The Deputy cannot make it go away magically. She simply cannot do that and it is dishonest to people-----

It is dishonest, in the middle of a terrible crisis, to pretend there is no war or the war does not have an impact. We are doing people a disservice when we do that. We need to be honest with people. We know the war is having a terrible impact.

The total number of prepay electricity meters is around 340,000. Some 90,000 of those meters have been provided to people who have experienced electricity debt in order to help them budget these costs. Gas Networks Ireland has confirmed that there are about 117,000 pay-as-you-go meters. Through the social protection systems and the work of the CRU, which is a statutory body, we will protect people. Our entire purpose is to protect people. We have no interest in not protecting people.

I did not.

I thank the Deputy for raising this very important issue. I met Finola Cassidy and the Irish Thalidomide Association representatives, along with their legal representatives, in my office a couple of weeks ago. It was a good meeting. I listened very carefully to the concerns expressed. There has been a long history of interventions by Governments in respect of this issue and the people involved. Supports have been provided by previous Governments, and continue to be provided, in terms of monthly payments, eligibilit…

I fully accept the Deputy's right to put forward a cross-party motion but, in my experience, where one has a legal process and a political process, someone has to represent the broad issue as well. The optimal way to resolve this is to get into a meaningful process and tease through all of the issues. The ultimate liability, never forget, is with the company involved. Legislation was passed, as the Deputy is aware, in Germany which allows for the Contergan Foundation to make payments to thalidomide survivors. We wa…

The Government has intervened.

We have intervened. I reject Deputy Murphy's presentation of this. The measures we have taken of putting cash into people's accounts and reducing the bills are unprecedented. I read out the list. The measures we have taken have an impact. The impact they should demonstrably have is that people should not be cut off, by definition, given the scale of the energy credits, free fuel allowance and double payments, right across the board. Very substantial provision has been made right to the end of this year and into the…

To be fair, the CRU has done more than that. It has increased the emergency credit of no less than €20 but it has also provided a reduction in the debt repayment level on pay-as-you-go meters from 25% to a maximum of 10%. Consequently, €20 would have €2 deducted to pay debt. That came into operation on the first day of this month. There is also an obligation on suppliers to advise their prepayment customers who are in debt of other payment options available to them, such as billpay, and an obligation on suppliers t…

I thank the Deputy for raising the twin issues of south-east economic and enterprise development and the issue around business supports in the current energy crisis. The Government is introducing a temporary business energy support scheme as announced by the Minister for Finance in the budget. That scheme will be open to businesses that carry on a case 1 trade, are tax-compliant and have experienced a significant increase in their natural gas and electricity costs. As the Deputy knows, it will be administered by th…

A regional enterprise plan for the south east has been put in place. We need to analyse more deeply the factors that give rise to the growth in given regions. The medtech cluster in the west probably has been one of the more significant developments. It is based largely on research and development in the University of Galway and it also connects down to the mid-west with the University of Limerick. The South East Technological University is key.

It has been key. I accept that historically there has been an issue with different regions progressing at different levels. What I have announced is very significant foreign direct investment in Waterford and the south east more generally. That will grow. Horizon Therapeutics has recently announced 350 jobs, as the Deputy knows. All of those matter and will have impact. As we expand the South East Technological University, it will have a key role to play on the enterprise side. There is infrastructure and it has be…

I have already outlined to the Deputy measures we have taken that will prevent disconnections this winter. There are always exceptional situations for different reasons, but we are clear about what has brought about this energy crisis and the level of price increases. We want to keep the lights on and we want people to be able to have warm food and heat themselves over this winter. The Government will do everything it can-----

-----as will the CRU.

I thank the Deputy for raising this very important issue. Since its formation, the Government has made it clear that tackling domestic, sexual and gender-based violence is a priority. The Government has approved the recommendations in the report prepared by the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, for the introduction of paid domestic violence leave. On its introduction, Ireland will be one of the first countries in Europe to adopt domestic violence paid leave. The provisions will be introduced by means of Committee Stage am…

We need to be sensitive about this in the sense that it is a very difficult situation for people to find themselves in. It is not as if people are going to use this as some sort of excuse. That will not happen. It is very difficult for a person to have to come forward and say, "I need leave because of domestic abuse." The report recommends that we provide supports to employers so that they can develop their own domestic violence leave policy. This relates to policy and culture within an organisation. This will ensu…

I think there needs to be a process. I am with the Deputy on that.

I commend the widespread interest in the Fianna Fáil Ard-Fheis at the weekend from all sides of the House. It is very heartening indeed.

The outpatient waiting list has increased and the inpatient list has stabilised. There are different performances in different categories. Many good innovations have worked such as access to diagnostics. GP-led diagnostic services have been quite innovative and impactful in providing greater access, greater throughput and greater activity on waiting lists more generally. That will continue. The waiting list action plan was published last February. Some €350 million was allocated with additional staff. For 2023, €44…

The Deputy has been a long-standing campaigner for this and has raised the matter before with me, I think in the bowels of the national convention centre. We still have recollections of the convention centre.