2025-06-24

I move: Tuesday's business shall be: - Motion to Instruct the Committee on the Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner’s Pension) Bill 2025 (without debate and any division claimed to be taken immediately) - Statements on Nursing Homes and Care for Older Persons (resumed) (not to exceed 1 hour and 32 minutes) Tuesday's private members' business shall be Motion re Presidential Voting Rights, selected by Sinn Féin. Wednesday's business shall be: - Motion re Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998* - Motion re Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009* * Two separate motions to be debated together and to conclude within 3 hours and 32 mins - Mental Health Bill 2024 (Committee Stage, resumed, section 198) (to be taken no earlier than 5 p.m. and if not previously concluded, to adjourn after 1 hour) - Finance (Local Property Tax and Other Provisions) (Amendment) Bill 2025 (Committee and remaining Stages) (if not previously concluded, to conclude either at 10.44 p.m. or after 4 hours, whichever is the later) - Motions for Revised and Second Further Revised Estimates for Public Services 2025 [Votes 7 to 12, 14, 15, 17 to 22, 24, 27, 28, 31, 37 to 39, 43 and 44] (back from Committee) (to be taken without debate, to be moved together and decided by one question and any division claimed to be taken immediately) Wednesday’s private members' business shall be the Motion re Legislative and Structural Reforms to Accelerate Housing Delivery, selected by the Independent Technical Group. Thursday's business shall be Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2025 (Second Stage) (if not previously concluded, to adjourn after 3 hours and 24 minutes). Thursday evening business shall be the Second Stage of the Transparency and Social Value in Public Procurement Bill 2024, sponsored by Deputy Mairéad Farrell. Proposed Arrangements for this week’s business: In relation to Tuesday’s business, it is proposed that: 1. the ordinary routine of business as contained in Schedule 3 to Standing Orders shall be modified to the extent that private members’ business may be taken earlier than 6.12 p.m. and shall in any event be taken on the conclusion of the resumed Statements on Nursing Homes and Care for Older Persons, with consequential effect on the commencement times for the items following in the ordinary routine of business, namely, oral Parliamentary Questions to the Minister for Transport, and topical issues, and on the time for the adjournment of the Dáil; 2. the proceedings on the Motion to Instruct the Committee on the Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner’s Pension) Bill 2025 shall be taken without debate and any division claimed thereon shall be taken immediately; and 3. the resumed Statements on Nursing Homes and Care for Older Persons shall not exceed 1 hour and 32 minutes and the order of speaking and allocation of time shall be as follows: (a) the speaking slots from the arrangements for the statements from Thursday, 12th June, 2025, shall be continued from the point at which they were adjourned; (b) following the statements, a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a statement in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes; and (c) members may share time. In relation to Wednesday’s business, it is proposed that: 1. the ordinary routine of business as set out in Schedule 3 to Standing Orders is modified to the following extent: (a) the time allotted for Government Business shall be extended in accordance with the arrangements for that business and the Dáil may sit later than 9.30 p.m.; (b) any motions to be taken without debate shall be taken on the conclusion of proceedings on the Finance (Local Property Tax and Other Provisions) (Amendment) Bill 2025; and (c) the weekly division time shall be taken on the conclusion of proceedings on any motions without debate, and the Dáil shall adjourn on the conclusion of the weekly division time; 2. the proceedings on the Motion re Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998 and the Motion re Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 3 hours and 32 minutes and the following arrangements shall apply thereto: (a) the two motions shall be debated together, with separate questions put on all proceedings thereon; (b) the order of speaking and allocation of time shall be in accordance with those contained in the table immediately below (to be read across, not down); (c) where speeches conclude before the 3 hours and 22 minutes have elapsed and no other member is offering, a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a speech in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes, whereupon proceedings shall be brought to a conclusion; and (d) members may share time; 3. the proceedings on the resumed Committee Stage of the Mental Health Bill 2024 shall be taken no earlier than 5 p.m. and shall, if not previously concluded, be interrupted and stand adjourned after 1 hour and shall not be resumed on Wednesday; 4. the proceedings on Committee and remaining Stages of the Finance (Local Property Tax and Other Provisions) (Amendment) Bill 2025 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion either at 10.44 p.m. or after 4 hours, whichever is the later, by one question, which shall be put from the Chair, and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for Finance; and 5. the following arrangements shall apply to the proceedings on the Motions for Revised and Second Further Revised Estimates for Public Services [Votes 7 to 12, 14, 15, 17 to 22, 24, 27, 28, 31, 37 to 39, 43 and 44]: (a) the motions shall be moved and decided together by one question which shall be put from the Chair; (b) the proceedings thereon shall be taken without debate; and (c) any division claimed thereon shall be taken immediately. In relation to Thursday’s business, it is proposed that: 1. the ordinary routine of business as contained in Schedule 3 to Standing Orders shall be modified to the following extent: (a) Questions to the Minister for Health pursuant to Standing Order 47(1) shall be taken as the first item of business followed by Questions to the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport; and (b) topical issues may be taken earlier than 7.24 p.m. and shall in any event be taken on the adjournment of proceedings on Second Stage of the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2025, or where those proceedings conclude within the allotted time, on the conclusion thereof, with consequential effect on the commencement time for Second Stage of the Transparency and Social Value in Public Procurement Bill 2024 and on the time for the adjournment of the Dáil; and 2. in relation to the proceedings on the Second Stage of the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2025, the following arrangements shall apply: (a) subject to subparagraph (ii), the proceedings shall, if not previously concluded, be interrupted and stand adjourned after 3 hours and 24 minutes and the order of speaking and allocation of time shall be as follows: (i) the arrangements for the first speaking round shall be in accordance with those contained in the table immediately below (to be read across, not down); (ii) where speeches conclude before the 3 hours and 24 minutes have elapsed and no other member is offering, a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a speech in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes; and (iii) members may share time; and (b) the proceedings shall not be resumed on Thursday.

