I am awaiting the specific calculations in the context of constant and current. I will not take heed of any figure that is thrown about. There was always a difference between current and constant. The important achievement with regard to the CAP is that we have protected the funding during this round. That is particularly important in light of the significant pressure in the context of getting an agreement to reduce the funding. There is a health programme within the MFF. It is still there. What was proposed was a …

The Programme for Government: Our Shared Future, as agreed between the parties in government, was approved by the Government on 27 June 2020. The programme for Government sets out policy and legislative proposals for the full term of the Government across several missions, namely: a better quality of life for all; reigniting and renewing the economy; a green new deal; universal healthcare; housing for all; balanced regional development; a new social contract, building stronger and safer communities, better opportun…

Putting the occupied territories Bill on our Statute Books would not change anything in terms of Israeli Government policy right now, if we are honest. What is important is that I do think we have to take a stand in respect of any proposals by the Israeli Government to annex more lands, as has been proposed but has not happened yet. There is significant opposition to that. The provisions in the programme for Government are well made and sincerely made. I have had an interest in this for quite a long time now myself…

I am not sure they do. They might raise it with Congress representatives or Senators there. Sinn Féin has a sort of dual approach to this which is very strong here, but when it comes to the United States, I do not get any sense that they raise this with the same degree of commitment as they do here in the House. That is my sense of it. I have raised it with US Congress members and Senators. They have raised the issue with me and I have given my sense of it. Israeli Government policy is wrong. It is not conducive to…

Yes.

Was Deputy Boyd Barrett in first?

In response to Deputy Boyd Barrett's point, there are two dimensions. Our system has evolved. The Deputy mentioned himself that those particular nursing homes were Covid free. We need to put on record that quite a lot of nursing homes in Ireland did well in preventing Covid from spreading within them. I do take the Deputy's point that in the initial response, all the emphasis was on the acute services, for understandable reasons in terms of protecting ICU capacity and so on. There was a very significant spread of t…

The answer is that it is not legally possible to do it.

The Deputy asked a question. The advices are there on the issue. There are quite substantive comprehensive advices, which I have seen. Let us be clear about the Bill. I met with its advocates. I identify with the principles behind the Bill and support them. No one, among the international people I have met, ever suggested that it would be a game changer. Let us keep it in perspective and keep some reality about this. No one said it would be a game changer.

The problem is very little internationally is impacting on Israeli Government policy, if the truth be told.

Israel enjoys strong support from the United States Government on a continual basis. That is why I suggested that the Deputy should raise it more vociferously. My sense of it is that Sinn Féin goes silent when it comes to Capitol Hill. I take it that the Deputy is sincerely behind the issue but-----

I am not worried at all but the Deputy knows there is an inextricable link with US policy underpinning and supporting Israeli Government policy.

We have put it in the programme for Government. A former Minister for Foreign Affairs from Fianna Fáil, the late Deputy Brian Lenihan senior, was the first Minister in Europe to recognise the right of Palestinians to a homeland. We are very committed to this. This is about strategy and how to do it best; that is what this is about. I would like Israeli Government policy to change and for there to be a two-state solution but we will work within a framework that can enable us to do that and we will continue to suppor…

We must change the model of caring for our elderly. That is what the programme for Government is committed to in home and community based interventions as well as long-term nursing home care, for which there will always be a need.

Ar dtús báire, ní aontaím leis an Teachta. Níl an ceart aici sa mhéid atá ráite aici go dtí seo. I strongly disagree with the Deputy's assertion that I knew about this on 3 or 4 July. Allegations, assertions and media questions are not facts. Deputy Cowen is still, as he was at the time, adamant with regard to the accuracy of the report from his PULSE file. At that stage, he did not have access to that file and I certainly did not. I did not see it until yesterday morning. I sought it on Monday night but Deputy Cow…

The Deputy is again making false assertions.

I am not standing by any assertion by Deputy Cowen in respect of the Garda statement. Does Deputy McDonald understand that? I am not standing by the assertion in relation to the Garda record on the file. That is the point. I read the file yesterday. I spoke to Deputy Cowen the night before. There is a process in place and I do not want to prejudice it, but I have my own view on it. I did not have that perspective a week ago. The Deputy needs to understand that it is great to be making the assertions but I am deeply…

I did not prevent-----

There was a tactical device to force a vote on the issue. The issue was on the Order of Business. I had come into the House after having asked Deputy Cowen to consider his position and reflect on his decision not to come into the House. In my view, he should have come into the House.

I was giving him time and space to reflect on that. In my view, he should have come into the House. In the afternoon, when he still refused to respond to my view that he should come into the House, I was left with no alternative then-----