The Minister talks about spelling it out. I will spell it out for him again. People are struggling with a cost-of-living crisis and the Government does not get that. People with disabilities or care needs are particularly struggling and the Government does not get that. The way we know it does not get that is because there are vulnerable people who need blister packs to get by in their day-to-day lives and to have some semblance of independence. Currently they get those blister packs free of charge and this Scrooge…

Answer the question, Minister.

I am trying to help the Minister wise up.

The Minister has not answered any questioner.

When is that happening?

Will the Leas-Cheann Comhairle note that the question was-----

The people of County Monaghan received a huge shock this morning with the news that The Northern Standard newspaper, which has been a Monaghan institution for 186 years, is set to close. For generations, The Northern Standard has been a trusted local voice with top-class local journalists, photographers and other staff. It has chronicled every significant event in our community life. It has held to account those of us in political life. Its closure would be a huge loss and it creates real concern about historical r…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Leas-Cheann Comhairle. Cuirim fáilte roimh an deis labhairt ar an rún seo. Is mian liom an deis seo a úsáid chun roinnt pointí tábhachtacha a ardú faoin Aontas Eorpach agus an daonlathas. This is another example of a Protocol No. 21 motion that has come before the Dáil on which, once again, there has been a very short deadline for discussion before signing up. While Ireland has signed up to the European Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, as well as the first and seco…

One of the most shameful legacies of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael in government has been the services denied to children with disabilities throughout the State. We are back here tonight with what in many respects is a unique motion before the House. It is unique in a number of ways. It is unique in that it is signed by the entire Opposition. Every party of Opposition has joined in this call on the Government. The motion simply and uniquely sets out what the law is - that children are legally entitled to an assessment …

Well said.

Why is Irish taxpayers' money still being invested in companies that derive their profits from the illegal occupation of Palestinian territories? Will the Tánaiste give the House an update on efforts to divest from such companies?

It is not good enough that we continue to invest taxpayers' money in companies that derive their profits from a systemic apartheid regime, which involves the occupation of the West Bank in particular. We have known about this for years and that the occupation is illegal. We know of the real-life impact it has had. We also know that because Israel has faced no consequences whatsoever, it has continued to act with impunity, including through engaging in genocide in Gaza over the past couple of years. The very least w…

Companies can come on and off the UN database list but the question is what the point of having it is if it does not ensure that states act accordingly. The UN database sets out those companies that are deriving profits directly from the occupied territories, but it does not even cover all of the companies that are benefiting from Israeli war crimes. One company, Palantir, for example, has seen Irish investment increase since 2021. We are at a point where our holdings are increasing but the value is increasing expo…

The Minister has stated publicly on a number of occasions that a significant proportion - in fact, the vast majority - of those seeking international protection in this State are coming from Britain via the common travel area. It seems logical to most people that we need a bilateral agreement with Britain to ensure those international protection applicants who should be processed in Britain are returned there in a timely manner. What progress is being achieved in securing such an agreement?

The Minister will be aware that this week, the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration in its pre-legislative scrutiny report on the international protection Bill asked that consideration be again given to opting out of the EU migration and asylum pact because that pact does not take cognisance of the fact we operate within a common travel area. Ireland is in the unique position of being an EU member state that also has a common travel area with a state outside of the EU. It is becoming in…

I will say that if it makes the Minister happier.

The Minister should also say, as all of us in this House should say, that managing migration would be much easier if we were doing it on an all-Ireland basis within a unitary state framework and that, therefore, we should try to advance the reunification of our country for that and many other reasons. In 2020, Ireland and Britain agreed informal, non-legally binding operational arrangements to return asylum seekers to each other. How many have been returned to Britain from Ireland? I ask the Minister to provide rea…

Then let us have a bilateral agreement.

We have a common travel area.

It is now several months since the Minister received the report on the civil legal aid review, which in itself took three years to complete. Recommendation 22 of that report called for an immediate review of the Legal Aid Board's capacity to administer the current civil legal aid scheme. Will the Minister advise whether that has been commenced and when it is expected to be complete?