Deputy Lahart is entirely correct. There are 21 commitments on childcare in the programme for Government, which is a sign of how seriously we are all taking this and what we are hearing from our constituencies. There is a need to look at how we move sequentially and together regarding all of this because fees are a big part of it. It is a second mortgage for many people so it is a really significant issue. It also involves places. Access to places is a challenge for everyone but it is a more pronounced challenge in…

I thank the Deputy for raising this and for his ongoing focus on infrastructure delivery in north Kildare following our discussion in the House last week. It is our collective priority to ensure every child in the State has access to a school place. I know the Department of Education and Youth, and the Minister, Deputy McEntee, are working hard on that. We remain determined to do that. Kildare is an interesting county in the sense that you can see enough school places in the county as whole. Of course, as the Deput…

I thank Deputy Donnelly for raising what is a serious issue for his constituents, based on what he has told me. From memory, I think there was some legislative work done on this in the previous Oireachtas. I need to refresh my memory. I will certainly ask the Minister for justice to seek the views of Garda management and respond to the Deputy directly.

I will not cut across the Minister, other than to say that we can differentiate, and should be able to do so, between governance failures and shortcomings in an agency or organisation and the vital work done by artists on the ground in the community supported through that agency. I know that is a view shared by the Minister. I will ask him to come back to the Deputy directly on this. The basic income scheme, which was meant to be a pilot, was rolled over and has now become a permanent scheme. The Deputy welcomed th…

It is an important issue. The idea of any child being othered in any school on the basis of their own wishes and choices, and those of their parents, on the education they access is not appropriate. I know the Minister, Deputy McEntee, would share that view. I will talk to the Minister about where her mind is at with regard to a circular. It certainly sounds sensible to have some degree of clarity and consistency and ensure what is meant to be in place is actually happening in the school community. I will ask the M…

I thank the Deputy. There is a lot of merit in what he has said. The Government has published in recent weeks a market diversification plan recognising, as the Deputy states, that while we do a lot of trade between the United States and Ireland, and the United States and Europe, and intend to continue that, we also have to make sure we look for other opportunities for Irish business in both directions. Those connection routes are really important. There has been an unprecedented number of Government Ministers in Ja…

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue with me and previously with the Minister for education, and not for the first time. I know this is something he has been following and working on intensively since his election to the Dáil to represent Tipperary South. I welcome that it looks like we are at a moment where it is about to move on to the next phase. What we then need to make sure is that there are no delays and that we progress this with a bit of momentum behind it. I know how important this is. The Minister, …

The Deputy is right to raise this, and I have heard it raised in the House over the last couple of weeks. I am pleased to be able to say that we now have significant funding for 2026 onwards. The Deputy’s question is a valid one, namely, whether there is anything that can be done between now and the start of 2026. My understanding is that the Department of housing keeps this under review and, as it gets closer to the end of the year, if there is an ability to provide additional funding to local authorities that can…

I sincerely apologise if the Deputy did not get a reply to that. I will check that.

Yes, I know, but you should have got a substantive response. My sincere apologies if that did not happen. I will ensure that it does now because there can be zero tolerance for this. “Zero tolerance” cannot just be a phrase. The Defence Forces cannot recuse themselves from zero tolerance. It has to apply to every part of Irish society, including the Defence Forces. I am open to meeting that individual. I just need to take advice on the appropriateness of it and what the current status of the case is. Certainly, let…

I thank the Deputy for bringing the matter to my attention. I will certainly ensure that contact is immediately made with the Minister for children about the Happily Ever After childcare service. Perhaps there is also a role for the county childcare committee in relation to this. I will ask the Minister, Deputy Foley, to look into the issue and to revert directly to the Deputy’s office.

The House gathers today less than a year since the last general election, as the Taoiseach reminds us, and just over 250 days since the Government was formed. The Thirty-fourth Dáil sits at a time of global uncertainty and geopolitical turbulence. It was in this context that the people made their choice at the last election and the resultant Dáil has very serious business to do on their behalf. We have just seen the first of five budgets which will seek to create the conditions for our country to maintain a strong …

You did say it.

A different campaign.

There was a press conference.

€100 million in aid.

I support them every day.

Before I answer that question, I too want to take an opportunity to welcome the developments in relation to the Middle East overnight. I welcome the announcement that Israel and Hamas have now agreed on the first phase of a ceasefire and a peace deal for Gaza. We are now at a critical moment where we all hope and pray that we can see an end to this brutal, horrific humanitarian catastrophe, an end to the bloodshed, the killing and the famine. I also hope all the hostages are released. It is a day of hope for the pe…

They said, "No, thank you very much." They also heard what we said and what Deputy Paschal Donohoe said during the general election as well, when we said, "Yes, we want to do measures on income tax", but we put in black and white in the programme for Government that if it was a choice between doing certain things or doing income tax we would choose the other things because we have to keep this country safe. The Deputy only asked me about tariffs once at Leaders' Questions. He never wants to discuss the economy or t…

Try to be serious.