Are the proposed arrangements for this week agreed to?

No. As the Taoiseach knows, the victims of defective blocks in the west were not given 100% redress by the Government; however, the Government agreed nine months ago to increase the cap, but not for all homeowners. The Taoiseach said he would sort it out nine months ago. Hundreds of families are tens of thousands of euro short. They are struggling to make the final payments to builders, and builders are chasing those payments. Will the Taoiseach finally bring in the amendments to the legislation and sort this problem out once and for all?

Since the latest meeting of the Business Committee, we have seen the new rules from the US on J1 and other visas. The Taoiseach has described them as excessive, but does he have any words of comfort for the thousands of young Irish people who have to give over five years' worth of social media usernames? This is having a chilling impact on our young people and other applicants for visas. What is the Government going to do about that?

We woke up this morning to news that, finally, a proposal was going to the Cabinet on the implementation of the recommendations of the Dublin city task force. I thought this was brilliant and that perhaps now, after four press conferences and about two years, we would get some detail. I listened but we got a rehash of the same announcements that had been made three times at this point and absolutely nothing else. The city is in decline and needs leadership. We thought this was what the announcement was going to be about but it just seemed to be a useful press release for the Government. I ask that statements be put on the agenda to discuss the implementation of the task force recommendations.

I think the Deputy's initial instincts were correct. "Brilliant", he said.

The Taoiseach should note it is the Chief Whip who responds.

Is the Taoiseach interrupting again?

It is rare that an Opposition Deputy would say we were "brilliant" when he got out of bed first thing in the morning.

Over the weekend, the world’s biggest military power, under Trump, launched an unprovoked and illegal air assault on Iran. The Taoiseach has repeatedly refused to condemn this assault. I invite him again to condemn it now. We need to have a debate in this House on the US assault on Iran, the situation in the Middle East, and the imperative of defending our neutrality and ending the use of Shannon Airport by the US military.

We need a discussion about education, school size, class sizes and the capitation grant. Many schools are under immense pressure. I have been requesting statements in the Dáil. We also need a discussion about immigration and migration with regard to Citywest. I would appreciate it if we could find time this week to discuss those issues.

