Carers are on the front line.

The programme for Government makes a number of significant commitments to those working in our Defence Forces, and the Department's strategy statement commits to implementing them, but members of the Women of Honour group have been to hell and back and have been let down again by their Government. They have demonstrated incredible courage, strength and dignity in disclosing the horrific sexual assaults as well as the disturbing emotional and physical harassment they experienced in the Defence Forces. These women we…

Does the Taoiseach think what is proposed is appropriate?

What is proposed will not work and the women have-----

I think it is fair to say that the past few weeks have not been the Government's finest hour in Covid-19 communications. For months parents were told that schools were safe, and then suddenly they were not. Measures were introduced with little explanation to the general public. The initial circular from the Department to schools was militant and divisive. I note that the Taoiseach sought in his commentary over the weekend to lay blame for these failures at the door of the Chief Medical Officer, CMO, and his team.

Despite failing to prepare the ground for additional public health measures in schools, the Government is still dragging its heels and mixing its messages on the substantive investment in ventilation needed to keep the school community safe. There is no clear communication from the Government on this issue. When he is pressed on the matter, the Taoiseach continues to lay responsibility for his Government's shortfalls in classroom ventilation, for example, at the CMO's door. This needs to be rectified and clarified.…

I too would like to raise the reports over the weekend that the Cabinet received a memorandum earlier this month warning that thousands of businesses may fail and tens of thousands of jobs may be lost when the EWSS ends next April. We are told the memorandum highlights that many of these jobs are in the hospitality and entertainment sectors. Did the Cabinet receive this memorandum before the latest round of restrictions was announced by the Taoiseach? Will he provide us with more detail on the projections given to …

There was no memorandum at the meeting, as reported.

Was there a memorandum?

I propose to share time with Deputy Brady. I am very pleased to hear that the eastern partnership summit will be mindful of things like robust democratic processes, media diversity and gender equality. I welcome the moves to tackle corruption and strengthen actions in the promotion of gender equality, including adherence to the Istanbul Convention. Similarly, we might reflect on those things here at home. The Taoiseach said the issue of energy prices will remain a topic of concern across Europe and that he would fo…

The Government's approach to housing is failing miserably. Dublin City Council and Cork City Council commissioned KPMG to conduct analysis of future housing needs as part for their development plans for the period 2022 to 2028. These reports are frightening. They reveal that the housing crisis is set to get even worse in the coming years, even if the Government delivers on current policy. Here are the facts according to the reports. In Dublin, average house prices are expected to rise by 36% to more than €500,000. …

And it is not working. Whatever the Taoiseach's view of me, I am sure he will agree the ESRI and KPMG are not, surely to God, ranting as well, or are they? The evidence they have adduced through a very comprehensive study, using data from the Central Statistics Office, CSO, and ESRI, which are hardly ranters or ravers, show house prices will be at €500,000 on average, or more than that in Dublin and Cork, respectively, and rent will increase by 36% and 50%, respectively. If the Taoiseach thinks that reflects a poli…

This crisis is set to get worse if the Government persists with its current policy. Those are the facts. We saw figures from the Banking and Payments Federation Ireland, BPFI, showing almost half of first-time buyers must run to their parents for help to secure a deposit. It is called the bank of mammy and daddy. Not every mammy and daddy are in a position to bankroll every son and daughter. Those who can are the fortunate ones. All the evidence stacks up that this Government is failing. Its housing policy is faili…

We do not.

Is KPMG insincere as well?

I hope the Taoiseach makes a new year's resolution to actually answer questions that are put to him. It is kind of embarrassing for the Head of Government to behave like that.

Honest to God.

Micheál's headline achievement for 2021. Well done.

Yesterday, I raised the contract signed by government with National Broadband Ireland, NBI, and pointed out that the majority shareholder of that consortium is Oak Hill Advisors, a firm with more expertise in dealing with distressed debt than infrastructural projects. Broadband roll-out is behind schedule and there are major concerns regarding the structure of the contract with NBI. It was the single biggest contract entered into by the State, with more than €2 billion of public money on the line for a network the …

Can you answer my question?