Hopefully, people can learn in an insightful way from how the commemorations have been planned and developed. The protocol division does not have a role regarding the Sisters of Charity. What is happening in this regard is unacceptable, however. We are in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic but, overall, this points to a need, over time, for the State to review fundamentally how we provide services, particularly for those with special needs and adults with disabilities, and how we can secure and give certainty and …

I agree with the basic point that the Deputy made about Caritas and the Sisters of Charity where workers are being left in an impossible situation. Many groups have provided very good services down through the years but it is my view that the State needs to step up and do more over time. It is my understanding that the Tánaiste requested an aide-de-camp.

I do not have the projected cost. There is no additional overall cost to the protocol.

The Government legislative programme is currently being finalised and will be published by the Government Chief Whip next week. It will set out the Government's priorities for the autumn reflecting the ambition for legislative change set out in the programme for Government. The forthcoming legislative programme will include no Bills in preparation in my Department as there are no legislative matters that require to be prioritised at this time. My Department will continue to play a central role in supporting effecti…

I thank Deputies for their comments. The Dáil was due back on 15 September and we passed legislation last week, the Criminal Justice (Enforcement Powers) (Covid-19) Bill.

I said I wanted a Bill put before the House and one was put before the House. The Government's public legislation programme will be published next week, on 15 September, as is always the case. Deputy Boyd Barrett is correct. There is a programme for Government. There are three substantial Bills, including the climate Bill, which we said we would publish within 100 days as key and substantive legislation to deal with the climate change agenda. I know some people opposite me may not have the same enthusiasm with rega…

I meant climate change alleviation policies.

I have noticed a consistent trend of being populist on these issues.

Sorry?

I answered the question. In terms of climate change, the marine development Bill is important and significant. There is a lot of work to be undertaken on that. I know the Tánaiste is looking at the issue of sick pay, which was raised last week in the Dáil. That also relates to our PRSI system, and the Government is reflecting on that in terms of the wider debate around pensions and provision for workers more generally when they are made unemployed to try to reduce the cliff fall for many people whose incomes have s…

Next week, we will publish the legislative programme.

I have no issue with that. I take on board what Deputies have said in terms of legislative proposals.

I fully accept that this news will come as a blow to many consumers in the light of the very significant and severe economic environment within which we are operating. It is not a Government decision. As the Deputy noted at the conclusion of her remarks, the regulators of such utilities and the companies themselves are centre stage in decisions of this kind. That said, I have no doubt that the Minister and the Government will engage with Electric Ireland on this matter and its overall plans. The Government will wor…

The Government did not make this decision relating to Electric Ireland, as Deputy knows well. It is not correct for the Government to interfere with every regulator come hell or high water. We will do everything we can, as we have, in an historic and unprecedented way, to support people in difficulty. That is the Government's objective as we go through an unprecedented global pandemic. The State intervention measures that have been adopted have been extraordinary, which should be acknowledged. I have outlined some …

In the first instance the Deputy has asked about three key points in his part of Leaders’ Questions which I have noted and will deal with. The Government’s plan is to suppress the virus and from the very beginning all political parties in this House took it as a basic principle that they would go with the advice of the public health authorities and that was accepted in this House. I am not so sure that it is accepted as much anymore, if truth be told and perhaps the Deputy should say what his views on this are. Thi…

I know that the local Deputies and public representatives in those counties from all political parties took much heat and I want to thank them for working with the health and public expenditure Departments to see what we could do to help people in those situations.

I apologise for going over time here but on the question of sick pay, we will work constructively with the Deputy on this legislation which has many including, of course, financial implications. We have already moved ahead to create an infrastructure around Covid-19 illness payments, particularly in direct provision and meat plant contexts to make it very clear that every worker in such situations will get sick pay. I take Deputy Kelly’s point on the legislation that he is talking about, which is that it is to crea…

I have dealt with it.

The Deputy has a tendency to develop a melodramatic posture when he is addressing people from time to time.

The Deputy has. The Government introduced the Covid-19 illness benefit. Some €330 is available per week to employed and self-employed workers. It is paid for two weeks where a person is medically certified as self-isolated, and can be extended for a further two weeks and for a maximum of ten weeks where a person is medically certified as being diagnosed with Covid-19. We extended this payment to workers who live in direct provision. I spoke to the acting Chief Medical Officer over a month ago about this.