I acknowledge the Deputy's experience in the contracting world and so on. The Minister has responded to the issues. Contracts will now permit mutual cost recovery for material price changes of more than 15%. Therefore, where costs rise by more than 15%, the contractor can recover that. Measures have been taken in response to this issue. The balance always has to be struck between achieving value for money, protecting the taxpayer, getting a fair deal for the taxpayer and - I take this point - ensuring people have a…

The period is 24 months.

The assistance we are giving to people to help with their electricity bills is a good initiative. The Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, has developed this. We were anxious to do something in addition to the budgetary measures on tax relief, increasing the eligibility threshold for the fuel allowance as well as increasing the fuel allowance to give additional help to people faced with significantly increased electricity prices and energy costs. This measure will be introduced. It will reduce the cost of an electricity bi…

It will be done very quickly on the resumption of the House.

On the national broadband plan - Deputy Denis Naughten probably knows more about this than most of us - the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan, will be in this evening for oral questions. He will be before the House at 9.25 p.m. for 90 minutes. Obviously, it will not all be about that issue but he will take questions and will be happy to comment on that. He wanted to clarify that as part of the work, the Department engages with the legal advice of William Fry and commercial …

The Deputy mentioned water as well.

What about the people of Dublin? They need a bit of water too.

What about national solidarity?

The poor people of Dublin will be left with no water if you keep going.

That is my position on it. On the issue of broadband, the Department and the Minister will deal with that this evening. Some 35,000 premises are currently ready for service. I have a whole list to hand but it would not be appropriate to go through it now. I make the point that the Minister will be here this evening to deal with the issue.

There will be questions on it.

No.

Generally speaking, throughout the vaccination programme the focus has always been on those who are most vulnerable to the disease and who need protection first. That is a clinical decision and it has always been the public health advice. Hence, the older age cohorts got vaccinated first, along with those with underlying conditions and those who are immunocompromised. That has always been the case. With regard to the primary dose and dose 2, it was the correct decision to move to the age cohort approach and to the …

The system that has developed in terms of vaccine efficacy is based on prioritising those who need a vaccine most for health reasons. In the budget a number of measures were taken to support carers in the very valuable work they do and to restore respite services.

No, I certainly have not, and nobody in the Cabinet has either. Therefore, I am a bit surprised by the Deputy's comment. There is no foundation to it.

I pay tribute to the workers in Tesco and indeed workers across the country in the retail sector, who have consistently performed magnificently in the middle of the pandemic in very challenging circumstances, and to all the companies involved for the overall team effort involved. It is important in the retail sector, as in every other sector, that proper pay and conditions apply. The industrial relations framework is there to negotiate and to resolve issues arising that are put forward by either management or union…

I will explore that with the Minister and we will come back to the Deputy on it. I accept his strong commitment to the issue.

Bananas are very good for you and you should take one a day.

They contain plenty of potassium. The Deputy is a bit late to this issue.

Yes. I think Deputy Cahill and others have been advocating on it, but Deputy McGrath is correct in quoting me and can rest assured that I have approached the Minister for Health and the HSE on this and we are pushing issues of additional capacity. I commend the staff in Clonmel. I was given a wonderful tour there. The staff have displayed great enthusiasm and teamwork in the midst of the pandemic and in the context of the extension we are opening and the additional facilities that have been already invested in in t…