This has already been put far more eloquently than I can put it by some of my colleagues over the past couple of hours. The stories that have been told are absolutely heartbreaking. Mother and baby homes are part of a long history in this State. Not only did we fail women and children but we also set up structures that attacked them, sold them, neglected them, abused them and much more. We owe a debt of gratitude to the women who came forward to the commission as witnesses. The State owes a debt to the women. We ne…

On the EU Council meeting, pandemic solutions come to mind. We have taken particular initiatives in terms of a health solution. We need co-ordination across Europe in that regard. We have had an element of co-ordination in regard to financial packages and the possibility of future financial initiatives. This needs to happen on a global basis and on a Europe-wide basis. Yesterday, in response to a question, the Taoiseach spoke about the difficulties arising if we are not lucky enough to get a vaccine. There has been…

I welcome the answer about co-ordination. I accept what the Minister of State said regarding health competencies but it is just about that level of cooperation and coordination. It is not only from a health point of view. There have been a number of financial initiatives, for want of a better term. It is probably about looking for a point in time when we will have something which is perhaps more holistic and imaginative. That is what is meant when people talk about a Marshall Plan-type scenario that will be necessa…

I do not have very long and I will not need very long. Everything has been said. We have heard the various terms to describe co-living, if that is even the correct term. We have heard the word "bonkers". We have heard about almost battery-cage living. Members have said it straight; there is no need for a review. Co-living needs to be banned. The terms I keep hearing are "substandard" and "not fit for purpose", highlighted particularly in these pandemic times, when we all understand how important space is. I imagine…

This issue has probably been synopsised on the basis of how badly I put the question. This question was brought to me by Paddy Malone of Dundalk Chamber of Commerce. He is an accountant and he told me that every year there is an initial 31 October deadline for submitting returns. He talked about self-employed small sole traders, namely, taxi drivers and people who would be involved in trades, etc. He said a significant number of them have been impacted massively by the pandemic. Some of them have heard about the Re…

I just want to make sure I have this correct. People are worried about two things: that they will not have the money and that they will not make the 31 October deadline. Obviously, there are logistical difficulties for accountants at the minute trying to get information to Revenue on temporary wage subsidy scheme returns, etc., which has created its own difficulties. People are concerned that if they do not have the money for the 10 December scenario, they will suddenly be in difficulty and could lose tax certifica…

I am sorry to interrupt, but the fear is the presumptive liabilities for 2020.

That is even for 10 December.

And they have the communications.

The Tánaiste mentioned rapid testing and some of the work that has been done. Last week the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, spoke about HIQA operating a number of pilot schemes for antigen testing running in parallel with polymerase chain reaction, PCR, testing. He answered this question when people raised the traffic light system we have signed up to. I assume it is absolutely vital we get this sorted from the point of view of travel but also to ensure we have capacity. We have already heard about th…

It is a regular occurrence that Opposition Members stand up and say the budget is a missed opportunity but the reality is we are operating in a scenario whereby everybody is coming up with plans, whether budget plans, plans for Brexit or roadmaps for opening, but then we come to the old quote that everyone has a plan until they get hit in the mouth. This is where we are at present. The one thing we need to ensure is that we have the capacity to deal with the problems we are about to face. We have all had many discu…

This is straightforward - carbon tax is an attack on rural Ireland and poor people. As has been stated, it is utterly lazy. People have no alternatives and the Government has offered none. This is a failure. Unless someone has €100,000 to pay for a high-end car, he or she will not see the benefit. That is just the way it is.

Táim ag iarraidh eitilt ar leath-sciathán anois. Tá rud beag náire orm nach bhfuil mo chaighdeán chomh maith agus ba chóir dó a bheith. Ní chleachtaim minic go leor ach bainfimid triail as. Táimid ag caint ar an mBille seo agus ba chóir go mbeidh cabhair agus tacaíocht ag achan duine chun go mbeidh siad in ann a ghnó a dhéanamh trí mheán na Gaeilge. Caithfimid feabhas a chur ar chúpla rud. Tá timelines de dhíth mar gheall ar an sprioc de 20%. Caithfimid plean a bheith againn chun na timelines sin a bhaint amach. Ca…

I have said before that Covid-19 has highlighted the weaknesses we have in society, whether we are talking about housing, healthcare, workers' rights, or the ICU capacity we will need, and which we do not have at this point. From my perspective we are also dealing with the realities of the Border. I call on the Minister of State to bring again to Government the fact that there will be a need for an all-Ireland response in the very short term. We will also need to ensure that we have the supports that businesses, fa…

Not by Sinn Féin.

I welcome much of what has been said. I believe we should make it our business to have a conversation with the Spanish Government around the disgraceful treatment of the Catalonians and Catalonian politicians. I welcome what the previous speaker said regarding illegal land grabs and occupations in Western Sahara and in Palestine. At every opportunity we call on the Government to do the utmost on that because some of these situations we are entering into are far worse than we could have ever conceived years ago. Man…

It has already been said that we need supports, given the circumstances we are in and any possible circumstance we could be in as regards Covid-19 and the pandemic we are dealing with. Brexit and British rule in Ireland is the gift that does not stop giving. I welcome some of what I was told earlier by the Minister for Foreign Affairs that a significant percentage, more than 90%, of businesses operating on a cross-Border and east-west level have dealt with Revenue and customs and have their EORI numbers. There are …

I welcome the fact that there will be a debate about what happened the other day and the decisions that have been made. In fairness, on Sunday everybody became incredibly frightened when they thought we were going straight to level 5. I hope that any information that is not in the public domain and that was known to NPHET and to the Government will be given to all political parties so it could be part of the debate. Obviously, we are incredibly worried about our situation and we would like to think we are looking a…

There is no other information we do not have.

The Minister mentioned Housing First and said there are certain individuals who fall into homelessness who require additional supports. I have always welcomed the Housing First programme, particularly in Louth County Council. There are also family situations that need whatever supports can be provided. Can the Minister provide any detail or a timeline in regard to the roll-out of family-orientated Housing First, in particular as regards Louth County Council?