After that bit of craic and sport between friends in government-----

-----let me raise the issue-----

Sure, it is all great craic lads.

I know. Everyone's clock is running.

It has been reported that the European Commission proposed to end the two-pillar Common Agricultural Policy budget and merge it with other cohesion funds. This is very bad news. We need ring-fenced budgets for agriculture and guaranteed income streams for farmers. Small family farms are being squeezed and pushed out of business. There has, of course, been an increase in the cost of food. How has the Government allowed this Commission proposal to grow legs and gather steam? What does it propose to do to put a stop t…

Does that include Mercosur?

What about Mercosur?

Before I begin, I wish to congratulate our undisputed world champion, Katie Taylor, on an incredible victory in Madison Square Garden on Saturday morning.

Katie, as we know, has fought all over the world. She has walked many times into the lion's den. I know lots of people are anticipating the mother and father of all homecomings and a fight, maybe, in Croke Park.

The Taoiseach has comprehensively ruled out providing a cost-of-living package in October's budget. The media today is full of reports that he is set to double down on the removal of support payments for struggling households. At a time when living costs are through the roof and people have been hit by skyrocketing prices from every direction, the Government proposes to abandon households and provide them with no help. The promises made during the election are disappearing like snow off a ditch. People cannot belie…

We have had six months of this do-nothing Government. Now, the Dáil is about to rise. As it rises, the Government will leave people with stress and uncertainty. People will face big rent hikes next year, thanks to the Government. Students and their families face a big hike in college fees, thanks to the Government. Also thanks to the Government, tens of thousands of families will be left without cost-of-living supports and will wonder how on earth they will make it through the winter. Ní féidir leis an Rialtas teag…

The deficit in our infrastructure is on the Government.

It has presided over that. The Taoiseach is right that investment needs to be made. The mistakes that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have made during the past number of Administrations have to be corrected. The Taoiseach is right about that. However, he is entirely missing where the lives of families and people are at.

He is right to say that the rate of inflation has fallen, and thank God for that. However, he is entirely missing the fact that prices have not followed suit. Anybody who goes into a supermarket or shop or opens a bill can tell the Taoiseach that we are in a place where households are still struggling. On the Government's record, in the past five months the price of home heating oil has risen by €25 per fill. Petrol and diesel prices went up in May and the Government will go for those again in October. Local proper…

It is on the Government.

Who is disputing that?

Meanwhile, Johnny and Mary cannot pay their bills.

The Government needs to sanction Israel.

That is not true.

This is a disgrace. It is very hard to listen to.