I would like to say to the Labour Party leader and to that party that I do not welcome what they are doing today. It is a complete farce. They are trying to cod people. I remind the people of what the Labour Party stood for and did. When it was in power and had an opportunity, it was disgraceful and did nothing for workers. It was the party that did away with the death grant for bereaved families. It hurt ladies in particular who were trying to get a pension when they retired and to this day they are paying a price…

I raised this matter with the Taoiseach last week because of how important it is. The Government, however, must also realise that what it is bringing before the Dáil does not go far enough in protecting the interests of people involved in the forestry sector, be it the haulage people, the millers or, most importantly, the farmers. It actually does not go far enough. I plead with the Government to really look at the problems we have, which were actually in the Department, and look at where we need to change the way …

To be clear, I have read it.

I, too, support this important motion. I wish to highlight the awful effects on young people - they are predominantly young - who engage in what we would call antisocial behaviour when fireworks they are using go wrong and they end up in one of our hospitals, perhaps facing a long, painful journey back to good health. At that stage, they may have lost fingers or suffered other horrific injuries, such as injuries to their faces. Nobody wants to see any child or other young person injured. Our supporting this motion …

At the time of the Rose of Tralee festivals we would have a display that was second to none in the world. It was done, however, by professional people in professional way with proper safety and everything being adhered to. We do not want to see young people being hurt. Generally, whether it is coming from people being unruly in their neighbourhoods, the one answer to antisocial behaviour, of course, is the community garda. I compliment An Garda Síochána in County Kerry which I represent. Whether it is from Castleis…

A number of very important votes were to take place this evening. Why is not possible for this voting block to go ahead?

We were able to have votes in this Chamber last week, which proved that we have a system for allowing a vote to go ahead. I cannot see why the workings of this House are being obstructed such that votes are not allowed to proceed. It is only common sense that they should go ahead. We have proved we can do it and I do not see why we cannot do it this week.

At the outset I thank the Sinn Féin Party and, in particular, Deputy Darren O'Rourke, for their excellent work in bringing this very important issue to the floor of the House. They deserve to be complimented. This is a very important matter and affects every constituency, town, village, by-road and section of society because our taxi and hackney drivers and bus operators have served us well over many decades. They are suffering and enduring a very difficult time because the supply of business to them has gone down …

Students have been extremely upset in recent days with the downgrading, in many instances, of high-performing students who always had excellent results. They have seen their results being downgraded. This has been extremely upsetting. I know that many other people in this House have been contacted by parents and students. What are the Government, Department and Minister going to do about this? Students and their parents really feel that they have been hard done by and that the structures and methodology have detrim…

Ten seconds. Students have been left on the side of the road because buses are not taking them to their schools. That is in chaos as well.

The Ceann Comhairle will excuse my indulgence. Thank you.

I thank most sincerely Deputy Joan Collins and the Independent Group for bringing this motion before the House. It is only right and just, after the enormous campaign that these workers have put in, that it is rightfully acknowledged in the House and I appreciate that. I wish to relay one story to Deputy Collins and everybody else about the other night in Tralee and I know that she will appreciate this very much. As we know, these days thankfully are not too bad but the nights can be pretty cold. At 12.30 a.m. or p…

It is outrageous for anybody to even suggest that anything the Ceann Comhairle did was anything other than acting in the best interests of this House. Given the basis of the information the Ceann Comhairle was given at the time he was given it, he was acting in what I would call the utmost of good faith. Rather than going along the lines of Deputy Alan Kelly's proposal and having a post mortem on the last couple of hours around what happened, who said what to whom, and when they said it, perhaps it would be more pr…

I am not interrupting the Deputy; I am just saying what I am saying and-----

All I am saying is what I want to say, and it is very clear. If anybody else wants to criticise that or say what they like, it is up to them.

There is a timber crisis in the country, which is threatening the entire forestry sector, the haulage sector that relies heavily on it, the sawmills that process it and the end users of timber, such as people in the construction industry. Unless the Government acts quickly, Ireland will soon run out of essential construction products, such as pallets and timber for the construction industry and our supply chains, forcing timber production lines to shut. Managing directors of top sawmills in Ireland say that only fo…

The forestry sector is on its knees because of objectors. We have seen the harm that has been done in this country by objectors, who have cost us many projects that would have created employment. We have seen them denying us housing for people and seen the harm this has brought. I ask the Taoiseach and his new Ministers, whom I really wish well, and the Taoiseach knows that, to not let down the forestry farmers, the haulage contractors, the mills and everyone else in this regard. I ask the Taoiseach to do something…

Well, I would.

At the outset I thank Deputy Mattie McGrath and Councillor Máirín McGrath and the people in the Deputy's office for helping to prepare this important motion to come before the House this evening. It is important that the Minister and the Members who supported the legislation last week and the statutory instrument that has been introduced, look seriously at what they did. The critics of what we are doing this evening should not try to paint us into a box and say that we are doing something that would be prejudicial …

I wish to discuss some questions in the short time I have available. It was beyond belief that the 100% capacity on buses was reduced to 50% at the last moment. I can agree with why it had to happen, namely, to ensure the health of students travelling on buses to school but why was it done at such a late stage? We had the whole year to get our act together and that decision was brought upon us at the last minute. I take grave exception to that decision. It has led to confusion, upset and families not having transpo…