It is not necessary for the Deputy to receive reasons, nor is it open to him to question it at this point. However, I advise that the Deputy can write to both the Ceann Comhairle and the Committee on Standing Orders and Dáil Reform.

I have understood.

I have understood the Deputy’s point and I have allowed him ample opportunity to make it. I have outlined the possible course that is still open to the Deputy and I have made the ruling, that at this point, we are proceeding with the debate. I ask the Deputy to resume his seat and allow us to proceed with the debate.

Unless the Deputy is prepared to resume his seat, I will have to suspend the House briefly.

In that case, I am suspending the House.

I thank the Deputy. We do take your point.

The Deputy's points have been accepted.

We have had quite a while now without a major election in this country, the last one being in February 2020, but 2024 will be a year of elections, between local, European and directly elected mayoral, as well as a referendum and Lord knows what else. Four years might seem a short timeframe, but there have been profound shifts in that time in how we do politics and elections, particularly enabled by digital technologies. I am thinking of generative AI in particular. Both Sadiq Khan in London and the leader of the Pr…

A number of parameters are set out in our public spending code as to how the State makes decisions about spending money on behalf of our citizens. One deficiency in that code, which I raised recently at the Committee of Public Accounts, relates to how we factor in greenhouse gas emissions. When will the revised and increased carbon pricing be published? Is there any barrier to its timely publication?

That was an interesting history lesson on how and when we might arrive at something but I did not quite get a clear answer on when we actually will see it. One of the problems of dealing with pollution and its impact, be that carbon emissions or otherwise, is that while the benefits might be privatised, the costs are socialised. The use of our atmosphere is a classic case of tragedy of the commons, in that we are facilitating a fossil fuel society while outsourcing the impact of those emissions. The Minister of Sta…

The following is supplemental, so the Minister of State might not have it to hand. His senior Minister recently said the public spending code will be replaced by a set of infrastructure guidelines. Will the Minister of State confirm whether we are talking about an amendment to the public spending code or a wholesale rewriting of it? Deputy Durkan’s comments were not about swans and snails; it was - I cannot remember - vertigo something or other. Notwithstanding those comments, Natural Capital Ireland, which I hoste…

Is it inquisitor? It sounds like being held over a building but translating that into a figure that makes sense on a balance sheet is important and could stand alongside the shadow pricing of carbon.

Perhaps the Deputy will correspond with the Minister of State in writing, as our time for oral questions has elapsed.

I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 37 and the name of the Member in each case: Deputy Alan Dillon - To discuss Ireland's indigenous gas supply and energy security. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore - To discuss the lack of secondary school places for Greystones, County Wicklow. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan - To discuss the urgent necessity for extra school places at primary and post-primary levels throughout north Kildare. Deputy Pearse Doherty - To…

I broadly welcome the provisions that are set out in this Bill. The social protection committee recently had a briefing from the Parliamentary Budget Office and it confirmed to me what I think is most important. The first thing I look for in any budget is if it is progressive. The Parliamentary Budget Office brought us through the various provisions and payments contained in the Bill, showing that for the fourth budget in a row we have achieved a progressive budget which means that people who are least well-off wil…

I am glad I came to the Chamber early as the Minister of State might have been lonely on his own in here. I want to bring the Minister of State to Ardmore in west Waterford. It is the place where Waterford derives the moniker of being the Déise. It is where St. Declan - a native of Drumroe near Cappoquin, just up the road - brought Christianity to Ireland before St. Patrick ever did, and converted the Déise tribe. That is where the name comes from. We have a round tower, which is visible for miles around. It is 98 …

It is critical that people express an interest. Waterford City and County Council has been driving forward the developments the Minister of State referenced and many of them are in the city. They are closer to where I am based, rather than in the west of the county. I know there can be a difficulty in making provision for smaller schemes and attracting people into that area but it is critical we do so. We have so many policies that are aimed at rural Ireland, between Connecting Ireland, the Town Centre First policy…

I am glad Deputy O'Rourke referenced the report from Christian Aid and Trócaire. I hosted them in the audiovisual room on Tuesday where they presented their report. I thank the Minister for attending that briefing. I acknowledge the central role the Minister played at COP27 in landing this loss and damage facility, flawed and all as it might. I praise the work of Irish officials at the transitional committee, particularly Dr. Sinead Walsh. I hope Dr. Walsh does not mind me naming here. It would be helpful for Membe…

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate on this Bill. I am not a member of the Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment, so I would not be as close as some other Members to the gestation process the Bill went through. I think it has been shown that the pre-legislative scrutiny process produces better and more robust legislation. I am certainly much wiser from having sat in and listened to the debate so far. It is a great credit to the process and the Minister's partner process. We are talking abo…

Thank you, Deputy. You are over time.