I am informed that the pool closed during the Covid pandemic but reopened in March and that a number of schools in the vicinity of Templemore have been granted permission to use it. I understand also that this permitted use ceased during the summer holiday period and recommenced at the start of the autumn school term. I am also advised that the use of the pool by the Garda College is granted by the Office of Public Works under licence to and for the benefit of the local community on a not-for-profit basis. I unders…

We did. That is why we devised the TBESS. It has not been introduced yet but we agreed to it in the budget process. It will be set out and introduced shortly. It provides significant support for businesses. Our objective is clear, namely to get businesses through this period in the same way as householders. The €1.2 billion provision for that is real and will be delivered. As we did during the Covid pandemic – it is a similar experience in many ways – we will not be shy in making sure businesses get support.

I still support the constitutional right for access to water and keeping it in public ownership. We were discussing wastewater treatment systems earlier and I reflected that this, probably more than anything else, was debated in the previous Dáil at length and in detail. I do not think we can unpick the solution that was reached in the Oireachtas committee on the approach we have taken on water charges, ownership and local authorities being involved. The Deputy is correct that the industrial relations, IR, issues w…

No, it is the new reality. This summer we saw the world was burning and we are all at risk. Our future security must be protected. We will do that by reducing our greenhouse gas emissions. It also provides real opportunity to benefit because the new economy and a better way of delivering things will come in a low-carbon way, in particular in transport. The current system, for five decades, has been orientated towards car ownership and use and we did not invest enough in public transport and active travel. The clima…

I agree with the Deputy. The Central Bank's decision to change the definition to allow separated people to be able to avail of the first-time buyers scheme seems fair, correct and just. I am loath to commit to anything, as it is the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage who must make the decision, but I will pass on the Deputy's comments in that regard and I am sure he will consider it in a timely way.

I will again have to refer the Deputy's question to the relevant Minister because it relates to a specific policy issue, which he would have to consider. I agree with the Deputy. It was a welcome decision to allow local authorities greater flexibility. As I stated earlier in response to Deputy Mattie McGrath, we must be innovative and quick in how we address the housing crisis we face.

If the Deputy sends me the specific details, I will follow it up and check with the Department.

I do not have it here in front of me, but I will come back to the Deputy.

To answer the question, first, the energy credit system is the right approach. As I indicated in an earlier response, it had a material effect. There were approximately 200,000 in arrears and that reduced to 150,000 on the back of the credit and we expect to see a similar response this time. We said in agreeing the next tranche that we want it to be universal. There are certain families in various circumstances, for example, Traveller families, who we are making sure get it through local authorities. My understandi…

Yes, but-----

I will look at the specifics. The Deputy is referring to someone who owns a mobile home rather than someone who rents one where the meter is done a different way. I will look at the specifics of the issue and try to make sure we cover every case.

I will seek clarity from the Minister for Education. I do not have the details in front of me. The Department operates this programme in conjunction with Bus Éireann. At this time, when we have greatly reduced the cost and are expanding the number of people using the service, we want to try to cover every eventuality. I will ask her Department to come back to the Deputy with the specifics on that question.

I have talked to the Deputy about this on a number of occasions. He is correct; there is a small number of significant difficulties the residents have experienced having made what was, in my mind, a very good investment in a communal heating system but having been caught out because of the high price of gas. I do not believe, as I said to him the other day, that this would qualify for the temporary business energy support scheme, TBESS, although we will have to see when the specific provisions of that scheme are pu…

I will have to come back on what specifically we said at the EU. I do not believe we did but I will have to check that is correct. The Deputy's depiction of those generators as like something from Kabul of ten years ago is not accurate or correct. This is modern, new, highly efficient equipment-----

-----that is going to be needed as part of the solution.

They are going to be needed. Second, biomethane is going to be part of our low-carbon transition. We agreed in the sectoral emission ceilings this summer that we would develop 5.8 TWh of biomethane, largely from the agricultural sector. This is proven technology. It is not-----

We are at first base in getting the mechanisms and policies in place to roll out that infrastructure. We have never been short of applying for European funding. We have been remarkably successful in drawing down funding in a range of tranches of European funding. I would not rule out further funding from Europe for this development. We will continue to work with the Commission.

I am aware, given somebody provided me with the details, of the situation in Thurles the other night. It was particularly acute, as I understand it, with water coming up through the mains and flooding that way. It is a significant issue, not just in Thurles. There are an estimated 2,350 storm water overflows in our wastewater system and there are similar circumstances in many of them, albeit not as acute as what happened in Thurles the other day. I will pass on to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heri…

I agree with the Deputy. One of the reasons investments like that make sense is that we need to adhere to the national planning framework. There is excess development on the east coast compared in particular with Cork, Galway, Waterford and Limerick. In each of those cities, in the near future, I expect us to make announcements similar to that which was made in Moyross earlier this week. We need to make similar investments in our rail network, especially in our cities. That is why we invested in Cork metropolitan r…

I thank the Deputies for raising these important matters and allowing us time to discuss them. I appreciate their concern, which is all of our concern. There is no monopoly in the House or within any party when it comes to care for our people. We all share that. The unprecedented rise in prices and what that may do to leave people in a position where they cannot pay their electricity bills and potentially face disconnection is an issue for all of us. Clearly, the current situation we are witnessing in respect of si…