I welcome the Bill but it is like making a foundation out of crêpe paper. It is a bit weak. It does not go far enough and Sinn Féin's amendments, of which there are plenty, would certainly strengthen it. What the people want is security, especially in this current Covid climate. Security of six weeks is insulting. We need to give renters a break. We are coming up to Christmas and people are very worried and scared at the moment. The Government is giving out a pittance by telling them they will be safe for six weeks…

The Minister should give people a break, for crying out loud, and support the amendments.

I congratulate the Regional Group for tabling the motion. I hope that it will take Sinn Féin's amendment on board. On the previous occasion I spoke in the House on post offices, 12 were to close in County Cork. That affected 34 towns and villages. For those living in Rockchapel in County Cork, the local post office is now in Brosna, County Kerry. Things have not improved much. This motion is about strengthening services. Of course we welcome that but we should remember that banking and post offices are very differe…

Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle.

I do not want to sound alarmist but I have been contacted by family members whose brother went to hospital in Cork the day before yesterday to get tested because he has underlying problems with multiple sclerosis. He went through the full process and when he asked when he would get the results, he was told to go home and that the hospital would mark him down as a positive test. In two more instances, two people filled out the forms at the drive-through testing centre, waited for over three hours and then left. They…

I believe it was Cork University Hospital, CUH.

I believe it was CUH. I am not 100% but it was one of the hospitals in Cork. I believe the drive-in test centre where two people waited too long and left, and a number of hours later got a text back to say they tested positive, is in Carrigtwohill. Many people out there are frightened. Can we get clarity on what are serious results relating to Covid and on the nature of results relating to people who are asymptomatic? Finally, can we assure the elderly and those with underlying problems that, despite the situation …

I have three and a half minutes to try to explain to the Minister how people have suffered for the past 70-odd years. These survivors have lived hell on earth and I ask the Minister not to condemn them to hell in their death by not doing the right thing. "[My son] was wrenched from my breast by one of the nuns while I was feeding him and taken away for adoption." I know the woman who said that. She is a friend and hero of mine. She was forced to face a wall and they tore that child from her chest. It took 45 years,…

I appeal to the Minister and all Government bodies to change their minds, do the right thing and not to condemn these people to hell.

Cork Airport directly and indirectly supports 12,000 jobs in the region, generated over €900 million for the Irish economy in 2019 and is one of the key drivers for Cork. Cork Airport is Ireland's second busiest and best connected international airport, which resulted in it being the fastest growing airport in Ireland in 2019. Why has this Government not stepped in before the situation was left to fester? What is the Government's plan to rescue Cork Airport, its employees and Cork's economy?

I thank the Minister for replying, though not for the content of the answer. I welcome the traffic light system. In my opening contribution, I did not mention any airline but did mention Cork Airport three times. It has 12,000 employees and Cork's economy is worth €900 million. The Minister mentioned Cork Airport in his reply but I am disappointed that he did not address those other issues. What do we go back and tell the 12,000 people affected about what will happen to their jobs next week? What do we do with Cork…

It is great to have the opportunity to speak on this budget. I have listened to the debates and the media commentary outside, and there are two contrasting views. One view is that this is the biggest budget in history. The other view, according to the people I have been speaking to in recent days, is that this budget is a big to-do about nothing. What did people get in this budget? They got practically nothing. There was no relief for people who had their PUP cut. There was no relief for renters. What is amazing is…

On Monday, the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, brought the final commission of inquiry into the mother and baby homes report to the Cabinet. In recent days, I have been on inundated with calls. I ask, on behalf of the survivors and those who have passed, whether the recommendations of this report will be published. If it will not go into the public domain, are the survivors who took part in this inquiry entitled to have sight of those recommendations?

They are rattled opposite.

As the Minister is aware, Bus Éireann has announced it is withdrawing from the Cork-Dublin route. This will lead to a significant impact on the people living in Fermoy and Mitchelstown in east Cork, with the loss of 42 services per week. The area will be left with one service to Cork and back on Sunday and that is it. What does the Minister tell the people of east Cork, including Mitchelstown, Fermoy and the hinterland? When is there the possibility of a service and how quickly will it be resolved and restored? It …

I thank Deputy Mac Lochlainn for bringing this extremely important issue to the floor of the House for debate. It is rather strange that we are discussing it again in 2020. As Deputy Mac Lochlainn outlined, the statutory instrument referred to in the motion was annulled by the Fianna Fáil Party in May 2018, in accordance with the proposal put forward by former Deputy Pat The Cope Gallagher. Many speakers have made the point that fishers are not opposed to the introduction of penalty points but they want whatever sy…

I welcome this opportunity to speak on this Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing) (Amendment) Bill 2020. At the outset I will speak in plain English. There has been much debate on this tonight. I want to speak to the people outside of this House and explain to them exactly what this Bill is about. We welcome it. This Bill is about safeguarding the financial transactions to and from high-risk third countries and sets new limits for the use of anonymous prepaid cards, which obviously is a no-bra…

May I continue, a Cheann Comhairle? For two and a half minutes.

Go raibh maith agat. I will try to cut it down. I congratulate the Minister of State on his appointment. I commend my colleague, Deputy O'Rourke, on bringing this motion forward. I am very disappointed the Government is still pushing forward with its countermotion. I have read it and there is very little of substance whereas the Sinn Féin motion deals with what the taxi drivers actually need to exist and to live. As many people have said, this is financial assistance. More than 20,000 families are affected by this.…

I commend the Deputies who tabled this Private Members' motion this evening. We were in the House earlier today talking about taxi drivers. Many of the partners, husbands and wives of the Debenhams workers are taxi drivers so they will not be rushing down to the bank to take out loans to go on holidays when the Government lifts the travel restrictions. The Duffy Cahill report has been mentioned already. When there were emergencies in this country in the past, including the bank bailout, the Government was quick eno…