We do not believe in the abolition of the carbon tax, as Sinn Féin will be advocating this evening. We are not climate deniers on this side of the House, as the Deputy’s party is.

I wish to make it clear to the Deputy there is no ban on turf cutting and there will be no ban this year on turf cutting. The Deputy and everybody knows that.

The circus is being created by you guys over there-----

-----who are determined to create this as the biggest issue of the day, whereas in my view there are far more substantive issues, not the least of which is the war in Ukraine.

The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan, will have the specifics of the details regarding the timeline for the publication of those guidelines. I do not have the specific timeline for the publication of those guidelines.

Again, I will have to examine the background to the issue the Deputy is raising. Are these contractual arrangements between self-employed people and these facilities? This is something we would have to examine in detail.

There are a variety of labour relations frameworks and mechanisms by which issues pertaining to pay and conditions can be dealt with and resolved, but I will need more background on that.

Yes, work is continuing on those measures. Any time the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications indicates energy-saving initiatives, there seems to be a chorus of negativity around them. We need ongoing energy efficiency and this needs to be consistently worked on throughout society.

In case you fall out with them.

Deputy Michael Healy-Rae is correct about the extraordinary work that is now going on within the Passport Office. Passport service staff numbers have increased by more than 300 since June 2021. There is a competition under way at the moment which, when completed, will see staffing numbers of 900. That is a doubling of staff numbers since last summer. It is engaging in intensive training and so on. In excess of 400,000 passports have been issued since 1 January. That is compared with a total of 634,000 passports iss…

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 5, inclusive, together. The Government Information Service comprises the Government Press Office and the Merrion Street content team. The Government Information Service has the following responsibilities: to provide the Taoiseach and Government with press office support; ensure strong collaboration and co-ordination among press and communications officials in other Departments and agencies; co-ordinate, support and amplify communications on key Government priorities, such as Ho…

On Deputy Mac Lochlainn's question, the inquiry is not completed. We have to await the recommendations that flow from it. On the mandatory provision in the Birth Information and Tracing Bill, the Deputy has to accept that the Bill represents a dramatic advancement on previous Bills circulated in previous Dáileanna regarding this issue. It represents a transformative approach to giving everyone full access to their records. The legal advice is that it was necessary to include the provision, even though it is light e…

I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 to 10, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on Europe oversees the implementation of programme for Government commitments in regard to the European Union and related issues. It generally meets in advance of a meeting of the European Council. The Cabinet committee discusses the agenda for European Council meetings as well as other programme for Government priorities in respect of the European Union. It last met on 7 March, ahead of the informal meeting of the European Council…

Deputy Mac Lochlainn raised the issue of the impact of Brexit on fisheries, which was significant because the approach of the Government of the United Kingdom to the fishery negotiations left it until the 11th hour. A no-deal Brexit would have been ruinous and had appalling consequences for our fishing industry. Brexit has led to a reduction, particularly in terms of the pelagic fleet, because of decommissioning and so on but, in fairness to the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, he has worked with the industry and the …

I propose to take Questions Nos. 11 to 14, inclusive, together. The Government co-ordination committee last met on Monday, 25 April and is scheduled to meet again on 9 May. The committee generally meets in advance of Government meetings to review the activity of Cabinet committees, review the agenda for that week's Government meeting, discuss political priorities and review implementation of a specified element of the programme for Government. I am a member of the committee, with the Tánaiste and the leader of the …

First, on Deputy Mac Lochlainn's point, I had a very worthwhile visit to Derry recently and met with the North West Regional Development Group. I think it is a very progressive group that leaves politics outside the door and its members do a lot of good work in terms of the economic and social development of the north west. We had a very good meeting in respect of commitments North and South and, in particular, how the shared island unit can be of assistance in the development of the region. We announced at that me…

In the first instance, in a wide-ranging presentation, Deputy McDonald said the Government had been doing nothing on the cost of living. I need to disabuse her of that statement. That is a completely false statement to assert because the Government has worked extremely hard and consistently in easing - not by any means mitigating in total - the cost-of-living increases that have occurred in recent times. Over €2 billion has now been allocated since the budget to try to alleviate pressure on people, particularly peo…

We reduced the caps for multiple children on school transport fees and have cut public transport fares by 20% until the end of the year.

We will introduce the young adult card next month which will reduce fares for young people under 24 by a further 50%. We lowered the threshold for the drug payment scheme to €80 per month, benefiting over 70,000 families. We brought forward the working family payment increase announced on budget day from 1 June to 1 April.

We launched a national retrofitting programme with unprecedented grant supports for home energy upgrades and increasing numbers of free energy upgrades for those at risk of energy poverty. Today the Government approved a proposal for the abolition of inpatient charges for children under 16 from July, to alleviate the financial burden of statutory hospital charges. There is much more in terms of the work we have done for hauliers. The idea that we have done nothing is a falsehood to articulate in this House. There i…