To be fair, much work is being done. I visited the headquarters of the Naval Service in Haulbowline recently. Significant modernisation of an accommodation block has taken place, and there will be further investment in accommodation in Haulbowline. The accommodation that has been refurbished is of a very high quality. Similarly, in the context of other barracks, I have instructed that there be no demolition of any housing and that investment be made in accommodation in barracks across the country. There are already…

I am not aware of the specific case. It is unacceptable behaviour. There should be no evictions of that kind. I do not know whether the matter has been referred to the Garda. There is a law in place. There has to be a zero-tolerance approach to this kind of behaviour if it is illegal. There has to be respect for people and dignity and humanity must apply. The RTB is in place and the legislation is there. What we need is enforcement of the legislation.

I do not know whether an approach has been made to the county council about buying the house under the tenant in situ scheme. That would be the most immediate response.

I did not realise that. Then there is an onus on the council. Have the couple just gone on the list or is the Deputy saying they cannot do so?

Again, I do not have the specifics of the case. We can work with the county council to see what can be done in this case.

The Minister for Education has been in discussions with the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform to get the issue of additional funding to facilitate movement and construction on these projects resolved so it can proceed as quickly as possible. I expect a decision on that imminently.

I am in full agreement with the Deputy on the merits of Cork city, which is one the great cities. Many people who visit Cork remark on that very frequently. The issue of crime was also referenced by Deputy Nolan, and there has been an increase. The funding is there. There had been challenges with the training centre in respect of that. The Minister of State, Deputy James Browne, will deal with this matter in more detail. In response to Deputy Higgins, the issue is not one of resources, but recruitment and retention…

Cuirim fáilte roimh an tuarascáil seo. Is tuarascáil fhíorthábhachtach í. Táimid buíoch don chathaoirleach, Bronagh O'Hanlon, agus de bhaill an ghrúpa as ucht an méid oibre a rinne siad agus as an tseirbhís a thug an grúpa don tír. Léiríonn an tuarascáil seo scéal uafásach laistigh de na Fórsaí Cosanta i rith na nglún agus suas go dtí an lá atá inniu ann. De dheasca na tuarascála, tá i bhfad níos mó scéalta agus eolais againn ó thaobh rudaí scannalach a tharla sna Fórsaí Cosanta. Anois, caithfimid féachaint ar agha…

I thank all of the Deputies for their contributions to this debate. I have taken careful note of all that has been said. One of the fundamental rationales for a statutory inquiry, which would be a fact-finding statutory inquiry, is to get full compellability and full contribution in terms of everybody's perspective, and not just perspective but role. At the very outset I made it very clear in my opening contribution that the Department of Defence would be part of that inquiry and that it would be part of the terms …

I think there were three of them, but Deputy Connolly mentioned that it was disbanded. That is not quite-----

I did not interrupt Deputy Connolly.

Could I just explain and give the context before people jump to conclusions and start making assertions? It is clear the independent monitoring group was not effective.

Of course it was not. This will all be before the inquiry. It clearly was not effective.

No, it was not. That is the point. I would argue that Deputy Connolly has got it wrong on that front. I just want to make that point to her. Hence we had the independent review and the scoping inquiry.

I have discussed this with officials.

Clearly something more was required. There was the documentary. There have been many watershed moments in history globally and nationally. In my view, clearly there was not the same cut-through as there has been now with the "Documentary on One" and the Katie Hannon documentary and the role of the Women of Honour in that regard. When I say cut-through I mean the very significant raising of the public consciousness and awareness about this which has led to significant numbers of people coming forward to the scoping …

Confidence motions have a long history in Dáil Éireann. They are intended as a mechanism for stepping away from day-to-day arguments and focusing on the fundamental work of government. For much of the past century, they were tabled by Oppositions seeking to offer a systematic alternative to the Government. They were an opportunity to address the full range of economic, social and international issues facing our country, look beyond one or two issues and present a broader programme. Unfortunately, the reality is thi…

They are offering no alternative to a Government that in some of the toughest of times in our modern history has worked successfully with the Irish people to deliver sustained progress on key issues and has put in place the policies to deliver much more during the rest of the term of our mandate. We are having this debate today because the Labour Party decided it needed to do something to get attention.

It has adopted a strategy of trying to match others' angry rhetoric and empty promises. Just like other left parties, it remains so terrified of Sinn Féin's troll army that it is increasingly incapable of presenting a distinct position from that party on any market.

There is little purpose served by taking apart the reality of the Labour Party's tactics and demanding a confidence vote. All I will say is that when I hear the loud words of attack on us in relation to housing, I cannot help quoting aspects and the last policy on renters outlined in a Labour Party manifesto. The Labour Party made this commitment: "We will also seek to create the regulated, stable rental market that institutional investors, such as pension funds, require to provide significant rental units." It sup…