If I may, as Acting Chair, intervene at this point in time. There is a long-standing convention in the House as I understand it. This agenda item is statements on the European Council meeting of October 20 and 21 pursuant to Standing Order 124. I ask all Members present to confine their remarks to this particular topic. It does not help the House if Members are barracking each other. It serves no purpose whatsoever. If we could have more light than heat in the debate, it would be helpful for everybody.

I welcome the Georgian ambassador, Mr. George Zurabashvili, to our proceedings. I extend the hand of friendship to him.

The Taoiseach might address the Deputy's question.

I always read the Minister's speech at this point in these proceedings because I believe it is important. In most cases, one comes in here with a pre-prepared speech but it is important to parse the words of the Minister and to seek to interpret them. His speech states: Government is acutely aware that while public servants had FEMPI reversed and are due to receive further pay rises under the extension to the current Public Service Agreement, Building Momentum, those working in Community and Voluntary organisations…

We welcome the Bill and the clear language from the Minister in respect of the domestic violence provisions. He states unequivocally that: A requirement for evidential proof that a person has been victimised could serve to undermine the operation of the legislation. Consequently, for the initial two-year period of the operation of the leave, there will be no requirement for a person to present evidence in order to avail of the leave. In the Minister's response, he may tell us why a period of two years was chosen. I…

Hear, hear.

Hear, hear.

I support the motion. Like my colleagues, I will raise the issue of the promised independent review of testimony. We have Elaine Loughlin and Conall Ó Fátharta of the Irish Examiner to thank for the report in that newspaper dated 29 August in which it was said that "A promised independent review of testimony given by mother and baby home survivors has now been abandoned by the Government." I understand that the Minister is speaking directly to a motion in respect of the creation of the office of director of authori…

That is not true.

I note that the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, is giving the reply which will have been given to her. I do not expect the Minister of State necessarily to be in charge of this particular issue. I wanted to raise the issue of the Brexit adjustment reserve, BAR, fund, as it relates to the fishing industry. I anticipate that the Minister of State will tell me they are working on it and that it is open to the SME sector. This fund was set up to ensure that money flows into the fishing industry to meet the effects of…

I thank the Minister of State. When the scheme was being set up, there was an interaction with the task force and discussions on this issue. My understanding is that the recommendations of the seafood task force were to support all sectors of the industry equally because no sector of the Irish fishing industry escaped the negative impacts of the Brexit deal. Enterprise Ireland intervened at the task force to outline where flexibility existed and how state aid would permit supports to the non-SME sector, similar to …

The Minister of State has time for a reply.

Before the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, leaves, I wish to acknowledge that both she and the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, to be fair to them, have gone out and met the people involved and tackled these issues head on and they are not sitting behind their desks in their Departments. On that basis, before she leaves, I want to acknowledge the work she is doing. I also raise the issue of the St. Francis welfare home in Fermoy, which was redesignated during the pandemic as a transitional care facility. My un…

Your party will be boss soon enough.

I thank Deputy Nash for sharing his time. I wish to refer to flood alleviation works and the challenges people face when they seek to purchase insurance in areas where Office of Public Works, OPW, flood mitigation projects have already been completed. I specifically refer to the Munster Blackwater in towns like Fermoy and Mallow, as well as places in Cork city where we do not yet have full OPW schemes under way, where there is a massive difficulty on the part of businesses and residents to acquire insurance. When t…

There is a certain conflict going on in my mind in respect of this Bill because while one is minded to support it, the fact is that so much appears to be left out or has not come under greater scrutiny prior to its publication and promulgation here within the House. Members feel they are being rushed into supporting legislation they believe may not adequately address the entirety of the issues, as articulated by previous speakers. We feel as if we are being rushed into a process. While recognising the importance of…

I thank the Minister of State and am grateful for her intercession in that regard. I am genuinely delighted that she has undertaken to do that. She knows the group - its members are reasonable and decent people. If they could just get some qualitative engagement with the process, it would be a first step. Although I have a few minutes left, I do not want to tarry for too long except to say that the members of Justice for Wards of Court feel that they have been jettisoned by the process and do not feel a part of it.…

I anticipate that the Minister will reject the amendment, but I do not understand why. When the Minister was in opposition, he and I served on the joint committee arising from the Citizens' Assembly in respect of climate action. The Minister was very strong in his rhetoric on the whole issue of just transition. If I recall correctly, the Green Party produced a Bill on the principle of the just transition. We are all broadly in agreement and we need to insert the principles in legislation. The amendment before us is…

Forgive me if I misunderstood the Minister. I would have thought that this is the most appropriate place in which to promulgate ideas such as our proposed amendment. All too often we do not give ourselves enough credit for discussing deeply issues such as this. Many of us, including the Minister, have sought to embed this in legislation. We now have a golden opportunity in this legislation to do that. While I accept it is important to coalesce with those who are outside this House, it is also important to take the …

I welcome the bona fides of the Minister in bringing forward these amendments as a genuine attempt to deal with the issues therein. On the issue of persons who are seeking to reduce their waste, especially people who have particular needs, for instance, with incontinence, in 2017 there was a Government decision on the need to introduce a waste waiver in that regard. We have not seen this yet. It was the subject of an amendment here. If we are serious about ensuring we include everybody, I believe it would be approp…