As the Ceann Comhairle will be aware, since she was at the meeting last Thursday, the majority of issues on the Order of Business for this week were agreed. There was rolling dissent, which rolls over every week, but the majority were agreed. On the defective blocks, as Deputy Mac Lochlainn knows, legislation was agreed at Cabinet only two weeks ago. I have explained that to the Deputy. That is moving forward. In response to Deputy Murphy, as indicated at the Business Committee last week, statements on the situation in the Middle East with the Tánaiste will be scheduled for three and a half hours next Wednesday. On the request from Deputy Collins for a debate on education and the capitation grant, we will be speaking to the Minister about it.

What about the task force?

We will certainly look at that.

Are the proposed arrangements for the week's business agreed to?

Not agreed.

We move to Questions on Policy or Legislation. We have 73 applicants and 15 have been chosen. We will begin with Deputy McDonald.

Last week, the Government brought forward a plan, the net effect of which will be to cause rents to rise across the board. One particular group who will be affected by this are students. Having said initially the Government would have their backs, it is now clear it does not have their backs because those renting in the private sector will suffer, just like others, as landlords can seek market-rate rents. Now it has this plan for State-backed designated student accommodation. It seems it intends to pack students in like sardines in a can, with shared bedrooms, shared bathrooms, communal kitchens and so on and so forth. It will be lessor accommodation and still very high rents. What does the Government have against students? Why is it determined to put them and their families on the hook to be ripped off?

Ireland is number one in the world in terms of participation in third level education. That is the measure of this Government's commitment to students in third level education in terms of supporting students with reduced fees over the last number of years, improving the various maintenance and SUSI schemes for students, and building more accommodation, which is currently under construction in a whole range of programmes. We support students in this country; the statistics show that. In respect of the measures the Minister brought to Cabinet today, it is to develop a standardised design in relation to State-backed student accommodation. We need flexibility and choice in the range of accommodation that is on offer. There is significant State-backed student accommodation already built and in place and being built. Students use the existing rental market for rental accommodation also. The measures we brought in last week will strengthen protections for renters overall.

I have a very straightforward question. We understand that this morning the Tánaiste brought to Cabinet an outline of the replacement occupied territories Bill. We understand it will operate by merely amending the Customs Act and it appears this will close the door on banning the importation of services that are enriching those profiteering from genocide at a time when we know that 70% of Ireland's trade with Israel is in services. The original occupied territories Bill that had widespread support across the House - indeed, from Fianna Fáil originally as well - prohibited trade in both goods and services. It is a simple question. Will the Taoiseach be open to amending the Government Bill to ensure it covers trade in both goods and services?

The Deputy said 70% of services trade with Israel.

Of Ireland's trade with Israel, I understand. Trócaire said it.

The Bill only affects the occupied territories so I think the Deputy is conflating two different things there. The Tánaiste has asked the Attorney General for legal advice in respect of services. Obviously, there is a clear difference between services and goods in terms of tracking, tracing and manageability. It is quite a good Bill in terms of linking it to the customs legislation, which can make an offence under the Customs Act in terms of goods coming from the occupied territories. We will be the first country in Europe to introduce such an Act, and I think that is important. In addition to that, getting a European focus on the occupied territories, which we are now doing, with about nine other countries-----

Never mind that. What about services?

Thank you, Taoiseach. I call Deputy Gibney.

-----in terms of asking if the European Union is compliant with the ICJ opinion in respect of the illegally occupied territories, and then the EU-Israel association agreement, where we are also pushing strongly.

What about services? That was the question.

Speaking of which, Taoiseach, are you ashamed of the EU? I know I am. Its descent into moral turpitude has been both swift and shocking. Its silence on Gaza is deafening. No matter what depravity is committed by Israel, the EU refuses to act. No matter how high the death toll, no matter how many children are brutalised, no matter the mass murder, maiming, starvation and decimation, nothing has prompted any action. Israel's genocide has continued unimpeded and uninterrupted by the EU. It has not even managed to agree a joint criticism of Israel yet. A few days ago, I thought there might finally be some action. A review of the EU-Israel association agreement found that Israel was in breach of its human rights obligations but instead of suspending the agreement, the EU did nothing. The issue will be examined again next month and then, again, nothing will happen while people in Gaza continue to be slaughtered. In abandoning the people of Gaza, the EU has abandoned its own values. I am not sure why anyone would take its so-called commitments to human rights and international law seriously ever again. I am asking the Taoiseach: are you ashamed of the EU?

