There are no further questions on that. I had just wanted to get those figures. We will read the full detail in the written reply. I thank the Minister.

The provisions of this Bill which are designed to allow Ireland to access the various European funding supports are welcome but questions remain on whether they go far enough, how they will be utilised and to what end. According to the OECD, average employment will remain below pre-crisis levels by the end of 2021, which is the date the initial investment period of the pan-European guarantee fund ends, after which time any extension will need to be approved by the contributors. I have concerns that were this extens…

Tá sé thar am dúinn déileáil leis seo. We absolutely support the call for a system to deal with rent arrears. The Government inaction on this will just leave more children in homeless accommodation. We in Sinn Féin have been calling for this issue to be tackled for some time. We know from data published by the ESRI that young people and those renting are more likely to be in a more precarious situation with regard to their income due to Covid-19 restrictions. We know that since the special Covid-19 rent supplement …

Is minic ráite sa saol polaitiúil gur mór an onóir do dhuine í labhairt ar son ceannaire ach ar an ócáid seo ba mhaith liom a rá gur chúis bhród dom tacú le hainmniúchán an Teachta McDonald mar Thaoiseach. The results of this year's general election show clearly there is a movement for change that has called time on the political status quo . The political forces that have converged in recent weeks and months to cobble together an agreement on Government formation will claim they are doing so in the national intere…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach agus ba mhaith liom an t-am a roinnt idir mé féin agus an tAire chun deis a thabhairt di freagra a thabhairt ar mo chuid ceisteanna. Ar an gcéad dul síos ba mhaith liom a rá go bhfuil sé dochreidte agus go hiomlán do-ghlactha nár tugadh deis dúinn an Ghaeltacht a phlé go dtí seo agus nach mbeidh plé iomlán air seo os comhair na Dála mar is os comhair an Choiste Speisialta um Fhreagra ar Covid-19 a bheidh sé seo á phlé. Tá na ceantair Ghaeltachta buailte go dona ag an bpaindéi…

Mar gheall ar go bhfuil srian ar mo chuid ama, iarraim ar an Aire na freagraí a thabhairt i bhfoirm scríofa. It is not often that a meeting is so emotional that it reduces me to tears, but two weeks ago I had just such a meeting with the parents' association of Rosedale School, a school for children with severe or profound intellectual disability in Galway city which was featured on RTÉ news last week. These parents are exhausted and heartbroken. Many of their children require 24-7 care which means the parents need…

Bhí mé chun an t-am a roinnt idir mé féin agus an tAire ach níl a fhios agam an mbeidh an deis sin agam anois mar gheall ar an srian ama. There is a lot of concern in our coastal areas and our island communities about the severe economic impact Covid-19 will have over the summer months and the knock-on effect it will have both on internal and external tourism. As the Minister is aware, these regions rely heavily on tourism at this time of the year as a source of temporary employment as an economic boost to the hosp…

As a full-time student he is not eligible for unemployment assistance and due to the fact that he was not working in March, he cannot get the Covid-19 payment. What can we do to ensure that he can go back to college in September? The last issue I want to raise is that of those over the age of 66. I will read out a heartbreaking email that I got from a constituent which shows the real-life impact of this on those over the age of 66. It states: I am 68 and prior to the coronavirus pandemic, I was working as a bus dri…

Roinnfidh mé m'am idir mé féin agus an tAire Stáit. Beidh thart ar trí nóiméad agam féin agus nóiméad amháin aige. I will share my time with the Minister of State. I will use approximately three minutes myself and give a minute to the Minister of State to respond. Last week a report was published that revealed that only four councils in the State collected the vacant sites levy, which means that 27 did not collect these vital funds for the provision of much needed housing. This report shows that millions are owed t…

Déanaim comhghairdeas leis an gCeann Comhairle as a bheith atofa inniu. Is mór an onóir dó é agus is mór an onóir dom féin a bheith tofa mar Theachta Dála do Ghaillimh agus do Mhaigh Eo. Gabhaim buíochas leo siúd a chaith vóta dom agus dóibh siúd a thug cabhair dom le linn an fheachtais. Seo an chéad uair dom a bheith ag labhairt sa Seomra seo. Is pribhléid é an óráid seo a úsáid chun mo thacaíocht a thabhairt d’ainmniú mo chomhghleacaí, an Teachta Mary Lou McDonald mar Thaoiseach. It is a huge honour for me to use…