Micheál Martin

We have allocated, which is a fundamental point. By the way, we have made huge impacts across a lot of areas in health in the last five years, to such an extent - though this would be over a longer period - that our mortality rate fell by 11% over the decade from 2014 to 2024. We now have the second lowest mortality rate among the European 27, so the investment is having impacts of a positive nat…

Are there significant issues? Yes, especially with access to some primary care services, mental health services and, above all, therapies, but we are allocating. There have been issues in the HSE with recruitment and retention in some areas and those are being worked on.

Apart from the last sentence, I found that a fairly bizarre presentation. Deputy Tóibín is blaming the European Union. Europe did not impose any tariffs.

I am not missing it at all. His entire three minutes was about how the European Union is doing this, the European Union is doing that, the French have-----

-----have more influence than the Irish. It is absolute nonsense, if you do not mind me saying so. It is the US that has imposed the tariffs, not Europe. We do not want tariffs. Europe does not want tariffs. They are bad for the economy, people, patients, industry and businesses.

They are just bad news and they will damage the world economy if this continues. There is terrible uncertainty and volatility, and the result of all that is a pause on investment decisions, which is also a critical outcome so far of what has transpired over the last six months. To be fair, I disagree further with the Deputy. The Irish position, until now, has been to avoid any escalatory response…

The Deputy described me as the king of deflection. As a true republican, I never did royalty and do not propose to do so now. In this matter, we have not failed in any respect. Europe has avoided retaliation, notwithstanding a fair degree of provocation by way of the imposition of tariffs. There has been an effective 10% tariff for the past number of months. Europe has avoided overreacting to thi…

We acknowledge fully the exposure of this country to damage from any tariff imposition because we are a small, open economy. I am glad the Deputy has embraced that. There were times when he did not. We have no issue with being a bridge with the US.

Taking the pharmaceutical sector, for example, Ireland is not isolated in that.

Up to ten EU countries have joined together in respect of the pharmaceutical sector.

That is not true.

That is not true.

No appeal has been lodged.

I pay tribute to Jacqueline Connolly who has demonstrated remarkable courage and resilience in the aftermath of the tragic murder of her sister Clodagh, and also Mary Coll, her mother, who met with the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, as the Deputy said, back in February and previously with the then Minister, Deputy McEntee. The Attorney General also received correspondence for solicitors representin…

-----regarding the publication of the serious crime review, my understanding is that one has never been published before-----

-----but the Minister for justice and I will engage with the Garda Commissioner on the matter to see if we can get it published.

First, the situation is very volatile and is very uncertain. It is because of that we are facing a very difficult background to the development of the NDP, completion of the national development plan, which is capital expenditure on water, energy and so on, the Estimates process with the Government and line Ministers and then the budget itself in October. It is very difficult to forecast and we ha…

The Deputy, unfortunately, and his party engage continually in the politics of slogans, not action. We are taking action. The Deputy mentioned two; we have taken about 15 actions since the beginning of this Government in relation to housing alone and will continue to take action on housing. There will be housing types of different size. By definition, that is okay. They will not be dark shoeboxes.

There are sensible provisions. Different people look for different types of accommodation at different stages of their lives.

We will build, predominantly, more houses. We need more apartments. We need more-----

-----private sector investment. The Deputy does not want any private sector investment, it seems.

The Deputy just attacked the funds.

The Deputy does not want funds in, for example. I would love to know how the Social Democrats would get to 300,000. How is it going to get the 50,000?

The Social Democrats have not. That is not going to give what we need.

As the Deputy knows, the pay issue was resolved. There was a full and final settlement with Fórsa in terms of school secretaries. They play an essential and very important role in terms of the organisation and smooth administration of schools. Dialogue is the best way to deal with these issues. The Department officials are fully open to engaging with Fórsa to try to reach a solution on this matter…