Micheál Martin

I was going to say you could do with a pint after all that. There are approximately 7,200 pubs in the country. That still is a substantial amount. The rural pub does play a very important social role in rural communities and, indeed, for the urban community to visit rural communities and enjoy the ambiance, relaxation and engagement with people. We fully acknowledge that. I think there have been…

If we are honest, and rightly so, successive governments in the past had to introduce drink driving laws and all of that, all of which reduced capacity for people to get to the pub at night. There are lots of factors and behaviour has changed as well.

I would recommend a good, long-----

I will not, so, or I will get into trouble.

First, I thank the Deputy for his comment. I think it is a very fair point in terms of the need for a forward planning unit in the Department of children. There is one now to identify the gaps and the needs of a growing population for childcare services. It will be resourced. It has been a success and impactful in the Department of education relative to the situation prior to that, when perhaps th…

I thank the Deputy for raising this. It is an issue, and as newer technologies emerge, we are getting more crowded road space again. Just as we have begun to segregate cycling and walking from motor transport, we now find that some of those routes are crowded out by e-scooters and e-bikes, which are fantastic for people who may not be as fit as others for getting up a hill and so on. There is alwa…

Which one?

I will ask the Minister in respect of this and indicate that the Deputy raised it, although I am not clear from the Deputy's presentation as to why it is still in preplanning or whether there were particular difficulties with the planning.

I will talk to the Minister in respect of it.

First of all, there is a comprehensive European Union legislative framework in place to regulate safe drone operations that is directly applicable in Ireland. I made this point last week in the Dáil. These regulations cover both recreational and commercial use, including commercial drone delivery services. The Irish Aviation Authority, the civil aviation regulator, oversees the implementation of t…

Did the Minister, James Lawless, not dig a sod in the technological university just a couple of weeks ago for a new engineering block worth about €120 million?

By the way, I was the Minister who secured the site for that university-----

-----in terms of a new site to get it developed, and it has been a very great success story. The URDF funding was very significant for Waterford as well, and that should be acknowledged.

I have not seen the economic monitor yet. I would like to see it because there has been there has been significant investment, both public and private, in Waterford - thankfully, because it is a good thing - and in the south east more generally. I will have a look at that. The economy is growing. Unemployment is at 4%, which is more or less equivalent to full employment, so it is difficult to iden…

If the Deputy could send me on the-----

Is it "Lies, lies and damned statistics"? I am not saying the Deputy is saying that. That is just a common quote, before I get into more trouble.

There were many times in Kerry apparently when there were many lock-ins. I would say the Deputy has outdone Leo Varadkar in terms of night life. He is extolling the virtues of going the whole night long.

In terms of night life. Bí cúramach anois. The big issue is about drinking till 2 a.m. This is the first time it has ever been presented to me in the Dáil that the Deputy wants us to go to 3 a.m.

I have the Minister for justice alongside me. He has heard the Deputy's pleas.

He has undertaken to go down to Puck Fair. I will see what I can do to attend as well but I may not be around at the time.

As I said earlier, there are regulations in place under the EU legislative framework to regulate safe drone operations. The Irish Aviation Authority, the civil aviation regulator, oversees the implementation of those regulations. I did indicate earlier that work on the drafting of the policy framework was recently finalised. It is expected to be approved and published in the coming weeks.

I know, Deputy, but we either say "No" to drones altogether because-----

We are the most regulated country. Let the policy framework come up, then we can analyse it. The Oireachtas will have an opportunity-----

We should. We can do that but it is about enforcement and catching people. Fundamentally, it is about behavioural change. Cork is not a dirty city.

The city council and new city administration are working might and main to try to improve the Dublin situation in terms of cleanliness. It has improved significantly. However, the IBAL organisation has done fantastic work in highlighting all of this. Certainly, I would be open to proactive measures to dissuade people from littering. Where they litter away, without any regard for other people, they…