I appreciate the opportunity to contribute to this important debate 71 years on from the Schuman Declaration, when Robert Schuman put a very simplistic idea to the people of Europe at a time when they needed simplistic ideas, sensitivity and a vision. That vision has stood the test of time. It is a vision which, unfortunately, in this Parliament and in parliaments across the European Union, we very rarely discuss. In fact, it is quite clear that for many people across the EU, the best thing to do is use Europe as a…

I thank the Taoiseach for his thoughtful response, as ever, on a range of issues that require deep attention from both him and the UK Prime Minister, the Head of Government of our closest neighbour. I wish to take the Taoiseach up on a couple of issues that are important in the context of their recent conversations. I welcome the fact they agreed on the need to meet in person as soon as possible. On that note, it is very welcome that the UK Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is in Dublin meeting the Tánaiste a…

It is a privilege to contribute briefly on this generation-defining legislation. I pay particular credit not just to the Minister of State, Deputy Ossian Smyth, who is present, but also to the Minister, Deputy Ryan, and his predecessor, the former Minister, Deputy Bruton, who spoke so eloquently in the Chamber in the past hour about the truly magnificent opportunities this legislation provides not just for the entire country, but for the world and Europe at large. The legislation makes clear that when dealing with …

I will take just a minute and hopefully the Minister and Minister of State will be able to fit in as many replies to myself and the preceding Deputies in the remaining five minutes or so. I have two questions for the Minister. The first relates to the many people in the over-60 cohort who still have concerns about vaccines and the need to provide clarity on that and reassurance that they will be vaccinated in due course in a quick and efficient manner if they are unsure about taking certain vaccines. The second que…

I greatly appreciate the opportunity afforded by the Ceann Comhairle to raise this vital issue. Over the last four months, nearly five months now, the Passport Office has been closed. The reason we are raising this is nothing to do with travel. It is not like anyone is expecting to be going abroad any time soon. It is, instead, the sheer fact that a passport is a vital piece of identification for so many people, not only in this State but also for many Irish citizens abroad. This issue has come to a critical point …

The Ceann Comhairle could never short-change us. I appreciate his magnanimous approach to the clock. I fundamentally and absolutely agree with the Minister of State that the passport service to date has been excellent. We all remember, as public representatives over the last decade, how difficult it used to be and how swift the new scheme has been, particularly with online renewals, and the amount of effort that was put in by officials in the Department of Foreign Affairs and outside individuals to ensure that we h…

I am grateful to the Taoiseach for his comprehensive response and his continued and vital enthusiasm for the shared island initiative that he established. Events in recent days and weeks have shown us the absolute need for that initiative to be successful and for engagement to take place at every level, political, societal and economic, across this island, without, as the Taoiseach said, there being any predestined constitutional outcome. I am very relieved that the North-South Ministerial Council meeting on enterp…

I have a concern regarding the new right to disconnect strategy launch this morning. This is something that is very welcome and many people have understandably mentioned the very real concerns of those in rural areas.

For the past 12 months, I have been the only person living on my suburban street who has consistently left home to go to work. How can people who are in the workplace and seeking to advance their careers ensure their rights under this plan are respected by employers? What enforcement powers, if any, will be made available?

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Leas-Cheann Comhairle agus leis an Teachta Haughey for the precise sharing of time. It is very much appreciated. We are mastering our double act on European Council statements at this stage. There are three issues I would like to raise in the context of this debate. The first concerns a matter that the Minister or other Members may not have been aware of, namely, the very harrowing report on "RTÉ News At One" detailing the decision by the station's correspondent Yvonne Murray to leave China…

I greatly appreciate the opportunity to raise this issue. Next week the Government, on foot of NPHET recommendations, will make some very serious decisions. I do not want to engage in what some people have labelled as perhaps a shopping list of key issues but can we expect that those decisions, when they are made, will be clear and will provide a timeline beyond the next four weeks, something similar, or beyond that? We are very concerned that we do not go into another weekend of speculation and kite-flying from pe…

I thank the Taoiseach for the full response. There are one or two areas on which I would like him to elaborate, if possible. The Taoiseach referred to similarities in the approach by this jurisdiction and Northern Ireland in terms of restrictions and tackling the pandemic. We are all aware that those similarities are about to change. We need to question what level of formal co-ordination there is between Governments on this island when infection rates and hospitalisation rates in Northern Ireland are declining and …

I am very grateful to the Taoiseach for his opening remarks and to the Minister of State. The videoconference European Council that will take place on Thursday and Friday has a jam-packed agenda once again. It will deal with a plethora of issues but I will raise just two. First, President Joe Biden’s attendance at the Council for the first time is a wonderful opportunity for a reset of EU-US relations. The transatlantic alliance is so important as defined in the 20th and early parts of the 21st century but we canno…

I support this Bill. I am delighted to see it on the agenda and I give full credit to the Minister for bringing it forward. It is an ambitious and modernising Bill which addresses many of our societal failings as a country. It is only right that Part 2 rights so many of the wrongs done to adoptive parents. I will, however, raise some concerns, but before I do so, I welcome the elements in Part 8, which extends parental leave. This is extremely welcome and will give many parents the opportunity to spend those format…

Following on from Deputy Carroll MacNeill's point, we are still waiting to see the legislation on the SEAR. I understand it is with the Attorney General. Does the Taoiseach believe that this scheme, which is overdue to be introduced, should extend to all aspects of the financial services sector, not just front-facing roles? It is crucially important to ensuring that transparency and accountability are restored in the sector and that we can continue developing the sector and maintaining its global reputation.

I am very grateful to the Taoiseach for that comprehensive update. While it is just over a week since the Taoiseach's last telephone call with the British Prime Minister, I think we all agree that perhaps it is time for another call. The events of recent days, to which Deputy Kelly alluded, are extremely worrying. While many of us in this House have consistently said that Ireland will be the UK's best friend within the EU, the UK is certainly making it very difficult for us, particularly when it comes to the fragil…

I am very grateful to my colleague, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, for allowing me to contribute on this important Topical Issue matter. We are all aware that throughout this pandemic, people have sadly slipped through the gaps in terms of the supports available from the Government. We discuss these at length. Supports are available under the Covid restrictions support scheme and there are workplace supports for many employers and businesses, but a group that is really getting caught comprises those who have been having …

I thank the Minister of State. I welcome many of his comments. This is about the practicalities of individuals carrying out vital works that are unfortunately not classified as essential. I am referring to family circumstances that most of us in this House deal with every day simply through representations but we do not experience them on a personal level. The families do not have the time to go through a labyrinth of forms and various schemes. I was a little concerned when the Minister of State referred to means t…

I am not going to try to do mental arithmetic but I want to speak for 30 seconds and put a question to the Minster. Many people have spoken about the dark past fortnight for the Irish banking system. So many customers and staff have been impacted. Many of us know, however, that this has been going on for some time. It has been going on since before the crash, when so many of our financial institutions were either wound up, taken over or moved on. I would appreciate whatever response the Minister can give and I look…

I appreciate the opportunity to share a few thoughts in this very important debate. I commend the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Coveney, on his efforts just over a year ago, with his former colleague, the then Secretary of State, Julian Smith, to make this agreement possible and get the Northern Ireland Executive back up and running. I was taken with the Taoiseach's opening remarks. The work he has done on the shared island initiative shows a personal and political commitment that should be an example to all…