The draft multi-annual financial framework only gives farmers about 80% of what we got on the last occasion. That is a big issue we have to negotiate down the line with the Commission as well. On the blocking majority, all countries are engaging with the Commission, including those countries the Deputy mentioned, in respect of Mercosur. It is not as clear as Deputy McDonald suggested.

The lifelong package is there. We have a liaison person from the HSE and there is an office working with survivors and victims of the thalidomide drug. It is substantial. No one wants to get this concluded more quickly than I do, and indeed the Tánaiste and others do. We met recently with the group. We had a very good meeting. We will be meeting again in early December. We had set up a mediation process and a judge was appointed. I do not want to say too much in public, but I will put it this way. I am annoyed, qui…

I am somewhat surprised by the Deputy's comments. Most people who are working will make a contribution to their accommodation and food.

For those who are working that is the general view across society. It was always provided for in legislation in respect of those working in direct provision who have residency and could be earning good wages. Surely it is not too much to say that they should make a contribution to their upkeep. That is all. The Deputy is way out of order to suggest that it is something extraordinary to ask for or put in place. There is a tightening up in terms of the procedures being announced by the Minister, and the Government ha…

What is that?

I have not seen the Bill. Normally what happens is that a Bill is published and people look at it and make up their minds whether they want to support it. The colonial appellation is a new one on me.

A lot of people have practised this throughout rural Ireland historically. They have been involved in hunting. There is always balance in debates of this kind. We await publication of the Bill.

The first thing the Government did when coming into office was to commit to establishing a national in-school therapy service. Within a very short time we will establish it, with €16 million allocated to that in the budget. CDNTs are now supporting almost 45,000 children, an increase of 5% since December last year. Waiting lists have come down by 21%. Workforce capacity within CDNTs has grown significantly; it has increased by 26%. The vacancy rate in CDNTs nationally has fallen from 29% in 2023 to 18% today. Resou…

I thank the Deputy for so eloquently articulating the situation in the two beautiful towns of Broadford and Cooraclare. The Minister recently brought a memorandum to Government to deal with the issue. The scheme was announced some time back when local authorities were given supports. To be fair, the Deputy is correct when he said there has been a problem in the delivery of those schemes. The Minister recently introduced supports for that. I will ask him to speak to the Deputy. What he is endeavouring to do with the…

It is a good idea to follow up with the newly appointed Minister for Finance on this issue. I agree with Deputy Neville. We have to look more generally at disincentives to investment and returns. This also affects quite a number of other areas. We need balance. When we try to do something like this, there is an inevitable cry that we are only looking after wealthy people and so on. We are trying to release money and capital into the economy. Britain has a far more effective framework on entrepreneurial reinvestment…

I am glad the Deputy has raised this matter with the National Transport Authority, which has statutory responsibility for it. The sectoral transport plan under the national development plan will be published today, although that is for bigger projects. There is substantial money for public transport if the need and demand is there. I do not understand why Bus Éireann and the NTA do not provide additional capacity on the route. The Deputy will appreciate that I cannot look over every bus route in the country but the…

Does the Deputy expects me to bring clarity to that presentation?

Revenue is the guiding light, obviously, in this matter. I will discuss it with the new Minister for Finance but I would have thought Revenue implements the impact of the legislation faithfully and dutifully.

If the Deputy can do so, I would appreciate it. There were some challenges some time back in terms of that entire issue. If I am thinking of the same issue the Deputy referenced, there was a reason change had to happen. Revenue will identify what is required.

The Deputy knows the answer to that. I am as anxious as he is to get a flood relief plan enacted and implemented as quickly as possible. The Deputy does not have a monopoly on concern. I went down to visit and meet with people who were victims of the floods on that occasion.

The sooner we can get this done the better. The Deputy has a habit of making commentary that is not accurate and I take issue with that. He did this on a previous occasion in respect of another issue, when what he said was inaccurate and wrong. He is doing it again today in saying I was disdainful. He is saying to the people of Castlemartyr and Killeagh that I am disdainful. That is what he is trying to imply. It is an unnecessarily sly way of doing business. I will be as upfront with him as he is with me in respec…

This is a serious issue for people. The Deputy should not underestimate my commitment or that of the Minister of State, Deputy Moran, to dealing with it. The Deputy knows it involves a lot of stakeholders and a lot of consultation with people. The sooner we get it done the better and the Government is committed to getting it done.

I thank the Deputy for raising a very important issue. He is correct that the NTA has statutory responsibility in this matter. The authority is currently finalising plans for late-night services over the Christmas period and will publish full details of those arrangements late next week. The Deputy has been a strong advocate for this service and for clarity around it. I will alert the authority again of his concerns. In line with the approach adopted in previous years, broadly speaking, additional late-night servic…

As I outlined earlier to Deputy Dolan, the Minister for housing is looking at guidelines and will bring forward a national planning statement that will create guidelines and frameworks for both onshore wind and solar energy. The entire objective is to balance energy security and sustainability with ensuring development does not impinge on residential amenity or people's quality of life.

I did not just announce it; the Government allocated funding for it. The Deputy was on the council until recently and probably knows more about it than he lets on. It is a council responsibility to present the plan to the Government. Up until quite recently, a plan had not arrived at the Government in respect of this. Apparently, there were issues with sites, property and all the rest of it. Laterally and very lately, the council has put forward ideas, although I am not sure whether this was formally done, as to wh…