Additional income streams for farmers will arise from the distribution of carbon tax revenues. To protect against fuel poverty for those on low incomes and those depending on the fuel allowance, it enables us to make more generous provision in those areas, as we have done in the last budget and in the most recent package in terms of those in receipt of the fuel allowance.

The reality is that over the next decade or so, we will be moving more towards renewables. We will always need gas for the foreseeable future as a transitional fuel, but we will have to increase our renewable capacities into the future. Of that, there is no doubt. The current Ukrainian-Russian crisis illustrates that for Europe, not just for Ireland, more than anything else. It has caused a lot of instability in more recent times.

First of all, the retrofitting scheme has not started yet.

We have the money and it has been allocated. The retrofitting scheme clearly has not affected the current pandemic cycle of inflation.

I ask the Deputy to calm down. There is no need to be roaring about the issue. The bottom line is that in 2021, the country spent €6.2 billion on imported fuels compared with €3.4 billion in 2020. We spent €6.2 billion on imported fuels in 2021 compared with €3.4 billion in 2020. That is a €2.8 billion increase in the bill for imported fuel, largely reflecting higher prices on international markets. We spent an additional €1.5 billion on imported oil and an extra €1 billion on imported gas last year.

The Deputy cannot deny the global nature of this.

During budget time, the Deputy is the first in the queue looking for higher investment in roads, rail and projects in his constituency, and greater social protection measures. There has to be a revenue base to pay for all of that.

That is the reality. The revenue we generate relates to what we can do for society and for the public, more generally.

We have to be transparent and straight up about this. There is no denying the global nature of this issue. We must take measures to try to help people alleviate the pressure.

It is my understanding that the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, is meeting with the school concerned and that the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, is also engaged on the issue. I must say that SNA provision is not in crisis. The expenditure on special needs education has grown dramatically in recent years. We have expanded the number of SNAs in our schools.

That should be acknowledged. There needs to be balance in the debate here. Ministers do not allocate to every individual school across the country. We cannot be expected to do that and neither can the Oireachtas. We make representations in respect of different schools. There is a general allocation system and so forth. However, the numbers have never been higher. It is a system I introduced, as Minister for Education, back in 1998. There was no system prior to that. It has facilitated the integrated nature and main…

In the first instance, we have already put a 10% stamp duty on the purchase of ten or more houses, as the Deputy knows. Supply is the answer. It is the only answer, ultimately. The Deputy knows that, as does everybody else. We need to ramp up the supply of apartments and houses. We do not want to take steps that will reduce apartment building.

Gouging is all wrong. That should not happen. If Deputy Howlin knows of specific cases, he should send those details to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. I do not think that is in any way proper. Proper contractual arrangements should be entered into and honoured by all parties involved in such transactions.

It is not going to be influenced in any way-----

The Deputy should let me finish. It is not going to involve or be influenced by any religious organisation, be it Catholic or whatever. What needs to happen is the hospital needs to be built now. Negotiations are ongoing but have gone on far too long. The existing conditions are not acceptable in the modern era. What I am annoyed about is that it is taking so long. I have been Taoiseach for a year and a half. This has been going on for years since the new hospital was announced. Health projects must get delivered m…

I am a great admirer of the work the Cork Life Centre undertakes. I disagree with the Deputy's assessment, which I think is unfair. I have involved myself personally in this issue over the past two years. I have engaged with the education and training board, ETB, which has also engaged with the Cork Life Centre. Significant supports have been provided to the centre. There have been issues around governance and all that but they have been put to one side. We accept the position that is being taken by those who manag…

To be fair to the Deputy, he has had a consistently negative view about restrictions designed to protect public health. The motivation behind-----

I am answering. The motivation behind the recommendation and the public health advice with regard to masks was an honourable one to try to protect children and teachers.

This was in consultation with all the stakeholders in education. There will be a meeting of the National Public Health Emergency Team, NPHET-----

-----and there will be advice in relation to this.