Micheál Martin

I thank Members for their comments. I will begin with Deputy Shay Brennan, who referred to developments relating to the war in Ukraine. One of the more significant developments has been the unblocking of the €90 billion loan to Ukraine in the aftermath of the Hungarian election. That sends a real signal to Russia that Europe is in there for the long haul and that Ukraine will have the capacity, in…

-----in attacking the Irish Government as opposed to the Israeli Government at times. That is what it feels like in this House. In the context of all the protests and all the agitation, it is the Irish Government that the Deputy is attacking-----

We were the first to intervene in the context of the genocide when South Africa took a case before the ICJ. We were the first European State to intervene in that legally and make a strong submission in that respect. We gave additional funding to the ICC in respect of what was happening in Gaza and in the Middle East to support it and give it the resources and capacity. We were one of the earliest …

-----they thank the Irish Government, and they thank the Irish people for their support.

I met with the President of Lebanon, Joseph Aoun, recently when he attended after the informal EU Council meeting. He cited the Irish experience in terms of the peace process and conflict resolution as a basis for how the Lebanon-Israel situation and the Palestinian question could be resolved. That is the other side of the coin. We want to be part of solutions and we want to use our experience in …

-----I think it emerged that about €190,000 worth of goods has come in. Others go through Antwerp and do not come directly into the country. A lot of work has been done on that and the Minister will come back to the House on it. At European Union level there is a real push to see can we suspend the trade association agreement. The UNIFIL mission is on all of our minds. I keep in regular contact w…

On Deputy Cleere's question, more work has been done on understanding the differences between North and South in the last four years than was done in the previous 100 years. We have invested hugely in research on all aspects of education and health and the differences between the health systems in the North vis-à-vis the Republic, and school completion rates in the North vis-à-vis school completio…

I will come back to the Deputy on that. On the other matters, I think I have dealt with the Palestine issue for Deputy McQuaide. Deputy Heneghan inquired about plug-in solar. There are some issues which the Minister spoke to me about. If you have plug-in solar, some houses have to have the capacity to absorb. However, I think the Minister is in favour and is trying to develop it. On nature rest…

On Deputy O'Callaghan's question about Ireland being the largest exporter of alumina to Russia, again, that has not formed part of the sanctions. This is because the product from the factory is also important to wider industry in Europe. When imposing sanctions, we have always endeavoured not to harm ourselves more than anybody else when it comes to Russia. I will get the information for the Deput…

The Deputy will get the answer on Thursday.

Ní aontaím in aon chor leis an Teachta. Tá an-chuid déanta ag an Rialtas go dtí seo, idir an cháinaisnéis a bhí againn agus an pacáiste a d’fhoilsigh muid coicís ó shín, chun an brú atá gan dabht ar theaghlaigh agus ar mhuintir na hÉireann a ísliú agus a laghdú. Mar aon leis sin, tá an-chuid infheistíochta curtha isteach againn i seirbhísí oideachais, sláinte agus i go leor seirbhísí eile. I just…

-----on those services. If you keep spending billions now, you will not have the money for education, special education, childcare reductions and health services. You will not have the funding for all of that at the next budget or, indeed, for next year. On what we have done so far, we extended and increased the fuel allowance and we expanded it in terms of the number of people it covers, particu…

No disrespect to the Deputy and her party but she is the personification of spoof and bluster.

If we had introduced the measures she advocates from last October, we would be looking at an inflation rate of close to 5%. That is by any yardstick or formula. That is the reality. We have already acted and the Deputy knows that. Some €750 million is not spoof; it is real funding that we have budgeted for and allocated in terms of the food production sector, farmers, contractors and the haulage i…

-----but it is not spoof to the people benefiting from it.

In terms of the people who are going to benefit from it-----

Exactly, the Deputy does not want to listen to anybody because she is incapable of listening to the truth.

The bottom line is-----

-----the Deputy's approach all along on this------

The Deputy mentioned that Spain was at 50% renewables for electricity generation. Last February, 50% of our electricity generation was renewable. I believe the Deputy is misleading the House in her political characterisation of the Government in respect of renewables. We have been driving renewables for quite some time over successive Governments. In terms of offshore wind, I established a clearin…

It is a big political untruth to suggest that since the Greens left, we somehow reduced our commitment to renewables.

It is a deliberate misrepresentation for political purposes, and that is all, but it is false and it is untrue. Since this Government was formed we have established a clearing house, which my good colleague, the former Minister Eamon Ryan, refused to do, although industry wanted to engage. The one difference we have made here is to facilitate the engagement of industry to stop the them-and-us app…

-----what is a critical issue for the country-----

-----namely, the development of offshore wind.

First of all, the Government has provided targeted support. The evidence is there in terms of the free school books at primary and secondary levels. That is a significant measure we have brought in, which this year again will assist many families with what was a major cost for those with children attending primary and secondary school. We have expanded the free hot school meals programme. We have …