There are not billions available from the European Union in respect of housing.

The Deputy has asked me to respond to his two suggestions. From my engagement with Europe, I am aware that the biggest issue we will face in the context of the next financial framework is how we will increase the European budget, to which Ireland is a net contributor. There are going to be a whole range of demands on us. In Ireland, traditionally, we have always protected the Common Agricultural Policy, and research and Horizon funding, along with other issues. In the context of zoning for affordable housing, we wi…

Within that context, yes, we can respond to a proposal of that kind.

Fresh-----

Pardon. It was the word "hell" I did not pick up.

St. Patrick's Day has for many years been a substantive opportunity and occasion for Ireland, globally and in the United States, to engage with decision-makers, communities and the diaspora. We have a substantial diaspora in the United States. It is extremely important that we continue to work with our diaspora and also on our relationship with the United States. President Trump was democratically elected. He was elected by the people of the United States. One cannot ignore that reality. The economic relationship b…

We need to consolidate the ceasefire. That is the most important issue for people in Gaza right now. Hamas needs to release the hostages. Its role in this has been malign, and that needs to be acknowledged. Israel needs to honour its side of the agreement. Progress has been made on the ceasefire. Aid is getting in. That is where the focus has to be.

There was no error of judgment made, and it was not in the early days of any genocide. I visited Israel prior to 7 October. What is striking is the refusal of the Deputy, or at least Deputy Murphy and the group of which they are members, to condemn what happened on 7 October.

That was before the war started. I remember Deputy Boyd Barrett asking me in the House to help to get Irish citizens out of Gaza, while at the same time condemning me for visiting Israel. The hypocrisy, doublethink and doublespeak are extraordinary.

The only way we got Irish citizens out of Gaza was because of the diplomatic relationship we maintained and the fact we had ambassadors in Israel and Cairo who worked extremely hard to get Irish citizens out of Gaza. The Deputy would have made a pronouncement that I should not go, but at the same time asked us to get people out.

I am sick of that kind of absolute doublethink and hypocrisy. The Deputy mentioned that.

I am not. If I get more time-----

Deputy Murphy is misleading the House-----

-----and his associates, for a long time.

Will you condemn Hamas?

I disagree fundamentally with the Deputy's assertions. Our population has increased dramatically, in contrast to the time when the Constitution was formulated. The range of issues we are dealing with now is far in excess of what would have been the case in previous times. We have far greater challenges in respect of climate, biodiversity, the energy agenda and the marine ecosystem across the board, from maritime security to ecotourism to fisheries. That requires a Minister of State. I make no apologies for saying t…

First, in terms of reading classes within mainstream schools, is the Deputy talking about-----

I introduced the first language classes within mainstream education a long time ago - they have had a great impact - with a view, by the way, to integrating a child back into the mainstream after perhaps a year of very focused work in a language class where a child was experiencing language difficulties. In more recent times, education thinking has moved towards integration, integration, integration and less specificity. I have some views on that. There are requirements for a specialised, focused approach at differ…

This is a very serious issue and the Minister, Deputy Patrick O'Donovan, to be fair, is acting promptly on it. He briefed Cabinet on this IT project. There are issues in terms of the governance of that project and the eventual outcome. There has been huge expenditure on a product that has not emerged. There is not a new system in place. There are very serious issues. The Comptroller and Auditor General has reported on this. I expect and anticipate that the Committee of Public Accounts will also examine this but it …

I am not familiar with the background to this but I presume this has been considered for quite some time. It cannot have come as a bolt out of the blue. I will talk to the Minister for Education and alert her that the Deputy has raised this issue in the House today. I am not clear on the rationale as to why it is moving from Donegal town to Letterkenny because education centres are very important in terms of training, service training and a whole range of other development programmes. I will ask the Minister for Ed…