The Deputies can shout and roar all they like but when they start speaking we are all supposed to be silent.

Does Deputy Doherty ever shut up, no?

I will tell the Deputies one thing they will not do.

I will tell the Deputies one thing they will not do here. This is very serious now. They might bully or threaten someone else but they will not-----

-----bully me and they will not shout me down.

Try it any time you like but you will not win because I will not be intimidated.

I too want to compliment all of the people who contributed here today. We in this House have to remember that whether we are in opposition or the people in government, we all have the one aim and ambition. We never thought that in our lifetimes we would witness what is happening today. The advent of modern communication methods mean we can see these horrors unfolding before our eyes. We did not ever think we would see this. It is a genocide and it is happening on the watch of all of us. Everybody is right - we are …

I most sincerely thank the Minister of State, Deputy McConalogue, and his Department for the excellent work they are doing in distributing this very important money. The positive effects of the funding on the sporting landscape throughout the country are extremely important. The same applies to the large-scale sport infrastructure fund and the major events programme. The sports capital grants are delivered to sporting clubs of all types in all parts of the country, including rural Ireland. Those clubs are the heart…

And they wanted a second one.

From Labour.

They wanted a second one.

I thank the Senator for raising this very important matter. On behalf of the Minister, Deputy Heydon, I thank her for allowing us to discuss the importance of the nitrates derogation. As the Senator has correctly said, the Minister is in Brussels today to meet with Commissioner Roswall, who has responsibility for the environment, on this very matter, so the Senator's timing is brilliant. Securing an extension of Ireland's derogation remains a key Government priority. Irish agriculture is different from farming on t…

It would not happen only for the Senator.

This morning I met with IFA leadership who have young farmers and people who are interested in agriculture for a multitude of reasons. They were in Agriculture House. They realise, as we all do, the importance of what is happening in Europe today. We discussed all of these issues. I have nothing but the utmost confidence in the reliability and wherewithal of the Minister to lead us on this matter. The Taoiseach, Tánaiste and everybody from there down across all parties realise the importance of what this will mean …

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle. First of all, I will say to the Minister and the Minister of State, Deputy Cummins, that an awful lot of good, sound work has gone into the Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2025. The extending of the pause of duration of permission due to judicial review is to give back the time. That is very important. The containment in the Bill of the "Extension of duration for uncommenced housing developments (including single house development) which have less than 2 years of duratio…

I am sorry. The Minister should try to bring common sense at all times to his role and we will support him in every way we can in the work he is doing.

Of all the subjects and all the issues that we talk about here, when we see the horrific videos and images of people, and children in particular, starving and the inhumanity and the senselessness of it all, it really would make one think that man's inhumanity to man is beyond belief. We are all rightly outraged by what is going on. That being said, Ireland is a leader in the world on Palestine. The Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and the Government have been very strong on this issue. I do not like to see divisiveness in t…

I am responding on behalf of the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence, who unfortunately cannot be present. On his behalf, I welcome the opportunity to respond on this matter and thank Senator Conway for his question. The SAFE instrument, which entered into force on 29 May 2025, is an EU instrument designed to provide financial assistance to member states and support their urgent public investments in defence industrial production, aiming to increase production capacity, improve the availability of defence products an…

I thank the Senator once again for his contribution. As the Minister for Defence, the Tánaiste’s priority is to ensure the operational capabilities of the Defence Forces are maintained and developed. This will enable the Defence Forces to carry out the roles assigned by Government. Capital investment for the Defence Forces has increased as a result of the commitment by the Government to move to the LOA 2 by 2028 and LOA 3 as quickly thereafter as underpinned by the commitment to €1.5 billion in defence funding in 2…

This Government is fully committed to supporting children with special educational needs to fulfil their potential and the programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective. The National Council for Special Education, NCSE, has responsibility for co-ordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs. The NCSE gives consideration to information it holds at local level on the number of children seeking a special school place in a region. Wh…