I know that.

There have been huge issues with the Acts since the 1996 Act. The Minister is saying now he will be able to rectify that under this new piece of legislation. I wonder whether the families who have been traumatised by this and who have been struggling have been abandoned by their legal people. In many cases, a legal person was appointed and took power over the person. I hate to talk about a person like that because he or she is a human with a family. I wonder whether this will be such a smooth transition. Will legal…

I will make a brief comment. This is such an important piece of legislation that means so much to so many families and individuals. It is a pity to have it guillotined and that we will not get to discuss some of the amendments, albeit there are not many people in the Chamber. The amount of time allowed is ridiculous, to be honest.

We were all very complimentary earlier on tonight on the Bill regarding maternity and many other pieces of work that the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Burke, has done before he took over his position, but this is crazy. As I said last night to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O’Brien, Deputy Fitzmaurice called them “Bills”, but I am calling them “Acts”. The backbenchers were boasting that the Minister, Deputy O’Brien, had brought forward 22 Acts, but he is not in the Gaiety …

There are crocodile tears for small farmers and ordinary people. I remind the House that the only people now paying for water in their taps are the farmers, publicans and business people. They are the very people paying for water and so it is easy to have crocodile tears. If this is only for towns the size of Nenagh, why does a farmer extracting water with a 2,000-gallon tank to irrigate his potato crop - perhaps to save it - need to get permission from the council? It is a case of Big Brother watching. According t…

I know that. The only people paying for water today are farmers and businesspeople. That should not be lost on anyone here and nor should what it costs to produce water. Crocodile tears are being shed here for people and in respect of this legislation, which is going through with the support of the new Government partners. We hear rumblings from the Taoiseach - soon to be Tánaiste - that we are set to have a game of musical chairs next Saturday. They will all do business together. The plant should not be given too …

He has the Taoiseach dangling on a string.

He would want to be defrosted.

He would want to be de-iced, himself.

On behalf of the Rural Independent Group and in support of Deputy Nolan, I ask for a reasonable, balanced, understanding and civil debate. The Taoiseach has said debate is not being stopped or suppressed in the House, but it is. Why can we not have a debate on the situation of migration? I am not talking about the war in Ukraine, which the Taoiseach has an obsession with, as I said previously. I am talking about migration from countries that have safe places and where there is no war. I have quoted figures previous…

We must look after the homeless, our sick people and our children.

Here is more of it; I am a disgrace. May I have the protection of the Chair, please, without these-----

I heard it, and I am sure the stenographers heard it. It is the same all the time. These so-called social police in this Chamber think they can police what we want to raise and say.

Can that comment be withdrawn, please?

I was called a disgrace by a Deputy on the right, and I want it withdrawn. I am entitled as an elected Deputy to raise any issues in the House. Can it be withdrawn?

Shocking.

I believe you.

What about Friday?

Wakey wakey.

The Taoiseach never addressed my point.