Micheál Martin

First, I reject what the Deputy has said. Is léir gurb í an ghéarchéim aeráide an ceann is tábhachtaí atá os comhair na Dála seo. Táimid sa Rialtas ag déanamh gach aon iarracht déileáil leis an bhfadhb sin agus tá sé sin le feiscint ón méid infheistíochta atá curtha isteach againn i bpolasaithe éagsúla a bhaineann leis an ngéarchéim aeráide. There is no resiling or rowing back from our commitment…

The Deputy seems to have deliberately used the upper range. It is from €8 billion to €26 billion.

It is highly speculative and highly uncertain about what will transpire. I listened to the authors this morning. Suffice it to say, the Government is committed to achieving our targets. It will be very challenging, because as soon as we move on any one of them, different elements of the Opposition will oppose some of the measures we have announced and taken. A huge retrofitting programme is under…

They may be looking for a bypass too.

First, Ireland has distinguished itself in the peacekeeping missions that have been deployed all over the world. We pay tribute to members of Óglaigh na hÉireann for discharging their duties honourably and with great professionalism. They are much sought after in trouble spots across the world because of that professionalism and commitment. I will put that on the record. Second, Ireland is very …

That does not add up. It is completely in conflict. Both principles do not align at all. It is because of how Russia has been performing - others maybe put particularly Russia, and this did not just start with the invasion three years ago - that I cannot in conscience stand over a situation where we would say Russia should have a veto over whether Irish troops participate in peacekeeping missions.

Looking at the influence of the Wagner Group in the Sahel in Africa, providing security to rogue and puppet regimes, are we really saying that is the country that should veto whether we participate in peacekeeping or not?

Because of war.

That quotation was from nearly a decade ago. The Deputy did not address anything I put to him.

Three years ago we had a state like Russia upend the multilateral order, upend the UN Charter and invade a peaceful country like Ukraine. I was the Minister for Defence for two years before becoming Taoiseach and saw at first hand how the existing legislation restricts our capacity to participate in overseas events. Even the number of 12, for example, is ridiculously low and is hampering our effor…

Defective concrete blocks is a complex issue. This Government has been engaging with homeowners and various organisations from the very beginning. I met with some in my previous time as Taoiseach. The 2025 funding for this initiative has increased by over 50% from €45 million to €70 million. That means something is going on. There is activity, without question. The overall scheme is expected to co…

I am not in a position to give the Deputy dates or timelines today. There is work to be done on the legislation. Suffice to say that a comprehensive commitment has been given here by the last Government and followed through by this Government. The NSAI is currently examining the situation in terms of the most up-to-date scientific advice in respect of all of this. We will continue to work with sta…

Deputy Doherty is not interested in a resolution. In a strange way, he is enjoying this and will keep it going for as long as he possibly can. I have got many letters from the leaders of the Opposition parties. I recall the night I was meant to be elected Taoiseach. We saw what happened then. I remember ringing Deputy Bacik, who had written a letter and told RTÉ, Virgin Media and everybody else th…

Meanwhile, the Tánaiste and I were waiting above in the Sycamore room. Where were the leaders of the Opposition parties?

They were nowhere to be seen. They dispatched a letter, told the media they had done so and then went off doing what they were going to do anyway.

This has happened on more than one occasion. The last time I got a phone call from Deputy Bacik, I was at a meeting in Brussels.

She asked whether we could meet. A half an hour later, on the 9 o'clock news, I heard that Deputy Bacik had written to the Taoiseach seeking an urgent meeting.

This kind of play-acting keeps going on.

To be fair, Deputy Gannon said we are in uncharted waters and we are. We are in uncharted waters across the world, where the most profound and grave challenges are facing people. There are terrible wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.

There is a terrible war in Sudan and there are very significant economic headwinds coming. Let us be frank; the situation is very serious.

It is very uncertain and very uncharted. With respect to the Chair, eight minutes on a Wednesday-----

-----in addition to what was already there and eight minutes on a Thursday, pales into insignificance-----

-----with what we are facing collectively as a country.

It is time to cop on here, and have a bit of common sense and proportionality.

The presentation from the Opposition is very disproportionate.