Most of it is in Dublin.

I know that is what the Minister believes but what I am trying to do is give him the experience of-----

Excuse me.

I am sure the Minister will be aware of the higher prices being charged in the tourism and hospitality sectors over recent years. The increasing costs of operating a business in the industry ultimately mean that the customer has to pay more for goods and services. At the moment the Government is playing a three-card trick on businesses. On the one hand, it is providing grants to businesses to help them offset the rising costs but, on the other, it is responsible for raising those costs in the first place. Every tra…

I know it is part of the consideration. The Minister just accused Deputy Doherty of being a Eurosceptic. Maybe he is one himself, given that the VAT rate for hospitality is lower in other European countries and most major European cities. It is only 7% in France and Germany. In destinations such as Portugal it is 6% and Greece it is 6.5%. Spain and Italy are at 10% and yet we persist with 13.5%. I received an email from a concerned business owner who is a very reputable operator in the hospitality sector in Rosslar…

With due respect, clearly everything I outlined in my first contribution highlighted that those business supports are only able to counteract the rising costs. They are not actually assisting businesses, which are going bust, for the want of a better expression, simply because we do not have people with high-end jobs and residual income to be able to go out and spend on a night out due to the Government's increase in the VAT rate. It is anti-competitive. We are seeing lower rates all over Europe. Regardless of the …

I welcome this debate. I concur with colleagues' comments on the amount of work the Minister has done to bring this issue to the fore and try to improve what we do, as a society and as legislators, to address it. Often, society does not even recognise the problem for what it is. Domestic violence, unless it is actually on people's doorstep, is often seen as just as a domestic incident by neighbours and others. That is unfortunate. We need much wider recognition within society of what is happening. I recently visite…

Domestic violence and child abuse concerns that were recently raised in a Department of Justice report found that assessors do not have adequate training or accreditation to properly assess family violence. I am dealing with a case where a family were told last year by Tusla that they should not allow recommended access to go ahead. One parent was told by Tusla that it should not go ahead, and at this stage, a year later, Tusla is accusing that same parent of parental alienation. This report says it all. The assess…

A magnificent new building in Maudlintown, County Wexford, is soon to be the new home of a women’s refuge. If I could get a response to my question in writing, I would be happy. Is there a guarantee that funding will be available to provide safe and accessible services to women and children who are victims and survivors of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence? Will there be funding to ensure the operational costs are fully covered and that the refuge is sustainable? The refuge service should not have to go ou…

I thank the Minister of State for appearing. Last week, I withdrew my Topical Issue because he could not be here. I am pleased to see him here. The National Association of Regional Game Councils, NARGC, is the organisation on whose behalf I am interested in asking this question. It has 26,000 members nationwide. Last August, the Minister of State announced plans to amend the open season order to remove four species of duck, namely, scaup, pochard, golden eye and pintail duck. Comments in recent days from both the M…

I thank the Minister of State for the clarity. Unfortunately, the misinformation came from him. It was he who said that there had been the first meeting of stakeholder engagement. I am glad he has corrected the record. However, it is fundamental to the success of any policy that all stakeholders are included and that the Minister of State does not pick and choose to decide on the agenda, particularly an agenda that may not suit. To be fair to the NARGC, I have attended many of its functions where thousands of euro …

At the outset, I join colleagues in passing on my condolences to the family of Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh. He was born in Dingle in 1930. He was a man who was regarded as a hero of the country. I have family abroad who believe his voice is synonymous with home and all that is good about Ireland. I wish to pay my deepest respects on behalf of the people of Wexford, whom I represent, to his wife, Helena, and his family. Without a shadow of a doubt, he will be fondly remembered. He was often copied but never equalled. A…

I suggest respectfully that if the Taoiseach needs examples, he should undertake a review of the RTB. Believe you me, I could extend a level of examples. This is not the first time I have mentioned on the floor of the House that the RTB is no longer fit for purpose. It is the umpteenth time. Why are we running the country through the media? Why is Natasha O'Brien here today to give us an example of how the system does not work? Why do we wait for "Prime Time" to bring to the fore things that the Government consiste…

Last year, a pilot programme was undertaken to study extending the free travel pass scheme to those holders who use the Ballyhack-Passage East car ferry. The pilot study was undertaken over four weeks of the year. Someone from the Department of Social Welfare was there to conduct the study and it was felt it was very worthwhile. Mostly elderly people are using this rural passage of 10 km. It reduces the distance to be travelled by road to University Hospital Waterford by 80 km from the Wexford side. Unfortunately, …

It was the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, who was involved.

Yes.

In accordance with Standing Order 80(2), the division is postponed until the weekly division time next week.

We move to Sinn Féin. I call Deputy Doherty, who is sharing time with Deputy Ó Murchú.

As there are no more Deputies in the Chamber, we go back to the Minister of State to wrap up. He has 15 to 30 minutes to do so.

I am asking about the number of employment permits that have been applied for to date in 2024 and the number that have been granted.