engaged with Dublin Bus management and unions to try to resolve the current dispute regarding pay and conditions at the company and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Go raibh maith agat. There was a resounding rejection of the proposal that was on the table by workers at Dublin Bus, and for a range of reasons, including the impact it would have on pay and conditions. Is the Minister aware of that and has he heeded it? There was a direct call on him by the workers to intervene and get involved. I ask him to set out his understanding of that process, where it is at now and if he is taking a hands-off approach to it, which is my sense of the situation at this stage, or at what sta…

From my engagement with workers at Dublin Bus I know they are committed to delivering on BusConnects. It is about it happening in the right way, one that works for everybody. On the issue of delivering on BusConnects, while I appreciate we have the H line and the C line as early pilots or test cases, the big hurdle is delivering on the quality bus corridors as an essential part of the improvement in the network. Will the Minister outline the approach that will be taken in the time ahead to engage with communities t…

I ask the Minister to outline his plans to reduce the number of private cars used on journeys to and from centres of primary, secondary and third level education and to make a statement on the matter.

One element that the Minister did not touch on is the school bus transport system. I know that technically it falls under the remit of the Department of Education but it is very clear that there is an interdepartmental responsibility in terms of transport and encouraging people out of private cars and onto the school bus transport system. I would urge the Minister to work with his colleague, the Minister for Education, on opportunities to expand the school bus transport scheme. Bus Éireann has set out its ambitions…

In my own constituency, one of the ways we could shift students at different levels from private cars would be through a rail line to Navan. Does the Minister have an update on that? The Tánaiste and local representatives were at the old Navan train station - with photographs published in the local media this week - ahead of their party think-in. Does the Minister have an update on the review? Is it positive? When will it be published and most importantly, when will we see funding and a start date for this essentia…

I thank the Minister of State for the update. We appreciate the challenges but there is a significant backlog of tests. Some 105,000 is the latest figure I have in terms of numbers waiting for a test and at different stages of preparedness, in fairness. That is more than a year's backlog, based on last year. From what the Minister of State is saying, we hope to increase the number of tests that can be conducted. I hope it does not take that long. Can the Minister of State outline the timeline for the additional rec…

I thank the Minister of State for her reply. One of the proposals that has been raised by driving instructors and others is that we would avail of the resource of driving instructors, either to assess people they deem ready for tests or possibly give them the responsibility of testing. Have any of those types of hybrid models been considered, or does the Minister of State not see them as necessary at this stage given the plans she has outlined? There is huge frustration for the 105,000 people who are waiting. Has t…

I want to raise the issue of global access to vaccines. What role will the Tánaiste and the Government play in ensuring fair and equitable access to vaccines? I am aware of, and support, the call for a TRIPS waiver. Does the Tánaiste support that call? If so, that is great; if not, how will Ireland and the EU play a leading role in that regard? I do not believe that answer is in tokenism or patronage. How will Ireland and the EU play a leading role to ensure a fair and equitable roll-out?

I raise the concern that taxi drivers have about the pandemic unemployment payment, PUP. They have heard directly from the Taoiseach and the Minister for Transport, Deputy Ryan, that the PUP will be extended until February 2022 and that self-employed people will continue to be able to earn €960 after expenses over an eight-week period while retaining their full PUP entitlement. The Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Humphreys, is telling them that a phased reduction will start on 7 September and as PUP recipien…