I thank the Deputies. The directive is still under negotiation at European level as far as I am aware. It has to be agreed at European level before it can be transposed. I cannot give the Deputy a timeline on it unfortunately but we will transpose it once it is agreed. We are supportive of its general principles. With regard to the increase in the national minimum wage, it is an 80 cent increase. It is the biggest single increase that has ever occurred other than the reversal of the €1 cut but I do not consider tha…

I thank the Deputy for her question. I am keen to answer it. This is my first time taking Leaders' Questions since the summer break, however, and I am conscious that I do so on the day that Thelma and her little brother Mikey, who died tragically in Westmeath, are being buried today in St. Mel's Cathedral in Longford. This brings to mind the other children in Ireland who died violently over the past few months. It was hard not to feel for the fact that we had so many tragedies involving children dying violently ove…

As I pointed out in my initial response, there was planning and additional capacity was provided. Twenty-one thousand extra tickets this year means 21,000 more children across rural Ireland on school buses this year versus last year. That is a big increase in additional capacity and would be welcomed by many families, who did not have school transport before, now availing of it. In line with normal practice, all eligible children who completed the application and ticket registration process on time will be accommod…

I want to acknowledge that everyone in government is very much seized and very much aware of the cost-of-living crisis, how it is impacting on people's household bills and many people having to make difficult decisions about what they spend their money on over the course of the next few weeks. We see it at the pumps, we see it in our utility bills and, increasingly, we are seeing it feeding through to other bills, such as groceries. The Government has acted already. I will not go through the list of things that we …

In relation to the €180/MWh, I honestly cannot answer that question. That is a question only the EU Energy Commissioner can answer. As I say, it is not agreed. It may be the case that when this action is agreed, that figure will come down. I agree with the Deputy that it seems higher than it should be but, as I say, it is an EU proposal, not a Government one and not one that has been agreed yet by the governments of the EU. The Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, will be attending those meetings. It is intended to have ag…

A sum of €194 million was provided for homeless services in 2022. As the Deputy will know, the budget for 2023 is under negotiation. I am sure there will be funding for homeless services next year. There will have to be, given we have seen the fall in homelessness that had occurred now eliminated, essentially, and we are seeing very high homeless numbers again. All of that will form part of the budget negotiations currently under way. As I said, there was €194 million last year and a figure to be agreed for next ye…

I understand that the meeting with the Minister was arranged but that it then clashed with the confidence motion in the Dáil. That is why the Minister was unable to attend. I am sure the meeting can be rearranged and can proceed. The Minister does chair the national homeless action committee, and some of the people involved sit on that. As I said, budget negotiations are under way. There will of course be funding for homeless services next year. As for the particular proposal the Deputy mentioned, North West Simon …

It is not fair to say that the Government has not acted to help households and families with the rising cost of living. As recently as January, all the budget measures kicked in such as lower income taxes and increases in the minimum wage, the pension, weekly welfare payments, and the fuel allowance. In spring, the Government intervened again by reducing excise on petrol and diesel, by 20 cent and 15 cent, and reducing the cost of green diesel. We reduced VAT on electricity and gas to 9%, the lowest ever rate. We g…

The approach taken by the Government to date, since the changes in May, is that where the carbon tax increases, it is offset by other measures. That was introduced last spring with the reduction in excise on petrol and diesel so that people do not experience that increase in their pockets.

Just to be very clear, we are not opposed to bringing more gas ashore from Corrib if there is more available-----

-----and we are not opposed to Barryroe either.

I have not blocked any licence nor has the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan.

There is an obligation on the company to honour the terms of its licence and that involves demonstrating that it has the financial wherewithal to exploit those resources.

The Deputy mentioned cutting energy taxes. We have cut energy taxes. We took 20 cent and 15 cent off the cost of petrol and diesel-----

-----reversing several years of carbon tax increases in reality. We have cut VAT on electricity and gas to 9%.

It is 20% in Northern Ireland and Britain. The VAT on electricity and gas in Ireland is 9% - the lowest it has ever been. As the prices of gas and electricity continue to rise, the proportion of taxes which the Government gets falls. That is the reality of the situation we are facing.

I appreciate there are many shortcomings in our health and mental health services, in particular, but it is important to acknowledge that what the Deputy said is not true. There have never been more people working in the health service. The HSE has recruited more staff in recent years than ever was the case before, a significant proportion of whom are clinical staff.

No. The Deputy gave the impression that there was no willingness to recruit staff into our health service. I am saying that is factually incorrect. There have been significant increases in the number of people working in our health service. On the issue raised by the Deputy, I do not have a detailed answer to that, but I will ask the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, to provide that.

Yesterday, the Government accepted the Low Pay Commission’s recommendation to increase the minimum wage by 80 cent per hour, to €11.30 per hour. It will not take six months for people to experience it. It will kick-in in January. Most people who are paid the minimum wage are not paid monthly but are paid weekly or biweekly. Therefore, people will see the increase much quicker than in six months' time. It works out as an increase of €30 per week for someone working full time, or €1,660 per year. It is the biggest in…

-----but I accept that it is occurring at a time of very high inflation. It is an increase of 7.6% at a time when inflation is close to 9%.