First of all, I would like to point out that the European Union is the single greatest donor to Palestine. It is an important point, although it never gets said.

It is still Israel's biggest trading partner.

Deputies, I do not want a back and forth.

In real terms, the most effective contributor now to Gaza is the European Union.

They are being slaughtered.

I am not happy with the fact that we cannot get unanimity across the 27 EU member states.

It is in breach.

To abolish or put into abeyance the EU-Israel association agreement would require unanimity among the 27, and the Deputy knows that. About ten members-----

It is only the revocation of a privilege.

Deputy, please. It is not a back and forth.

We have asked for a review. We asked over a year ago for a review. There may be opportunities to suspend elements of that agreement that would not require unanimity. That is being pursued by Ireland and other like-minded states in respect of this. The Deputy knows that countries like Germany, Hungary, Czechia and others have a long-standing historic position of support for Israel. I regret that, I disagree with it, but the European Union is an association of 27 member states.

So that is it, is it?

Last year, the International Court of Justice held that all states are under an obligation to abstain from entering into economic or trade dealings and to prevent trade or investment relations with the occupied territories. There was no mention of an obligation just relating to goods. Instead, it was all trade and investment relations. The Government has in the past few months discovered some legal, or what it says is a legal, distinction between goods and services but has never laid that out. The Tánaiste this morning, when asked about the Bill, said it is important that every country uses every lever at its disposal but it is not clear why that lever would exclude services. Will the Attorney General's advice be completed and published before the Bill is brought before the committee so we can actually see the legal basis on which the Government is saying that services need to be excluded? Will the Government at the committee set out in detail why it has an issue with the inclusion of services?

First of all, I anticipate that the advices will be available to the Government as the Bill is going through. There is a pre-legislative process and that will be the first instance of this. The Deputy-----

Will the Government lay the advice before the committee?

I am saying it will be available to the Government in terms of whether we can include it or not. The Government will make its position, based on that advice, clear to the committee before it concludes. The Bill is vastly improved from what it was. I pay tribute to Senator Black for her initiative on this issue and her constructive engagement with the Government. Deputy Murphy is good at pontificating a lot but he has never condemned Hamas in this House for what it did on 7 October.

The Taoiseach will not condemn the US.

Pathetic.

Jennifer Marley is 88 years of age and has been living in rented accommodation-----

Sorry, Deputy McDonald, why is what I said pathetic?

We must move on. I have called Deputy Collins.

It is such a cheap shot.

In fairness, I never interfere in anybody else's time for questions. I would appreciate if all Deputies would pay the same respect.

Deputy Collins is on his feet. I ask Deputies on both sides to allow him to speak.

Jennifer Marley is 88 years of age and has been living in rented accommodation in Bantry for the past six years. She has received a notice to quit her rented home as the landlord wants to sell. We are frantically trying to get Jennifer a house she can call her own as she is not suited to sheltered accommodation at 88 years of age. Tomorrow, Independent Ireland will put forward a motion in the House calling for legislative action on infrastructure reform to accelerate housing delivery. We propose up to 23 measures in our motion to address the housing crisis, including everything from declaring a housing emergency to rewarding high-performing councils, in an attempt to ensure delivery for the people of Ireland and stop the empty talk. The mess we are in now has left Jennifer Marley in Bantry facing an uncertain future, with the real prospect of being left without a roof over her head. She has told me I can show the House the picture of her I am holding in my hand. This woman, who is 88 years of age and part of the fabric of our community, must leave her home in a short few weeks. What hope - by which I mean real hope - will the Taoiseach give Jennifer today that she can be guaranteed to have a roof over her head in four weeks' time?

The Deputy has not spoken to me about this case before now. Perhaps he can send the details to me. I am not clear whether the local authority has been approached in respect of this case and whether Jennifer was on the social housing list. It should be very possible to accommodate an 88-year-old in a council house. I do not know the background but it seems to me there is an obvious solution.

