I would make the point that there are limitations on what it is legally possible to do to excise duty. This week, the Government took measures on excise duty, fuel allowance and the diesel rebate. Some members of the Opposition are asking me to reduce the non-carbon excise element of home heating oil, which does not exist. I cannot do that. There are also rules around the energy tax directive. There is a limit - I am just being honest - to how much we can do in relation to the excise duty on green diesel. However, …

I thank the Deputy for again raising this issue. I am conscious that, as he rightly said, he has been raising this issue since his first day in this House, and indeed even before that. I know it is an important issue to his constituents and communities across Dublin north. I assure him that real progress is now finally being made. Following the review of the national development plan, the Minister, Deputy Jim O'Callaghan, secured over €2 billion for a justice sectoral investment plan out to 2030. Some €911 million …

I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. I will talk directly to the Minister, Deputy Naughton, and the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Moynihan, about the issue. At a time when we are seeking to open more classes and there is a school, and indeed a new school building, willing to accommodate those classes, I would be supportive of that proceeding. I will talk to the Minister, Deputy Naughton, and the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Moynihan, and ask them to come back to the Deputy to see if we can make progre…

I thank the Deputy. I will ask the Minister to further engage with him and Deputy Ward. I know the Deputy previously raised the issues of the Gaelscoileanna and those autism classes in his community. We will try to make progress on that together. Déanaim comhghairdeas le Lucan girl guides on their success and the pride they brought to their community. The Deputy is right to highlight the hugely positive work that is carried out in communities across Ireland, including his own constituency of Dublin Mid-West, by gir…

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I join with him in praising our firemen and firewomen, firefighters across the country and all those involved in our fire services for the vital work they do. It is important we show our gratitude, not just in words but in investment in them and their facilities. I thank the Deputy for raising this. He has been a consistent advocate for Ballymahon fire station. I know how important this is to the community in south Longford for all the reasons he mentioned, including the m…

Any local TD will always have a view that their constituency should or should not receive additional things.

Hang on a second. The Deputy used very emotive language when he asked whether this is "a box-ticking exercise". Let me be very clear that as of yesterday, for the very first time in the history of this State we now have a DEIS plus programme. I do not usually do this, but I remember Aodhán Ó Ríordáin looking for this when he was in this House. He is now Labour Party MEP for Dublin. This is something that has been called for across this House for a long time.

The former education Minister, Deputy McEntee, worked on it, as did the current Minister, Deputy Naughton. This Government delivered it yesterday. There are 121 schools - 96 primary schools and 25 post-primary schools - that will get enhanced support. They are the most disadvantaged of the disadvantaged, factually. This is a start. It is an important start that will make a real difference in tackling educational disadvantage. There will be more than 400 additional roles, 350 extra teaching posts benefiting 700 scho…

-----but he should not be so populist.

Sinn Féin should not be opposing for the sake of opposing. This is a really positive development.

It is a really positive development.

Some 700 schools will benefit overall and 121 will get enhanced supports. It is not box-ticking; it is transformational.

The criteria are very clear.

Do not try to taint a programme that has so much scientific support behind it in terms of educational advantage.

I thank the Deputy for flagging this important issue. I will make some further inquiries on foot of her raising it with me. My initial sense and awareness of this issue is that the Department of Social Protection was extraordinarily proactive in promoting auto-enrolment, not just with private sector employers but also with the public service. There was a very long lead-in time for individual Departments and agencies to make their preparations and necessary resource allocations for this through the normal budgetary …

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. It has also been raised by my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Feighan, who represents Sligo. There are a specific set of circumstances in that a private owner of a facility has decided to sell. I do not mean to call it a facility; it is people's home. It would be worth inquiring whether there are any solutions that can be explored through local authorities or State agencies to assist there. I am not yet apprised of the full facts but it seems to be a particular se…

There are clear rules and laws that need to be followed. There is also the Residential Tenancies Board, RTB. We have seen some examples of where people tried to deviate from the law. That cannot be allowed either and was not allowed in the case that was highlighted in this House recently. The RTB has a very important role to play in this too.

I thank Deputy McCormack for raising this issue about his constituents and Blue Ball, the impact that is having on them and his concerns regarding the delay in terms of the restoration of the service and the understandable anxiety that is creating in the community as to whether the service will be reinstated. On foot of the Deputy raising it here today, I will ask the Minister, Deputy O'Donovan, who has ministerial responsibility for our postal services, to engage with An Post and come back to the Deputy directly.

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue again. I know it is one he is very keen to see progress on - as am I - and I assure him that work is under way to ensure this. We cannot be in favour of a savings and investment union at an EU level, which we passionately are, and not make sure our citizens are able to benefit from that here. There are so many people in this country who are trying to do the right thing and put away small amounts of money for themselves, their kids and a rainy day. I am talking about small a…

For families who are most in need, the protections remain in place and I want to say that. The protections are in place for any student with a full medical card, anybody covered under their parent's or guardian's card will continue to be fully exempt-----