I thank Deputy Higgins for allowing me to take some of her time. I appreciate it. I welcome this overdue legislation. It has been a difficult time for a huge amount of families. Unfortunately, pyrite and mica do not stop in Donegal, Clare or Mayo. On Monday last, I visited a house in my constituency of Wexford where it was visible to me that there is either mica or pyrite. I understand this scheme will be expanded beyond the counties I mentioned through local authorities. Families in Donegal, Clare and Mayo have go…

The rules certainly would be broken if Sinn Féin is ever in government.

The Leas-Cheann Comhairle cannot reprimand a Deputy like that.

I want to raise the issue of the very worrying media attention that the Irish Athletic Boxing Association, IABA, has had over the past week, with the latest news of Bernard Dunne’s departure or resignation - call it what you want. This is the third high-performance coach who has departed the IABA in the past number of years, including my own county man, Billy Walsh, and Gary Keegan. To lose not one, not two, but three shows there is something horrific going on in that organisation. It was described to me by what we…

I withdraw it.

Deputy Mattie McGrath called the vote.

As fewer than Mattie McGrath-----

The wide world of Mattie McGrath.

A, B, C, Mattie.

A, B, C, D-----

A, B, C, D, E, F.

The Tánaiste will be aware that fuel costs have skyrocketed in recent weeks. He will also be aware of the major financial challenges for hauliers, the road transport sector and, in the context of agricultural diesel, farmers, albeit this morning the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy McConalogue, announced an incentive of €400 per ha for additional crop production. Can the Tánaiste provide an update on the possibility of a fuel rebate scheme for hauliers and others in the road transport sector an…

I want to raise the issue of the Enniscorthy flood relief scheme. It received a devastating setback from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on Friday, having failed the environmental assessment. The environmental impact was such that the scheme was refused. There are a number of elements to this scheme. I am asking that the new bridge, infrastructure and walls be allowed to proceed. On the other issue of the dredging, I ask that the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, the Office of Public Work…

The Taoiseach will be very much aware of the devastating flooding in County Wexford on 25 December last. In south County Wexford, hundreds of acres of cereals were destroyed. At the time, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine committed to look into this issue and seek the names of the farmers and lands involved. To date, absolutely nothing has happened. There has been a wall of silence from the Minister and the Department. Can the Taoiseach bring some clarification to this issue?

Nothing about the flawed legal advice that was offered.

The Taoiseach is very much aware that since the last budget, the cost of living and inflation have risen dramatically. I know there was a recent meeting involving all party leaders and we are now looking at the squeezed middle. I know the Government wants to do everything possible to address this ever more urgent matter. It is affecting a large number of families. I have three requests for the Taoiseach and his Ministers to consider. I ask that the electricity rebate be increased from the current proposal on the ta…

I am delighted to be back before the Seanad again. I thought I had escaped the Seanad on ceasing to be a Minister of State.

Anyway, I am back and it is good to be back. I do not mean that in a disingenuous way, by the way. First, I am delighted to be joined by the Minister and members of the committee. It is an opportune time to debate this very important issue in the Seanad. I thank the Cathaoirleach and Members for the opportunity today to discuss the joint committee's Report on the Impact of Covid-19 Primary and Secondary Education. From the outset of the pandemic, the joint committee recognised that the impact of Covid-19 on primary…

I thank everyone who contributed to the debate, and I thank the Minister for highlighting some of measures the Department has implemented. Everybody brought up the issues of bullying, online bullying and cyberbullying. That was part of the report. This is a huge issue. I was bullied in secondary school myself, but fortunately at the time there were no online devices or social media. I was bullied within school, and very badly, by my fellow pupils but I was able to rise above it. I do not often talk about it but it …

There has been much talk in recent weeks about closing schools early because of the concerns relating to Covid and, specifically, the new Omicron surge. I ask the Minister to confirm that schools will remain open until the last day of term, which is in the middle of next week. A significant number of experts have stated in recent weeks that this should be used as a circuit-breaker, but the same experts have a different opinion on each of the seven days of the week, depending on what suits the media on the day. Chil…