Ballinasloe is a proud town in the heart of Ireland, just off the M6, with huge untapped potential. Once home to major employers like Dubarry, Square D and A.T. Cross, Pobal and DEIS data now identify severe deprivation in the town, with intergenerational unemployment and educational inequality. Scoil an Chroí Naofa has been waiting 20 years for redevelopment. Garbally College urgently needs refurbishment notwithstanding its imminent amalgamation with Ardscoil Mhuire. Yet, Ballinasloe's spirit endures. Local businesses, clubs and groups like Ballinasloe Area Community Development, Youthreach and Ballinasloe Social Services work tirelessly, despite long-standing disadvantage. Will the Government commit to examining the case for a multi-agency task force across education, housing, youth and enterprise to tackle the chronic social deprivation that has affected Ballinasloe and made it one of the most deprived areas in the country?

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue, which he has raised with me previously. I certainly am open to doing as he proposed. The Government would be very positively disposed to working on such a proposal.

Will the Taoiseach commit to funding a community neurorehabilitation team for the midlands in budget 2026 in line with the programme for Government's commitment to complete the national roll-out of such teams? Community neurorehabilitation teams provide vital short-term intensive care, with access to services like physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and neuropsychology. These services are essential to prevent disability and promote recovery for people with neurological conditions. A midlands team was promised in 2019 to serve adults with conditions such as Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis and rare neurological diseases. However, patients in County Laois remain at a serious disadvantage compared with regions where teams are already funded. Will the Taoiseach ensure the long-overdue team for the midlands is finally delivered in budget 2026?

I thank the Deputy for raising this very important issue. I fully subscribe to his analysis of the importance of this programme. I will liaise with the Minister for Health, who is sitting beside me, and other Ministers to see whether we can free up some resources to commence the development of a team in the midlands.

The people of Monaghan and Cavan deserve adequate health services and care within their community. In 2002, the Taoiseach, as Minister for Health and Children, refused to give a commitment to protect emergency department services at Monaghan hospital at that crucial time. In 2009, the hospital's emergency department was closed for good. The minor injuries unit lacks basic equipment. As a result, people in Monaghan are referred to Cavan hospital, where they face double the waiting time they previously faced, which can be eight hours up to 24 hours. Does the Taoiseach accept he was wrong to strip emergency department services from Monaghan hospital? Will he deliver the investment that is needed to address this failure and stop the backlogs that are happening in Cavan hospital?

First, I did not strip Monaghan hospital of anything. It was the North Eastern Health Board that was in place at the time.

Who was over that?

Sinn Féin had members on it. I cannot believe in one sense that the Deputy is back again at this-----

I am going to keep at it.

This is not a back-and-forth exchange. The Deputy should address her remarks through the Chair.

The thing that should unite us all is the safety of patients and the people who go through our hospitals.

That is not happening. Monaghan hospital is waiting years for an emergency department.

If the Deputy wants an answer, she had better stop talking.

Anybody who knows anything about emergency care knows the first thing to get right is the first response. We have dramatically transformed the quality of first responses in this country over the past 20-odd years. That is the first point.

The Taoiseach needs to go to Cavan hospital, walk around it and see the people waiting in the emergency department.

Deputy Bennett, please. Do you wish to have your question answered?

Second, the quality of healthcare is key to any patient.

I cannot compel an answer. What I can compel is an orderly session.

What is very important is that the right care is made available at the right time for the patient to guarantee the best outcome.

That is not happening.

People are waiting two weeks for a transfer.

The Deputy wants to go back to worst outcomes and an era when we had very deficient medicine.

Deputies, please. I have called Deputy Brabazon.

The programme for Government contains a commitment to reduce class sizes to 19. Two schools in my constituency, Belgrove Infant Girls' School in Clontarf and Scoil Mhuire in Howth, have classes amalgamating due to falling numbers. This will result in pupil-teacher ratios of 35:1 in both classes. Can the Taoiseach expedite the programme to introduce the 19:1 ratio in these schools as soon as possible?

I would need the full background details. The ratio could be high in some classes but not in the entirety of the school in terms of how it organises its numbers. The Deputy indicated the numbers are declining in both schools. A question arises as to whether that is a permanent feature of the area. There are different approaches one can make to the Department in respect of whether it is possible to do something. If the numbers are going to increase again into the future, it might be possible to get a temporary stay in terms of teaching numbers. I will follow the matter up with the Minister.

