I welcome this rare moment of unity. It is really good. We all have different political traditions that we can debate and that is fine, but Deputy Conway-Walsh would like to see a united Ireland in her lifetime and I would like to see a united Ireland in my lifetime. I agree that the shared island unit is doing good work - really good work. I notice that across the community, as I am sure Deputy Conway-Walsh does. Regarding Deputy Michael Murphy's question and the constructive contributions of Deputies Doherty, Con…

We clearly need to have a longer debate in this House and the Whips and others should work out a way to faciliate this discussion. We should not fear it because, as Deputy Michael Murphy said, it is about information, facts, getting as much information as possible and identifying where there are information gaps. My Department published "Shared Island, Shared Economy" in 2024, which examined the macroeconomic performance, broad sectoral structures, fiscal structures and linkages between the two economies. It found …

The Presidency is taking place in a few short months’ time, as the Deputy said, so I thank him for highlighting this. The Presidency of the Council of the EU is a critical focus for all of us in government, the Oireachtas and my Department this year. It represents an important opportunity for our country to shape European policy priorities, including the EU’s economic and financial agenda. I am pleased to say that our preparations are well under way across both policy and operations. Our Presidency priorities are b…

It is a key question, and one the Government has been considering. We took a decision earlier this year, during my time as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, to outline Ireland's MFF budgetary priorities much earlier in the cycle for that very reason. The Deputy is right. When you take up the Presidency, there is an advantage to that, of course, and it is an influential and important position to have, but you are also expected to act as honest broker. Ireland took a decision, and the Government agreed, to form…

I think it is doable but it is extremely ambitious. For the Council of the European Union to reach an agreement at a relatively early stage, in other words, by the end of this year, provides a degree of certainty in a world that is craving certainty. There is a real premium on trying to reach agreement because there is so much uncertainty in the world right now. It is not inevitable that that will happen. The Deputy is right that the process is tedious in its various parts. It ultimately becomes a matter for the Pr…

As the Deputy knows, the Government is committed to balanced regional development and supporting rural communities, as outlined in the programme for Government. Regarding fiscal supports, a range of tax-based enterprise supports are available to businesses and enterprises across the country, in particular SMEs. These incentives complement more regionally specific direct expenditure measures and schemes overseen by the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment and its agencies. At a taxation level, the measur…

Personally, I am very positively disposed to that once it is a matter for the local authority. As the Deputy rightly said, I am a big believer in empowering local democracy. If you run in your community and get elected by your community, you should have real powers. A revenue-raising power is one. If you happen to be a member of Galway or Dublin City Councils - they are two examples - and you say, "Hang on a second, we want to bring in a small tax on a hotel room or the like", that should be considered and people s…

I am very much up to the idea. Generally, people come to this House and come up with ideas on how to spend money. It is refreshing to have people come into this House and come up with ideas on how to generate money. A tourism tax or levy at the very least merits consideration. I say "tax or levy" because they are obviously very different. A levy is something that may not necessarily involve my Department or the Revenue Commissioners; a tax would. There is a whole series of issues that needs to be worked through. Th…

I join with the Deputy in extending sympathies to the family, friends and community of Moya Brennan. She was a musical icon, a unique voice of extraordinary talent and somebody who played no small part in bringing Irish music to an international audience. May she rest in peace. I thank the Deputy for the question. This has been a very challenging period of time for the people of this country. The pressures that people are feeling are real. We are working constructively to endeavour, as best we can, to assist people…

It matters.

No, it is quite the opposite, in fact. People are living through very tough and very challenging times but Deputy Doherty has got to be honest with that person who wrote to him as well. The Deputy can talk about waving graphs, but facts matter. I had Sinn Féin's measures assessed by officials in my Department, and they came back and said it was not doable.

Hang on a second. May I speak, please? Thank you. Revenue does not hold records of individual end users when it comes to home heating oil. If we did what Sinn Féin proposes, and I am accepting-----

You are.

With regard to a proposed amendment for solid fuel carbon tax, the Sinn Féin amendment proposed reverting to 2023 rates and backdating the reversal to 1 May 2023.

I am going to write to the Deputy and explain to him the practical challenges with the Sinn Féin's measures. There are practical challenges.

Can I say something else? The Deputy had his time and I think the people deserve better than shouting and roaring. We cannot get through this global economic crisis if every week we come into this House-----

-----and the proposal is to abolish taxes and spend more. That is not a sustainable way through this. Abolishing taxes and spending more would not steer us-----

What I say to that person is we have her back. We put in one of the largest packages in the European Union.

We have reduced excise. They are benefiting from that at that pump. We have extended the fuel allowance and we will work through this together-----

-----while Sinn Féin refuses to condemn intimidation against gardaí this week. It refused to stand by-----