The Deputy used the word “force”. Farmers have been attached to the land for a very long time in this country. We have to engage with all involved on the land, including our farming community, and food security is important. We have to balance all of that. We need a greater variety of production and we are, through the carbon tax revenues, encouraging environmentally friendly farming, multi-species swards, and greater technologies to reduce the impacts on the environment. Not least this year, there has been a prono…

----- the need for environmental sustainability. That is the objective and there was widespread consultation. Not everybody agreed with the outcome-----

-----and it was only announced about a year ago and has some distance to go yet in respect of its objectives. On the citizens’ assemblies, to respond to the point made by Deputy McDonald, I think the shared island initiative in respect of the dialogue series that is there is a far more effective way of building reconciliation and mutual trust through working with people on the ground and engaging in dialogue across-the-board on issues such as climate. A climate and biodiversity network has been created on the islan…

We have not proposals worked up on that yet, but as soon as we have we will come back to the Irish Thalidomide Association as quickly as I can.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 3 to 9, inclusive, together. I am advised by NESC on strategic policy issues relating to sustainable economic, social and environmental development in Ireland. The NESC work programme in 2022 has five main areas, including to carry out a major piece of research and consultation on climate, biodiversity and how to achieve a just transition in agriculture, and to continue to help us deepen our understanding of how to deliver more affordable and sustainable housing systems, drawing on …

I thank the Deputies for raising a range of issues. We can in the future put to NESC the issue of the nationalisation of the entire energy sector, although I do not advocate that. We have a regulated market and an independent regulator.

The Deputy made a specific point in respect of district heating but the specific issues pertaining to district heating would not in themselves merit the nationalisation of the entire energy network and system in the country.

We need to have bespoke measures to try to help people in district heating settings with effective interventions. Deputy Paul Murphy raised the issue of local employment services in Tallaght and Clondalkin being shut down for three months and then being restored in a differently organised way. He said it is a slimmed down version. The tendering did not facilitate a race to the bottom. We need efficiencies as well. We need people to have good models. From what the Deputy is saying, the local partnership won the cont…

Regarding the north west, I have spoken to the Minister for Transport on this matter. I am anxious for that to happen, but it is in the transport domain right now. Regarding the rail strategy, east-west connectivity is a big issue because the A5 has been caught in a lot of planning issues, public inquiries and so on. Then there is the rail issue. The largest number of submissions on rail came from the north west. The all-island rail strategy, funded by the Minister and the shared island fund, is nearing completion.…

I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 to 17, inclusive, together. The public service, justice and policing reform unit is part of the social policy and public service reform division of my Department. The work of the unit supports me in my role as Taoiseach on policing reform, criminal justice, public service reform, social affairs and other related matters, supports the Civil Service management board, including the Civil Service renewal programme, and contributes to the oversight and governance of the new public ser…

No, Deputy McDonald is first.

Deputy McDonald raised the scoping inquiry into the death of Shane O'Farrell. I met with the family during the summer. The Government agreed to facilitate the family with a copy of the scoping inquiry report. The Government has not yet considered the report in deference to the family's wishes at that time. I will meet with the family again, and I understand a date has now been agreed by my office and the family. The Government has to give consideration to the scoping inquiry. It did take three years, but this was b…

The European Council will meet in Brussels later this week on 20 and 21 October. Before turning to that meeting, I will briefly update the House on the first meeting of the European Political Community, which took place in Prague on 6 October, and on the informal meeting of the European Council that took place the following day. The first meeting of the European Political Community on 6 October was a welcome development in wider European political engagement. It was hosted by the Prime Minister of the Czech Republi…

It is not on the agenda at the Council meeting.

We know that.

It is not on the Council agenda.

No, I do not actually.

First, I have said repeatedly in this House - and I stand by my statement - that, in my view, housing is the single most important social issue facing our country at this moment in time and access to housing is fundamental to our security, our stability, our health and our progress as a nation. I do not know the individual circumstances in relation to Graham King and his family. I do not know the full background of the housing that they might have had prior to this, but it is not acceptable that a family would be l…

Since July, the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, has given authority to the local authorities to purchase-----

-----houses where a tenant in situ , whether under the rental accommodation scheme, RAS, or the housing assistance payment, HAP, was on the cusp of being evicted. Since this measure was introduced, close to 650 houses have been bought or are in the process of being bought by local authorities. That is a significant intervention. Every mechanism the Minister can use to avoid homelessness is being used. That needs to be said. That has happened. He has given the freedom of manoeuvre to the local authorities to buy tho…