Will there be a scheme?

When will we hear?

When can people purchase-----

There are various aspects of the Covid issue that I want to reference here this evening and comment on but I want to start with one that has received very little attention. I refer to the question of the migrant community and the impact of Covid on them and the question of vaccines. Figures came out in recent days which are enlightening in relation to what is actually going on. It drills down into the figures and tells us a lot of interesting and concerning things. Much important analysis was done of these figures …

I again raise the matter of the significant overpayment of rent on the Miesian Plaza offices on Baggot Street which house the Departments of Health and Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. I raised the matter with the Minister in April and June. What progress has been made in recouping the substantial amount of money that is owed to the Irish taxpayer?

It is estimated that the loss to the taxpayer is approximately €344,000 per year which, over the lifetime of the lease, would come to approximately €10 million. It is not a small matter; it is a significant matter. The Minister of State has said to me on two previous occasions, in April and June, that the OPW very much regrets that errors were made so there is no question but that errors were made. That regret is not enough. Concrete steps must be taken to recoup the outstanding moneys owed and to put the rent on a…

I am sure the Minister of State appreciates the fact that this issue was examined by the Committee of Public Accounts. It was also highlighted by Cianan Brennan of the Irish Examiner . I raised the matter with the Minister of State in April and again in June. It would seem that no substantive progress is being made, apart from the general aspirations that the Minister of State reiterated in his reply. I only received his reply at 5 p.m., even though this was a priority question to be taken tonight. Since I spoke to…

I did not ask the Minister of State to do that.

I listened to the Minister of State's earlier contribution and I was a bit surprised that it was so short. I got very little sense of the State's response to this appalling case. The Minister of State took a lot of time talking about the Brandon case with which there are obvious parallels which we need to address. I acknowledge Deputy Pringle and all of the work he did on the Brandon case. However, this is a separate case and I would have thought, as a Minister of State and a representative of the Government, there…

I would like to extend my sincere condolences and those of the Social Democrats to the family, friends and Fine Gael colleagues of the late Austin Currie on his very sad passing. Mr. Currie was a pivotal figure in Irish politics, having played an instrumental role in the civil rights movement, been a founding member of the SDLP, and served as an MP for South Tyrone and, latterly, as a Fine Gael Deputy and distinguished Minister of State. His outward political affiliation may have changed, which was necessitated by …

The National Transport Authority announced the greater Dublin transport strategy yesterday. It represents a huge blow to the people of the greater Dublin area and what appears to be an abandonment of our emissions targets in the transport area, as set out in the climate action plan. It was particularly devastating for the north side of Dublin because of the further long fingering of MetroLink. I represent Dublin north west, which is the only constituency in the greater Dublin area without any rail service at all. W…

Have they to put up with gridlock for the next ten years? Second, what does the Taoiseach intend to do about our emissions targets, which are not capable of being met in the absence of these projects?

I think that the Taoiseach is misrepresenting what was announced yesterday.

We have been told that DART+ will not happen and cannot happen until the 2040s, post 2042. In spite of the fact that MetroLink has been promised for more than 20 years, and that we have been promised a rail link for more than 30 years, nothing will happen in relation to the opening of the metro until at least post 2031. That is in another ten years. I ask the Taoiseach what is he saying to the people of the northside of Dublin about the gridlock that they now encounter in trying to go about their daily business? Wh…

Not for more than ten years.

It will be more than ten years before it opens.

Did the Taoiseach read the plan?

At best it will open at phase 2. It is phase 2 for opening.

It is Government decisions and funding that are required.

It will not be finished within the national development plan timeframe. It is all ten-plus years away.