I do not know what to say, to be honest. I am disappointed. The application is cognisant of the fact of developments in anaerobic digestion and injecting biogas. It is not a case of just looking for a pipeline in a business case scenario because the reality is that the business case is not strong. It is strong, however, when other things are taken into account, such as providing that AD and injecting biogas into the system. It ticks the boxes as regards climate action, in my opinion. I ask that this be taken into a…

Last Friday 88 branches of the Bank of Ireland throughout the country closed. This is another blow to the rural economy. Along with that went the only ATM machine in a number of towns. One of those towns was Granard in County Longford where the local credit union has applied for planning permission to install an ATM at its facility. When that happens, I urge people to support their credit union and their post office. As a postmaster, I am naturally biased. We have those facilities available but I would urge people …

The Minister of State is very welcome to the Chamber to discuss the budget today. I thank the Minister of State and the Ministers, Deputies Donohoe and Michael McGrath, for their stewardship of our economy throughout the pandemic and for making sure that supports for families and businesses were put in place. I want to concentrate on the measures in the areas in the Department for which I am the spokesperson, which are the areas of arts, media, tourism and sport, rather than across the budget because Members have a…

I want to raise a couple of issues ahead of the budget. My own family are involved in the coach and bus business. We all know the tourism industry has been decimated. The cost of fuel has risen far ahead of what it is in Northern Ireland. The fact is that operators cannot reclaim VAT on diesel whereas those in the North can, so they are now totally uncompetitive when compared with the Northern Ireland bus companies in terms of getting contracts here. That needs to be looked at. A good friend of mine, James Cawley, …

I wish to raise a couple of issues. Many of my colleagues have spoken about the national development plan and the welcome investment that will happen in the coming years. I want to highlight a couple of issues in the plan, in particular the upgrades to the Dublin to Sligo railway line. The upgrades are happening on the Dublin to Mullingar leg of the journey. Longford is the first point from where the early-bird trains travel to Dublin, bringing workers who are commuting. I ask for that to be looked at and for those…

I welcome the Minister of State. I was struck by Senator Murphy's comment about years ago. Thirty years ago, I am not sure whether the words "dyslexia" and "autism" were even in the English language. A large number of the kids in question were at the back of the class and sometimes did not get a chance in life. Thankfully, that has changed and people are getting opportunities. I welcome today's presentation and I thank Senator Lombard for organising it. It was informative and I compliment the organisation that appe…

I second Senator Fitzpatrick's comments. This issue is becoming extremely prevalent on our streets in all the towns and villages. Going home from Dublin on a Friday evening, I used to notice the large numbers of youths out with drink and so on. You need only have watched "Claire Byrne Live" last night to see images that are replicated in every single town around the country. I am a firm advocate of the recently established community safety partnerships. There have been three, including a pilot in my own county of W…

I do not think I will be going to that nightclub tonight. Those days are well behind me. I wish to raise an issue relating to Housing for All. I have spoken to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and to my local authority. I fully back the Government's plans, but there is an issue when it comes to affordable housing, that is, that under the matrix that is used as to what is called the affordability challenge and the criteria, there are upwards of 12 local authorities that will not be in a posit…

The Minister of State is very welcome. I am delighted to support this Bill. It is important to state that I am a national lottery agent. I will put that on the record. I speak on behalf of the 5,500 retailers who have licences throughout the country. As I said, I am one of them. Emails were recently sent by another organisation claiming that lobbying took place with regard to putting this Bill forward. That is not the case. Senator Ward has made it perfectly clear why this legislation needs to be put in place. This…

I wish to raise two issues, the first of which is the loss of commercial rates in the local authority in my home, Longford, and in Offaly, with the closure of the power plants. I acknowledge that funding was made available for 2021 but no commitments have yet been given for the period 2022 onwards. Just transition was in place out to 2027. However, that has not happened and my county is looking at a loss of €1.2 million in rates as a result of those closures and the closure of other businesses. That is a significan…

I welcome the Minister of State to the House and thank her for her comprehensive statement. It is an understatement to say that Covid has had a devastating effect on a number of sectors, in particular the aviation sector, which has been largely shut for 18 months. That has had a knock-on effect for the tourism industry. Tens of thousands of people have lost their jobs and others have seen their income drop by up to 90%. However, the Minister of State, Fine Gael and the Government are conscious of the impact on work…

I am speaking in place of Senator Joe O'Reilly, who is on business with the Council of Europe. I welcome the Minister back from his UN visit, where he again served our country with distinction, as he normally does. I record my support and that of my colleagues for all the work the Minister undertakes in the Departments of Defence and Foreign Affairs on behalf of the State. He is a man of the utmost integrity, and that is beyond doubt. I welcome the Bill and the changes that are set out including amending the Defenc…

Next Tuesday.

Tomorrow at 10.30 a.m.

I welcome the Minister. I thank Senator Ruane for highlighting this issue and bringing it to the fore. I fully support her motion. I also praise the Minister and his departmental staff for making this issue a priority and highlighting the issues facing staff and students in higher education, with ongoing initiatives to create safe campuses for all. Indeed, last year, the Minister confirmed that a survey was to be carried out into sexual harassment and bullying of both staff and students in our institutions. The sur…

I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach and welcome the Minister of State. I do not envy the Department of Finance, which has been given the task of arranging this system of valuations for new rates. We are eight years on from the original valuation in 2013 and the Minister is correct in moving to regularise the revaluation of properties to a four-year cycle. The timing of this tax was and is very difficult for many people. However, the Government is trying to be fair to all citizens. It has brought in all new property own…

The Minister is very welcome to the House. When the Minister of State, Deputy Fleming, was here earlier, I made reference to my own county based on the bands. Longford has 17,000 properties registered and 79% of them are in bands 1 and 2. Based on the new figures, by 2023 there would be a reduction of up to €1.5 million in the income we will be getting. I know the Minister has given a commitment and I wish to ask him this on the record. It has been said in the local media that Longford will face a shortfall, but we…

I am. I have jumped ship.

This Bill is entitled an Act "to make, on a temporary basis, exceptional provision, in the public interest and having regard to the manifest and grave risk to human life and public health posed by the spread of the disease known as Covid-19". It is temporary, for a period of up to three months, during exceptional circumstances and in the public interest. That is what the Bill is about. Am I 100% happy? I am not, but what are the alternatives? Opening against public health advice and strengthening the Delta variant,…

I thank the Minister of State for making sure this legislation was passed. It was in the programme for Government. All of us were lobbied, especially the rural Members, by the IFA etc. to make sure. We gave commitments to them it would be done before the summer recess and it has been. I have a small business at home myself. Please God I will not have to go into a nursing home in the short term but it gives a sense of comfort that there is a safeguard. That is what we do in business: try to build up a business our k…