-----on the basis that the lines are placed underground".

What is the Taoiseach's position now?

What is the Taoiseach going to do about it?

I am asking what the Taoiseach is going to do about it in this State.

The Taoiseach is the Head of the Government.

What is the Taoiseach's position today?

A Cheann Comhairle, the Taoiseach purposely refused to answer the question. It undermines the legitimacy of promised legislation. That is disappointing.

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for allowing me in. I welcome the fact that the Minister for Health has tested negative for Covid and I hope his symptoms resolve themselves very quickly. I also hope that the speediness with which he received his test result - I do not begrudge him that; I think it is very important - becomes the hallmark by which all other tests are measured. My question relates to the group home for people with physical and sensory difficulties in Carrickmacross. I would very much appreciate a r…

The Minister of State has no way of knowing how frustrating his answer is. This issue dates back to the early 2000s, when the families of a group of young women with physical and sensory disabilities first sought for it to be addressed. Those young people had been cared for in their homes all their lives, but their parents were getting older. They approached the health authorities and the local housing services to seek a long-term solution to their needs. Since then, they have met delay after delay and experienced …

I wrote to the Minister only last week to suggest that he facilitate a meeting with me and officials from the HSE, Respond housing association and, if necessary, Monaghan County Council. There has been too much back and forth on this issue. Respond housing association has a vested interest in ensuring the building becomes operational because it currently has a building for which it is not receiving any rent. It makes no sense that it would be the source of any delay. I ask the Ministers of State to request that the…

Earlier, I was tweeting that, bizarrely, we had not yet an opportunity to put questions to a senior Minister. Therefore, I very much welcome the fact that the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, is here and I take this opportunity to publicly congratulate the him on his recent appointment. My question is to ask the Minister for an outline of the roles that have been undertaken by his departmental officials in meat plants during the Covid-19 period.

I thank the Minister for that response. To put on the record, I continue to support the idea that the food processing sector should have special status in the context of the restrictions that are in place. Of course, that sector needed to operate throughout the Covid-19 period. With that allowance, through even the deepest lockdown period comes a responsibility. The Minister would know of and, I think, at different points, would have shared in my critiques of the lack of transparency and apparent lack of accountabi…

The Minister will recall that, on Wednesday morning last, he indicated on RTÉ radio he that serial testing was continuing but it then transpired that the HSE had made a decision the day before that it should cease. I wonder if the Minister could indicate when he was informed that serial testing had been suspended and outline exactly how many factories will see serial testing being rolled out this week, particularly in light of the concerns that have been expressed and given that the Government acknowledges that thi…

I met representatives of Bord Bia on Zoom today, with my colleague from the Northern Assembly, Mr. Declan McAleer, MLA. My primary question to Bord Bia, which was not very forthright in giving an answer, was why the scheme was being led by Bord Bia. It is very unusual that a promotion body as opposed to a producer body would lead an application for PGI status. A second concern is that the potentially very broad nature of the scheme Bord Bia is pursuing could mean that some suckler farmers will not be eligible, wher…

I was in Inishowen in the Minister's constituency, very close to the Minister's home place yesterday, although I did not call in for tea. I am sure the Minister has heard and understands the concern of farmers in his area, as well as in my home county, that rather than PGI status being a stream by which additional revenue and income will be delivered, which should be the priority for our farmers who are most at risk - our suckler farmers - it will become another excuse for the factories to pay less where the PGI st…

A good forestry policy, as I am sure the Minister of State will appreciate, should do three things. Obviously it should play a really important role in terms of protecting the environment and carbon emissions. It should also be of benefit to a local community. The forest is something that people should want to live close by to, as opposed to the current position whereby entire communities are rising up against some of the forestry policies. It should bring a benefit to the economy, particularly to the local economy…

This question was originally submitted to the Taoiseach. The issue pertaining to meat factories crosses a number of Departments. The role that meat factories have in our society, and especially our rural society, is profound. My question relates to the issues arising from meat factories during this Covid-19 period, the ongoing problems farmers have around getting a fair price, and the treatment of workers. I am interested to hear from the Minister on this issue as it relates to his Department.

It appears that the balls always fall right for the meat factories in all of this, and I have said this to the Minister's predecessor. The Minister will recall during the Covid period that Deputy Naughten revealed the factories had received tests results of some of the workers before the workers themselves. The Minister asked if we are aware of any individual concerns around the workers. The workers in a lot of these factories are scared stiff to talk to anybody. We have a situation where the companies operate behi…

If the Minister is looking for ideas, one is contained within this parliamentary question, which is that the Minster would set up a cross-departmental task force to look at all of these issues. I take the Minister's bona fides on this but the crucial test for the Minister and whatever third bodies are set up is whether his Department continues to see its role in all this as defenders and protectors of the meat factories. That is the perception. I believe this perception is based in reality, and in the role the Depa…

I will give the Minister credit if he does it.