I thank the Aire Stáit. A couple of really interesting points have been raised but, considering the difficulty that Covid-19 presented to trade missions, we are only scratching at the surface of the potential of a wide range of new markets. I would like to ask about co-ordination and co-operation between Bord Bia and the Department of Foreign Affairs. I am referring to the notion of the Ireland House model, whereby officials from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the traditional agriculture counse…

That is really interesting. It is really drilling down into the importance of the entire brand of Ireland. Ireland is known as a good food-producing country, a sustainable food-producing country with very high standards. We saw the great opportunities that existed in respect of getting people into markets such as China and the United States over the years. It is a matter of considering co-ordination in the coming years, identifying export markets that are environmentally and economically sustainable and ascertainin…

I am not sure whether this question could have been taken before the last one because the two are very much interconnected. It is a bit more general than the last one. What efforts will continue to be made by the Department to mitigate the impact of Brexit in our food and drink sector?

I ask the Minister of State to tease out a little more the exhaustive preparatory work and engagement the Department and agencies have carried out with the sector, particularly on the looming checks that will come in on 1 January and the changed checks for those exporting to the GB market. The funding announced is very important and is playing a huge role but, in light of the approval by the European Commission and the authorisation of the Brexit adjustment reserve, amounting to close to €1 billion, and the amount …

I appreciate that there was quite an a great deal in that minute. If the Minister of State could follow up with some extra information, it would be really useful. He might in his supplementary reply refer to the Brexit adjustment reserve fund and its potential targeting in the agrifood sector. The last point I wish to make, which is tied to both the previous question and this question, is that many of these problems that are emerging are not of our creation and there is nothing we can do about them. As the Minister…

What efforts are being made by the Department to mitigate the impact of Brexit on businesses?

I thank the Tánaiste. There are a couple of areas I wish to pick up on in order to drill down. The first is tied to the point on which the Tánaiste finished in terms of the work EI is doing with businesses to help them prepare. What work has been carried out in recent weeks to help businesses prepare for the checks that are due to be implemented in Great Britain on 1 January for Irish companies that are exporting to the British market? The second and more important point relates to the more general approach to cham…

That is an interesting point in respect of the growth of EI and IDA Ireland offices and how important that is in terms of having boots on the ground. Although more difficult in Covid times, trade missions are of great importance. What appetite is there for virtual trade missions in 2022 as well as in-person missions where feasible? The second point I wish to make relates to maximising talent and labour. We speak a great deal about encouraging Irish students to go into apprenticeships and other things but it is impo…

All of us have welcomed the roll-out of free antigen testing to our institutes of higher education. This makes absolute sense in addressing the risk of the spread of Covid-19 among third level students. Why have 12% of students in higher education institutions been excluded, namely, students in private higher education institutions such as St. Nicholas Montessori College in Dún Laoghaire, Griffith College, Hibernian College and Dublin Business School? It makes absolute sense that we roll this testing out across the…

I thank the Taoiseach for his reply. There are four matters I would like to raise. Many of them follow on from yesterday's discussion on North-South relations. I would appreciate it if the Taoiseach could elaborate on what efforts the Government is making to work with industry, individuals and sectoral groups to prepare for the new Brexit checks that are due to come into place on 1 January. What is being done to continue the excellent efforts to diversify the trade routes in order that we can trade directly with ou…

I wish to briefly raise my concern about the continuing boycott of meetings of the North-South Ministerial Council by certain parties in the Northern Ireland Executive and how that is impacting at a time when so many studies and Irish Government initiatives are showing not just the importance but the opportunities of cross-Border initiatives from an economic and social point of view. Seeing the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Deputy Harris, in the North visiting Queen's …

I would like to raise the issue of services at Carmona School in Glenageary, which services not only my constituency of Dublin-Rathdown, but also the constituencies of Dún Laoghaire, Wicklow and parts of Dublin Bay South. Many families utilise the school but the services are quite simply not being met. Physiotherapy services are not suitable. Services are not on-site five days a week. There has been no speech and language therapy since February 2021. The occupational therapist is only on-site three days a week. Des…

Many of us welcome the news on the change in direction in terms of antigen testing roll-out, particularly when it comes to schools. Will this also be extended to the early years sector? It is vital that our Montessori services and our crèches are also protected in this roll-out.

I ask the Minister if he could provide an update on the EU-UK withdrawal agreement.

No problem. I might even try and complete my contribution in under a minute. I want to thank the Minister, as ever, for a fulsome reply on the post-Brexit situation, which is an ever-changing, but in some ways never-changing, situation that we are faced with. I have a supplementary question. We have talked at length about the generous package of proposals that the European Commission has made on foot of engagement with Northern Irish civic, business and political leaders over the summer. Perhaps the response to tha…

I am sharing my time with Deputy Carey. I appreciate the opportunity to contribute to this important legislation. An awful lot of work has gone into it in advance of this Stage. There has been considerable discussion. I would like to refer to numerous aspects of the Bill that I feel are vital to the national discourse but also to my constituency, Dublin Rathdown. I will reflect on two or three. The first aspect concerns the Bill's proposal to legislate for both e-scooters and e-bikes. This is an extremely welcome i…

I greatly appreciate the opportunity to contribute to this very sombre exchange this evening. I thank the Minister for bringing this important report to the House. Like others, I pass my sincere condolences after many years on to the family members and friends of all those who lost their lives in the ill-fated R116 tragedy of March 2017. Quite frankly, what happened that night was avoidable and should not have occurred. When we speak of this incident we must bear in mind that these crew members made the ultimate sa…

I am sorry; I was lurking at the back here. As ever, I thank the Taoiseach for a fulsome response to the question. I will ask supplementary questions on two areas he may be able to illuminate. With regard to the discussions on the protocol and the need to avoid triggering Article 16, did the Northern Irish representatives give much detail on the impact of the protocol on life on the ground in Northern Ireland, how businesses are adapting and, more importantly, how businesses and communities are responding to the ve…

I appreciate the opportunity to contribute to the debate and I welcome the legislation introduced by the Minister, whom I thank for her introductory remarks. All of us in the House agree the legislation is welcome but, sadly, it is very late in coming. That should not take away from its importance and the ongoing commitment of the Minister to righting so many wrongs of the past in this State where, as other Deputies mentioned, we have consistently failed the victims of sexual offences over so many years. It is welc…

My question is simply to ask the Minister about how the NDP will help to deal with the ongoing challenge of Brexit.