I want to raise the concerns in Donegal about its major acute hospital, Letterkenny University Hospital. The Minister will be well aware that in recent days, approximately 170 staff were off work at the hospital for a variety of Covid-19-related reasons. Seven ambulances were backed up outside the hospital. That meant that half the capacity in the county was tied up, which caused great alarm. What assurances can the Minister give that additional resources can be deployed to Letterkenny University Hospital? What pro…

I note that the record of the meeting of the Business Committee last Thursday indicates that almost all members of the Opposition who were present dissented on the issue of no time being allocated for questions on Brexit and the vaccine issue. Today at short notice we have been advised that the debates relating to the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement that were scheduled have been pulled back. That has been welcomed by all members of the Opposition. It has saved two hours from the schedule today on the Gov…

Sinn Féin and the Minister's party, including its Government partners, have different views on the type of country we want and this is okay. It is, in fact, healthy for a democracy that voters have a clear choice when they go to the polls. Sinn Féin will always prioritise State investment in public services and providing income supports, housing, education and jobs where needed. We promote a bottom-up and public collective approach. The approach of the Minister and Fine Gael is different. They support a top-down we…

Will the Minister, with his European Union counterparts, advocate to follow the lead of Australia in banning super-trawlers from our national waters under the jurisdiction of the Common Fisheries Policy, CFP, in response to the growing outrage in Irish coastal communities at the spectacle of these huge ships hoovering up fish while inshore fishing communities are struggling so much?

The Minister will be aware on 12 November last, it was reported that two Dutch-registered monster vessels were fishing off the Donegal coast. One was a super-trawler and the other was a factory ship. One was 470 ft long and the other was 414 ft long. They hoovered up fish. There are widespread concerns about sustainability. How can the Minister talk about sustainability of fisheries when vessels of this size are hoovering up fish? There are major concerns about discards going back into the sea. There is a lack of C…

Let us deal with the 12-mile issue first. The exclusive economic zone of our country comprises 200 miles, not 12 miles. There are immense resources of fisheries outside the 12-mile limit and we have given up 80% of those. In regard to the size of the ships, Australia has banned vessels of more than 120 m in length. I do not think there is any vessel of that size in the Irish fleet, although there was the infamous Atlantic Dawn a number of years ago. We need to be serious about sustainability. If we are telling our …

What is the reason that Ireland has not received a single tonne of the hundreds of tonnes of additional international quota that was allocated to the European Union since 2016 for one of the most lucrative fish in the world?

The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas is the body that sets the international quota. Since 2016, the European Union share of that international quota has increased by 73% - some 8,000 tonnes - from 11,200 tonnes to 19,360 tonnes. Ireland, however, has not got one of those tonnes. Irish fishermen, right around the coast, are reporting to me as Sinn Féin's fisheries spokesperson that they are looking at this lucrative and predatory fish getting fattened up on a range of fish species in o…

One of these bluefin tuna can be worth $10,000. In the Japanese sushi and sashimi markets, it is an incredibly lucrative fish. More than 8,000 additional tonnes in the past four years were secured by the European Union for this fish but we get nothing. As the Minister knows from wearing his agriculture hat, we are looking at the Common Agricultural Policy, the single farm payment, the historical relationship in that regard and how it can be unjust. This fisheries situation is profoundly unjust. It is a mortal sin t…

I raised the threats to our fishing sector from Brexit with the Minister of State in previous debates. There is growing concern and alarm in our fishing communities at the news that Michel Barnier is offering 15% to 18% of a reduction in value in terms of access to what are deemed to be British waters. Under the Common Fisheries Policy our territorial waters and British territorial waters outside the 12-mile limit are divided for all member states of the European Union, based on a total allowable catch quota system…

I have listened to this debate and to the points made by Deputies Murphy and Smith. As you know, a Cheann Comhairle, we discussed this in the Business Committee last Thursday. I believe it presents something of a challenge collectively for the Houses in the way the Standing Order is being interpreted. Deputy Paul Murphy has referred to Standing Orders 77(2) and 77(3). Right now, we have a motion on the Order Paper to remove a judge from the Superior Courts. Let us imagine we had a motion and then that motion was re…

Bear with me, a Cheann Comhairle. I am actually-----

I wish to make this clear. It is important that I am allowed to respond. I am not questioning the judgment or advice of the service.

I am saying this presents a problem.

It really does.

It presents a problem. Let us imagine we have a scenario where, for example, we ask Solidarity-People Before Profit to put forward this motion in Private Members' time. This issue has an implication for the wider House. The point was made at the Business Committee last Thursday. Is there an argument for us to examine this at the Committee on Standing Orders and Dáil Reform? I appreciate it is as it is now.

Is there an argument to look at the issue of what would be called Dáil time? Rather than Government time and Opposition time, can we have space where something like this - a sensitive issue with constitutional implications - is considered? I put that forward to you, a Cheann Comhairle, for consideration.

That is all.

That is all I wanted to put forward.

May I just point out that we are now more than an hour into this debate but copies of the Minister's speech have not been circulated?