Micheál Martin

I thank the Deputy and I understand where he is coming from to a degree, but the requirement for a licence to sell tobacco and nicotine inhaling products was enacted in December 2023 and it came into effect earlier this month. It follows on from a recommendation for a national tobacco control policy from Tobacco Free Ireland and it is designed to give an enforcement authority to the HSE's national…

There has been huge investment in the northside of Cork by this Government and the previous Government. There has been huge investment and regeneration in the Deputy's area, which he has ignored. We are progressing the elective hospital in Glanmire.

It is progressing. We have now worked out the road issues with the city council that had-----

I spoke to the chief executive on the issue three weeks ago. I did not interrupt the Deputy. He has created a vision of doom and more doom. There has been huge investment and the northern distributor-----

I just want to make a point about the northern distributor road. One of the most important companies in the country and in Europe, Apple, has 6,000 people employed in the northside. We are going to facilitate the people of the northside.

The Deputy kept interrupting me. I could not get a word in.

I will talk to the Minister for Transport, but I presume, as the Deputy knows, that the statutory agencies have a significant role in terms of bus shelters.

There is no shortage of money in the bloody system. Come on. Dáil Éireann should not have to discuss the provision of bus shelters.

I will be sharing time with the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, and the Minister of State, Deputy Richmond. Ar an 19 Meán Fómhair, d'fhoilsigh Rialtas na hÉireann agus Rialtas na Breataine creatcháipéis maidir le hoidhreacht na dTrioblóidí. Bhí sé sin i gcomhréir lenár ngealltanas sa chlár Rialtais chun gníomh agus fócas marthanach a chur ar an dtuiscint agus na naisc atá ríthábhachtach chun síochá…

What about yourselves?

Are you blaming the State for Scappaticci?

I am wondering are you blaming the State for Scappaticci.

Extraordinary. You have not mentioned it either.

Ah, come on. That is outrageous.

Are you serious? You have some brass neck, I can tell you that.

Ní aontaím leis an Teachta in aon chor. Tá an-chuid déanta ag an Rialtas ó thaobh na gcostas maireachtála de. Bhí an-chuid laistigh den bhuiséad a bhí againn i mí Dheireadh Fómhair, go háirithe dóibh siúd ar ioncam íseal agus an-chuid cabhair tugtha againn tríd leas sóisialach chun daoine a chosaint agus cóir agus tacaíocht a thabhairt do dhaoine. I do not accept the Deputy's overall presentation…

Actually, the energy credit would help the vast, vast majority of those who are not in arrears. The Deputy should think about it for a moment. She identified how many people are in arrears. The vast majority of people are not in arrears. People are under pressure; do not get me wrong. The energy credit applies to everybody; it is universal.

That is what she is arguing should be extended to everybody. Surely it would be far better to help those who are in genuine difficulty.

You are not leader yet, Pearse, for God's sake.

You have been making attempts lately but just let me respond to the leader.

I just want to make the point that we have targeted our measures-----

-----to meet those who are in difficulty, and that is the key. Once-off cost-of-living measures are not fiscally sustainable for the next number of years. The €3 billion and €4 billion we allocated for two years, we just cannot keep doing that. We have a strong economy. We have probably one of the best employment positions of any European Union state. We want to preserve that and we also want to s…

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I first became aware it yesterday via the media. That is fine. The Department of foreign affairs became aware of the case in October and had been providing consular assistance to Seamus Culleton and his family via the teams at the consulate general in Austin, the embassy in Washington DC and our consular unit in Dublin. We have migration law in this coun…

There are a number of cases. It could be five to six cases, but they vary in status. The Deputy is implying, wrongly, my approach to this. I would have thought that the prime objective is to secure status. People want to get out of the detention facility. The Deputy knows best.

I would argue that it is status. Let us not do anything that could make that more difficult. That is all I am saying.