That is to be welcomed. We have lessons to learn, and when I say “we” I mean all of us, as to how we go about securing permission from farmers when we want to do a project. There is a great difference between going to a landowner in one way as opposed to another. There was a very nice man in the place where I come from and he said it is all about how one approaches a thing. There is a great deal to be said for that. Those were very wise words. No matter what one is at in life, it all depends on how one goes about i…

That is actually nonsense. It is not right.

The Taoiseach should tell the truth so.

Give them back their own money.

I sincerely thank Deputy Clarke and Sinn Féin for bringing this important motion before the House. The Minister for Defence, Deputy Coveney, has established the judge-led independent review, but this is not good enough because it is not what the Women of Honour group wants. The group has criticised this approach and said that such investigations into alleged sexual assaults, "still remain to be dealt with within the military system". It has further said: It is time for an independent public statutory inquiry and fo…

I thank the Social Democrats for tabling this excellent motion, which deserves all our support - 100%. I thank the Irish Cancer Society for the excellent work it has been doing. I thank all the Kerry branches of the society, including in Kenmare and the excellent group in Killarney. One of my close friends, Eugene O'Sullivan, has worked so hard. I thank other people like Brendan Ferris in Beaufort, who organises the Threshing Cancer event every year. It was affected by Covid in the past couple of years but, hopeful…

The Taoiseach is very well aware of the importance of Kerry Airport, based in Farranfore, County Kerry, the capital of tourism in the western world. I thank the Government and previous Governments for their support of that airport. I know that the Taoiseach personally recognises the importance of it. On behalf of everyone working at that excellent facility, from the ladies who make the tea to those operating the controls in the tower and so on, I ask that the Taoiseach would ensure it is always supported. There are…

I thank the people who worked in our nursing homes, community hospitals, large hospitals and regional hospitals. I thank all those who worked in the hospitality sector when it was allowed to stay open, and those who worked in shops that kept business going when that was allowed to keep going. I thank each and every one of them. I also thank the people involved in healthcare, such as those who provided home help, carers and individuals who visited homes in the most difficult of circumstances. We need clarity with re…

I thank the Minister for his recent trip to County Kerry, particularly Tralee where he was warmly welcomed, and rightly so. He certainly is committed to his current post. I want to talk about the cost of education and the parents and young people who are trying to afford going to university. A young person who works during the summer is punished. That is totally wrong. It does not make sense. We want to encourage young people to work, whether at weekends, during summer holidays or at Christmas. The money they earn …

Common sense must prevail at all times. One shocking issue that was touched on earlier cannot be ignored in this debate. I am trying to be as specific as I can. The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan, should be in the Chamber. He should be tied in here for a while to make him listen to some of the contributions. The shocking issue was that the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan, failed to sign the derogation allowing farmers to burn s…

There is a point to what I am trying to say, if I could make it, the same as everybody else.

I would have made my point if the Leas-Cheann Comhairle had let me finish.

I wonder how Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael can stand over that decision. We will take no notice of the Green Party for a while. How do Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael think they can face the farmers? I was grateful when the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine did his tour of the marts. Would he like to go into the marts now and tell the farmers he is supporting the other Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, who failed to sign the derogation he should have signed if he had any bit of common sense at all? The Minister for Ag…

I will go back to where we were a while ago in this debate. If a Government ever wanted to pull out the foundations of the support that it might or might not have, it would attack the farmers and fishermen and succeed in turning all of them against it. Let us consider what the Government is doing with this wording. The wording means that someone will be presumed guilty rather than innocent. Surely that goes against every right-thinking person in this country. Our fishing people have enough obstacles against them as…

It is very hard to understand the resistance of the Minister, the Department and the Government. It shows a total lack of willingness to work with the fishing people and their communities and a total disregard for them. It is upsetting to hear the record back and to hear the way a person can change his views, opinions and outlook on a subject just because he moves from this side of the Chamber to that side. It is very worrying and if that is the cost of power and of being in office, then it is a very heavy weight. …

Justice rushed is justice denied. That is the main thrust of doubling the working days allowable to permit people a proper chance to organise, to put together and to fight their case, if they have the prospect of penalty points being imposed against them. There is no other sector of society, except farmers, whose members are targeted as much for going about their daily work. Can you imagine a person working in a factory, building site or any other place of work, where people are down on him or her as much as they a…

I thank Deputy Ward and Sinn Féin for their work on this matter which is, of course, excellent. I ask the Minister of State to ensure that the vacancy for the lead child consultant psychiatrist is put in place. Surely be to God, we can get someone to fill that very important role. We have to ensure proper oversight, governance and clarity in dealing with these matters to ensure the likes of the situation we had in CAMHS in County Kerry will never happen again. I gave Friday, Saturday and Sunday to meet with parents…

I am glad to speak to this motion. Farmers at present face the high cost of fertiliser and the high cost of feed for the wintertime. The high cost of energy is affecting every household in this country and there is a high cost of fuel. People are suffering and they are finding it difficult. That is why, although I am not a climate change denier, I have always questioned, and will continue to question, the carbon taxes that are being imposed, as well as the effects that they will have on people throughout the countr…

They are the same Labour that started out, when they were in power-----

When they were in power-----