I met the CEO of Cystic Fibrosis Ireland, CFI, this morning. He briefed me on the shocking situation evolving in Ukraine for people with cystic fibrosis. These vulnerable people are living in bomb shelters, often without water and food and with no basic medical supplies. A request has been made by CFI to the Department of Foreign Affairs for immediate financial assistance that could be channelled through CFI to other cystic fibrosis associations near the border with Ukraine. I ask for the Taoiseach's support for th…

I call Deputy Martin Kenny, who has two and a half minutes. There are four speakers listed for this Sinn Féin slot. Is Deputy Gould coming? Has he given the Deputies his slot? The Sinn Féin speakers have ten minutes between them.

This is an ambitious plan in that the retrofitting programme aims to make at least 500,000 homes warmer, more environmentally friendly and cheaper to run over the next eight years or so. This will be the largest infrastructural investment this decade, with the State investing €8 billion and a similar amount spent by homeowners. This programme will need to achieve 50,000 to 70,000 retrofit completions each year to reach its goal of retrofitting 500,000 homes by 2030. Last year, only 18,000 homes were retrofitted in …

I wish to raise the matter of pay and conditions for school caretakers and secretaries, which is a long-standing issue. An apparent breakthrough was made last September when the Department conceded that all school secretaries and caretakers should be placed on the public service clerical officer scale. A promise was also made in that deal that these people would not have to sign on during summer breaks. Will the Taoiseach bring the House up to date as regards a conclusion for this really important matter?

Will he do so again?

I welcome this Bill, which is updating the previous Act that is now 50 years old. We can all agree that a lot has changed in the world of education over the last 50 years. After all it was only a few years after free education was introduced. The world has changed and now most second level students aspire to receiving a third level education. I congratulate the Minister, Deputy Harris, and the Minister of State, Deputy Niall Collins, on taking up their important portfolios and setting up a new Department to manage …

I ask the Deputy to conclude.

We now move to-----

I am sure she will address that point in her contribution. I call Deputy Colm Burke.

Next is the Independent Group. The time is split evenly between Deputies Connolly and Fitzmaurice.

I thank the Deputy and call our next speaker, Deputy Fitzmaurice, who has 20 minutes.

I welcome this opportunity to contribute to this important debate and take this opportunity to express my sympathies to Ashling Murphy’s family, her partner, her friends, the entire school community in Durrow National School and the people of Tullamore and Offaly for their incredible loss. There was a spontaneous groundswell of support and solidarity shown to Aisling’s family in the vigils that took place right across Ireland and further afield in the aftermath of her death. I attended a number of these vigils in C…

I wish to ask the Minister of State if he will report on the sports capital programme, if additional funding has been secured for the 2022 scheme, when it is expected that an outcome will be announced for the 2022 programme and if he will make a statement on the matter.

I commend the Minister and, in particular, the Minister of State on their work on sport. I acknowledge the positive outcome to the equipment-only grants, from which many clubs in Clare and across the country benefited. Last November, I asked the Minister of State about this subject. I am aware of the request for €200 million. At that point he was not in the position to outline what would be the net request of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. I ask him to confirm what that net request is. There is a …

I welcome the Minister of State's reply, particularly that he has had positive discussions with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. Have those discussions now concluded? I ask him to give some idea of the percentage. How much money will be available? The request was for €200 million. What percentage would be available to fund it? If more funding is made available, more clubs will benefit. That is a key question and I would like the Minister of State to clarify the situation.

Our next slot is the Rural Independent Group. Deputy Nolan will be followed by Deputy Mattie McGrath.

Our next slot is the Independent Group. I call Deputies Connolly, Joan Collins and Harkin.

Deputy Funchion is sharing time with Deputies Martin Kenny, Patricia Ryan, Martin Browne and Clarke.

I am disappointed that neither the Minister for Transport nor the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, are here for this debate. I understand that the Minister brought to Cabinet a report that was carried out by NewERA on the financial situation of the Shannon Group, including Shannon Airport. It is important that the report is published and that the recommendations are made known and implemented. Deputy O'Donnell mentioned that Shannon Airport is now included in the regional airports programme, which is very welcom…

I thank the Minister of State for his response. I am surprised that the report is confidential, will not be published and that we cannot see its recommendations. I have no doubt that the Government has supported Shannon. It put €23 million into the airport last year. We need certainty and to get into the regional airports programme on a permanent basis. The Minister of State indicated that this will happen next year, which is welcome. We need to be included in it on a permanent basis in order that we have certainty…