Micheál Martin

In the modern era, it takes a long time to form a government. It was actually much shorter this time than in 2020 when I think it took five or six months.

This time it was much shorter and probably much shorter than most other European Union member states. By the way, I do not like having a prolonged timeline in terms of the formation of Government. Let us be honest with the public that many Deputies were in here in November, December and January trying to put a government together and trying to get the substance of a programme for Government togeth…

In response to Deputy Collins, private nursing homes are not covered by section 39. As he knows there is a separate financial mechanism. The National Treatment Purchase Fund is the mechanism through which private nursing homes get funded. I agree with him that it was a welcome development that the section 39 issue was resolved through the pay talks. Deputy Gibney raised the issue of the European …

Others in Europe have a separate perspective.

Ireland's fundamental principles on the Middle East remain and have not changed or deviated in any shape or form.

In terms of the Sacred Heart school-----

Sorry, I thought I could respond to-----

I believe the issue Deputy Murphy raised is resolved. The Department has been trying to engage with the school for quite a while since December. It referred the school to the financial support services unit in December. The Department was awaiting information. I think Deputy Lahart was proactively involved in trying to get the issue resolved. I hope we can get it finally and comprehensively resolv…

First of all, I condemn the horrendous atrocity over the last two days in terms of the bombing of innocent men, women and children. I have not briefed anything of the sort the Deputy suggested. Again, if she had consulted me, she might have got the truth, but she decides just to go for the propaganda. That is what it is about. In my remarks in the Oval Office, I very succinctly articulated Irelan…

-----on the Middle East, and it is on the record. For the life of me, I will never understand why Deputy McDonald did not go to Capitol Hill.

The reason I will never understand it is-----

-----that the Deputy has many friends-----

-----on Capitol Hill. She has many funders in America who have funded her organisation. She has many business contacts.

She meets with many developers in the United States. I think the reason she did not go to the United States is that she did not want to face them in respect of the different American perspective on the Middle East.

I have no issue with going and articulating the fundamental principled stance Ireland has taken.

The Deputy dodged it deliberately and decided to stay at home, which I think was a mistake and robs her of any credibility in attacking me or criticising me in respect of this issue.

Again, I did not do that in any shape or form. In any interactions I had, I articulated that the programme for Government was progressing the occupied territories Bill. I made that very clear and I listed out all the actions we had taken, which are well known to the House. Fundamentally, however, it seems to me that Prime Minister Netanyahu, irrespective of what gets said here or what gets said i…

No, I did not, but I am interested in how the Deputy is conflating the Bord Pleanála decision - I hope she accepts that An Bord Pleanála is an independent body-----

I am just making the point that I hope that everybody accepts that it is an independent body. Its decision should not be conflated with an earlier decision of the Government in respect of energy security, which is required. The legal opinion, by the way, to the previous Minister, which is on file in the Department, is such that, legally, it is not possible to prohibit fracked gas as to what comes …

There is full transparency. The Government took a decision and announced it, you know.

The energy security piece is separate to An Bord Pleanála's decision.

I did not say that.

The engagement and the visit to the US honours a long tradition of celebrating Irish America and the role it played in the building of America and the historic ties that exist. I know the Deputy would prefer if they had never existed because, in fairness to her, she has had a very consistent anti-American position for decades.

Irrespective of who is President, that has been the Deputy's position, but there are very significant economic links with the US. Thousands of Irish-----

Over------