I wish to ask the Taoiseach about two European Council framework decisions of 2008 that were meant to be transposed into Irish law by 2012 at the latest. It is now 2020. When will the Criminal Justice (Mutual Recognition of Decisions on Supervision Measures) Bill 2019 be restored to the Order Paper? It was passed in the Seanad and then came to this House. When will it be restored to the Order Paper in order that it can be put through the House? When will the criminal justice Bill on the mutual recognition of custod…

In a reply earlier, the Tánaiste referred to getting businesses going again. Some businesses by their very nature, however, will not be able to get going until next year. The events business is one of those businesses that involves crowds by definition, in many cases at big outdoor events but also big indoor events. I refer to everything from weddings right to music events in Croke Park, St. Patrick's Day parades, etc.. What are we going to do to sustain during this period businesses, such as events businesses, whe…

Ar an gcéad dul síos, creidim go bhfuil sé thar a bheith tábhachtach go dtabharfaí tacaíocht do na healaíona agus go leanfar leis seo. Phléigh muid cheana, sa Dáil agus sa choiste um Covid, cé chomh tábhachtach is atá sé go dtabharfaí tacaíocht dóibh siúd a chuireann imeachtaí móra poiblí ar fáil. Beidh siad ag teastáil arís nuair a shocraíonn rudaí síos agus ba thragóid é dá ligfí leis na healaíona i lár na géarchéime seo. Tá ceisteanna sonracha gur mhaith liom a chur faoin nGaeilge, faoin nGaeltacht agus faoi na …

It was announced in the budget that the income limits for medical card eligibility for people over 70 would be increased to €550 from €500 for single people and to €1,050 from €900 for couples. Will the Tánaiste tell me when legislative effect will be given to this decision? It was meant to be introduced in July and we are already in July.

Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil leis an Aire Stáit as teacht isteach agus éisteacht liom tráthnóna. At the onset of the Covid-19 crisis, the Government took immediate action and for that I give credit. Very early on, the issue of seasonal workers came to the fore, particularly in those areas of the country and the sectors of the economy that are traditionally seasonal in nature. We can look in particular at hospitality and tourism, where in many parts of the country the season runs from St. Patrick's Day or even…

I thank the Minister of State for his reply. The restart grant is being paid very promptly, and that I welcome, but it was obviously devised with manufacturing type businesses in mind. Whatever happened, the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport did not make its case very well because rates are a major part of the overheads of any business in hospitality - hotels, restaurants and so on. The one thing we are absolutely certain about is that for as long as there is social distancing, these businesses, even thoug…

I am going to focus on the on-the-ground issues affecting the ordinary local sports club, irrespective of the sport. First, what discussions have taken place on insurance rebates in respect of public liability insurance pertaining to accidents of players who play every year as club members and so on? There should be a rebate from the insurance companies. The Department should insist on it. Second, we need to move forward fast regarding juvenile sports. The summer is here and the children will all be off school. The…

I wish this was a real question and answer session where we had an opportunity to tease things out. I will raise a number of issues. Obviously, we must reduce our carbon footprint and we need to get on with the job. In doing so we must involve communities. There are two specific issues. One is on community gain. Who will get to spend the money? Will companies get to spend the money they will be statutorily obliged to spend, or will they be told to hand that money over to some entity such as a Leader company or a lo…

I will try to get in as much as I can in the two minutes and seven seconds remaining. Last Friday, the Government made a big announcement about opening up. It was bringing things forward. Amazingly, there was no mention of travel to the islands. Singularly, it is still scheduled for 8 August. Families have members living on the mainland who want to go home but who do not have permission to do so. Will the Minister tell us when the islands will be open to people to go back to their families, to those who own holiday…

I am sorry that I was delayed. I was not expecting this session to start so early. On the maternity leave, there are two issues. If a person does not go back to work but is available for work, does he or she get the Covid payment? The second is the possibility of extended maternity leave being introduced. I understand that would take legislation. The Minister might tell me if it would not. The argument in favour of it is that when one has a new baby, there is no childcare available at present and in a lot of cases …

A Cheann Comhairle-----

One of the tragedies of what is happening in the Dáil is that accountability in this House has gone to nothing. Dáil weeks are very short as they are and it is an awful pity when an earlier session ended that we could not have had the extra time and split it up.

We accept that. If one is in a party, for example, with 37 Teachtaí Dála, and there is a party with six that has the same time, it is obvious that the pressure on the bigger party will be greater because there will be more offering.

I think these issues need to be addressed.

There are a lot more-----

If it is taken proportionately, it is a lot less.

One of the primary responsibilities of the Minister is to that great part of our heritage, the Irish language. I was surprised that she did not address issues relating to the language.

I am not on the Covid-19 committee and I want an answer in the plenary session of the Dáil. Tá sé de cheart agam é sin a fháil. Táim ag caint i mBéarla inniu mar níl aon chóras aistriúcháin ar fáil inniu. Therefore, I will address myself to the matter because the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Madigan, has responsibility for the Gaeltacht.

The Minister has responsibility for the Gaeltacht. There are 15 Ministers in the Cabinet under the Constitution and she has ministerial responsibility for the Gaeltacht. As I stated, the Irish language is a particularly important part of our heritage. It is one of the oldest written languages in Europe and it is still a vernacular. Of course, the Gaeltacht is the place that is a living well from which the language keeps springing anew. Since 1904, Gaeltacht courses have been held every year and they have created a …

I am thorough about my work and I made an inquiry to my Whip as to whether there was a definition of heritage for the purposes of the debate. I was told there was not and it would concern all heritage matters. Mura oidhreacht í an Ghaeilge, tá an-iontas orm déanta na fírinne.