The Taoiseach actually speaks about reform of the triple lock. Removing one aspect of the triple lock is not reform, but ratification. It is a deceit.

What we in the Social Democrats will propose next week is to stay true to who we are as people. If the Government wants to remove the triple lock, it should put the question to the people and have a plebiscite. If the Government has conviction, stands over this principle and believes this would make us better, then put it to the people. Let us stand up for democratic norms while eroding parliamentary ones.

Answer the Social Democrats' question.

In May 2024, the Government the Minister was part of formed the city centre task force for Dublin with an aim of restoring our beautiful city to what it can be. In September, that report was delivered to Government by the overseer of the report, David McRedmond. In November, the report was released to great fanfare and much PR. It features in the programme for Government. Whenever I ask, however, or whenever a question is raised in Dublin City Council, for example, seeking an update, we are told no funding stream h…

The funding stream, Minister.

I watched the Taoiseach on "The Late Late Show" on Friday evening when, in his rush to defend the unjustifiable, he made a comparison between the deal he struck behind closed doors with Michael Lowry and the deal made between one of his predecessors and Tony Gregory in 1982. I will be very clear: the Gregory deal of 1982 was published. It was there for all to see. The public knew exactly what was going on. The Taoiseach should not compare it to the shoddy little deals he has made with Michael Lowry.

We know what happens with Michael Lowry behind closed doors because we have reams and reams of a tribunal report, a report that uses words such as "insidious" and "profoundly corrupt". Do you know what word it does not use? It does not say "altruistic". There is nothing about making deals and expecting nothing in return. The Taoiseach must step back from the precipice because we are heading into uncharted waters as regards how we conduct business in this Parliament and he is bringing us there.

It is nice to see Government Members of all descriptions having their voices heard and their mandate upheld today. I was led to believe that did not happen. My question to the Taoiseach concerns the funding for his Department's task force for Dublin city centre. It is eight months since it was announced and we are several months into the Government's term. Has the Department identified a funding stream for the task force?

I wish the Minister well in his new role.

It is a rare privilege in any walk of life to be able to walk to work. I enjoy that luxury, which is one not many have, four or five times a week in this city. Many of us come to the Chamber from different directions of the city. I sometimes wonder if we come from different Dublins. When I leave my house in the morning, I start in Mountjoy Street and move on to Dorset Street down through Parnell Street, cutting through Moore Street up around the GPO and across O’Connell Bridge. I see a Dublin that I adore and have …

-----had no budget allocated for it yet, eight months after it was initiated.

There are no revenue streams. That is an insult to the city when we have PR and no allocation of budget.

The game is up. The pretence that this Government values cross-party collaboration has been clearly exposed as a sham.

Given the chance to work with the Opposition on Dáil reform, the Government preferred the nuclear option, ramming through its undemocratic proposals on Dáil reform at the 11th hour, all to deliver a grubby little deal for Deputy Michael Lowry and his band of Independents. It makes us and the public wonder what exactly is the leverage that Deputy Lowry has on Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil that brings forth such commitments.

Like all grubby little deals, this deal was done behind closed doors and we may never know the details. The Tánaiste made a commitment in this Chamber. Both he and the Taoiseach gave solemn commitments that they would work across the Chamber, collaboratively, in respect of any Dáil reform. That very clearly lies in tatters. Who can forget other promises? The previous Government promised that 40,000 homes would be built before the election. It promised to enact the occupied territories Bill before the election. Thos…

I will take that back. It was another con trotted out just to give this idea to the public of who the Government is. What it does in private is completely different. Very clearly, the Opposition cannot trust this Government. I want to talk about another issue. It has been clearly flagged that the Government is going to bring forward a proposal to remove the triple lock. That proposal will be brought to Cabinet next month. Whenever the Tánaiste is asked about that proposal, he talks in riddles. We know that the Tána…

It is unjust, unfair and unbecoming.

You have no mandate.

You have no mandate.

The facts speak for themselves. The Government's credibility has been shattered. We speak of mandates. Each of us stood before the electorate a mere two months ago. Had that electorate known that the Tánaiste would be making grubby little deals that change the nature by which the Government would be able to correct its own homework, I doubt anybody would buy into it. That is what we are talking about. On the triple lock, I do not think the Tánaiste can answer a simple question.