I have to go by the procedure.

Amendments Nos. 8 and 9 have been ruled out of order.

You will have two minutes to conclude, Deputy.

Are you pressing the amendment, Deputy?

This is not an over-and-back exchange. Remarks should be addressed through the Chair. Please continue, an Teachta Doherty.

I apologise but there is a way that this is done. The Minister will have another chance to come in on another amendment.

Amendment No. 27 has been ruled out of order.

I welcome all the women who are here with us today and thank them for all the work they have done in ensuring this Bill comes forward and hopefully it will be passed. I also thank my colleagues, Deputy Matt Carthy and Senator Maria McCormack, for introducing this Bill to the Dáil. As the Minister is aware, today is International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, but as he is equally aware, too often that day passes simply with condemnation but no action. Here tonight we have the ability to act. We …

Is mór an scannal é i ndáiríre go bhfuil naoi leaba folamh in Áras Mhic Dara cé go bhfuil 12 duine ar an liosta feithimh mar go bhfuil cúram ón áras sin ag teastáil go géar uathu. Bhí geallúintí ón Rialtas air seo cheana. Teastaíonn gníomh anois ón Rialtas agus ón HSE. Agus muid i mbun plé anocht, tá na naoi leaba sin folamh agus, ag an am céanna, tá 73 duine ar thralaithe san ospidéal i nGaillimh. Ní dhéanann sé sin ciall ar bith. Tá tuilleadh brú á chur ar an ospidéal agus brú á chur ar dhaoine atá ag iarraidh a …

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit. Is maith an rud é sin agus cuirim fáilte roimhe. Sin an cineál gnímh atá ag teastáil ón Rialtas le feiceáil cén bealach gur féidir linn an fhadhb seo a réiteach. Is dócha go bhfuil fadhb níos leithne ann freisin. Aon uair a dhúntar leapacha i gceantar tuaithe, an chéad rud a deirtear ná nach féidir foireann a earcú. Léiríonn sé sin go bhfuil fadhb ann. Caithfimid breathnú ar céard iad na fadhbanna atá ann le foireann a earcú faoin tuath agus cén bealach gur féidir linn réiteach …

Go raibh maith agat, a Theachta.

Bogaimid ar aghaidh go dtí Páirtí an Lucht Oibre agus an Teachta Duncan Smith.

That is the will of the Dáil.

I welcome the guests in the Visitor's Gallery, namely Councillors Padraig Fallon and Brendan Barry and others. Ta fáilte rompu go Baile Átha Cliath. It is no Leitrim, but sure it will do. I am delighted to speak about science week. It is really important that we put a focus on it and ensure that all of our young people have opportunities, if they wish, in the field of science. If we do that and if that is the focus of the Dáil, we need to look at how we can do it. One of the issues that was raised with me quite a b…

Cuirim céad míle fáilte roimh na cuairteoirí atá anseo inniu. Before I begin, I take this opportunity to wish the female garda taken to hospital last night a speedy recovery from her injuries. Struggling households were dealt two body blows on Monday. The first blow was that food inflation has reached its highest level in nearly two years. People are being ripped off when they go to the supermarket and it is clear as day to them that they are being ripped off. The second blow was the big hike in electricity prices …

We did not give them-----

Let us look at what is actually happening under the Government's watch. A total of 300,000 households are in debt with their electricity bills. One in five children is in poverty under its watch. Now today, I have told the Taoiseach two teachers who want to send their child to college - who wants to go to college - cannot afford to send them because of the policies he has implemented because the Government has failed to grasp the nettle here when it comes to the cost-of-living crisis. To be honest, I have listened …

Poverty.

It does not matter.

So they are liars.