They should not be evicted from homeless accommodation.

I have made that statement and that is my strong view. We have a lot more to do but if we want to get rid of the scourge of homelessness, all of us in this House need to give up opposing schemes left, right and centre for the sake of it.

Parties in this House have been opposing a project where 850 houses could be provided.

Opposition parties opposed 850 houses being built.

That is wrong. That project should not be opposed.

For how much longer will we stop houses being built in the country?

Some 850 houses would be built there.

The Deputy has raised an important issue. Other Deputies have raised it in the context of the broad cost of insurance and the need to get it down across the board. The Deputy has specifically raised it in the context of the equine industry, particularly in terms of insurance for equestrian activities. As he pointed out, up to 14,000 jobs are created in the horse sport sector, predominantly in rural Ireland, according to an economic study carried out in UCD. The importance of that leisure sector to rural Ireland can…

The Government is focused on a multifaceted approach, introducing different Acts and reform of PIAB. The personal injury guidelines that were recently introduced are already having a significant impact, as the Deputy and I said, but that has to filter down to the cost of insurance. The insurance companies have an obligation in that respect and they need to step up to the plate because the various measures committed to have been delivered in terms of legislative change, of which there is more to come, and also in te…

I felt it would be a difficult winter. Deputy McDonald obviously did not feel it would be a difficult winter because she opposed the extension of the emergency powers and opposed the vaccination certificates.

The Deputy herself was not prepared for a surge. The Deputy seemed to be ill-prepared for it because she opposed measures that were required to deal with it. On the PCR testing, I never said it was not challenging. It is now at 210,000 tests per week. There have been 1 million tests in the past month to six weeks.

I remember Deputy McDonald complaining about it not being at 100,000.

It is at 210,000 tests per week. Let us be fair about it, and balanced. The HSE is doing everything it possibly can to expand PCR testing. Testing is at a level that we never thought we would need but, because of the Delta variant and how transmissible it is, it has created huge pressures on the system.

The Deputy should acknowledge the good work that is being done as well.

I agree with the Deputy in the sense that key to the vaccination programme has to be constant encouragement and persuasion. In some minority groupings, for example, which may culturally have some challenges with vaccination, there has been a reach-out from the HSE and a specific targeted focus that is yielding results in terms of increased numbers. The Deputy is correct in stating that whereas it is a rate of 7% overall, there is a higher percentage of those who have not come forward for vaccination in that age coh…

Coillte, as the Deputy will be aware, is independent in terms of its operational duties. It has an obligation to report to the Minister in terms of any projects or whatever like that. Apparently, this is in relation to an approach in terms of creating a woodland accommodation and recreational offering. I am assured that existing walking trails in Ballymartle Forest, which are very popular with locals, would remain open to the public and would be completely unaffected were this sale to proceed. My own view is, gener…

First, in the past year and nine months, exceptional public support has been given to health, with over €4 billion in last year's budget, some of which was obviously within the context of Covid. The largest number of beds created in any one year was last year when 900 plus public beds were provided. That will continue to be extended into 2022. Increased capacity will continue. Unprecedented investment continues to be put into the public health system but also better innovation and reforms in terms of the flow throu…

There has been ongoing public health support to schools during the pandemic and the Minister for Education and her Department rely on public health supports. In the context of the antigen system that is being introduced, that is on foot of public health advice. It is the HSE's view that it is the parents who should contact the school in terms of their children who test positive.

As I said already, I accept there is globally a massive increase in energy and fuel prices. It is across Europe and across the world. We do not have much room for manoeuvre on that at all, as has been suggested. Factually, that is the position. We all need to deal in facts on that.

I take the Deputy's point on the rebate scheme. There is always potential around the rebate scheme. It has already been increased, as the Deputy knows, and that increase was maintained for 2022. There are other issues pertaining to the industry and we, and the Department in particular, are engaging with the industry and its official representatives on those issues.