The Government committed in the men's health action plan 2024-28 to increase health literacy and raise public awareness of boys' and men's physical, mental and emotional health through a range of promotional activities. I welcome that the Minister for Health is in the Chamber. How much funding has been allocated to implement the actions in the plan? Is the Government confident the strategy is fully funded and resourced? Are any potential difficulties with the plan anticipated as we go forward?

It is very important that we have a focus on men's health, just as we have, correctly, had an emphasis on women's health. The funding is spread across a number of different streams. I will have to ask my officials to pull the information out for the Deputy and update him. I assure him this issue continues to be a priority for my Department.

There are people in my constituency living in homes that are falling down around their ears. Their homes are literally falling apart. People are doing their best in terms of minor repairs to stop bits of the walls and roof from falling down. The Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 allows for country councils to be admitted to the remediation scheme. My local authority, Fingal County Council, applied in September 2023. My understanding is that the Housing Agency report, which was the latest impediment identified by the Government to my constituents being admitted to the scheme, is now with the Minister for housing. The responses we get when we ask questions tell us that it will happen shortly, in the future or perhaps in a while. Will the Taoiseach engage with the Minister for housing to ensure people can access this scheme? As I have said, their houses are literally falling down around their ears.

I will engage with the Minister for housing on the specifics. Is this a series of houses?

It is a series of one-off houses. They are not all together. There is one block, then a number of individual houses. I will provide the details to the Taoiseach's office.

I will talk to the Minister.

I am sure the Taoiseach and the Minister for education are aware that Scoil Mhuire Milford in County Donegal is not fit for purpose. There are severe issues with the children's toilets in the current building. There is no green play area, denying children the opportunity for any meaningful physical activity. There is a severe lack of classroom space and, as a result, teachers are forced to teach in corridors and store rooms. There is a severe safety issue with the road, with the front gate opening out onto it. Many children have had near-misses. No form of refurbishment can address these issues. The school is simply too old. A new school building is required to ensure the children in Milford are able to receive a proper education and to develop in a safe environment. Will the Taoiseach commit to reviewing this situation to ensure Scoil Mhuire Milford is given the opportunity to build a new school? It has the land and is ready to go.

Again, I do not have the specifics or the background. Has the school applied? Is it in the process? It has applied.

It is ready but it has been denied time and again.

That does not make sense. It is either in the system or it is not.

It is in the system.

Is it at stage 1, stage 2 or stage 3?

It is waiting.

This is not a back and forth. I ask the Deputy to provide the details.

If the Deputy gives me the details, we may be able to progress the matter with the Minister. Has it been sanctioned?

My question relates to Gaelscoil Choláiste Mhuire in Parnell Square. I ask the Taoiseach to make a personal intervention to get this building project done. This school is into its 23rd year of what was supposed to be temporary emergency accommodation. It spent a decade and a half trying to get its long-promised school project off the ground. Almost two years on from the sod being turned and two thirds into the construction works, the Department of Education and Youth has stopped those works. We are all left wondering what is going on. I will give the Taoiseach some facts about the project. When problems in respect of the school building emerged last year, project managers were appointed by the Department. We were told not to worry, that all would be fine and that the project would be completed in 2025. Department of Education and Youth officials then told us last November that it would probably be 2026 but that we would have a progress report after the election. The officials in the Department never sent that report. Requests for information are now outstanding for 33 days or more. We need specific information from the Taoiseach as to what is happening with this project.

I think the Deputy probably knows.

I genuinely do not.

This is not a back and forth.

As the Deputy will know, this is a major project. The plan is to build a 16-classroom primary school on a very challenging brownfield site with modern multistorey facilities spanning Dominick Street, Dominick Place and Granby Row. Ongoing issues recently led to a temporary pause on construction. The contractor was formally notified on 23 May under the contract's suspension of works provision. This pause gives space for a conciliation process to conclude, allowing a clear path forward to be mapped out. The site is in an area of archaeological interest-----

I am sorry but what is happening now?

