Two years ago, people voted for change in massive numbers.

They voted for a new direction, for a fresh start and for a better future. Workers and families backed Sinn Féin and others who promised change-----

-----and they wanted a party and people at Cabinet who would speak for them and govern for them, but Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Greens could not stomach that and could not stand the thought of a Government led by a party that would prioritise the well-being of ordinary people-----

-----over vested interests, the insiders and the golden circles.

What did they do? They clubbed together to stop change. In doing that, they planted the seeds of their own demise and the Government's failure because, make no mistake about it: this is a Government that was born out of necessity, not ambition; formed out of a self-serving desire to keep things the same, rather than to drive progress-----

-----and cobbled together to defend the interests of those at the top, rather than ordinary people, the very definition of cynicism, cynical politics and a cynical Government.

And so, it is farcical that the Taoiseach proposes to hand the keys of his office back to the Tánaiste in December to carry on as normal, because it is very clear that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have been in power for far too long and, by God, families and workers throughout the land have paid a heavy price for that. More and more people see that we need a change of Government, not just a change of Taoiseach. The coalition is stuck in the past, a Government that is unable to respond to the progressive, positive, mod…

I believe we have everything we need to build a new Ireland. We can house our people.

We can have first-class public health and education services. We can create and drive prosperity. We can also unite our country.

You gave leeway to the Government.

You gave a minute to the Government. Thank you, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle.

I will finish on this. Here is what I know for sure and without a shadow of a doubt. A Government led by Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael will never allow that fair and equal Ireland to be born.

They have shown us that time and again. Workers and families deserve better and now is the moment for change.

The Taoiseach's time is up. The people have had enough. He and his Ministers must go and make way-----

-----for a new Government that will roll up their sleeves, get the job done with energy, with creativity, and create that stronger, fairer Ireland.

I extend a very warm welcome to all the groups in the Public Gallery referred to by Deputy Cairns. Tá fáilte rompu go léir. Parents across Ireland are under enormous pressure to meet extortionate back to school costs. It is a big source of stress for families every summer but this year is exceptional, given the ever worsening cost-of-living crisis. For weeks, we have been telling the Government that parents face huge back to school costs now and that an autumn budget would be far too late for families. Time and aga…

The Government took its time listening to what is just plain common sense by making a move on these matters now in July and putting money in families' pockets when they need it and when it will count. I ask the Minister to take the next step. He is surely not saying to families who have €621 a week that they are home and hosed, and that it is plain sailing for them. We describe these families as middle-income families. It is not; it is a very modest income. As the Minister knows, these families cannot qualify for m…

The Government has left those families behind. It is disgraceful.

We are perfectly happy.

Everyday, people are asking themselves after a decade of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael botched policy that favoured private developers and landlords, how is it that in the face of a crisis like no other in housing we are subjected to the same banal rhetoric we have had to listen to for the last ten or 15 minutes. The Minister should ask himself how we have record house prices, record rent levels and record homelessness for families, single people and children. Despite his assertion to the contrary, he should ask himsel…