Micheál Martin

-----An Garda Síochána.

My understanding is the Minister is considering the issue. I will talk to him when he gets back and let the Deputy know.

Deputy Cullinane raised the issue of the runway and the airport. I dealt with that already. In response to Deputy O'Connor, Jameson is a world-class product. There is enormous investment going on in the Midleton plant and in a new one and obviously there is huge concern about how the tariffs will proceed. Let us remember that the European Union does not want any tariffs. The US Government has star…

It might be wiser of us not to facilitate that. My understanding is that the humanitarian scheme is not fully closed yet. I do not think the Minister has closed it. I will ask him to engage with Deputy Kerrane and update her in respect of it. In response to Deputy Currie, while the operation of An Garda Síochána is an operational matter. I will raise the issues she has raised here with the Minis…

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 10, inclusive, together. Last month the Government established the Cabinet committee on climate action, environment and energy to oversee implementation of programme for Government commitments in relation to the environment, climate action, energy and emergency planning. The programme for Government sets out a strong framework for climate action and continue…

Quite a number of Deputies have asked questions. With regard to the broader picture, the humanitarian assistance scheme has not closed yet. This is my understanding. I think it has been extended. I spoke to the Minister this morning about it and I will clarify it. This is the position as I understand it. The Minister is evaluating the applications that come in. The existing scheme is catered for …

Deputies Bacik and Murphy and other Deputies should start thinking very quickly now about how they see the economy evolving. They should dispense with all the sound bites and get down to the substance of should happen. Do we think we can just park ourselves at the side of the road while this massive, profound change is occurring in technology and then just pick it all up again in five or six years…

The debate in here is just miles away from reality.

There is no attempt at all to try to deal with the interdependent issues and the challenges that come with them. People are just demonising data centres. If you demonise data centres, every day-to-day usage of mobile phones or whatever will come to naught. That is the reality.

It is fundamentally the reality. In my view, the Deputy is fundamentally wrong in what he is putting forward. Deputy Brennan referred to regulatory hurdles and so on. We are doing everything possible through MARA to get offshore wind through as quickly we possibly can. That will mean transposition of more EU directives. There is a clause in the EU directive to deal with matters when all else fail…

Solar energy is moving fast in Ireland and can progress even further. A fair point was made by Deputy Ó Fearghaíl in respect of battery storage. In the midlands some development on that front has been made by Bord na Móna. Other countries are using battery storage. If you look at Texas, it is not all about oil there. The relevant authorities in Texas use wind, nuclear, battery storage and solar.

Wind is our key ingredient. On the point raised by Deputy Bacik, when the independent planning board, An Bord Pleanála, makes a decision, if the Government even dared intervened in a decision that would suit the Deputy and the outcome of which she would appreciate, she would cry foul.

I am stunned by what has happened two or three times today. An Bord Pleanála's decision in respect of north Kerry was referenced and then very quickly conflated as if the Government did it. That is the impression the Deputy is giving.

That is the impression all of you have given.

Deputies are giving the impression that an independent board, An Bord Pleanála, made a decision as if it was Government policy. That is a false assertion to confuse people and cloud matters. All the Deputies want to do is make the assertion that the Government is rowing back on climate. That is all they want to do, and they will use any instrument to do it.

It is a fundamentally dishonest political position to adopt. The Deputies either agree with the independence of An Bord Pleanála or they do not, I am now being asked to intervene in An Bord Pleanála.

I have been asked to intervene now in An Bord Pleanála by Deputy Bacik.

Yes, but intervene in what way?

This is what is wrong with the country. We do not accept the independent bodies that are established. We should because otherwise there will be judicial reviews.

Then we ask why we cannot deliver infrastructure and get things moving in the country. It is because the Deputies are pandering all the time-----

-----and are not really interested in economic development. I agree with Deputy-----

Do I answer first?

I have run out of time. I answered Deputy Lawless; I dealt with that. The Deputy should have come in early. He would have been the first man if he came in earlier but he was late.

There was no Sinn Féin representative at the beginning of this. The Deputy shouts and roars about it all the time, and his leader is not here.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 11 to 22, inclusive, together. I attended an informal leaders’ retreat on 3 February hosted by the President of the European Council, António Costa, in Brussels. The main focus of our discussions was European security and defence. The meeting was an important opportunity for leaders to offer strategic guidance ahead of the publication of a White Paper on the topic…