The Tánaiste will have read this morning that the ESRI is saying that by the end of this year we could still have 15% unemployment. One of the concerns that many people have is that when the various concessions on periods of interest, taxation or rent are lifted, there will be companies in dire need of restructuring. The loss of those companies could add significantly to unemployment. Can the Minister of State make the process of examinership easier to access for such companies that need to restructure?

I thank the Minister of State and welcome his acknowledgement that the cost of examinership, running between €80,000 and €130,000 and involving High Court action, is way beyond the scope of most companies. It is estimated that fewer than one quarter of the companies that would be rescued by examinership in the US or UK are subject to such restructuring rescue here. This will break in the next six months. I do not believe the Government will be able to get legislation through in time for the high point. Could the Mi…

The key is whether the Government can deliver legislation in time. From listening to what the Minister of State is saying, I believe there are many issues to be resolved. We will not have the legislation for at least 12 months. It is a question of whether the Government can set up, even on a voluntary basis, an arrangement that could be administered in a similar way to that of the personal insolvency advisers, who produced proposals. Over time, the Government might want to make them statutorily enforceable but, in …

Yes, I am here in the darkness but still shining a light.

I want to raise the review of the leaving certificate. The Tánaiste will have seen that many of those who sat the leaving certificate recently called for an accelerated reform of it. The reform of this started five years ago. The OECD reported just last week that the leaving certificate structure undervalues apprenticeships, is too narrow and rigid and is out of kilter with our ambitions for the nation. Will the Tánaiste set about accelerating this reform because its progress was stalled, understandably, during 202…

First I wish to congratulate the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, on her appointment. An earlier question noted parents' frustration with long waiting lists for both assessments and therapeutic intervention. They are waiting for admission to services like Beechpark Services. Frustratingly, the transfer from infant services to schoolgoing services creates another blockage. These are sources of stress, uncertainty and fear of irretrievable loss of time. Can a different model be considered to better deliver for par…

I would like to draw the Minister of State's attention to some of the features of the school-led model. It is far less reliant on assessment. The Minister of State mentioned the development of an assessment industry and the avoidance of the loss of a lot of very valuable time in those assessments. Parents previously had to spend €500 or €600 on private assessments, which serve only as a gateway to further treatment. Perhaps there should be less reliance on assessment and more collective delivery of service, whereby…

The frustration I think people feel is a little like when Secretary of State Kissinger asked, "Who do I call if I want to call Europe?" One does not know who to ring. I think parents have the same experience. Who do they ring when they want to find out from one of these 91 teams where their child stands? This is a very frustrating element and it needs to be sorted out. I welcome the Minister of State's commitment to meet the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, and her work with the Oireachtas committee. For those of…

I thank the Acting Chair and I thank the Ceann Comhairle for giving me the opportunity to raise this important issue. As the Acting Chair said, NESC, which is a social partnership body, has underlined how the LDA will be a game-changer in tackling our housing crisis. As outlined by the Acting Chair and as many in the House will know, it can act as a State developer and will confront much of the dysfunctional, private developer-led development that has scarred some of this country. It will do that by assembling land…

I thank the Minister of State for that and for making it clear that the vision for the LDA is to use public lands and meet the needs of all of our community, not just some sections of it. The ability to crack the affordability issue for many who want to buy their own home is central to the agency. Will the Minister of State explain how the agency will deal with the Oscar Traynor Road site? There have been meetings and it has been suggested that the Minister should meet all parties to discuss how this project can mo…

I thank the Minister for introducing this motion. It is appropriate and I fully support the concept that the rainy day fund should be used this year to deal with the significant crisis created by Covid. Economic stabilisation is really important. However, while we are focused now on the urgency of dealing with Covid, we must also create space for embarking on what is a phase of truly transformative change that will happen in Ireland over the next ten years. In that time, we are going to have to halve our greenhouse…

On the same issue, I would like to ask the Taoiseach-----

Of course one can do that.

The leaders have had their questions. This is a new round.

That is a new Standing Order.

Deputies are entitled to raise questions on the same issue.

I must point out that 20 questions might typically be allowed here. The Ceann Comhairle has allocated 11 of those exclusively to the Opposition while all Government backbenchers have had no opportunity to participate on an equal basis. That is not a reasonable approach. Creating a Standing Order that protects these questions is in the interest of the Members of the House more broadly.

I thank the Environmental Protection Agency for the fine work it has done in the context of its report on the condition of our environment. I take some encouragement from the progress being made on greenhouse gas emissions. However, the report shows broadly that we have a huge amount of ground to make up. At a time when Covid dominates and many of us are re-evaluating our priorities, it is crucial that the Government also re-evaluates its priorities in this regard. I would like it to be essential in the new nationa…

I join in the thanks to so many, not just those on the front line but also the many people who are making sacrifices to keep others safe. I do not agree with my colleague, Deputy Shortall, when she says that decisions should be made by the whole Parliament. Parliament has a role of scrutiny but the Government has to make decisions. At a time like this, we need to recognise that difference in roles. As we move from the emergency, which is the present phase, with a focus on public health with NPHET's criteria conscio…

Is the Taoiseach aware that the National Economic and Social Council reported this week that the Land Development Agency, LDA, can be a game changer in allowing the State to acquire and develop a mixed range of housing following a master plan? Does he agree with me regarding the decision of Dublin City Council to reject just such a development following a master plan? It would have provided 30% social housing, 25% cost rental housing, 20% affordable housing and 25% private housing, which is the sort of the developm…