These questions get more interesting the closer you get to the end of this Dáil. I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 to 10, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on the economy and investment was re-established by the Government on 10 April and most recently met on 1 July. The next meeting of the Cabinet committee has not yet been scheduled. The membership of the committee comprises the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Defence; the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integr…

Regarding Deputy Barry's point about bus services, the commitments given by the Minister for Transport yesterday were given in good faith after his engagement with Bus Éireann on these matters. I will continue to keep a close eye on this. I hope to be back in this House too. If we are, I am sure both of us will continue to monitor this issue and no doubt, Deputy Barry will continue to hold the Government to account on that matter. I know it is an important issue for people in Cork. I have heard this directly from p…

I propose to take Questions Nos. 11 to 15, inclusive, together. I welcomed the UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, to Farmleigh House on 7 September. His visit to Dublin followed our meeting in Chequers on 17 July, when we resolved to have a reset of the Irish-British relationship. At Farmleigh, we agreed to take forward strategic co-operation across four pillars, which we set out in the joint statement we issued after our meeting. Those pillars are security, justice and global issues; climate, energy, technology and …

While I remember it, I will start with the Deputy's point about the hub, which is a good idea. I am very eager to engage, and to have our counterparts here engage, with Ministers Murphy and Archibald on it. If that has not happened, I will ask that it does. It is a sensible suggestion that the Deputy has made. He also referenced the case of Sean Brown. I will say, on the record of the House, that my thoughts are with the family of Sean Brown, particularly his widow, Bridie, following the announcement that the Briti…

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue, an issue that I know is close to all our hearts and indeed all our priorities. I note the Sinn Féin Private Members' motion on the matter this week, which applies an appropriate degree of focus to this very important issue. We have taken a number of steps in recent weeks alone to try to make significant progress in the lives of children with a disability. We launched a new autism innovation strategy. We commenced the restoration of in-school therapy supports for …

That is true.

Please do.

I smiled supportively there because definitely Cara does not need the Deputy or me to speak for her.

She has been very clear and been able to speak to me directly, and I have appreciated those engagements, blunt and frank as they have been. She is an incredible young woman. What I would say directly to Jaden's mum Ciara - I would be very happy to engage with Deputy McDonald further on this - is that we have a pathway now to make significant progress on assessments of needs. It is not just me saying that. I genuinely believe it on the basis of an initiative we started in May. I saw the difference when we put severa…

I thank the Deputy for raising the most important situation at the moment in terms of the horrific humanitarian catastrophe, breach of international law and war crimes that are being committed. Tomorrow, I will attend a meeting of the European Union with the gulf states and on Thursday I will attend a meeting of the European Council where I will engage in detail with EU partners on the issue. Yesterday, I took the opportunity to speak by phone with the President of Israel, Isaac Herzog, to register my extraordinari…

Political leaders across Europe are well behind the people on this matter. The reality is that Europe should be doing more. Let me be clear about the United States. It is in no doubt at all about the position of the people and Government of Ireland about Gaza, Palestine and the need for a ceasefire and a two-state solution. I share the Deputy's view passionately and at every meeting I have attended since becoming Taoiseach, in public and private, I have consistently argued that the European Union should be doing mo…

If we could measure empathy and compassion in decibels, I would not win and Deputy Boyd Barrett would, but the reality is he does not have a monopoly on concern for the people of Palestine. He certainly does not have a monopoly on concern for our peacekeeping troops, something I am updated on several times a day. We are in constant contact with our peacekeepers and keeping them safe is the number one priority of this Government and the United Nations, and we work on that on a round-the-clock basis. I will make a po…

I am sorry, but I am answering the charge that the Deputy puts on a constant basis, shouting and roaring.

While the Deputy is shouting and roaring, we are acting and the President of Palestine knows it, the ambassador-----

Now the cacophony.

Go raibh míle agat.

I will answer the questions exactly, but I will answer them as I see fit.

I am not going to accept the charge that this Government is not taking action in relation to calling out breaches of international law, standing up for human rights, supporting the people of Palestine, recognising the State of Palestine and supporting our peacekeepers. Quite frankly, I find it stomach-churning to hear Deputy Boyd Barrett suggesting we do not do that because that is absolutely what we do. We are taking more actions. I made clear in reply to the constructive contribution from Deputy Bacik the steps t…

I spoke to the President of the United States for approximately 58 minutes and I know exactly what I spoke to him about.

The President of the United States knows exactly what Ireland's view is on this.