Cuirim fáilte roimh an díospóireacht anseo. Tá a fhios agam gur chuir teaghlaigh fríd an Stát fáilte mhór roimh athoscailt na scoileanna. Ag an am céanna, bhí imní ar go leor daoine. The families who were worried were those facing into a school year where their child might be without much-needed special needs supports in the classroom. That is the issue on which I will focus in my contribution. I recently asked the Minister of State's Department to provide me with the numbers for exceptional review applications in …

I was going to make a point but Deputy Martin Kenny may be able to speak better to this. We raised concerns that the offences are not being set out in the legislation, but our understanding now is that the regulations are to be published before the legislation is fully dealt with and there will be clarity in that respect. It would be helpful if the Minister for Health could clarify this for the House today. Will we see the regulations before the passage of this legislation?

Tá córas againn sa Stát seo maidir le measúnú do pháistí atá riachtanais sa bhreis acu. Níl an córas sin ag obair, ní raibh sé ag obair riamh, agus níl an Rialtas ag déanamh faic dó. This morning, RTÉ has shone another light on an issue we have had to raise in the House for far too long and far too often. This is the time that children are waiting for an assessment of need for which an average waiting time of 19 months, despite a legal requirement for assessments to be completed within six months under the Disabili…

The Tánaiste said he understands and rightly made the point this has been ongoing for a long time. Two years ago, when I raised this with the then Tánaiste on the floor of the Dáil, 3,850 children had been failed by the State. Today, the figure is more than 5,000. It is only going in one direction; it is getting worse. Two years ago, we heard excuses from the Government on reforms being introduced. The reality is the State is fighting these parents in the courts. There are numerous cases where parents have been for…

A fortnight ago, when I raised with the Tánaiste the issue of pubs reopening he said that NPHET had not at that time been asked to advise on my suggestion that pubs could potentially reopen on the same basis as restaurants, that is, with social distancing, time limits and table service. They would be acting as restaurants but without having to serve food. This is particularly important for rural pubs where, as the Tánaiste knows, numbers at the best of times are low and in many areas pubs are the hubs of local comm…

Cuirim fáilte roimh an díospóireacht seo. I welcome the debate this evening but I must say I am absolutely taken aback that the Government has abused the goodwill of Members of the Opposition who, given the pandemic, the serious risk to health and the impact on our economy and court systems and throughout society, have waived normal political and parliamentary scrutiny on legislation and allowed for legislation to be dealt with in one sitting of the House. We have allowed for a truncated period for amendments to be…

Tá sé i gceist agam mo chuid ama a roinnt le mo chomhghleacaithe, na Teachtaí Mairéad Farrell, Conway-Walsh agus Gould. Ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a chur in iúl leis na hoifigigh sa Roinn Airgeadais a ghlac am leis an mBille seo a phlé liom. Ós rud é nach mbeimid ag dul fríd an ghnáthphróiseas - níl bheidh an coiste ag scrúdú na reachtaíochta - tá sé tábhachtach go bhfuil an teagmháil sin idir oifigigh agus urlabhraithe. Cuirim fáilte roimh an gcabhair sin agus cuirim mo bhuíochas in iúl do na hoifigigh arís. I we…

Hear, hear.

I am sure the Taoiseach shares my view that all children in need of ASD special classes should be able to attend their local school, yet that is not the case despite many years of campaigning by parents. The provision of ASD education supports to children is patchy right across the State at best, with many parts, in particular in the capital city with little or no provision. Our party leader has recently been out meeting parents in south Dublin where certain areas have become a no-go zone for children with ASD to a…

Ba mhaith liom cur leis an mhéid atá ráite ó thaobh na n-ealaíontóirí agus iad siúd atá ag obair i dtionscal an cheoil. We have previously raised the issue of supports for the arts and Deputy McDonald raised it earlier today. Deputy Ó Snodaigh has met representatives of the various groups. There is a serious issue that has been well articulated. It is probably best captured in the survey of members of the industry. It is stark that two thirds of them are talking about issues with mental health. Most concerning is t…

I agree with everything Deputy Boyd Barrett said. Because we will not deal with it when discussing the Bill this evening, I put forward an idea that we should convene tomorrow in some type of forum or representative group that could discuss this issue. It is a burning question that needs to be resolved. I believe we can resolve it if there is willingness. My concern is, and I am by far the person not to restrict a debate, but there are very important amendments, such as on reducing VAT rates for the tourism sector,…

I will not say any more and I will point this at everybody because we are one third of the way through the time already.

I move amendment No. 11: In page 14, between lines 25 and 26, to insert the following: “(22) The Minister may make an order under paragraphs (a), (b) or (c) of subsection (21) that pertains to a certain class or sector of business of employers.”. This amendment deals with the employment wage supports. I agree with the principle of what Deputy McNamara was trying to achieve with the previous amendment, but based on our reading of it, it would have made the situation worse. As he pointed out, certain constitutional r…

We are not pressing the amendment. We are pressed for time now and I would love to be able to get to amendment No. 16, which proposes the reduction in the VAT rate from 13.5% to 9%. I am not sure the Minister has the power to introduce a percentage support under the powers he announced. He would have the power to vary the rates but that would just be to bring it down from €151 to a lower level. A lot of people work just a couple of hours in employment. I know many of them who work in numerous jobs. The reality is t…

I thought this section had been disposed of. There are a number of amendments tabled which we have taken considerable time to devise. We are not going to be able to scrutinise all of the Bill. The next amendment reduces the VAT rate in the tourism sector from 13.5% to 9%. I would appreciate it if Members would facilitate a vote on that important measure which many who are watching hope will be included in the legislation. I will leave that to Members.

I would oppose the section but I urge the Acting Chairman to move on. We dealt with the issue involved on Second Stage.

I move amendment No. 16: In page 48, between lines 8 and 9, to insert the following: “(b) in paragraph (ca) of subsection (1), by substituting “paragraphs 3(1) to (3), 7, 8, 11, 12, 13(3) and 13B(1) to (3)” for “paragraphs 7(a), 7A and 12”, and”.

We have a few minutes left.

This amendment reduces VAT from 13.5% for the sector that is seriously affected to 9%. I urge that we would push that to a vote. I am calling a vote on the amendment.

With respect, could I just ask-----