-----rather than the Deputy's attempt at action on the issue of the day.

The answer to this question-----

-----is the same answer that has been given at every other point in recent years. As this is such an important issue, it must be decided budget by budget-----

In the engagement every Minister has with the rest of Government and the Minister for public expenditure, the progress and supports in place recognise this is not only something that will be life-defining in a positive way but will also bring with it costs.

What Government wants to do is help in a permanent way and we will outline our answer to that serious question, as we will to many others, when the budget is completed.

First, I want to deal with the different language and points that the Deputy has made before I come to the really important issue of Elaine, her children and her children's future. For the Deputy to use language such as “stacking the deck against students” does no justice to the seriousness of this cause and demeans the need for serious debate regarding important decisions that this country has to make. When the Deputy suggests that the Minister for higher and further education is looking to make decisions that dis…

It is because of my respect for those families that it is important to give a clear and honest answer. It is important to recognise that those families also have other needs and issues that they want our country to make progress on. In order for us to make progress on those collectively, we have to make decisions as part of the budget process so we can ensure that the changes we make are affordable and sustainable and can be built upon in the years ahead. The families the Deputy is raising are the same families who…

-----not only with questions on this but on many other priorities they want to see the Government make progress on. It is what we have done each year. We will need to do that now in the context of having normal budgets in a world that is becoming more uncertain and complex. We will need to look at how we can make improvements, budget by budget. That is why, as has always been the case, we will be in a position to give a clear answer to that when our budgetary work is done, and to respond to all of the needs that ar…

In recognition of the horror that is being inflicted on the people of Gaza, the loss of life, the new low that we are seeing being perpetrated when aid is being used in a way that appears to be assembling people for further deaths and injury, let me outline what the Government has done and what we continue to do to respond in a diplomatic and practical way to this. I refer to the work the Irish Government has done in responding to the clear sentiment of the people of Ireland in our intervention in the International…

At what point in my contribution did I look for thanks or recognition? At what point in the statements that I or any other member of the Government has made in relation to what is unfolding in the Middle East have we looked for recognition from the Deputy or, indeed, anybody else?

What we are doing is using the diplomatic resources that are available to us and our political leadership to make a difference, in practical and political terms, to the people of Gaza and to the horror that is unfolding to them and which has gone on for too long, in calling for a ceasefire, in making the case for a review of the trading relationship with Israel within the European Union, in the work the Taoiseach did in the European Council last week and in the work the Tánaiste has done in all of the Foreign Affai…

The Deputy will certainly not be found a criminal for having a different view from me.

I assure him of that. As we deal with this important matter that is at the heart of how we conduct politics in our society and the liberal democracy we are all proud of, which we know we can never take for granted and have to protect and renew by act, deed and word, it is important to remember what has already happened and what the legal framework for all of this is. As the House will be aware, the Criminal Justice (Hate Offences) Act 2024 came into effect on 31 December last year. That Bill prescribed prison sente…

The European Union is an institution that we are part of and that we shape, benefit from and influence. Implicit in the Deputy's question is the idea that the European Union is handing down direction or making decisions that we are, in some way, not able to influence or respond to. I am not familiar with the exact detail of the engagement the Commission has with the Department of justice. The Minister for justice will treat any such engagement from the Commission in a very serious way. The Deputy referenced the Eur…

At least we talk to them.

I thank the Deputy for raising this extremely serious matter and drawing our attention to the reality of what is happening as young minds are reshaped in ways that can do great harm to them, when those young minds have their expectations set regarding what should be permissible and consensual and are putting behaviours in place we know can be so harmful to their well-being and safety in future. She raised a very important matter and correctly made the point that this is not about trying to go back to some kind of r…

I very much agree with the Deputy and also agree with the point she made that a very dangerous reshaping of expectations regarding what is permissible and how we should engage with each other has taken place due to the availability of content and young minds being exposed to it. While I appreciate her scepticism given the importance of this issue, all I can do is genuinely underline to her the action that the European Union is taking and the role that we are taking here in Ireland through our regulator and through …

The Government and many successive Irish Governments have made clear our commitment to that cause. We have also made clear the steps we believe should be put in place beforehand to bring us closer together and to unite this island. That is already happening. I have pointed to the work of the shared island fund, overseen by the Department of the Taoiseach, supported by the Department of foreign affairs, putting in place investments to bring us also together. I point to the work the Government has done in dealing wit…

I thank the Deputy. There are quite a few questions there and I will do my best to touch on each of them. Before I do so, I join him in offering our condolences to the family in Donegal who have just received such terrible news. The most terrible of news is sometimes unexpected. Earlier, I neglected to agree with Deputy O'Flynn in offering condolences on the death of Brother Kevin, a man who did such good work throughout Dublin, as I saw myself. He was an amazing man and may he rest in peace.

The Deputy has raised some really serious issues. First, the Government will continue to put in place additional funding and support to help those families who are waiting for the additional needs assessments that we know are really important. Second, actions are being taken by the Government to increase the classes, the therapists and the teachers who are needed to be in those classes. Third, we need to consider, which of course we will do in conjunction with the committee of which the Deputy is a member, how we a…