I appreciate the Minister of State's answer. What we are looking at in respect of Termonfeckin is that the report is due at the end of quarter 1 of this year, and we are talking about the end of the year for the report on Annagassan. We all accept the issues that have been brought about by climate change in the last while. We all know the dangers we face in respect of flood risk. It is an absolute necessity that we can protect our communities. I also accept that once the viability review report is done, there is an…

I accept that. We are in an incredibly precarious situation and we need to make sure all is done in respect of protecting our communities from flood risk and many other risks that are ahead of us in a changing world. As regards Annagassan and Termonfeckin, we need those processes to conclude within the timeline the Minister of State has spoken about and we must then ensure the other processes are in play. The Minister of State has been quite vociferous in public on planning issues that have impacted on projects lik…

We have spoken here many times previously, and the Minister has spoken himself, about the necessity of having a decent food supply chain that provides people with adequately priced safe food. Beyond that, in the context of the wider agricultural industry, we are talking about the sustainability of family farms. From the point of view of rebalancing, we all welcome the prospect of a food regulator. We have all spoken many times previously about the big processors, in particular the meat factories and the cartel-like…

I thank the Regional Group for tabling this motion. Nearly every Deputy in this Chamber, including Deputy Munster and me, have raised the DTSS and received many answers over a long period. We all know that the inability of people on medical cards to get dental care is having a major impact. We all know people are putting off dental care and we know the long-term impact this has. The Minister must actively address this issue as quickly as possible. The situation is not getting any better. Since 2017, dentists have b…

The vast majority of people out there accept the absolute reality of climate change and the need to act. I do not think there is anyone here who can in any way understand the madness of what we are seeing in Germany, where a village is being demolished for a coal mine and coal-produced electricity. Nobody considers that will be a viable solution into the future. We must look at ourselves and ensure we can make Ireland a wind powerhouse and not only say it in this Chamber. That requires a planning process that works…

I would like to take this opportunity on my behalf and that of Deputy Imelda Munster to add our condolences to the family, friends and comrades of Private Seán Rooney, who died carrying out peacekeeping for the UN in Lebanon. He made the ultimate sacrifice, as did Private Michael McNeela in 1989, who was also from Dundalk. Seán Rooney grew up in Dundalk. He lived there until about the time of his junior certificate and he has huge family connections with the Defence Forces. His home unit is the 27th Infantry Battal…

Once again, we are back in this Chamber dealing with some of the many crises at this time. We are talking about energy and we can break that subject into two parts. There is the issue of our capacity difficulties, where we are facing the possibility that we do not have the capacity to deliver and that we could be looking at blackouts. That tells us one thing about our lack of preparations in that respect, and that is not okay in any way, shape or form. This Government often speaks of its proficiency in business and…

Last-minute amendments are not the way to deal with legislation but enough has been said on that. Many of my colleagues have brought up the fact that environmental organisations and the likes of Wind Energy Ireland have brought up particular difficulties with the Bill. They have stated this legislation could deal with a slow-up in being able to deliver on renewable energy. Those are issues the Minister will have to address when he replies. There is no one here who would not say An Bord Pleanála is in need of reform…

I think it is fair to say housing is the single biggest issue any of us as constituency Deputies need to deal with. No matter the result decided here today, the fact is that there is no confidence outside, in the wider world, among the people I deal with and, I assume, the people many of my colleagues across this Chamber deal with in the present Government being able to deliver on housing. The issue we have with housing and accommodation is having an impact across every element of society. It is having a huge impac…

We all know that with climate change and the energy crisis, we have to deliver rooftop solar energy. It is the low-hanging fruit. We have many buildings on farms and farmers are looking for opportunities. It is just a matter of meeting them halfway. I assume I will be delighted with the Minister’s answer.

We all welcome the fact that the work that needs to be done is absolutely necessary. I would imagine that the Minister has been at more IFA meetings than I have, but at several of them I have seen a large number of people who are ready for change. Some of the complaints, particularly those over recent years, relate to the fact that people did not believe the solar panel grant scheme was where it should have been and that it was not fit for purpose. I am hopeful about the changes the Minister is proposing. I am awar…

In fairness, we would all like to see a drive regarding the uptake. I welcome the separate allocation for batteries and solar panels, because we want people to opt for every means of electricity generation given the circumstances we find ourselves in. Could the Minister indicate the sorts of numbers we are looking at? Uptake is vital because we really need to ensure we are operating at scale and we address any faults in the grant scheme as the changes are being made. Could the Minister outline the general position …

I accept that the Government was not responsible for the timeline. We obviously support this absolutely necessary proposal on PNR data. Once more we are dealing with the outworkings of the TCA between Britain and the European Union and the outworkings of what has been a disastrous Brexit. I am hardly the first person to say that on the floor of this Chamber. Exercising our parliamentary sovereignty is key part of our powers here and surrendering in any area of co-operation, even one like this which we all support, …

I appreciate that. I was unaware of the Venice of Ireland. Every day is a school day. My party position has already been laid out fairly clearly. People will probably say I should just sit down and say nothing, making everyone a lot happier, but unfortunately I have an inability to do so. Deputy Ó Broin, who I suppose has made an assertion of sorts, referred to the logic for the licensing and registration thresholds and the point made that the EPA would not be fit for purpose, would come under far too much pressure…

I add my voice to much of what has been said. The people of Ireland accept that Israel is an apartheid state. We know that it engages in the annexation of Palestinian lands. We know about the illegal settlement. We know about the crimes against humanity, the executions and all the rest. It is fair to say there has been an abject failure at European level to call out Israel for what it is, namely, an apartheid terrorist state. There is a requirement for this to be done. If we cannot get agreement on doing what is ne…

We are at this point that happens on many occasions. We all want to deliver for the many women who have been failed by what happened in respect of CervicalCheck. The recent death of Vicky Phelan has put this matter at the top of the agenda, as is absolutely necessary. The fact, however, is that we have often had issues in this State where the Government and agencies, especially when we talk about the history of the HSE and other organisations, have travelled part of the distance but not the entire distance. I somet…

It is fair to say this is far from the perfect circumstances in which to deal with an issue such as this and the gravity relating to it. In fairness, Deputy O'Reilly has stated that where mistakes have been made previously, there is no room for shortcuts. We must ensure we deliver on the promise we owe to Vicky Phelan and to many others who have been failed. We must also ensure that we instil some level of confidence in the necessity of having the CervicalCheck programme and cancer screening in general. Like everyb…

If we seek clarification, it will be 9.20 p.m.

There will be much agreement that this is a good first step. There was an element of waiting decades for this legislation but at this point we need, as mad as it may seem, not to rush it. We need to ensure we cover as many of the loopholes as possible. Many of us know people who suffered from gambling addiction, whether anecdotally, from the work we do in our constituencies or from those we know. I have heard it said many times that you can only drink so much, you can only put so much in your arm or up your nose bu…

We are talking about the possibility of upwards of 100,000 homes with building defects. Some of my colleagues have already spoken about the human impact and we have to think of that. I am sure the people in the Visitors Gallery can tell the Minister particular stories. It has already been said in the House how people did absolutely nothing wrong. They went out and bought homes, they thought they were doing the right thing, they got their mortgages and they did everything correctly and then, because of the sins of o…