No.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 11, inclusive, together. The Government's shared island initiative is working to harness the full potential of the Good Friday Agreement to enhance co-operation, connection and mutual understanding on our island, engaging with all communities and traditions to build consensus around a shared future. The shared island unit in my Department acts as a driver and co-ordinator of this whole-of-government initiative. On 4 October, as part of the revised national development plan, NDP…

I thank all the Deputies for their questions. The first question from Deputy Brendan Smith was on the central Border area and the need for the shared island fund to focus on that area. The Deputy has spoken to me about the geopark and I have asked my officials to investigate that and to engage with him. We are open to projects in the area of climate change and biodiversity and this project would add value to the dialogue series we have already had on those issues. It is in the arena of initiatives that have been un…

I propose to take Questions Nos. 12 to 14, inclusive, together. I attended the British-Irish Association conference held in Pembroke College, Oxford, on Friday, 3 September. The Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Minister for Finance also attended. I delivered the opening address, the text of which is available on the merrionstreet.ie website. This was followed by a questions and answers session, moderated by the BIA chair, Mr. Hugo MacNeill. Discussion focused on the British-Irish relationship, developments in N…

First, I thank the Deputies again for their interest and for raising these issues. In respect of Deputy Haughey's points, every political party and movement has its aspirations in terms of the constitutional future of the island, including Northern Ireland, and that is as it should be. I have no issue at all in articulating that. Our party, which is the party that I lead, has a clear view in terms of the unity of the people of Ireland, and we have shared that on numerous occasions. Equally, we have been a party tha…

A citizens' assembly does not achieve that. On the British-Irish Association, I do not know if Deputy Carthy has ever attended it, but I have done so, on and off, for 30 years. I missed ten years of it because as I was in government and I did not get the opportunity to attend. During that time, even one weekend in Oxford, I would have met more people and professionals who had different perspectives and different experiences on the North. That educated and informed me. It gave me a broader breadth of experience and …

I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 to 24, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on Europe oversees implementation of programme for Government commitments in relation to the European Union and related issues. It generally meets in advance of a meeting of the European Council. It last met on 14 October 2021 in advance of this week's meeting of the European Council on 21 and 22 October. The next meeting of the Cabinet committee on Europe is expected to take place in advance of the next scheduled European Council…

I thank the Deputies for the many issues raised. Deputy Haughey raised a range of issues in respect of the strategic compass, Afghanistan, cybersecurity and Slovenia and the western Balkans, which reflects his deep interest in European affairs. On the strategic compass, security and defence issues are still under consideration. Deputy Haughey is correct to identify those issues as having caused significant debate at European level. Indeed, at the dinner in Slovenia, the entire debate was about the role of Europe in…

I did not say that.

What is that?

That box is not ticked. I do not know what you are-----

I never said that.

It was the vaccination certificates.

I need to correct the disinformation given to the House. The truth matters. Fianna Fáil has been in government for 15 months and we have had a Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for the past 15 months. We have not been in government for five years. The Deputy should not continue to articulate an untruth-----

Just because the Deputy keeps saying it does not mean it is true. It is untrue and she should stop saying it in the interest of proper honesty in public debate. Let us leave that to one side. The Deputy is also ignoring the fact this budget does deal with many thousands of people who rent, but maybe people on the housing assistance payment, HAP, or on the rental accommodation scheme, RAS, or people who get rent supplement do not matter to her. These are real renters in real homes whom the Government directly suppor…

I put it to the Deputy that she has opposed tax relief for renters in the form of the indexation of tax bands and credits that the Government introduced yesterday. She is resolutely opposed to that. That will give relief to those who are renting at present through reductions in income tax as a result of those measures. The Deputy opposes that, and she has articulated her opposition to it. With regard to the HAP payments and so forth, these are real people who are renting right now.

We want to provide social housing for people-----

-----and that is why the last 12 months have witnessed a transformation in terms of putting the State centre stage in the provision of social and affordable housing. The Housing for All strategy announced by the Government provides for unprecedented resources next year and the year after. Some 11,000 social houses are to be provided next year. That will ultimately turn around the HAP experience and will result in fewer people on HAP and more people housed through social housing programmes. Equally, the State, throu…

I thank the Deputy raising the issue of Adam Terry. Quite frankly, I do not think this is good enough. I do not think any child should have to wait so long to get vital surgery of this type. It is complex surgery, but that is no excuse. Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children should not be the answer, although sometimes it is necessary for children to go there. In my view, this reflects a systemic failure. I have spoken to the Minister for Health and my office has been in touch with the HSE. I will not give any f…

The budget does not mean anything to parents and children in situations like this. What matters is that our health service can respond in a proper, timely and effective manner to children with particular conditions that require surgery or other forms of medical treatment. That is the bottom line. Investments have been made. Previous Ministers have allocated increased resources and so on. Nonetheless, it is still not good enough that we have children like Adam Terry and others who have simply been waiting too long t…