I am sorry but this is not a back and forth.

I appreciate that but I need to hear what is happening now.

The Deputy can correspond afterwards if she wishes to add further information.

It is an area of archaeological interest that involves a protected structure owned and occupied by Youth Work Ireland. A number of issues have arisen. These include issues with services on the site and electrical lines and services related to the adjacent Luas line, which had not been apparent until excavation began. There are issues with the foundations of an adjoining protected building, which need careful consideration. There is a whole load of issues here that need to be addressed.

Clearly, there will be further interactions on this.

I will raise an issue I have highlighted here before. We know of the growing need and demand for co-educational Educate Together schools. One such school in my own constituency is Clonturk Community College in Dublin 9. It is a co-educational Educate Together school. It is a fantastic school with over 1,000 students. My eldest son attended the school and had a great experience there. However, the school is unfortunately stuck in temporary facilities that are unsuitable. For a number of years, the school has been promised a new building through the accelerated delivery programme but it has been left in limbo. There is no clear timeline or date for delivery. We are now at the end of the school year and the school community, parents, pupils and staff are facing into another year without confirmation of funding or progress made. The Department of Education and Youth and the Government are failing these children by not providing adequate and sufficient school facilities. They are also failing the wider community. There is great demand for this school in the wider constituency. When will Clonturk Community College get confirmation of funding and a commitment to timely delivery?

Again, I will consult the Minister for Education and Youth. Progress has been made on the site. I obviously do not know the up-to-date position the Department has communicated to the school board but I will pursue it with the Minister.

The Taoiseach stands before us shamefaced today to tell us that the occupied territories Bill will not include services. He does this on a day when 21 people were shot like moving targets at a fair as they queued up for food this morning. We are told that 56,000 people are now dead in the genocide. The Lancet tells us the figure is much higher, as does the Harvard database, which puts the figure at 377,000. We have had three judgments from the highest courts in the world, the ICJ and the ICC, including an arrest warrant for Netanyahu and a plausible genocide case. The Taoiseach stands here seven years after an occupied territories Bill was brought to these Houses and tells us barefacedly that he will not include services and is now going to look for advice from the Attorney General. Does the Taoiseach know how much trade there is with Israel as we speak? It has grown exponentially. Imports from Israel totalled €3.26 billion in 2024 while exports totalled €1.6 billion. The Taoiseach stands here today while the airports are being used to transport American weapons and shamefacedly refuses to do the most minimal thing possible, which is to include services.

First of all, I am not shamefaced.

You should be.

You should be.

I am not. That is all I will say for now.

I ask the Deputies to allow the Taoiseach to make his contribution.

The Deputy said a few things that are wildly inaccurate and wrong. She deliberately conflated trade with Israel with trade with the occupied territories, as did an earlier speaker. We need to be clear on what we are talking about. The occupied territories Bill is about the occupied territories.

I am fully clear what it is about.

You are not clear.

I am giving the Taoiseach the context, which is that a genocide is under way.

No sort of-----

We are talking about a genocide.

I do not need----

You were given the courtesy, Deputy.

Standard practice is not to afford members of Government the courtesy of being allowed to respond.

Then stop-----

I make no apologies for challenging the false assertions that have repeatedly been made in this house by those on the far left who are consistently trying to create-----

Twenty-one individuals were shot.

We will have an uninterrupted contribution, Deputy.

For example, no aeroplanes are being facilitated to transport weaponry to Gaza or the Middle East. How dare people make the assertion that they are when they are not?

The Government has checked and inspected them, has it?

I have condemned-----

It is happening in our airspace.

The Deputy said "airports".

I will take out the "s" and say "airport".

That was deliberate. People have said that publicly as well. Deliberate attempts to create a misleading narrative on all of this are being made all over the place. Ireland has done more on this issue than any other country within Europe but we unfortunately do not have the power to stop Israel. We want Israel to stop. We have asked Israel to stop. We have asked the European Union to create leverage. That is what we have done. The Deputy is shamefacedly always trying to blame others.

I actually blamed you.

She is trying to drive a wedge between the Irish people and Members of this House. That is wrong and regrettable.