-----designed this situation today. They have it within their power to resolve this issue. The technical groups should have speaking rights from the Government side. That is where they belong.

I am proposing that we suspend the Dáil now.

That is my proposal.

There will be 30 minutes for a meeting and 15 minutes to consult with our parties so it will be 45 minutes.

There was no agreement made.

Outrageous, absolutely outrageous. There was no agreement to Michael Lowry as an Opposition TD.

Just to congratulate you.

It is not agreed, a Cheann Comhairle.

As the Ceann Comhairle knows, the Whips met last night and the Opposition whips made it clear that we felt the Dáil should reconvene, as is normal after the Christmas recess, on 15 January. That is plenty of time; it is four full weeks from now. It is, therefore, unacceptable to suggest we come back on 22 January. People are crying out for leadership. They are crying out for solutions to their problems. We need to reconvene on 15 January, as is normal, after the Christmas recess. It is four long weeks, five is unac…

Like all candidates, we are knocking on doors across County Donegal, and the Taoiseach should trust me when I say there are huge numbers of families who cannot avail of the defective blocks scheme. They just cannot afford it. They are tens of thousands of euro and, in some cases, over €100,000 short. That is the reality of the scheme. I appeal to the Taoiseach in this election campaign to have a look at the position of his party. Fianna Fáil will speak for itself. We need to have a scheme similar to what Dublin and…

I move amendment No. 2: In page 6, between lines 18 and 19, to insert the following: “Report on De-Nicotinisation and Smoking Cessation Supports 12. The Minister shall, within 6 months of the passing of this Act, conduct a review, to be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas within 12 months of the passing of this Act, to examine and propose measures regarding gradual reductions in the nicotine content of tobacco products, expanding smoking cessation supports, and a targeted campaign for the reduction in smoking …

As the Government Chief Whip will know, we dissented from the schedule last week. What I want to raise right now is the poll in The Irish News today that reveals that for the first time there is no longer a majority in favour of remaining in the union. In 2015, the figure was 59.1%. Now it is 48.6%. Will the Government hold statements on this matter and to commit to it? We need to talk about planning responsibly for Irish unity. We need a citizens' assembly. We need to get real about this. All the evidence is that …

I move: That Dáil Éireann, pursuant to Standing Order 34, and with effect from 23rd October, 2024— (1) approves the Thirty-Fourth Report of the Standing Committee of Selection, copies of which were laid before Dáil Éireann on 18th October, 2024, and discharges a member from a Committee and appoints a member to a Committee accordingly, and (2) appoints Deputy Mairéad Farrell to be Cathaoirleach of the Committee of Public Accounts.

Not agreed. I raised my concerns at the Business Committee and will do so again now. The proposed increase of 10% is welcome, and the Minister of State, Deputy Dillon, knows from his own county that people have been waiting on this, but he also knows that there are homeowners who are going through or have completed the scheme. The original scheme transitioned to the new scheme and the principle to date has been for early starters – people who were forced to go onto the scheme to remediate their homes – not to be pu…

On the basis of that commitment, it is agreed.

It is not agreed. There is a motion to be decided without debate before the Dáil tomorrow night to increase the cap on the defective concrete blocks scheme by 10%. The difficulty is large numbers are engaged in the scheme - the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, is here for this - who will be short tens of thousands of euro. In some cases, it is more than €100,000. It is crucial that they can avail of this cap too. My understanding is it is the Minister's intention to make it possible for them to avail of the cap but it req…

Before the election. Will this be before the election?

The Taoiseach has the control over that-----

I raise the issue of fair pay and conditions for school transport escorts. They are a really crucial part of disabled children's lives. Parents all across the State have provided testimony about this. Unfortunately they do not get paid during the school holidays and they have to sign on. They are left waiting and waiting. In my constituency I have met large numbers of them. I have also been contacted by escorts in other constituencies. Their pay is being reviewed but it has been dragging on for months. I ask the Ta…

I want to take the Minister and Minister of State through the serious crisis in services for children with disabilities in Donegal. I think they are fully aware of them. More than a year ago, Special Needs Parents Network Donegal, which represents more than 900 parents of children with disabilities, published a survey about the real impact of the longest waiting lists in the entire State for physiotherapists, occupational therapists, psychologists and speech and language therapists. None of this is being provided a…