Based on my discussions with the Garda, I am confident that it is dealing with this group as best it can. We cannot remain silent over the actions of a very small minority when the actions of the vast majority, who have suffered so much throughout 2020, are so compliant. If they are asked to cocoon and stay at home, they are doing that. The people required to take public transport provide essential services, such as going to Dublin Port to ensure goods are coming in, working on the front line in hospital and teachi…

I thank the Independent Group for tabling this motion, in particular, Deputy McNamara who is the lead on it. From working with the Deputy when we were members of the same party some years ago and again this year on the Special Committee on Covid-19 Response, I am aware of his commitment to Shannon Airport and his desire for it to return to a sustainable and healthy state. This has been consistent throughout his political career and this motion is another example of that. Deputy McNamara acknowledged my presence in …

I am seeking an update on the assisted human reproduction Bill. One element in particular, namely, the general scheme which dealt with posthumous reproduction, was introduced and went through pre-legislative scrutiny when the Minister, Deputy Harris, was Minister for Health. That has created an expectation among people who have to go through an unexpected and tragic time and must contend with that. In the absence of any legislation, clinics and people who use clinics must operate without any legislative guide. When…

I submitted this question just after 4 November when the United States had withdrawn from the Paris climate agreement. They say a week is a long time in politics. Things look a little different now but I would still be interested in the Minister's thoughts on the decision of the United States, the time that has been lost since the United States first indicated it would leave in 2017 and how it looks now with new President-elect Joe Biden, hopefully, coming into the White House.

I think so. The Paris climate agreement was signed in 2015. The Minister was present. He was not an officeholder at the time. I am not sure if he was a Deputy. It is worth saying it just shows the Minister's commitment to this goes beyond what office he holds. Many people on the left feel the need to caveat their congratulations to Joe Biden by saying they do not share his politics. I am not going to do that. I am delighted someone of such decency has won the presidency in America. I am especially delighted to hear…

It was encouraging for those of us with a passion for climate action that during this campaign, which took place during a pandemic and which was in many ways a referendum on the other fellow, anyone listening to Mr. Biden's message would know that the climate action agenda was running right through his campaign. That is very encouraging for the future. The Minister has given us a good answer there. On the tech industry, I have a question coming up in a couple of minutes' and we may have a different view on its rela…

I was encouraged to see a reference to data centres under the climate action section of the programme for Government. My concern in regard to data centres is that they are a blind spot, not only for the Government, but for governments and states throughout western Europe and North America. I would like to hear the Minister's thoughts on the Government's plan for dealing with the carbon emissions from these massive buildings.

The Tallaght district heating scheme is very welcome and is something we support. However, it does not allay any concerns I have in regard to data centres. According to EirGrid, by 2028, data centres, along with other large users, will consume 29% of Ireland's electricity. We are already Europe’s data centre capital, with Amazon, Google and Microsoft having operations here. Dozens of centres have opened in recent years, bringing the total to 54. We have ten centres under construction, including a €1 billion Amazon …

My other concern is that these data centres are light on creating jobs. For a building of such size, there may only be a couple of dozen workers there. We are dedicating large spaces to companies like Amazon, which has appalling workers' rights records throughout the globe, to create these massive data centres. I know these corporate purchasing power agreements are unsubsidised but I am concerned about them because it is the beginning of corporate creep into our energy generation at a time when our energy security …

As the Tánaiste and the Minister are aware, there are still hundreds of Aer Lingus workers who are seeking the retrospective entitlement to short-time work under the period the company was in receipt of the temporary wage subsidy scheme. It is now November, the eighth month of the crisis. The delay or denial of this entitlement to workers cannot go on and despite seemingly positive responses from the Minister on this, many workers are still unable to claim this entitlement. This entitlement cannot be allowed to tim…

I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I will be sharing time with Deputy Ó Ríordáin if he arrives in time, or I would appreciate it if the Ceann Comhairle would put him on the slate for contributions. The Labour Party has presented this short, simple Bill which we believe to be very important. We are disappointed that the Government has chosen to submit an amendment to further consider it because that will kick it down the road for 12 months. We do not see a need for that. We feel that is a device that…

I wish to make a point. Anyone who was around in the previous Dáil – I was not – will remember that time was fairly regularly given over to statements on the mother and baby homes. If it was not regular, it was often. That gave a sense to some survivors that at least the Dáil had not forgotten about them. While it was not legislation but statements, the issue was discussed and it gave a sense that Members on all sides of the House did not forget the survivors. They felt that as the process was going on, there was a…

Nothing speaks to the harshness and horror of the Irish experience in the almost 100-year history of our State than the experiences of those who had to endure and survive, and in some cases the experiences of those who did not survive, our State-sponsored institutions, such as mother and baby homes. Quite frankly, it is shocking, disheartening and totally avoidable that the Government is ramming through this legislation without pre-legislative scrutiny or consultation. It was rammed through the Seanad last week and…

I agree with what the Ceann Comhairle has said but much of what has been mentioned previously was discussed at last week's Business Committee meeting. To add to that, we are here at the Order of Business and we have no visibility of when the emergency Bill for the extension of the ban on evictions will be introduced. We know, or sense, that it will come in on Thursday, a day that is already packed to the rafters. It is absolutely no way to do business. Of course, if the Government had listened to our amendment in J…

As the Minister for Justice and Equality is in the Chamber, I would like to start by welcoming the €3 billion increase in funding for the justice portfolio. The Minister has said she looks forward to dedicating some of those resources to tackling domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. I look forward to getting more information in the coming days and weeks on how the Minister intends to apply those resources to that need. The allocation of new gardaí is most welcome. There is no denying that there are many good…

The Labour Party will not be opposing this resolution. At what point is the benefit of the revenue raised by duties on tobacco outweighed by the increase in counterfeit tobacco, with effects on public health, criminality and all the rest? Is that discussion taking place within any Departments? We probably need to start thinking about that when it comes to this particular old reliable.

This is a pill. As Deputy Howlin said earlier, this had to come in line with the other measures recommended by the Joint Committee on Climate Action. If there is any low-hanging fruit in cutting our carbon emissions it is retrofitting houses. This has sadly been left far behind in this budget. Our houses have the highest carbon emissions in Europe, at 60% above the European average. There is nothing in this budget which will turn that around quickly. That message must be hammered home to the Government. It is letti…

Last Friday evening, I spent over an hour with the Swords Youth Service, with a group of teenage boys, young men, who are known as the Underground Gang. They fear, like with many youth services around the country, for the viability of their service and the future of their funding. In line with the call from the National Youth Council of Ireland, what commitments can the Tánaiste give that there will be funding not only for 2021 but in the years ahead, so this vital service which has helped many young people through…

The Labour Party welcomes this Bill. It has been ten months since it was published and it has been a very peculiar legislative period. The Minister has brought this forward as soon as feasibly possible and this is appreciated. The Labour Party will look to bring some amendments to the Bill to strengthen it, but overall it is a move in the right direction and we broadly support it. I will, however, flag some of the issues here that we will be raising. An Post should not be able to avoid obligations of section 9 of t…

Today, the WHO announced an additional 338,000 Covid-19 infections worldwide, which is the single greatest one-day increase in the virus since it came to be less than a year ago. We are living under very serious level 3 designations throughout this country and have been living with them in Dublin and Donegal for some time. There are serious restrictions in place and we understand that. Paul Reid was on the "Six One" news tonight and NPHET, the Government and the HSE are all in agreement that this is a time of great…