I am surprised no one from Kilkenny has surfaced yet but this is a fair canvass from across the country. There is ongoing engagement between NPHET and an expert sporting group on this matter. I am very conscious of it and I spoke to the acting CMO about it last week when we deferred phase 4 of reopening. We had to defer it on an absolute basis across the board and it was an important step at the time to try to check the spread of the virus and stabilise the situation. The evidence so far indicates that the situatio…

I thank all the Deputies for raising the issues of coach and bus companies and how they have suffered as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. The temporary wage subsidy scheme has been a major benefit to many sectors, including this sector, to enable people to stay intact.

Let me finish. The restart grant is now up to €25,000 and is also available for those businesses. The rates relief is now fully expanded, is of six months duration, and is also an available support, as is the facility to offset any loss this year, in tax terms, against profits of last year. All of that, added up, will help. There is also a facility to refinance, for lower interest and longer terms, through the credit guarantee scheme. Critically, in the job stimulus programme a €10 million fund has been put aside s…

The seasonal workers have been included in the new employment subsidy scheme. They were not included in the older-----

They were not included in the older-----

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 3, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on housing was established by the Government on 6 July and its first meeting will take place this Thursday, 30 July. In addition, I have already had a bilateral meeting with the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government to review housing issues. The committee will oversee implementation of programme for Government commitments relating to housing and will receive detailed reports on policy implementation and consider releva…

In response to the comments of Deputy Kelly and others, I do not think there is any surprise that the Joint Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government is meeting approximately a month after the Government was formed. I met very quickly after the formation of the Government with the Minister and his Secretary General to discuss a range of issues, including homelessness and preparations for the July stimulus programme, particularly in respect of voids. I wanted specific funding for that and the Minister incl…

I also want to deal with the questions asked by Deputies Boyd Barrett and McDonald, if I may. On the evictions moratorium and rent freeze, the only reason we are introducing the Residential Tenancies and Valuation Bill is because they were not legally tenable. The Bill will give a stronger statutory footing to protect tenants who are in rent arrears from being evicted during the Covid crisis. Tenants who make a declaration under this legislation cannot be evicted and that will remain the situation until January. Th…

Speaking to Deputy Barry's point about the end of the moratorium, we will continue to monitor the situation. We are bringing in legislation to strengthen the position of those in rent arrears and facing eviction. There are other protections in the Bill that allow for the Residential Tenancies Board to assist renters and strengthen supports for those in rent arrears. We have no desire to see more evictions or people getting into rent arrears. We want to do everything we possibly can to assist people in difficulty an…

I propose to take Questions Nos. 4 to 6, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on the environment and climate change was formally established by the Government on 6 July 2020. It will oversee the implementation of the programme for Government commitments on the environment and climate change and will receive detailed reports on identified priority areas, including the annual climate action plan. The first meeting of the committee has been scheduled for 30 July 2020. Thereafter, I anticipate that it will meet a…

In the first instance, as I outlined, the Minister, Deputy Ryan, will chair the committee. The agenda is clearly set out in the programme for Government. The immediate objectives of the Cabinet committee will be, for example, the climate action (amendment) Bill, which will be introduced to Dáil Éireann within the first 100 days of the Government, the development of a national retrofitting plan and the progression of matters in furtherance of our move to a higher rate of renewable energy, such as the marine planning…

The national development plan will be reviewed and obviously there are key agenda items in terms of rail infrastructure generally across the country. In the July stimulus funding is already going into remedial works in our existing railways. Developing fast-track rail between the major cities is one agenda item. There are major projects in and around the Dublin area, including the metro and so on. There is a review of the western rail corridor and proposals for that are being looked at as well. The trend will be st…

I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 to 9, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on education was established by Government decision on 6 July last. The next meeting will take place in September. It will oversee implementation of programme for Government commitments in the area of education. Its membership comprises the Taoiseach; Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment; Minister with responsibility for climate action, communications networks and transport; Minister with responsibility for edu…

I am.

I will start with Deputy Kelly’s comments. It is unfair to single out one and say there was no mention of SNAs. The entire roadmap is about three school settings: primary schools; special schools and special units; and post-primary schools. That is made very clear in the document. The overwhelming idea is a safe school community, embracing all the school staff. That is not just teachers, principals and SNAs. It is also caretakers, assistants and others who make the school community tick. This is a very important mi…

I thank the Deputy for her question. When I was Leader of the Opposition I saw my role as one of making a constructive contribution towards protecting public health and to rise above partisan political sniping.

That said, the Leader of the Opposition suggested I was at odds with the Tánaiste, which I am not, but I have to put it to the Deputy that she seems to be at odds with herself. I am clear that the safest thing to do is not to travel. That is the clear message. We are saying to people to holiday at home this year. We have in respect of those 15 countries applied the normal precautions appellation with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, which basically means that when people return home, they will not have …

In the first instance, on the all-island question put by the Deputy, I will work towards achieving the maximum synergy between the Northern Ireland Executive and our Government in the suppression of the virus on the island of Ireland. That is very important. I acknowledge, however, the de facto situation in terms of the roles and responsibilities of the Northern Executive and the fact that it is connected to the public health advice in the UK. There are issues that we should acknowledge in that respect. People will…

I thank the Deputy for her question and for raising the key issues pertaining to Rosslare Europort. In the context of Brexit, the Government is acutely aware of the necessity to work with the port and the Department and offices responsible in preparing for additional border controls and other impacts that will arise from Brexit. We acknowledge the role of Rosslare in that regard. The Deputy is correct that, given the challenges and difficulties that will arise with regard to the landbridge post Brexit, we need to m…

I confirm that we will examine the matter and give it our considered attention. At present, Rosslare Europort is undergoing a major transformation as part of its masterplan, which will see more than €30 million invested in customer facilities, port infrastructure, assets and new technology by the port authority and Ianród Éireann over the next five years. That is essentially for the modernisation and digitisation of the port itself. We have to re-examine broader policy as a result of Brexit. It is in that context t…