We are disappointed and frustrated with how the motion has been proposed. The way the Government has been handling wide-reaching emergency legislation in recent weeks, via motions and guillotined debates, shows contempt for the Opposition. No Opposition briefing has been provided in advance of the motion to inform us of the up-to-date epidemiological circumstances in countries on the designated state list, yet we are expected to vote in favour of it, which would again extend the broad powers contained in the Health…

Are we speaking to amendment No. 1 or amendment No. 2?

It relates to climate justice. We had a long discussion and debate on climate justice during pre-legislative scrutiny and on Committee Stage. There was progress and then we hit a wall in regard to it. It seems like there has been a sprint in recent days given the level and number of changes. It is very frustrating for those of us in the Opposition who have spent time on the Bill, who have listened and learned during the process. We have tried to contribute in a constructive way. It is difficult to comprehend what i…

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Robert Troy. I want to raise the growing problem of scam phone calls and text messages, which have become widespread in the past few weeks, as he will no doubt be aware. Fraudsters who claim to be from State agencies, for example, An Garda Síochána and the Department of Social Protection, are pestering people with calls that seek personal and sensitive details, such as personal public service numbers, PPSNs, and bank details. While most people identify these calls as fraudulent…

The Minister of State mentioned the need for awareness-raising and bringing people's attention to these issues, and that is important. I accept it is complex and involves a number of agencies. I would add there is a possibility this could continue, increase and get worse. It is a frustration and a nuisance outside of anything else. I would encourage those agencies to work together to try to address it, stop it, reduce it, and minimise it as best they can because it will be a growing problem if it continues, and peo…

I move amendment No. 1: (a) To insert the following after “in line with the Cabinet decision in 2017;”: “notes the findings and recommendations contained in the Grant Thornton report entitled ‘Review of the economic contribution and financial sustainability of the Irish Post Office Network’, commissioned by the Irish Postmasters' Union, which recognises the contribution of the post office network, the huge challenges facing the sector and includes a recommendation to introduce a Public Service Obligation (PSO) of a…

I ask Minister for Education how she will address the long-standing shortage of school transport places across the State, if she is engaged in capacity planning, and her views on whether it will be possible that each child who wants a place in the bus will receive one.

Each year parents are faced with the same problems, when it comes to the school bus transport scheme. It is fair to say the scheme is popular but it is over-subscribed. The question arises in terms of who is eligible and who is excluded. I would like to know the Minister's assessment of those who are excluded. What percentage of people are on concessionary tickets? What number of people who apply for the scheme are neither eligible nor get a concessionary ticket? The issue of unmet need is important. The suggestion…

The scale of the ambition is not nearly where it needs to be. In the last 20 years, we have seen a 6% decrease in the number of people who avail of school bus transport, and a 31% increase in the number of children travelling to school by car. That is inconsistent with where we need to be going in terms of our modal shift. There are many compelling reasons to move people from the private car to the school bus. If this is the first year in a ten-year programme, it is not anywhere near where it needs to be. I ask the…

I ask the Minister the steps she has taken to achieve pay equality and pension entitlements for school secretaries, in accordance with the commitments given by Government.

We are heading into another summer when very many school secretaries will have to go on jobseeker’s allowance again. A commitment in this regard is contained in the programme for Government. This commitment was made by the Minister’s party when it was in opposition and by the Tánaiste last October. I welcome the engagement but school secretaries and their representatives are frustrated by the pace of progress regarding these matters. What is the timeline in this regard? How quickly will this engagement conclude? Wh…

It is important to state there are issues of equality and fairness and regarding the rights of workers. In addition, there are also real issues of potential hardship. Therefore, time is important and of the essence. I reiterate the frustration - and it is frustration - felt by school secretaries and their representatives regarding the rate and speed of progress, or lack thereof. I ask again what the Minister sees as being a realistic timeframe. How quickly can these negotiations and discussions be concluded? I know…

I refer to the digital Covid certificate, which went live across the EU today. Ireland is the only country that was not in compliance with the regulations. We have missed this deadline, although it was not a deadline for us. There are many who are concerned we will miss the deadline of 19 July. We are told we will be emailed our vaccine record but nobody submitted their email address when they applied for the vaccine and there is concern in that regard. Can the Tánaiste guarantee that the system will be live and op…

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Bill. The preparation of development plans are important and shape the development of a county for the life of the plan. At their heart has to be the principal of participation and a commitment by local and central government that the vision set out in the written statements and maps comes to fruition. Meath County Council's plan is at an advanced stage. Today is the deadline for submissions on the material amendments. The final amended plan is expected to be completed in O…

I ask the Minister for Transport what actions he has taken to support the aviation sector, noting the collapse of Stobart Air last weekend with the loss of hundreds of jobs. What discussions has he held with the Minister for Health and members of the National Public Health Emergency Team about the use of serial antigen testing to potentially aid the sector's recovery and will he make a statement on the matter?

I thank the Minister. There is very serious frustration in the aviation sector with the Government. Ground workers, airport employees, cabin crew and pilots feel abandoned by the Government and despair at the lack of a plan for their sector. They recognise that Covid-19 is devastating but they have argued for the best of public health and public confidence in aviation. I have been critical of the Minister and his predecessor that they did not do enough to put systems in place to provide protections and confidence. …

It will be hugely frustrating for people to hear that this was recommended in April and we still have no action on it. I listened this morning to the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science speak on the radio about an argy-bargy on the issue of antigen testing and the need to properly assess. We heard yesterday there is no evidence base. We could have been preparing such an evidence base. We do not know where the evidence will take us but it is legitimate to pilot antigen testing…

Will the Minister extend the ten-year rule for taxis, acknowledging the severe financial pressure taxi drivers remain under as a result of the pandemic, and will he make a statement on the matter?

The response from taxi drivers to the full package of measures announced last week is that they are underwhelmed. They are frustrated and angry at the extent of the engagement they had with the Minister, Taoiseach, Tánaiste and various backbenchers and with the support package, which amounts to a sum total of a couple of hundred euro for each individual taxi driver. That is completely unacceptable. On the ten-year rule, a video circulating on social media shows a taxi driver walking around his Toyota Avensis, which…

I have a question about the ten-year rule. I hear what the Minister is saying about the moves that have been made but there has to be NTA consultation before a decision is made and in the meantime, taxi drivers have experienced 15 months of no work and insufficient supports, whatever way it is cut up, and are losing money every day. The prospect of breaking even is a long way off, yet the decision about renewing their vehicles is imminent. That is what is hanging over them and they are frustrated with the Minister …