The Minister is right. I served for ten years on Dublin City Council and I am passionate about bike sharing because I saw how Dublin Bikes worked and how much the people of the city love it. I am often asked when it will expand. We know the technology has moved on and we are moving towards stationless bikes. We also see a worrying trend in other cities where bike sharing companies are withdrawing from the market. I would like to see a model similar to that which we operate for buses. Let the NTA own the fleet and b…

The Minister hit the nail on the head. We need to work with existing companies but many of them are telling us that the capital costs of providing e-bikes across the whole city are significant and the State should be involved. They are, however, happy to be involved in the operation and delivery of the service. That would give the State control and provide stability in the city as people would know the bikes were owned by the State but operated by the different companies. The existing companies are open to dealing …

The Government took a number of measures in the budget to protect people from the cost-of-living crisis, not least the increase in the fuel allowance for those who are over 70 years of age and who earn up to €26,000 and for couples earning up to €52,000 where one member of the couple is over 70. That is a really important measure. Many people are waiting for it, particularly because of the benefits of the better energy warmer homes scheme, but the Department is indicating that the payments will be made in the first…

I recently attended the EirGrid road show in Erin's Isle GAA club. It is a fairly big hall but it was fairly packed with people who I think had a renewed curiosity in the security of electricity supply and where our supply comes from and how it is used. There was considerable discussion around Huntstown, which is located just north of Finglas, with regard to future plans there and the possibility of a district heating system at that location.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. I welcome the clarification about the temporary emergency power generation at that location. That will bring the total power generation on the site up to almost 800 MW. I was surprised to hear that 20% of the total generation on the island is generated at the Huntstown plant. There is also a bioenergy anaerobic digestion power station separate to the conventional gas generator. The idea of retrofitting a district heating system to an established generation plant is, of course, complex…

I thank the Minister. We must be very open to finding such sources. Many of the speakers at the meeting, including those from Codema, whet our appetite about what is possible. There are planning applications for data centres at the site in question. As I said, I would like us to keep an open mind about how we could provide district heating or other forms of community benefit. Whatever else happens, there is a far greater awareness within the community about where our energy comes from and the fact that the move awa…

Yes. Go raibh maith agat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle. I appreciate your discretion with the time. I suppose the-----

Of course. The only elevation, Deputy McNamara, is the success of this policy. When I advocated it in this House a number of weeks ago, I said I thought we had reached the point where it would be possible to do it. It is important for us to say there are legal constraints on this. The points made by Deputies McNamara and Boyd Barrett outline the extent of the parameter. Ultimately, we are siding with the most vulnerable here, in the case where we know it is not a zero-sum game. We know there are knock-on effects on…

I have four minutes; is that correct?

I may take advantage of the time. I listened to much of the debate and I think it is important for us to remember what happened on budget day. The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Michael McGrath, and the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, put forward an €11 billion package to try to alleviate what we know to be an incredibly difficult period for people in Ireland. We had that €11 billion. That was not borrowed money; that was money that was created by the Irish people. We have used that to pro…

Okay, excellent. I could go on but we will discuss it on Committee Stage. I want to talk about housing. I wish many of the Deputies who talk about housing actually attended the Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage because when they say there is nothing in this budget for housing, they are ignoring a €4 billion and a €20 billion package. They are ignoring new models of housing like cost rental, affordable purchase and the rapid increase in social housing. Many of the things we are doing in housi…

Deputy Boyd Barrett did not listen.

This week, I visited Ballymun Anseo school completion programme, SCP, which, along with the Finglas SCP, does fantastic work. I do not need to persuade the Taoiseach of their merits, given he introduced the schemes. There are issues around governance since the transfer of the programmes back to the Department of Education, which is very welcome, particularly for those SCPs covered by education and training boards, ETBs. Will the Taoiseach consider the matter and come back to me with any clarifications on staffing a…

We move to the Labour Party slot. I call Deputy Bacik.

We move to the People Before Profit-Solidarity group. Deputy Boyd Barrett will be followed by Deputy Paul Murphy and then Deputy Mick Barry.

The Deputies can mix it up.

Deputy, you have had your time. I call Deputy Pringle.

Deputy, I will have to disconnect.

Deputy Healy-Rae will not impugn the Chair by implying that there is a lack of balance.

Deputy Healy-Rae, you might want to apologise later for implying the Chair is unfair. You may reflect on that.