Just to clarify, is the Minister of State stating here, in the Chamber, that the process of flipping a MAC cannot happen under this legislation?

That is on the record.

Deputy Boyd Barrett made the point about the concerns that people have. We are especially concerned about amendment No. 51. It is why Deputies Ó Broin, Boyd Barrett and others are looking to delete lines 15 to 39 on page 118, and to delete lines 1 to 19 on page 119. We believe these lines should be deleted. What are the Minister's thoughts?

To follow on from Deputy Boyd Barrett, costs should not be a barrier to groups looking for protections for the marine environment and the marine area. At the end of the day, for people who have genuine concerns about the environment, especially the marine, costs are restricting their ability to look for justice, to look for what is right and to look for protection. Some groups could have genuine concerns. We are not talking about serial objectors or people like that; we are talking about people who have genuine con…

It is vital when discussing the pay bill for the staff of the Oireachtas that we give recognition to the secretarial assistants working in our offices who have been fighting for fair pay since 2017. I will take a minute to talk about my secretarial assistant, Mr. Ken Weldon, who works in my office. Ken manages my office and organises my clinic. He deals with patience, kindness and empathy with every person who calls to, emails or telephones the office. He is the front line of my office and the first point of contac…

I have met the local employment services staff in Cork. They have been under Cork City Partnership for over 25 years. Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Green Party councillors in Cork have come out in support of them. The Taoiseach made clear his support for them in the past. The local employment services provide valuable services for those seeking employment, including vulnerable groups, those returning to the workforce after long periods, carers and lone parents. Why, therefore, is the Government still pushing the priva…

What support is the Department providing to local authorities for the collection of derelict site levies in view of the fact that less than 3% of possible levies was collected in 2020?

There was potential to collect €12.5 million in levies last year but instead, only €378,763 was collected. That figure was released to me in a reply to a parliamentary question. It is disappointing. In fact, it is a scandal and it is happening under this Minister's watch. All across this State, potential homes are being left to rot every day. That is clearly a Government problem. Not one single local authority has collected the full levy, with the majority collecting nothing at all. This is not a case of local auth…

I am not sure if the Minister of State understands the question. He started talking about the vacant homes officer but I am talking about derelict sites, which is a different matter. Thousands of derelict sites and buildings around the State are being left to rot. COP26 is going on at the moment and the most sustainable way of reducing our carbon footprint is to repair and retrofit houses that already exist. It is a win for everyone. It is a win for local authorities because housing stock can be turned around more …

That is the agency-----

The Government is once again bringing through EU legislation that will have no impact on ordinary people. We were quick to utilise the EU when it looked like the Government's pals in the banking industry were in trouble, to borrow money to save them, but for ordinary people trapped in the housing crisis, the Government refuses to listen to leading experts who say we should use the EU and the advantages that it brings to borrow money to fund housebuilding. In response to a parliamentary question that I tabled about …

As the Minister knows, Science Week is a very positive event with which we would encourage everyone to get involved. I am grateful to have the chance to speak on it today because I realise how important it is to be included in the debate. As we all know, it gives everyone access and a chance to understand science in their everyday lives. It has never been more important than this year. We encourage people, young and old, to take an interest in science and how it shapes their daily lives. In my own constituency, we …

Last week in Cork we saw the announcement of BusConnects. Unfortunately, huge areas of Cork that will miss out on any public transport or proper public transport. Rural areas that have come into the city boundary are particularly affected. The Government talks about the importance of reducing the effects of climate change, of saving the environment, and about preventing global warming. Yet, the things that make the most sense, that will not destroy people’s lives, are just not being done. Areas such as Carrignavar,…

As my colleagues said, we will support this Bill because it is long past time that mink farming is outlawed. It is a cruel and unnecessary practice so we will support the Bill. I will also raise a serious issue in respect of animal welfare in Cork city. Just last week, a horse was found dead on a road in the city. The day before the horse was found, a number of people contacted different organisations concerned about its treatment and the neglect and abuse it had received. It should have been rescued, but was inste…

It gave me an opportunity to raise the matter.

Slightly.

As the Minister has already heard, last Thursday evening, Sport Ireland issued new guidelines stating young people and their coaches who are not vaccinated cannot participate in indoor sporting matches without vaccination. I spoke to a number of families but will refer to one family in particular. Their 17-year-old son has been training both on his own and with his teammates over the last two years, although mostly on his own. He went to a match in the parochial hall in Gurranabraher in Cork last Saturday, only to …

Last night, while the Minister and his Government were in here voting against renters and for landlords, five young people in Cork were forcefully, illegally and violently evicted from their home. This was not just an illegal eviction. The father of one of the girls staying there was knocked to the ground and put in a stranglehold while trying to defend his daughter from being evicted illegally. The landlord wanted to evict these young people in order to put the property on Airbnb to make a quick buck. It has gone …

It is happening today. People are being evicted from their homes.

This is the weekend of the jazz festival in Cork. It is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, weekends of the year for restaurants, hotels, bars and nightclubs. When the businesses were told restrictions would be lifted on 22 October, just in time for the weekend, they were delighted. It presented a good opportunity and it really lifted people's spirits. On Tuesday, however, all this was brought into doubt. Now, at almost 5 p.m. on the Thursday before the jazz weekend, people still do not know what is happening. …