Because of the seriousness of the issue and the fact that the gap is less than ten, we are asking for a vote other than by electronic means.

The issue here is in the question. Some 40% of passengers who use the City of Derry Airport are from Donegal. This airport has been held up by the ratepayers of Derry City and Strabane District Council for many years. There used to be a direct air route from Derry to Dublin. I ask the Government to step up and pay a fair share of the running costs of this airport, which is very important for our region.

I know the Minister of State is very familiar with the geography of Donegal and the north west. While we welcome the support and funding for the airport in west Donegal, the reality of the geography of Donegal is that people in much of north Donegal, east Donegal and the Inishowen Peninsula would use the City of Derry Airport for many of their trips, particularly across to England or Scotland. It is to be hoped that, very soon, they will be able to take trips to Dublin and on to the rest of the world. It is a criti…

I will reiterate some of my points. Disastrously, the A5 project has been stuck in a quagmire for too long. In fairness to the Irish Government, in the St. Andrews Agreement, it committed to co-funding that project. I am hopeful that it will eventually get started and that the Irish Government will co-fund it. There is a lot of precedent for the Irish Government co-funding strategically important transport projects in the North of Ireland that are of value to all of our citizens on the island. Among our people in D…

The question is self-explanatory. When will the Government publish the all-Ireland rail review? There is a particular interest in the west. If we look at the map we see an historic failure and neglect to connect the west. Our vision is to have a connection from Derry through Donegal, Sligo and Mayo to Galway. The dream is to have a rail connection established from Derry in the north-west directly through Portadown and on to Dublin.

One of the things I am most concerned about is TEN-T funding at European level. As the Minister knows, the Government has not submitted a proposal for reconnecting the west of Ireland through rail. I know the Minister has made some positive soundings and they have been welcomed in the west, but we can only describe this as sheer neglect. When we take out the map of rail infrastructure in Ireland, it is clear we need to connect the west, as I said, from Galway through Mayo, Sligo and Donegal, and up to Derry. Unfort…

I want to take the few minutes I have to talk about the situation in Donegal. We have a significant challenge with our ambulance service across the county. On too many occasions, people in life-threatening situations have waited for too long and in some instances they have lost their lives unnecessarily. One proposal that has been put forward to the Government again and again relates to fire and rescue personnel. In Donegal, as in all rural counties, we have fully-trained emergency responders who are being totally …

It sounds like a counselling session.

When it comes to housing, we have a perfect storm in County Donegal. No social housing was built for approximately ten years. We have families who have been pushed into private rental across the county. There is no affordable housing taking place in County Donegal even though the income threshold is €30,000 for families. That is why we have very large numbers of young people emigrating to Australia and Canada from all across the county. When we add in the defective block crisis, we really have a profound crisis in …

And the councillors.

Hear, hear.

A motion was circulated, which was drafted by the Department of Foreign Affairs. My clear understanding from the Business Committee was that an attempt would be made to draft a motion which could obtain the consensus and support of all sides of the House. That was what was agreed by the Business Committee. Rather than doing, we now have a Government motion on which we do not have the wording. I do not understand what has happened. There was an attempt to get consensus, to have the agreement of the House on a motion…

That is just not accurate.

The Ceann Comhairle was not there. How can you know if you were not there, a Cheann Comhairle? You were not there.

On a point of order, a Cheann Comhairle, I have a brief question. If the proposer of an amendment is not present to move it now, does the amendment have to be taken now or will it be taken tonight?

The Minister made a speech containing a range of provocative comments that Opposition Members naturally responded to and then left without giving them a chance to respond. In terms of House etiquette, that is certainly challengeable, especially since most of the Opposition Members have not had their say yet. I will raise an issue and maybe the Minister of State could raise it with his senior colleague. A cross-party delegation of councillors from Donegal came here today and protested outside. We are on the subject …

I thank the Independent Group for tabling this important motion. In County Donegal, as well as in counties Mayo, Sligo, Clare and Limerick, thousands of families are living in defective concrete block homes. For many years, they were stymied and held back from getting justice and a redress scheme that would allow them to rebuild their lives. They did nothing wrong. Due to light-touch regulation and the absence of regulation in this State, they were left with homes that are falling apart. It took 20,000 people to co…

In recent days, more and more information has come into the public domain around the issue of nursing home charges. Public concern is growing. It is essential that the Minister for Health comes into the Dáil this week to make a statement and take questions and answers. It is essential that it happens this week and we propose that.

There has been more information this morning. This issue is growing.

I have always respected the Deputies Healy-Rae. They can always take a place from me.