Thank you. I welcome the motion from Sinn Féin. If I follow up on a query from a parent or from someone my own age about a delay in getting an appointment for a test, the RSA tells me to contact different test centres around the country. Asking a person from Cork to come to Dublin or even further afield to do their test is absolute madness. There is no quality there when it comes to trying to get those tests and those appointments fulfilled as quickly as possible. I will give the example of Evan, who is around my a…

Last year I stood with my colleagues and over 40,000 teachers to protest against the rushed leaving certificate reform proposed by the Government. The Minister's predecessor, Deputy Foley, referred to the reform as equity and excellence for all. The most important part of reform to any curriculum, as I think the Minister will agree, is to benefit students. Take two students, one in a local voluntary school and one in a private fee-paying school. It will come as no surprise that private schools are well equipped wit…

Absolutely. My greatest objective is that students across the country are open to this reform and benefit from it. The Minister said she is fully equipping schools. For seven years I was taught in prefabs. That is what happens in local voluntary schools across this country. The Government pays €90 million per year for prefabs. The Minister referred to business. I taught business studies up to November. In September I took on a cohort of transition year students. I had to tell them I knew nothing about the specifica…

I congratulate the Minister and the Minister of State on their appointments. I know the Minister of State on a personal level. He is hard-working and a man of integrity for the constituents of Cork North-West. I am sure that will be the same in his new role in the Department. I congratulate him. I welcome this motion from Sinn Féin and the opportunity to raise the issues and concerns relating to special education. The Labour Party will support the motion. When it comes to special educational needs, we have a cohort…

I thank my colleague Deputy Ahern for giving me a couple of minutes. I congratulate the two Ministers of State, namely Deputy Canney and my Cork colleague Deputy Buttimer, on their new roles. I wish to raise the Mallow relief road, which the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer might be aware of. It is very important infrastructure. Since I was a young boy, the Mallow relief road has been talked about. It has been talked about for 20 years or more and has been raised in this Chamber on a number of occasions. Transpor…

The level of respect that Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Regional Independent Group have for people on the housing waiting lists throughout the country is stark to those of us on this side of the House when the benches opposite remain empty and we have one Minister sitting here. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael should be ashamed of themselves. Cabinet meeting or no Cabinet meeting, the motion brought forward by the Labour Party is one of integrity and respect for the people we meet every single day of the week. The benche…

That is not true-----

Hear, hear.

I share the sentiments expressed by colleagues, Deputies Smith and Wall. Today, however, I wish to raise the serious concerns many people across the country have with regard to reform of the senior cycle in secondary schools. In the programme for Government, Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Regional Independent Group wrote that they intend to continue the same programme of senior cycle reform that more than 40,000 teachers have rejected. The most important part of reform of any curriculum is to benefit students. As a…

I am looking for an update on the Government's plan to introduce the occupied territories Bill. It is good to get the opportunity. I thank Deputy Duncan Smith for the opportunity to raise this issue. Do I have 30 seconds?

I am new to the Chamber so I am trying to learn the logistics. Our leader, Deputy Bacik, met the Palestinian ambassador this morning. I share the concerns Deputy Smith expressed last week and those our party leader shared in relation to the amendments the Government proposes and what they mean for the occupied territories Bill. As a young person, it comes up constantly in conversation with my friends. It is close to our debate. I ask the Minister to clarify the amendments, if possible.

I appreciate that the Tánaiste said his next step is to meet Senator Black. Is it possible to get a timeline on when he will meet the Senator? The original question was to get an update on the plan. It is important that this country takes a stance on this issue at European and UN level. Words are meaningless without significant action. I think the Minister would agree with me on that. We now have an opportunity to pass the occupied territories Bill. It should not be watered down in any sense but brought before the …

With the impact of the recent winter snowstorms and Storm Éowyn still being felt, with 18,000 still without power, it is vital that this Government commence a relief scheme to support those who have suffered damage to commercial property and farming property. I have been contacted by many people over the past three weeks who have had damage to their homes and business following the effect of these storms. I have also been contacted by numerous farmers who have suffered significant damage to property. Many of these …

I congratulate my fellow Cork man, Micheál Martin, on his election as Taoiseach and congratulate his wife, Mary, and their children. As the youngest Member of this new Dáil, it is a real privilege to address the House. I thank the people of Cork North-Central who have given me this opportunity. As a secondary school teacher, I have witnessed successive Governments failing on education, particularly in relation to special educational needs. One parent in my constituency has applied to ten schools for her child, who …

-----it is those with the least have the most to lose.

When are we going to get the legal advice?

What about the legal advice?

Ridiculous.