None of us in this House wants to see the issue of race or migration become centre stage in our politics, most of all somebody like me, given my colour and my family background and the fact I am biracial. I ask the Deputy to consider his approach to this, and to consider it carefully. I know he is well-intentioned and fervently anti-racist and internationalist. I absolutely accept that. I just ask the Deputy not to play their game inadvertently. Do not make any excuses for them. No matter what problem a country fac…

There are many reasons the country faces a housing crisis and a health crisis. Almost every country in the developed world is facing some form of housing or health crisis. Governments in those countries are doing their best to deal with them, and that is exactly what we are doing here. It is our responsibility to put things right and we will do the best we can to do so. Again, I would ask the Deputy not to inadvertently make excuses for the far right or for racists. No matter what problem a country faces, and every…

I am happy to say that here. People who come here from Ukraine are beneficiaries of temporary protection. They have legal status and a right to be here.

People who come here who claim international protection have legal status. They are here legally-----

I did not say that, Deputy. I ask the Deputy to withdraw that.

I did not, Deputy. People who come to Ireland and apply for international protection have legal status. They have legal status until such time as their application is determined. If it is determined that they have protection, then it is legal for them to stay here. If it is determined that they do not get that protection, it is only at that point that they become illegal.

I will take the questions in reverse order. The Government will make a decision on the cost-of-living supports roughly around the middle of the month, hopefully next week if not the week after. On the windfall tax, I will have to speak to the Minister for Finance. However, we are bringing in a windfall tax and intend to use the money to help businesses and families struggling with the cost of living. On the question of making a statement on the matter Deputy McDonald raised, I will not be able to do that this week.…

Levels of child poverty in Ireland are too high. They had been falling for several years on the Government's watch. I am sorry the Deputy was not willing to acknowledge that but they had been consistently falling because of the policies we pursued as a Government. Over the past year, the cost-of-living crisis has changed that and I acknowledge that many families are now really struggling to make ends meet in a way they were not only a year ago. We did a lot to help in the budget. This included increases in pension …

I might ask the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, to answer the Deputy's question more fully than I can later but my understanding is that we are recruiting more staff for the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, including IPAS. There are quite a lot of vacancies we are not able to fill, although we are keen to do so. We have been seconding people from other parts of the public service because we really need staff in that area. The former chief executive of Limerick City and County Council,…

I am not sure what is meant by "money for kids" outside of child benefit but I definitely agree that there should be more playgrounds and sports facilities. That is happening and it is something that Government and local authorities are very much investing in. I am interested in the debate about homework. I am not sure what is the right decision. My sense is that some homework is a good idea and that it is a good idea for kids to practise at home what they learn in school but I absolutely agree that our approach sh…

I want to acknowledge at the outset that a lot of people and a lot of families are struggling with the cost of living and are struggling to make ends meet. Nobody on the Government side would deny that for a second. I do not know if it is correct to say that one in ten Irish families have gone to a food bank. That would be 200,000 families. I am not sure if that figure is correct but it is certainly more than it used to be and nobody is going to deny that. We see it as well in second exceptional needs payments wher…

I should say that this is ultimately going to be a matter for An Bord Pleanála to decide on. It has been remitted to An Bord Pleanála for a decision, taking into account the climate action plan. I will be very straight with the Deputy. While there are different views within Government on this matter, which happens sometimes and sometimes is a healthy thing, I am a supporter of the Galway ring road. It is in the national development plan and the national development plan is Government policy. Therefore, if it gets p…

I am afraid I honestly do not know the answer to the Deputy's question. While I appreciate she may have raised it before, this is the first time it has been raised with me. I will have to check with the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, and come back to the Deputy with an answer.

I want to extend once again my condolences to the people of Creeslough who, I know, are still mourning and for whom this tragedy is still very raw. What I would ask TG4 to do is perhaps to sit down with the families concerned, maybe consult with them and, having done that, make a decision as to whether or not it is going to postpone the airing of the documentary. I am reluctant, as head of Government, to tell any broadcaster what it should or should not broadcast. I do not want to get into that space, but I do hear…

I do not have the data to hand, but I will ask the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, to come back to the Deputy with an answer on that within a week. I strongly believe that it is important that our planning departments are properly staffed. This is so that they can grant planning permission to people who need to build homes and to build businesses and infrastructure. Our planning enforcement sections need to be properly staffed as well.

I thank Deputy Farrell. I will ask the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, to answer on MARA.

As part of our response, the Government has announced €2 million in aid for Türkiye and Syria. Most of it will go to Syria and it will be done through the UN, the Red Cross and Red Crescent. We are going to talk to the authorities and see what else we can do. I expect this will be a matter we will discuss at the European Council tomorrow and I agree with the fundamental case the Deputy is making. I have always taken the view food and medicine should be exempt from sanctions. They are exempt from the sanctions regim…

On the other matter, Deputy Verona Murphy will appreciate the deployment of Garda resources is a matter for the Garda Commissioner rather than the Government but it is the Government's job to make sure there are more gardaí, and we are doing that. We have provided funding for an additional 1,000 to be recruited this year. That does not mean an extra 1,000 gardaí because there will be retirements, but it will allow for several hundred additional gardaí. I hope that will include additional gardaí for Wexford and for …

No.

No. Nílimid ina aghaidh.