Wow. You want to accuse us of politicising this issue.

Wow. You have the neck to accuse us of politicising this issue. Wow. Incredible. Shame on you.

You are the ones not in the election.

I rise today to make three quick points in the short time I have available. First, it is the Government's commitment and determination to make progress in spinal services for children. The focus of our current and previous Ministers for Health has been on delivering considerable resources and addressing structural impediments to the delivery of improved spinal services. I want to say to Stephen and Gillian Morrison Sherratt that young Harvey's memory - I say this as a father of young children - stays with us all of…

The Opposition tries to suggest there is no alternative-----

-----motivation behind that. I was not going to make that point today because I thought the public could come to that conclusion itself.

I listened to one of the worst speeches I have heard in this Dáil during my 14 years as a Member of this House from Deputy Mary Lou McDonald.

She framed her address in the grief, distress and pain of families of young children. She made a statement that the Tánaiste was "the only person responsible". I think she said it twice, actually. It was an incredibly personalised direct attack. We have become used to this from the Opposition but it will never be acceptable in discourse. Deputy McDonald proceeded to blatantly make references to the election that will happen in this country at the end of next week. The mask slipped from the Deputy. She showed her tr…

-----I stand here to affirm my confidence in the Tánaiste, Simon Harris, for all he has achieved for this country.

Are you saying you did not?

There you are again.

Who is mentioning the election?

Yes, in response. Blatant.

You have all made it pretty clear, Deputy. Let us be honest.

There you are. You admit it now. That is why you are here today.

They are blowing your cover, Peadar.

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle and the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to address the House today on the significant challenges facing our tillage sector. Before I outline the Government's response, I will begin by acknowledging the strain that many farming families in the sector face. Coming on the back of two horrendously difficult years weatherwise, thankfully conditions for harvest 2025 were much more favourable. It has allowed field work to be undertaken and completed in a timely fashion. This was much …

I thank the Deputy for raising what is an important issue. In the aftermath of Storm Éowyn, the Government increased its focus on storm preparedness and building resilience. My Department has been contributing to an extensive review of the whole-of-government response to the storm. The review, co-ordinated by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, is examining all aspects of the response with a view to identifying key lessons across all sectors. A steering group and two subgroups, on humanitarian…

Absolutely. The Minister of State, Deputy Michael Healy-Rae, and I intervened with emergency supports for the horticulture and forestry sectors. The measures I introduced under TAMS and to change the rules around TAMS were all in response to what was an absolutely seismic weather event. It is really important that we learn from it because we know that, with climate change, we are likely to see more of these events. Although they feel like they arise once in a generation, unfortunately we have to prepare for the fac…

I thank the Deputy. I have one last point. To ensure farmers are more resilient in advance of weather events, I have announced plans to introduce grant support under TAMS for the replacement of roofs. Up to now, TAMS covered only new structures. A farmer could not modify an existing structure under it. Subject to appropriate professional analysis confirming that a storm-damaged structure is sound and that it is only the roof that has blown off, a TAMS grant will cover the replacement. That avoids having to knock a …