I have just answered. We are not having another debate this week. We had one last week. We have lots on the agenda this week. If the Deputies want to schedule it for the Business Committee, they should go for it.
On prevailing side: this member voted with the winning side in 697 of 704 decisive votes (2 abstentions excluded). Read it as a government-or-opposition indicator rather than a measure of influence — the figure is near 100% for members supporting the government of the day and near 0% for those opposing it.
This is the point of the site: contributions keep the party held on the day, not the one held now.
| Party | Recorded as | Contributions | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| FG | Fine Gael | 6,069 | 2020-02-20 – 2026-10-01 |
Membership spells on record: FG 2011-02-25–2016-03-09 · FG 2016-03-10–2020-01-14 · FG 2020-02-08–2024-11-08 · FG 2024-11-29–present
I have just answered. We are not having another debate this week. We had one last week. We have lots on the agenda this week. If the Deputies want to schedule it for the Business Committee, they should go for it.
I have never known anybody to be as enthusiastic about wanting something to come back into the House to vote on, which he is so vehemently opposed to. I have never known somebody so eager to have the Government table something for adoption which he wishes to reject.
That will come back in due course at a time of our choosing.
I have never heard the former Chief Justice Frank Clarke described as "window-dressing" before. He is carrying out a major report on UHL. The fact the Government has appointed a former Chief Justice, the top former judge in the country, to look into the situation outlines the seriousness we attach to a number of concerning incidents which have happened in the hospital. We have seen record levels of investment and staff and have now asked HIQA to carry out a review, including - to address the Deputy's point about th…
I thank Deputy Smith. I look forward to a full debate on the report of the Housing Commission. I appreciate the practical point the Deputy makes about things that could be done quickly. As he says, social housing support income levels and income levels for other schemes have been increased. We need to be alert to any kind of poverty traps where people trying to work find themselves falling outside the scheme. I will ask the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide the Deputy with an update on …
As the Deputy knows, we have taken two measures already, namely, the higher stamp duty rate and the planning changes brought in by the Ministers, Deputies McGrath and O'Brien, respectively. We are continuing to keep this under review. That is what we voted on in January. I said we would continue to examine it. My party also put it in our manifesto yesterday for the local elections. Generally, these matters are addressed at budget time.
I have no knowledge in relation to that but we are acting as a Government. We are taking practical actions on a constant basis to support humanitarian aid, to try to bring about a ceasefire and peace, to recognise the State of Palestine, to work at a European level in relation to the association agreement and to recognise that the best way for peace for Israel and Palestine is a two-state solution.
I thank Deputy Berry for raising this issue. I will raise the matter with the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, and ask him to revert directly to the Deputy.
I thank Deputy Pringle for raising the issue. I am sorry I do not have information to hand on it but I will ask the Minister to answer the Deputy's question directly.
It is a very sensible suggestion from Deputy Cahill. I will convey it to the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, and ask him to revert to the Deputy. The next big thing on which we all need to unite and pull together is making sure we maintain the derogation. The first step in Ireland's national effort regarding that is the European elections on Friday week when we need to elect MEPs who understand the importance of it.
I thank Deputy Andrews for raising the issue regarding the Irish Glass Bottle site. This is an issue which the Minister, Deputy Ryan, has also raised. I will ask the Minister for housing to come back to the Deputy directly on the point he made around the affordable and social housing on the site.
I thank Deputy Stanton for raising the issue. I can hear the frustration in his voice on behalf of his constituents in east Cork. I will ask both Uisce Éireann and the Minister for housing to come back to the Deputy and me on this matter.
The Minister of State, Deputy Butler, tells me it was raised with her last week, I think, in the Seanad. It is an issue the Government will look at. I am conscious, regardless of where the responsibility lies, that it is a real frustration for people. In the run-up to the budget, let us see if we can address this. I will ask the Minister for Transport in the first instance for a review.
We intend to invest more in roads, the TII and local authorities including in Cavan and Monaghan.
I expect news very shortly.
I thank Deputy Costello for raising this matter. I believe this matter falls within the remit of the Minister of State, Deputy Calleary, in the Department. I will talk directly to the Minister of State and come back to the Deputy.
I know Deputy Madigan has had a long-standing interest in this issue and I thank her for raising it. I am eager that any outstanding issues in the programme for Government are advanced and progressed. I am sure the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, is working on this. I will get an update from her for the Deputy.
I will have to seek an update from the Minister for Health on the WHO pandemic treaty. I am not personally aware of any advice in that regard. On the EU migration pact, I am confident of the ability of the Government and the Houses of the Oireachtas to opt in and there will be no legal requirement for a referendum. We are certainly not proposing one but we are proposing plenty of time in this House for people to debate and tease through the provisions. We obviously also provided extra time to the justice committee,…
Hear, hear.
I first thank the Ceann Comhairle for his words of leadership in this matter, which I wholeheartedly endorse. Last Wednesday, with the Tánaiste and the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, I announced that Ireland, alongside our partners in Spain and Norway, was recognising the State of Palestine. Today, the Government gave formal effect to that decision, and now Ireland has formally recognised the State of Palestine. Colleagues in Madrid and Oslo have also taken the same step. This decision fulfils our commitment in the p…