As the Deputy knows, we have public service pay agreements, where we work with the social partners in agreeing on a regular basis. We have had effective agreements with the public service unions in respect of workers in the public service. We will continue to do that. Because of what have been very good outcomes in terms of the fiscal situation and surpluses that we have managed to sustain, that will enable us in future budgets in terms of personal taxation and so on. We decided in the last budget to invest in serv…

I thank Deputy Bacik for raising a very important issue and for wishing me a happy new year. I reciprocate and wish her a very happy new year also. The showdown at the moment has been Russia versus Europe. That is the real showdown of substance. I do not like using the word “showdown” – it is conflict. It is an illegal invasion of Ukraine, which has been going on for four years, an appalling attack on the infrastructure of Ukraine, incredible loss of life, deliberate killing of innocent civilians and endeavouring t…

Ireland's unequivocal position is to support the international rules-based order and the United Nations. We want reform of the United Nations to make it more substantial and authoritative, particularly in terms of the under-representation of many parts of the world. In our view, Africa, for example, should be represented on the Security Council, and other major blocs should be as well. The Security Council is outdated in terms of composition and membership. We believe in full participation at all multilateral forum…

First of all, I thank the Deputy for raising the issue because it is a very grave and serious issue that the Government will respond to. In terms of specific prosecutions, as the Deputy knows, gardaí investigate any breaches of the law or any criminal activity, and the DPP decides whether prosecutions take place or not. I believe the public should report these incidents in the first instance to An Garda Síochána so the full range of the law can be applied. I have asked the Attorney General, and the Attorney General…

The Minister of State, Deputy Niamh Smyth, has spoken very frankly and robustly to me in respect of this issue. She clearly has very strong views on it and how we engage both with the platforms and how we should legally respond. Because there are a number of different Departments with responsibility for different dimensions of this, we want to develop and formulate a co-ordinated response that will be there on an ongoing basis to respond to issues that may arise from time to time as technology develops; as AI devel…

I thank the Deputy for raising a very important issue and one which is under constant review and attention by the Government. Storm Éowyn was probably the worst storm we ever experienced in terms of severity - wind strength - and it had enormous impacts in terms of power outages and people being without water for quite a considerable period of time. An overarching review was undertaken by the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management under the Department of housing which focused on a range of areas. It…

There are two things on that. I am instructing and driving Ministers to push and push to get many of these issues resolved because of the experience of Storm Éowyn. The legislation has been drafted. On the mutual aid agreements, we had very strong support from Europe, in fairness.

I would not agree, actually.

Many of them came very quickly to our aid, just as we go their aid. We might not have a formal legal agreement but there are strong informal agreements and they have worked. I do not want to go through the statistics. The impact of that storm was devastating but 70% of customers had their power restored after 72 hours, 90% after seven days and, in 18 days, all remaining customers. The issue is with the corridors. That is critical. In the future, we should not have a domino effect when trees fall and destroy the pow…

That is nonsense. Everything the Deputy has asserted in relation to that issue is absolute nonsense. Over the last year, since we came into Government, we have negotiated strongly on behalf of Irish farmers on a number of fronts, including securing an extension of the nitrates derogation, which is very important for the overall agricultural industry and economy. In respect of Mercosur, we have negotiated very significant safeguards across the board, not just in terms of sanitary and phytosanitary, SPS, but also new…

The Deputy is engaging in politics-----

-----to the detriment of Irish farming and the Irish economy more generally.

I disagree fundamentally with what the Deputy is saying. The new Act, which will be the most comprehensive Act in relation to asylum and immigration ever enacted in the history of the State, is important legislation that will offer a robust, procedurally efficient and effective framework for dealing with asylum applications. The majority of asylum applications are rejected. It is up to 67% after appeal and it can be close to 80% of applications, on first instance. Clearly, there are a lot of people applying for asy…

-----and this will align with the European situation also.

I do not know where the Deputy's party is in terms of this issue either, to be quite frank. Does it support-----

Does the Deputy support a robust system that is procedurally sound, timely in terms of people not waiting for years and also one that facilitates legitimate applications and legitimate refugees fleeing conflict and war? When you have a situation where close to 70% are rejected there is an issue-----

It has gone on for years.

People are accommodated and so on. We want legal routes to migration in this country. Migration is a good thing. We have been very positive about it and it has been important in terms of the economy, but we do it through legal routes. We want to be very clear and send clear messages in respect of illegal applications for asylum.

As I said earlier, the prosecuting authorities need to proceed, and they will proceed if it is. I sought advice from the Attorney General in relation to the specific question the Deputy has raised and I am convening a meeting with relevant Ministers and the Attorney General, not just on that issue but on the issue more broadly.

We have the highest number of partner services and core funding at any point since the childcare scheme was launched in 2022, and the number continues to grow. A small number of providers have decided not to sign up for core funding for the current 2025-26 programme. As of today, 4,590 services have signed up, the highest number since 2022. An assessment of the withdrawal of providers from core funding was undertaken on 3 November. It revealed that about 4% of services had left at one point over the lifetime of the…