I have indicated the approach we intend as a Government, working with the social partners to deal with the cost of living and issues, including energy.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 20 to 31, inclusive, together. As the House will be aware, Chancellor Olaf Scholz took up his office on 8 December as the head of the new German coalition Government. Ireland and Germany are close partners and friends, and I was therefore pleased to have the opportunity to talk to him by phone on 1 December, prior to his formal appointment. I also subsequently wrote to congratulate him and to express my commitment to working with him on shared challenges the EU faces in the period a…

I was intrigued by Deputy Ó Murchú's comments. He said we all agree that Russia is ratcheting things up. I do not know what that means. To be fair-----

In fairness to Deputy-----

I just note the difference in language between Deputy Ó Murchú and Deputies Boyd Barrett and Paul Murphy, who, to be fair, have called out Russian activity. I do not hear the same sentiments from Sinn Féin's benches at all for whatever reason.

Yes, that is good. Good man. I got that out of the Deputy. Deputy Haughey spoke about the Franco-German axis and the more pragmatic approach being adopted by Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Ireland accepts Ukrainian territorial integrity. As I said earlier, our principles in our approach to the Russian-Ukrainian situation involve, first of all, acceptance of and adherence to that fundamental, rules-based international order. That is the essence of Ireland's independent foreign policy. We are not politically neutral but we …

The President of the European Parliament does not have an executive function in this regard.

We know the rules-----

-----and I think it would be a very dangerous move in some respects. I think there are other ways to reduce the impact of this on people. That is the key point. I think I have dealt with Deputy Boyd Barrett's points.

We are a country with a policy of military neutrality, and that is scrupulously observed by us as a country. It is not inconsistent, by the way, with military neutrality that military aircraft of-----

I do not think NATO is being aggressive here. As for the prospect of Ukraine joining NATO, there is a reality.

Countries eastwards have opted to join the European Union; many more want to do so.

How do you mean, what about Cuba? I have been to Cuba-----

-----as Minister for Foreign Affairs, and as for the situation with Cuba, I would support-----

I think we are running out of time for Cuba, you are saying to me, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle. All right. I hear you.

I think that what happened in Kazakhstan is absolutely wrong and shocking.

Ar dtús, táim buíoch den Teachta as an ábhar seo a ardú. Aontaím leis an Leas-Cheann Comhairle chun ár gcomhbhrón a dhéanamh le muintir Uí Mhurchú as bás Ashling. Níl aon amhras ach go bhfuil an tír go léir an-bhuartha ar fad maidir leis an méid atá tarlaithe. Tá tuiscint againn go léir le hathair, máthair agus le teaghlach uilig Uí Mhurchú ag an am seo. In the first instance, I join with the Leas-Cheann Comhairle in expressing my profound sympathy once again to the family of Ashling Murphy, her parents Raymond and…

I agree with what the Deputy has said. Delivery and the maintaining of momentum on this will be key. The week before Ashling's murder, I met the Minister for Justice and, separately, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, looking ahead. We focused on the issue and on the issue that others have raised in this House about having a focal point and a lead Department. The sector outside, that is, the people advocating on behalf of women, had been looking for this as well. That issue has …

I thank the Deputy for his question and his earlier remarks. We will work together on the issue of gender-based violence and violence against women. On the question of the leaving certificate, we fully accept the challenges and we know that the education and learning experience of many students has been disrupted this year. All of the planning for the 2022 examinations was guided, above all, by the prevailing public health advice with regard to the well-being of students. Significant adjustments have already been m…

I do not want to pre-empt the outcome of tomorrow's meeting-----