The Deputy is spinning it.

I regret that the Minister of State's response clearly implies that out of the 111 amendments that were put before her by this House in respect of this Bill, not a single one will be accepted by the Government because the Minister and the Minister of State have been asked on a number of occasions to clarify whether there are any amendments they are willing to accept. I reiterate my assertion that this is incredibly disappointing. It shows a bad faith approach, not by the Minister of State because I accept that she …

In my previous life not so long ago, although it seems like an awfully long time, I was in the European Parliament where the issue of Brexit and the concerns around a no-deal Brexit took up significant amount of our time and deliberations. During all those debates, I could not think of a worse prospect for our country than a no-deal Brexit scenario. Little could I have imagined that we could be faced with the prospect of a no-deal Brexit scenario coupled with a global pandemic but that is the reality that is facing…

Regarding health facilities, the Taoiseach will be aware of a situation in Carrickmacross involving a group home for young adults with severe physical and sensory disabilities. This building was promised by the HSE in 2006. It was completed in 2016.

The Taoiseach is aware of this because on 4 December last year, he wrote to the then Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, outlining the seriousness of the situation. I have a written reply from the current Minister for Health, the Taoiseach's party colleague, that has indicated he cannot even commit to funding to open the centre next year.

Will the Taoiseach ask the Minister for Health to ensure the families of these people with severe disabilities have the group home they were promised more than a decade and a half ago?

Based on the Minister's utterances and his attitude on this issue, I can tell him that in ten years' time the North-South interconnector will not be built. Today I read transcripts from the previous time the Minister was in government when he then refused to listen to Deputies in this House, including Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin and others, who pointed out to him that without the principle of public acceptance being considered at least by EirGrid, this matter would not progress. At that time it was felt that the delays wo…

That is not how undergrounding works.

The local community has zero confidence in EirGrid.

The local community will not engage with it.

The Minister has a responsibility to engage with the local communities because otherwise this project simply will not happen and it will be his fault.

No, she did not.

The programme for Government contains a commitment to ensure that the transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable economy is fair. However, many communities are sceptical about the Government's intention to be fair in the transition process. Much of the scepticism comes from their experience of the last time that the Green Party was in government. The living memory is that of a Government which introduced token measures which did little for environmental protection but hammered loc…

On the Taoiseach's party's website, I read the following line: “Fianna Fáil stands by its commitment that this project can only proceed on the basis that the lines are placed underground”. It is a line that was uttered by plenty of the Taoiseach's candidates in Cavan, Monaghan and Meath over the course of the most recent general election. I would like to ask him what is his position now, considering that the planning process was moved forward substantially when the minister from the Taoiseach's sister party in the …

Yes.

The minister has the final say.

Unfortunately, it is a unilateral decision.

Yes, there is, actually.

I have asked the Taoiseach what his position is.

For the record, I will quote the line again: "Fianna Fáil stands by its commitment that this project can only proceed-----