There is a bigger issue here and Deputy Mac Lochlainn alluded to it. I raised it last week at the Business Committee, and it relates to what becomes Dáil business and what becomes Private Members' business. The reality is that if I or my group wanted to put this motion forward, it would be way after Christmas before it would be heard, going by what the Ceann Comhairle said about how the Dáil takes these proceedings. I do not think that would be fair either, that it would be on the Order Paper for that length of tim…

The pandemic has shown us the fiscal choices that need to be made in the balancing of public health with the public purse. It has been such a difficult year for so many and many small businesses are afraid that losing their Christmas trade could force them to close their doors permanently, but could opening business cause a loss of life? These are not easy decisions, but I would put health before profits while ensuring that sufficient Government fiscal supports were available to those businesses remaining closed an…

I was going to say, "Unfortunately, I could not make the meeting today", but maybe it was fortunate because it sounds like it was a load of bunkum anyway. It justifies me in my decision to not attend the Business Committee. I had another meeting already arranged and that is why I did not make it today. It is clear that the Government, in its gyrations to make sure the Minister is not accountable to the Dáil, is hiding something. What it is doing is pointing even more to the fact that it is hiding something by the w…

I join the calls to the effect that the Minister has to be accountable to the House because, ultimately, it is where the Government is supposed to be accountable. It is very interesting and telling the difference that moving across to the other side of the House has made in this case. If the Taoiseach was on this side, he would be calling for the Minister to come to the House but because he is over there he is blocking it. That is the reality of the situation.

I support the call from the other Members. It is obvious that it has to happen. If the Taoiseach were on this side of the House, he would be doing the exact same. If Deputy Leo Varadkar was the Taoiseach he would be saying "No, no" but Deputy Martin would be saying "Yes, yes". It is going to happen so the Taoiseach should just make it so.

"Power and the money, money and the power, minute after minute, hour after hour" - Coolio might have been rapping about a "Gangsta's Paradise" back in 1995 but he could just as easily have been referring to politics around the world, including Irish politics and lobbying. Power and money tend to go hand in hand. We used to see it in the Galway races tent, and we still see it at fancy Covid restriction-breaking golf dinners and in the golden circle, the inner sanctum, and the revolving door of politicians, lobbyists…

As the Minister of State, Deputy Malcolm Noonan, knows, this last week has seen a devastating bog slide at Meenbog, near Ballybofey. Thousands of tonnes of peat have slid down into the river on the mountain. This peat will make its way to the Derg river. It has probably killed thousands of salmon at this stage, ultimately compromising the Mourne and the Foyle river systems. This is the culmination of a long planning history at this site where the development has been pushed on against the wishes of the community. T…

I thank the Minister of State for his response. Unfortunately, it was the response we expected. Interestingly, he outlined a long list of agencies and acronyms that are getting involved now. Where were they during the planning stage? I would be interested in knowing that. I would also be interested in knowing what communications Donegal County Council had with the developer prior to what happened. There is a simple thing that we can do. He who pays the piper calls the tune. The developer got all of the surveys done…

I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the debate on the important Bill before us today, the Labour Party's Working from Home (Covid-19) Bill 2020. I am glad that the Government has accepted the Bill, but I am concerned that its intentions for it might be slightly different from those of the Opposition. Firstly, having the Bill will probably create a more positive working environment for everyone here. The ushers, service officers, people working in the questions office, parliamentary reporters, cleaner…

Last week saw a catastrophic landslide on a wind farm construction site at Meenbog in County Donegal. There is quite a lot of video footage showing the extent of the environmental disaster and its impact on a sensitive location. It makes for stark viewing. The potential for a disaster such as this was well flagged by campaigners due to the inadequacy of the governance of the industry. A review was started by the Fine Gael-Labour Government in 2013 but it still has not concluded. Will the Government commit to a comp…

I agree with comments made by Deputy Alan Kelly earlier. The Taoiseach should have had the decency to come back to the leaders after meeting with us last Friday to discuss the issue. It is interesting that the intervention today puts it back over to the House, which is probably where it should be. Will the Ceann Comhairle clarify what is actually going to be done with regard to the House discussing this issue and bringing the matter forward? It needs to be debated and we need a clear outline on how we go forward wi…

I concur with the statements regarding today's business. I also ask the Ceann Comhairle what the House is going to do about the issue of Mr. Justice Seamus Woulfe?

When was he-----

I thank Deputy Michael McNamara for bringing forward this motion on State aviation policy as it affects regional development and regional airports. I was very happy to co-sign the motion and to have the opportunity to make some pertinent points about regional airports around the country. I particularly note the call on the Government "to revise Fáilte Ireland's objective to include attracting tourists to fly directly into the State’s regional airports", as this is vital. We may not have a functioning railway system…

Here we go on the Brexit omnibus again. With the Covid-19 pandemic, the constant leaks and political controversies, one would be forgiven for forgetting about the next looming Brexit deadline. It feels as if we have been preparing for Brexit for years, because we have, and the tension is building before the end of the transition period on 31 December 2020. We had the campaign period before the vote in the UK in June 2016. We have had the withdrawal agreement process, the protocol on Ireland and the North and the tr…

On the motion that has been put forward, it has been put across that the Opposition is wasting time but that is not the case. The Government could have ordered this business for tomorrow when we will be in the convention centre in any event. Therefore, there would be no need to decamp from this House across the river, for everybody to have to rush to get there and to have the threat of staff having to work late. It is only an excuse for the Government to make it look as if we are causing it problems. It could have …

I would have supported the motion of no confidence if it had been put forward today. This means that I will definitely vote against the Government's motion of confidence. How can one have confidence in somebody who leaks official documents, thereby undermining best practice in standards in public office? The predictable row at 2 p.m. over the Order of Business and the move to the convention centre should also have been avoided. As I said in the Dáil Chamber, there was no reason the Government could not have put for…

As we read in a message quoted in that infamous Village magazine article, a WhatsApp message dated 6 November 2019 said: “Leo literally couldn’t give a f--- about the refugees. It’s Flanagan’s baby. There would be a huge amount of work required to get it over the line.” November 2019 was the 20th birthday of Flanagan’s baby and there have been many reports about the need to change the system for applicants for international protection here and calls to end direct provision. In December 2019, the interdepartmental g…

I urge the Taoiseach to look up the excellent work of Catherine Griffin. She helped to set up the social enterprise Recruit Refugees Ireland. In addition, she designs and sells "End Direct Provision" T-shirts for Movement of Asylum Seekers Ireland, MASI, and she is running a fundraiser to provide laptops for residents in direct provision. There are many volunteers, advocates and civil society groups trying to make a difference to the lives of asylum seekers. For example, Fingal Communities Against Racism recently h…

What about the report of the interdepartmental group?