I thank the Minister for his response. I think it does make sense for him to review the position and defer the Government-imposed planned increase set in train for 1 August. We have had a 4 cent increase per litre on petrol and 3 cent on diesel. The Minister has outlined that. He has said, quite correctly, that the Government is not responsible and cannot manage all price shocks. This is not a price shock based on the international market and international trading conditions. This is a Government-imposed increase o…

It has to be kept under review. It fact, the Minister should make a clear statement here today that he is actively considering deferring the planned increases in August and October, respectively, which will make the differential between retail prices in the South vis-à-vis the North much more significant. The Minister is quite correct. When people cross the Border from Drogheda or Dundalk to fill their car in Newry, or just across the Border in the petrol stations there, they take an extra few miles of a trip to do…

I am pleased to speak in support of the establishment and the principle of both the future Ireland fund and the infrastructure, climate and nature fund. It is a principle that we agree with the Government on. The fact we are establishing funds of this nature is something that would have seemed simply beyond us just a few short years ago. Fifteen years ago, the economy of our country was surrendered to the troika. It was a shameful time for this Republic and the scars of that experience still run very deep indeed. A…

As always, I seem to find myself following my constituency colleague, Deputy Ó Murchú-----

-----whose contributions are always enlightening, as I think you will agree, a Cheann Comhairle, and I know the Minister of State will agree. As a former Minister of State with responsibility for business and employment from 2014 to 2016, I took a huge interest in the development of Microfinance Ireland and the various schemes it operated. I recall making some significant changes back in 2015 - for example, the removal of the impediment that lay in the way of lots of microenterprises that required funding from MFI,…

I think it is parliamentary.

He has been called worse.

I also welcome our visitors in the Public Gallery. I can see that they are all watching and listening intently because what we are debating here today is about our collective future. On Tuesday, last, 27 February, we witnessed an historic vote in the European Parliament. MEPs in Strasbourg voted to approve the first-ever nature restoration law. It is the first new major EU biodiversity law since the 1992 habitats directive. There has been much conjecture about the purpose of this legislation - both from the climate…

With respect to the Minister of State, all we got from him this morning was a mélange of disconnected words. That is what it was. Frankly, his disinterested tone is only equalled by this Government’s disinterested position on the delivery of housing for the hundreds of thousands in this country who need it and who need a change of approach and change of policy from this Government. The ESRI will put it well this evening when its officials address the budgetary oversight committee. What they will say - it is reporte…

It is a provisional Government.

Fianna Fáil used to be ambitious.

In driving up prices.

We, in the Labour Party, very much support this legislation and we have been aware for some time of course that there would be the requirement for a constitutional amendment and ratification of the Unified Patent Court. Which way are we pronouncing patent? I am not sure. It is interchangeable.

We are looking forward to the debate and I am interested to see what exotic creatures emerge on the "No" side and what those arguments might be. It will probably be the least-challenging job the Electoral Commission will have over the next period. The Minister of State, Deputy Richmond, differentstated earlier in his contribution that the original commitment was signed by the State in 2013. The idea has been around now for a long time. It has been on the agenda of successive Governments and we are finally here. Whi…

I often find myself following my constituency colleague Deputy Ó Murchú. I am always happy to give way to him if he needs additional space to elaborate on a point. I agree with him on the treatment of the PayPal workers in Dundalk. All too often in the past couple of years, local Deputies have had to advise, individually and collectively, Paypal workers on their rights and entitlements in the context of a statutory collective redundancy consultation process because that is an employment where trade unions are not r…

She represents rural Ireland.

Drogheda will lose 56% of its tourism hotel beds in March. The nature of the Department of integration's arrangement with the D Hotel must be re-examined. As the Taoiseach knows, the town of Drogheda has a long and proud history of social solidarity and tolerance of pluralism, and that continues. For the vast majority of the people of my town, this was only ever about the loss of key hotel beds. Here is the evidence. On Saturday, the far right organised a protest in my hometown, which 300 people attended. The impor…

The D Hotel should not be any different. Will the Taoiseach accept and work with me and the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, on the constructive proposal I made for dual use in the D Hotel?

The Government owes that much to 41,000 Droghedians.

Correct.