Can we have silence please?

I am sorry, Tánaiste, but can people speak in their own time?

I am sorry. I thank Members. Deputy Bacik has six and a half minutes.

We are back to a Government slot. Just before I call the Minister, I wish to clarify that it is my understanding that once the first amendment to a motion is moved, the rest will be dealt with afterwards.

I call Deputy Tóibín to ask the next question. We will probably not be able to get the full question dealt with.

Táimid críochnaithe. Níl go leor ama againn.

The Minister and I have had multiple interactions regarding personal assistants who work in the further education sector, including in Drogheda Institute of Further Education, DIFE, Ó Fiaich Institute of Further Education, OFE, Cavan Institute and Dunshaughlin Community College. They are doing spectacular work to facilitate students with extra needs but they have a contract that does not work. They have to apply for jobseeker payments, with all of the difficulties that causes. A number of things are required vis-à-…

I welcome the Minister's answer. Fórsa needed to make that pay claim because that is how we will get to the end point of having a contract that is fit for purpose. Similar to the educators, this is a means of regularising the situation and putting personal assistants on a decent footing, which may be comparable to SNAs or others, because what we have at the moment is not sustainable for students or for personal assistants as employees. On some level, they feel that the situation is indicative of great disrespect, e…

I agree that this is about ensuring we have consistency across the board and that we provide proper contracts for these personal assistants as employees, based on the work they do. It is also about ensuring that we facilitate those people who require the support of personal assistants.

I ask the Minister to lay out his plans regarding the further expansion of apprenticeship courses in Louth. We are talking about apprenticeships in many different fields at this stage. Provision has moved beyond what could be considered traditional apprenticeships. This relates to what we discussed earlier in terms of the need for multiple pathways for people to deliver the skill sets that are required across the board.

That is all very welcome but we do need to see movement on a regional skills and training centre. We also need to deal with space constraints at OFE for certain courses. It may be possible to deliver additional space through the programme announced by the Minister this morning. On DkIT, Dr. O'Callaghan has done significant work in the past while, including enhancing the relationship with Maynooth University, which will provide solutions for DkIT into the future.

Yes.

I welcome the legislation. I commend the work done on this by Deputies Kerrane and Brady from my party. We all welcome the fact that child maintenance payments will no longer be assessed as means for social welfare and the discontinuation of the liable relative provision. It has been a problem for a long time. If we go through the entire social protection system we see a number of anomalies. People get caught in them. Sometimes we have really hammered down on those who have really needed support. We have probably c…

Deputy Murnane O'Connor will substitute for Deputy Niamh Smyth for Question No. 73 and for Deputy O'Dea for Question No. 74.

Deputy Canney will speak and then we will have a supplementary question.

I call Deputy Murnane O'Connor.

I wish the Leas-Cheann Comhairle, the Ceann Comhairle and all the Oireachtas staff, including the ushers and the many others whom I put under pressure from time to time, a happy Christmas. It has been said to me-----

I do not always see the time constraints as applying to me. I may have occasionally stretched past adhering to the boundaries of the subject under discussion. I have heard that said, but I am not sure I would accept it. I thank everyone and hope they have a good and safe Christmas. In addition, I remember the family of Private Seán Rooney. I remember the sacrifice he made and the ongoing struggle for his family. That is in all our minds today. As regards the Bill, we must congratulate the citizens' assembly on its …

It is Christmas.

I may have got a kick.