On a point of information, I ask the Taoiseach why he is appointing Deputy Eamon Ryan as Minister for the environment.

He has destroyed rural Ireland, farming and everything else, and it is time he was moved out of there. The Taoiseach had an opportunity.

I raised this at the Business Committee last week, as the Ceann Comhairle knows. I said I would object. I dissented from agreeing the business. The Rural Independent Group and I have been concerned about this not in the past week or days but for more than 18 months. We have been looking for a debate here and we have been denied it. We urgently need a debate. We cannot have a motion without debate referring the migration and asylum pact to a committee without debate in the House. We demand a full debate in the House…

Majority.

Anti-democratic.

Because of the narrowness of the vote, that this is a matter of great importance and that the gap is fewer than ten, under Standing Order 83(3)(b), I am asking for a vote other than by electronic means.

I am very concerned about any plans to pause or review plans for ASD classes in rural areas. In a response to a parliamentary question the Minister for Education stated that, due to falling demographics at primary level, the Department "considers it prudent to maximise the use of existing spare accommodation capacity ... in the first instance, before considering any applications for further accommodation needs." She added: "It is also likely that most of the new additional ... classes may be required in [big] popul…

What about friends of the people?

Thanks be to God it is a lovely day today, but we have had inclement weather since last July now, and all types of farmers and communities are suffering hugely. I welcome the recent fodder package but, as regards cereal farmers, grain farmers and crops, potatoes were not even taken out last year on some farms and none are planted this year. There will be a huge problem with food shortages later in the year. These farmers in horticulture and cereals as well as fodder need a dedicated, targeted package of supports an…

Gabh mo leithscéal. I am. It is April.

They had their pets with them.

Cad a dhéanfaimid feasta gan Taoiseach? Tá sé as lathair. This is a farce. We are in GUBU territory, I think, when we see this empty chair here today. Where is the Tánaiste? The business of this week is a shambles. Those in Government got a severe dressing down from the people in the referendum because they were not listening. They are not listening to us on the Business Committee or to the Members of this House. It is an absolute insult to democracy the way the business is being treated this week. I did not get to…

This should not be happening. We understand those things have to be done, phone calls, etc., but where is the Tánaiste? When I was first elected, there was always either a Taoiseach or a Tánaiste on-----

-----Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and that is the way it was.

This is total disrespect for the House. We should go over to the wax museum and get a model made and put it in there.

That is all the good that-----

"Future Ireland fund" - yes, future Ireland indeed. Today, 10 April, is the 101st anniversary of the death in action of Liam Lynch, who fought in the War of Independence and the Civil War. I think of the ideas that man had, the noble man he was and of his many colleagues who gave their lives for freedom across the country from 1916 until that period. We see the democracy we have now and the waste of money is unbelievable. The wonderful Seán Lemass and T.K. Whitaker and visionaries like them did so much to bring ele…

It is definitely not a jamboree, but I do not know what it is. Are there words in the dictionary to describe it? It is the third time we have changed Taoiseach in this present Government. The people want an election. They want a new Government, not a new Taoiseach. It is a complete coronation and complete adulation from Fine Gael, as we have seen there with standing ovations, and we will see many more of them. The hiring all week of more spin doctors by the Minister, Deputy Harris, tells us what this Government wil…

I am talking about the order of business.

I am totally unhappy, and we in the Rural Independent Group objected to this and asked for a meeting. This is a new and historic change for the Business Committee, which has been operating successfully for the past nine and a half years. It was totally admonished this week. Disability is out, Leaders' Questions are out and Topical Issues are out. There are many issues, including the weather, affecting our country and people today, especially our agriculture and food production. It is a charade.