With regard to Deputy Smith's points-----

I have the floor now. I have made my points.

I have dealt with-----

-----the Deputy's ceaseless propaganda against the European Union. He is consistently anti-EU.

The Deputy should attack the authorities in which many of these reside-----

-----that create an authoritarian regimes and conditions that makes life impossible for people.

Europe has a migration policy and frontier management. Every authority in the world has a migration policy and manages migration, but the bottom line is that this authoritarianism is undermining the world. It is creating-----

Here the Deputy goes again interrupting. Other Members have asked questions. The Deputy should have the good faith to allow me to answer other Members.

The Deputy does not like the answer because he is a propagandist at heart and he lacks objectivity in every presentation he makes.

Deputy Smith is correct about what is transpiring in respect of the decision that has been made on the dual regulatory framework. All of those involved in industry, manufacturing, the dairy industry and agrifood are saying this loud and clear. It is a form of economic illiteracy from the perspective of Northern Ireland that one would create such a dual regulatory framework because it does not allow for full traceability and it creates challenges for those exporting commodities. This has been pointed out to me by th…

I propose to take Questions Nos. 19 to 26, inclusive, together. Like public representatives generally, I meet church leaders informally from time to time in the course of attending official functions. The most recent formal meeting I had took place on 15 April 2021, when I met the leaders of the all-island Christian churches, including the Roman Catholic Church, the Church of Ireland, the Presbyterian Church, the Methodist Church and the Irish Council of Churches. We discussed the ongoing contribution to peace buil…

I thank the Deputies for their questions. Deputy Bacik raised the issue of the role of the church within education. The situation has evolved significantly. I was one of the original supporters of Educate Together through measures I took with capital expenditure way back in the late 1990s to facilitate the purchase and acquisition of sites much more cost-effectively for Educate Together schools. That was followed through and we have a far more pluralistic and democratic system now. Plebiscites often happen and peop…

One of the issues historically has been delivery within the schools. Some teachers feel uncomfortable delivering the programme, particularly at post-primary level. I would argue that more work needs to be done in that regard. Legislation needs amendment also but the more critical issue is curriculum, the delivery of the curriculum, the capacity to deliver it and to develop a culture across the schools that is far more tolerant regarding trans issues, sexual orientation, and respect and consent more generally. The M…

What is the name of the Gaelscoil?

As in Fionnbarra.

There is a Cork origin so.

I studied hagiography a long time ago. The life of Finbarr featured in it.

I join in the welcome to members of Gaelscoil Bharra chuig Tithe an Oireachtais. Tá súil agam go mbainfidh siad taitneamh as a lá anseo. There is no question the war on Ukraine has very significantly exacerbated what was an emerging inflationary cycle coming from the pandemic, the fact that economies rebounded so quickly from the pandemic and the resulting supply and demand issues. That has created significant pressures on families and households. The Government responded and has done so quickly, more quickly than …

-----to get people through what will be a difficult winter period across the board. I think the budget gives us the broadest and most comprehensive way of doing that-----

-----and making sure that some of the measures would be applicable from day 1 of the budget announcement.