That is because successive governments did nothing for 20 years.

There are record house prices and record homelessness.

We had a very interesting conversation this morning at the fisheries committee. I welcomed this morning, and I welcome here, the fact that not only do we have a Minister of State with responsibility for fisheries and the marine but also a committee that is dedicated to it. I think it will make a big difference and, hopefully, we can work closely with the Minister of State to progress the many issues that will be coming our way. I do not think anyone argues against the fact that as a shared and a dynamic resource th…

I am sure the Minister of State is aware of the Department's plan to redesignate special schools so they no longer cater for children and students with mild learning disabilities. This will apply to approximately 30 schools across the country. I understand, in part, the rationale behind it. The Minister wants an inclusive model of education where children with mild learning disabilities can go to a mainstream school, and that will free up places in special schools for children with more complex needs. However, as i…

My understanding is that children with mild learning disabilities will not be able to enrol in any special schools under this programme because they will not have the sign-off, approval or letter of eligibility from the NCSE. The plan is for all of those children to go to their local mainstream school. I absolutely agree that no child should have to travel for two hours to get to their special school or to get education. It is absolutely not acceptable. Every child should be able to be educated within the local com…

Week after week, for 20 months, we come into this Chamber and talk about the most recent act of depravity that we have seen rained down on the people of Gaza by Israel. We talk in this Chamber about children who have been shot in the head, children who have been shot in the chest by snipers, children who have had to battle their way out of fires while their siblings and parents burned behind them, and children whose parents write their names on their bodies because they are conscious that if the family is wiped out…

That is not true.

Will the Taoiseach answer the Social Democrats' question?

I welcome the Minister of State's indication that he is open to reviewing the Arterial Drainage Act. We have heard a lot this afternoon about the financial, emotional and social cost of flooding. When flooding hits people's homes, businesses or land, it is very difficult. Aside from climate change and a changing weather regime, one of the reasons we experience such large and problematic flood events is the effect of the Arterial Drainage Act. We have come from a situation where our rivers were not seen as entities …

The looming threat of Mercosur is causing enormous stress in the agricultural community. What level of engagement has the Tánaiste had with like-minded European counterparts, by which I mean those who also do not want to see the Mercosur free trade agreement go through, and will he make a statement?

I thank the Tánaiste. France is one of the leading countries in opposition to this. It has said it does not want to see European farmers being used as an adjustment tool for trade. Similar to the Tánaiste, they question the environmental concerns about the deforestation of the Amazon and the weaker agricultural standards in Mercosur countries. Poland is backing France in a blocking minority within the European Council. Will Ireland also formally join that blocking minority? At this stage, we need to get some formal…

If it is split and trade is dealt with separately, my understanding is that it will cause us concerns. Regarding European partners, has the Tánaiste had any conversations with the Netherlands and Italy? My understanding is that their framing of this is softening. Is the Tánaiste or is the State also trying to have conversations to get them back to a position where they are opposing it? I am concerned about recent reporting in The Business Post that said the Department was saying it was not as worried about the Merc…

It is really hard to find the right words to say about Gaza now. Week after week, month after month, we have seen the most awful and horrific actions and destruction happening in Gaza and it is just getting worse and worse. To try to reduce it to a three-minute speaking slot is impossible. How can we honour those dead and how can we express our outrage at what is happening on the floor of this Chamber in such a short space of time? What can we say when we see children being murdered indiscriminately, when we see ch…

I thank my colleague for sharing her time with me, especially when she has such valuable insight to give and so much to say on the issue. I wish to raise the issue of the school transport scheme. A key part of the education system that we provide is the ability for our children to get there, particularly those who are living in rural communities. This facilitates parents who might need to work and children living distant from the public bus route. It is a very important component of the service that the Department …

I want to raise with the Minister of State today the issue of the immigrant investor fund and the difficulties faced by a number of charities as a result of delays in funding. I thank him for coming to the House today. All too often, we do not get the responsible Minister in the House. It is very welcome that he is here today to answer questions. A charity in my home constituency of Wicklow, St. Catherine's Association, does incredible work. It is a voluntary association and has worked with children and young adult…

That is an incredibly disappointing response. It is also very confusing. In one part the Minister of State said it is a private matter between a potential investor and the project concerned and that, essentially, he has nothing to do with the administration of it. In another part, he said the immigrant investor programme was first introduced by the Government and directed us to the Department's immigration service website for information on it. Clearly there is a role here for the Government. Clearly the Government…

It is all written here.

I would like the script for the follow-up response.

That is low, Minister.

That is wrong.