The temporary business energy support scheme, TBESS, was announced with fanfare some months ago after the budget as being the saviour of many rural and urban businesses. It has now transpired that many businesses in rural areas if they do not use gas - we do not have gas in many towns never mind in rural areas - and if they use oil for instance as their main way of creating industry, pressing the laundry industry and industries like that, will be denied access to this TBESS. That is totally discriminatory against r…

I wonder with the Green Party.

A bill for oil is the same as one for gas.

I too am delighted to speak briefly on the statements on Science Week. I wish all of the daoine óga and daltaí go léir well in the colleges and schools on Science Week. My memories of science week were in St. Joseph's College in Cahir. The college was set up by two men, Mr. Tom McGrath and Mr. Vincent Russell, who cycled to Cahir, Cathair an Iascaigh, who bought a building and set up a school when there was no educational facility there. They recruited an excellent science teacher, who went to his eternal reward du…

We can see that.

Respect is the most important thing. We talk about it in this House. Everywhere we go, we need to respect our colleagues and other people. Will we show respect to the firemen and firewomen in the Gallery and in every town and village in Tipperary and the rest of the country? They wait for a call to go out and put themselves in the line of danger to look after us. We are operating on a model that has been in place since the 1950s. Imagine that. The Government and successive Governments have let down these firefighte…

That is a half-baked withdrawal.

We will be full of co-operation.

I was in disbelief that the Government Whip informed the Business Committee earlier that there would be a special sitting of the House on Saturday 17 December to re-elect the Tánaiste as Taoiseach. It is musical chairs again to accommodate the current Taoiseach and the Tánaiste It is musical chairs and it is backslapping and praising, while people cannot put bread on the table. I want to know the cost of this ridiculous proposal. It is the Saturday before Christmas. Has the Government any respect for the staff here…

Those were different times.

How out of touch is the Tánaiste.

I am sorry for distracting you earlier, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle. I was just inquiring about speaking times. The Criminal Justice (Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences) Bill 2022 proposes to legislate for hate crimes by creating new, aggravated forms of certain existing criminal offences where such offences are motivated by prejudice against a protected characteristic. The Bill also proposes to amend the Prohibition of Incitement to Hatred Act 1989, including by making provision in respect of online ha…

I am not. I am just making the point that there is so much legislation, like the legislation I have just mentioned, that is not being enacted.

Yes. I am just saying that other legislation was quietly parked without a word about it. That is only one area. We had significant public consultation and a huge effort by this Oireachtas to try to get that done. We are all happy when legislation is done and dusted. Maybe that is why we should have a review of all legislation. If it is not working because of the expense involved, what are we doing here making these laws? Do we have any idea about a cost-benefit analysis of this legislation, the cost to the State an…

Can it be changed? Can it be pulled?

On a point of order-----

On a point of order-----

Stop the clock. I am asking for a clarification.

There have been 87 resignations this year and no one is going into Templemore.

I compliment the Regional Group for tabling the motion. Many people are suffering from long Covid and they have a diagnosis after great cost to themselves and great energy spent, even though they have very little energy to try to get a diagnosis. It seems a blanket has been put over Covid and we cannot discuss it or debate it. One narrative has had to apply all of the time. People are very ill. More them are like young Roy Butler in Waterford who lost his life after the vaccine. Will the Minister of State meet his …