Deputy Bríd Smith sends her apologies.

Nobody has done that.

That is not fair. Nobody said anything demonising landlords.

Tell the truth. That accusation is a low blow.

I welcome this timely motion and signal the Labour Party's absolute support for it. It is widely acknowledged that the budgetary measures that were put in place in the most recent budget signalled a real intention by the Minister and the Government to pour money and resources into increasing the line payments. We acknowledge the €500 cost-of-living payment for people who were receiving the carer's support grant which was paid in November. We also acknowledge that carers received a Christmas double bonus payment in …

The Minister speaks a lot about hedging and the market. We have all had the briefings from the electricity companies and providers such as Electric Ireland. According to a document we received, the providers state they buy electricity in advance, which is hedging. Electric Ireland says this saved its residential electricity customers €650 over the past two years. We cannot have this debate without having a fundamental critique of the electricity market and the energy market throughout the European Union. If we rely…

With the agreement of the House, I will go back to Deputy Dillon or I can take the questions in order. I thank colleagues for their forbearance on this. I understand Deputy Dillon will take Question No. 64 in place of Deputy Griffin.

I will allow Deputy Conway-Walsh to ask a supplementary question.

I will also allow Deputy Durkan to contribute as he has been sitting patiently all night.

I ask Deputy Burke to take only ten to 15 seconds.

I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 37 and the name of the Member in each case: Deputy Bernard J. Durkan - to discuss the actions required to address the shortage of school places at primary and second level in north Kildare. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne - to seek an update on the review of the Abhaile scheme. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae - to discuss the Kilcummin sewerage scheme. Deputy Frankie Feighan - to discuss the need to establish Sligo Ga…

I am happy to share my time, although it will curtail my speech significantly, which the Acting Chair will be happy to hear. The Labour Party fully supports the motion. There is no question about that. I will speak specifically about Mallow General Hospital because the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, referred to it. The Minister of State noted in respect of Mallow that there is now a collaboration between hospital groups and the National Ambulance service. She continued: This project was trialled in north Cork …

In that short time, I will quote a letter a paramedic wrote to me recently. It states: We are paid as ambulance drivers whereas in fact we are trained and qualified as paramedics after completing a two or three-year course depending on the year you started. We are paid as emergency medical technicians where we should be getting paid as qualified paramedics. That point needs to be addressed in terms of morale within the National Ambulance Service. The HSE tells us it has set up a workplace health and well-being grou…

I move amendment No. 28: In page 15, line 17, to delete “as soon as practicable” and substitute “within 28 days”.

I support this amendment. To draw a comparison with the Department of Social Protection, if you were designing a scheme to which people would make an application and which was subject to a decision by a chief deciding officer, the timelines built into that for a decision would be definitive. What the amendment seeks to do, quite rightly, is take out certain words. We are getting into the weeds of the legislation here. We want to ensure the scheme, whatever way it is designed, is fit for purpose. I will quote the le…

My apologies, but there is a phone ringing somewhere. It is very distracting and I cannot hear Deputy Healy-Rae properly.

There is a phone ringing somewhere and I cannot hear the Deputy properly.

I am trying to listen to the Deputy.

Section 18 provides that "The Chief Deciding Officer may, for the purposes of his or her examination of an application, request the applicant concerned to provide, within such reasonable period as the Chief Deciding Officer may specify, information by affidavit where the Chief Deciding Officer is of the opinion that ..." and it goes on to list the various subsections and paragraphs. What is the justification for seeking an affidavit in the first instance? That is my first question. I am thinking of the person who h…

I will come in again briefly, if I may, on the issue of the affidavits. The Minister refers specifically to section 37 which states that, "The Scheme may, in accordance with regulations under section 38 , provide financial support". The word "may" is very subjective. My fear relates to people who are not on the database who wish to make an application and have to procure an affidavit. I am seeking greater certainty for such applicants and to prevent a situation where it becomes de rigueur or a de facto requirement …