The Taoiseach will be aware that earlier this year the Israeli and US Administrations announced an intention to further annex the West Bank and East Jerusalem by seizing an additional 30% of that landmass after 1 July. The Taoiseach will be very well aware that this would hollow out the existing state of Palestine. It would fatally damage any remaining prospect of a sustainable two-state solution as provided for under the Oslo Accords of 1993. There are commitments in the programme for Government which read very we…

We have.

Yes.

Can I suggest that we finish out the Palestinian conversation and then Deputy Boyd Barrett gets his questions answered?

That is not strictly in accordance with Standing Orders, but how and ever.

Quite irrespective of what anybody on Capitol Hill might think, and our position on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is well recorded and fully understood everywhere, the fact is that we have the power here to recognise the state of Palestine. As the Taoiseach knows, that matter was settled and agreed by the Oireachtas six years ago. I am saying to him to do it, and to do it while there still is a Palestinian state to recognise. On the issue of the occupied territories Bill, the Taoiseach knows full well there has …

That is wrong.

That is dishonest.

Very little is being done with our clout internationally.

The Taoiseach should do his job and not worry about Capitol Hill. He should worry about here and what is done here in the name of the Irish people.

The Taoiseach cannot change American policy, he can change Irish policy.

I raise the issue of the sacking of the former Minister, Deputy Cowen. Many were left scratching their heads as to what changed between 2 p.m. and 9 p.m. yesterday. The Taoiseach moved very swiftly from fully backing his man to sacking him. People wonder whether the Taoiseach learned something new and whether there is another twist in the tale or another piece of information. The truth, however, is that the Taoiseach knew this whole sorry story from the very beginning, unlike the rest of us who learned of it piecem…

I have the record of what the Taoiseach said yesterday. He made clear that he was fully aware of all aspects of the story regarding Deputy Cowen from the beginning. That is not an assertion of mine; it has been clarified by the Taoiseach. He said: I spoke to the Minister, Deputy Cowen, the weekend before last and he adamantly denied any suggestion or implication that he would have evaded or attempted to avoid a checkpoint. The Taoiseach had that information. Did he share it with the Tánaiste or the leader of the Gr…

No, I am not.

Which the Taoiseach prevented.

I extend my sincere congratulations to Deputies Calleary, Chambers and Fleming, respectively. The appointment of a new Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine happens at a crucial time for the agriculture sector on our island. Family farms face an uncertain future and the threat of Brexit remains real. It is an important job and I wish Deputy Calleary very well in his role. Unfortunately, we cannot ignore the circumstances in which the vacancy arose. The controversy, which we discussed again earlier, surround…

Correct.

I did.

The ban on evictions, notices to quit and rent increases expires on Monday next. As the Taoiseach will be aware, tens of thousands of renters who have lost income due to Covid-19 are protected by this ban and without it, they will be immediately at risk of eviction or perhaps homelessness. There were worrying reports in last weekend's papers that the Taoiseach is being advised not to extend the ban. I remind him that during the general election when we in Sinn Féin spoke about a rent freeze and applying protections…

We discussed some of these matters yesterday and the Taoiseach again set out for us the committee structure, for which I thank him. Yesterday I asked him about the Government co-ordination committee and he explained that this was the forum in which the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and the leader of the Green Party would meet and discuss matters. I asked the Taoiseach yesterday if that was the mechanism by which he briefed his Government colleagues on the full story in respect of the former Minister, Deputy Cowen, and he sai…