I do not have an answer to the Deputy's question as to the survey work that was done. There are sections on the line from Claremorris to Athenry that will require some reasonably significant civil works. For example, roads have been built across the line in the intervening period. However, these issues can be overcome. I cannot recall the exact period in which the section from Claremorris to Collooney closed but I believe it was an earlier closure and the line would therefore not be as up to date. I believe there a…

If that is not the case, it is all the better for us if we are to deliver a greenway on the line. The benefit of this is that it would preserve the line in public ownership. It is not included in the strategic rail review and the introduction of a greenway would not be hindered. If held in public ownership into the future, that line provides a potentially very beneficial future asset. However, it is not included in the strategic review and I do not believe that is to be reviewed.

I do not believe that only the quality of the line was considered. There are so many different investment requirements that there has to be some prioritisation. If the line is, as the Deputy said, still intact and in public ownership, that would help and for it to be maintained in that way is the first priority.

I thank Senator Lombard for the question. I welcome the opportunity to discuss this important topic with Members. I understand the Senator's question relates to the current system of funding allocations for the protection and renewal of the national and regional local road network, with a particular emphasis on the Cork region. As he will be aware, and as outlined in the 2024 regional and local roads programme, the Government is strongly committed to protecting the existing road network. This network is fundamental…

I take the point. As the Senator knows, I know west Cork well. I have roots in the area. I am aware of the great benefit that comes from taking traffic out of the centres of towns. One might say west Cork, more than any other area, has benefited from its towns. The character of a town like Clonakilty, Bandon, Bantry, Skibbereen or Dunmanway is its great strength, so I fully agree towns should not be swamped with traffic. There is a myriad of demands. We have increased demands because of the increasing effects of cl…

This is an incredibly important day for the families who lost loved ones in the Stardust fire, but I am conscious that any sense of relief today's apology may bring is tempered by the fact they had to wait for far too long to hear it. Most of us in this Chamber know what it is like to lose a family member, but few of us will have experienced the devastation of losing a loved one in such terrible circumstances. The fact this pain was compounded by the State's unwillingness to correct the glaring flaws of those origi…

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).

I start by thanking Deputy Varadkar for the work he has done, particularly in the past four years but also over his time in this Dáil. As leader of his party and as Taoiseach, he leaves the county in a position whereby the economy has never been stronger. History will judge Leo's timing in how he managed Brexit with the British Government, knowing when the time for a deal was and what that deal would be, as something to be recognised. Similarly, at the critical moment early in 2020 when fear about Covid was so stro…

Similarly, I would argue with regard to the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, that any honest assessment of the outcomes for delivery to improve the health qualities of our people would again show a record of improvement that we need to continue with a laser focus because that is what is important for our people. Similarly, as the Taoiseach said, we, as a people, are starting to turn and show real leadership on climate. We are good at this. The emissions last year from power generation fell by - what was it? - 17%, and we…

There are immediate tasks in warming up the Irish people in delivering a solar revolution, delivering retrofitting and delivering public transport. The Deputies can laugh at that but it actually improves and transforms the quality of people's lives, which is our job to deliver. We have immediate projects. Rather than having an election, I believe we should spend our time delivering a future broadcasting funding mechanism to deal with one of the biggest challenges of our time, which is the misinformation and disinfo…

That is a question, Michael. That would be up to the people. The people have a choice there. This is a big, historic, important European election where, on the one hand, we have people putting themselves forward saying “Europe is full”, “Climate action can wait”, “I would not touch those vaccines” or “We do not need to restore nature”. I do not agree with that vision of the future. It is important that the decision of the Irish people and people across Europe be the focus of our attention in the next ten weeks. Jus…

We all know about those incredibly difficult decisions. Anyone here who has been a councillor knows it is one of the hardest places to be because sometimes you have to take a hard vote. The public gallery is behind you and you have to raise your hand for something that you believe is right but is not what everyone wants to see. Our constitutional imperative should be focusing on those local and European elections now. It will be strange. Out of respect to our Constitution, I would refer to the Taoiseach and Tánaist…

I think he is very well-placed. Just as background, as a teenager, he established the AAA autism group in Wicklow. Believe it or not, this is not that unusual. Right across the country, there are civic actions like that where people are co-ordinating and organising to improve the quality of the lives of their people. In autism alone, we have Snowflakes Autism Support in Swords, which recognises that every individual is special or different but occasionally can suffer a meltdown. It organises activities for families…

One of the key issues, the most important issue we all need to consider here, is how we protect the natural world, which is under threat.

Yes, and the two go together. We just heard yesterday, that last month was the warmest month in recorded history. That was previously the case with February, January and December. We have never seen anything like the past ten months in a row----

-----in recorded history in the context of the scale of climate change.

The programme, if I can explain----

Apologies.

A Cheann Comhairle, this is deadly serious.

As well as those monthly increases, global ocean temperatures have jumped completely beyond what the scientists expected. The average temperature increase is more than 1.5°C. The best scientists tell us that when you go over 1.5°C, you risk crossing tipping points into runaway climate change that cannot be stopped, and that imperils us all. We know this at home because it has been raining for the past ten months in a way that it has never done before.