I will talk on the amendments.

Deputy Cullinane is right. Deputies are voting but they do not have a clue on what they are voting. They are just running along. In west Cork, we call such people "Yes boys" or "Yes girls". What is wrong with them? Surely they should know what we are voting for here. What fines will be applied and to whom? College students in Cork city or elsewhere might have next week off and wish to go home to their parents. Are they allowed to travel home this evening? I asked the Minister that question earlier, and he did not c…

This is very disturbing. I thank Deputy Carthy for highlighting it. We certainly need answers. This news will be quite disturbing for many people. It is amazing. A neighbour of mine in west Cork, Mr. Pat McCarthy, has been telling me for a while that products we have been rubbing on our hands are highly dangerous. I did not listen to him, but I will certainly listen to him from now on. When I go back to west Cork, he will put me in my place. I am very disappointed that the Minister had to leave. This is a very impo…

I concur with Deputy Fitzmaurice that the Minister might come back and give us clarity on the important issue of the marts, unless the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, can do so. On the confusion the Minister of State mentioned about students coming back from college, the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, was on the radio yesterday evening and caused that confusion.

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing Deputy Mattie McGrath and me to raise this important issue. The Government is seeking to coerce people and now issue fines to anyone who attends mass or prayers in their church. When the Republic of Ireland originally went into lockdown in March, public worship was suspended. From the beginning, church authorities have worked with the Government to develop safe worship guidelines, including placing hand sanitisers at entrances, one-way systems of movement and social distanci…

I thank the Minister of State for her reply. She said that for very many people in Ireland, being able to attend mass in their local church with their family and friends is a major source of comfort. That is certainly true but the problem is that people are not allowed to do so at this time. Ireland is the only country in Europe that has banned mass and the same restrictions apply to the activities of other religions, including the Methodist Church and Church of Ireland. These restrictions are a shocking mistake. P…

I thank Deputy Martin Kenny for introducing this Bill, which I fully support. It is only a few weeks ago that we were discussing forestry here in great detail. The Minister of State was not prepared to take any amendments at the time. It looks like she is in the same frame of mind right now, that it is her way or the highway. Does she realise that there are 12,000 jobs at risk in rural Ireland? Forestry and timber are critical for anyone who cares about rural development and rural jobs in Ireland. There are 500 job…

I wish to address the crisis relating to primary medical certificates, which confirm that a person is severely or permanently disabled. In June, the families of two disabled children won a Supreme Court appeal challenging a refusal to allow them to avail of the scheme. Both of the children were wheelchair users. One of the parents told me that when her son visited the area medical officer, his wheelchair did not fit through the door. The boy was ordered to stand up by the medical officer but when he tried to do so,…

I support my colleagues. The Government wanted to change the format and the layout in which we speak in the Dáil. I saw with the railway Bill that went through the Dáil yesterday that Government Deputies never turned up. We are then left in the desperate situation because we are awaiting our slots which are pushed and the Bill is passed. It is the same thing that is happening here today. It is a disgrace. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael pushed for this and they are breaking the rules and regulations.

They are not here.

I am glad to take up my slot to speak as others do not. I will not be agreeing with this vote this evening, tomorrow or whenever it is. It means that the Government is now moving from a co-operation phase to a surveillance and oversight phase to enforce Covid-19 compliance. People are scared. The elderly people are on their own and are scared alive of the media reports on top of them every minute and hour about the numbers and those who are dying every day. Does the Minister realise that the number of deaths is dow…

I thank the Regional Group, including Deputy Denis Naughten and others, for moving this motion. When the Deputy was a Minister, he was very strong in his approach in trying to save the post office network. We met him once per week and we used to go through many issues. The post office network has been a lifeline for many people in rural Ireland. In my time in the Dáil, I have heard talk of support for the post office network from big political parties when in opposition but when in government that support seems to …

Up to 25 businesses and private residences were destroyed by floods in and around the square and quays areas of Bantry on Monday night. This left tens of thousands of euro worth of damage to property. There is no accountability here. Flood defence works have been promised to the people of Bantry for decades but there has been no delivery. This is the second time Bantry has been severely flooded in two months. The same is true for other parts of west Cork, including Rosscarbery, Rathbarry, Bandon and Skibbereen, to …

It is a cod.

The Government is codding the people with the humanitarian aid.

It is a cod.

I have it here right in front of me.

The Deputy is codding them again.

No, they did not. The Deputy should go down to Bantry and talk to them.

I am telling the truth. Humanitarian aid has been refused to the people of west County Cork.