Michael Fitzmaurice

I thank the Minister for his reply. I will follow the matter up with him as the months go by.

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this matter. On security, there are many headwinds blowing at present in respect of the Mercosur deal. Irish farmers would be unduly affected by this deal and I urge the Government to oppose it. On tariffs, while it will be Europe that will decide the number and type of products that will attract tariffs, we must remember that the 60% of, for example, distill…

I welcome the debate and support the motion. When we hear the Department of Finance talking about it costing a certain amount if we were to get rid of the means test, if these carers decided to look at putting their loved ones into a nursing home, it would cost the State €1,100 every week. Those are the facts of it. They are actually saving the State about €800 to €900 every week. I have been in t…

To correct the record, we went in to meet the Taoiseach and Tánaiste and put a policy document in front of them. When we talked about trying to save the agricultural sector from a carbon tax, others decided to sign up to it. We talked about freezing it and perhaps putting it on aeroplane travel. People can decide whether to go on holidays but cannot decide whether to go to work 30 or 40 miles from…

They signed up for the jobs.

I wish both the Minister and the Minister of State, Deputy Kevin Boxer Moran, the best of luck in their new portfolios. The first thing is that I think everyone is in agreement with Croí Cónaithe. It is a good thing and is getting more houses done. I think the cabin at the back of the house is a good thing. I would like if it was 200 sq. ft bigger, the same size as the modular homes, but if anyth…

I wish the Minister well in her new portfolio. She will be well aware that over the last few weeks the people of the west, the north west and the midlands have suffered fair torture with the storm. In the context of legislation relating to the Department of the environment at the moment, many contractors went to help the likes of the ESB and the councils to get trees off roads and all of that type…

I know that.

First, I wish both Ministers well. I thank them for their engagement so far. It is only fair that they get the time to settle in. There are a lot of storms on the horizon for them and to judge them on over the next few years. I brought this first thing to their attention previously and I ask both the Ministers of State, Deputies Healy-Rae and Grealish, to get involved as well. A lot of sheds have…

I wish the three Ministers well in their new portfolios. I welcome this morning's announcement on modular homes and log cabins but there is one thing I cannot fathom. I hear it is 40 sq. m. The modular homes being built at the moment are 600 sq. ft, which is 60 sq. m. I do not know why it is 20 sq. m less but I still welcome it because it is going to help people. Let us give praise when praise is …

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this matter. It is nearly three weeks since this bomb hit the west, the midlands and the north west. It is good to see people coming back but, my God, three weeks is a long time. Eamon Ryan's dream of air-to-water heat pumps turned into a nightmare for most people. They were perished in their houses. Thank God a lot of people had a chimney. We should go back a…

I thank the Minister.

First, I wish the Tánaiste well in his new position. Two weeks ago tonight, the people of the west, the north west and the midlands faced one of the toughest nights of their lives with the after-effects of this storm. They are still being felt and will be felt into the future. On Saturday morning, the clean-up operation began, where local communities and contractors got together to clear roads. I …

Will the Government give councils and local communities funding to make sure they can do a huge clean-up after this? There is a lot of debris.

I welcome the Tánaiste's comments on trees but this needs to put into a regulation and funded. No more of this talk can go on. We can never endure again what we are after enduring. Will the Minister for trade and enterprise look at small businesses that have been closed over the past week? Some of them are going into two weeks now. A lot of places do not have power yet. Will the Minister for rural…

-----the NBI broadband is running out.

Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle. I want to wish you the best. I also wish the Minister of State the best. On Thursday night and Friday morning of the week before last, devastation came upon a lot of families around the country, especially in the west, the north west and the midlands. While it was warned, some people were surprised by the devastation that happened. First, I compliment not …

Who is he talking about?

Does the Deputy not know there was a contract between the ESB and farmers?

A distance of 20 m was fixed in the document.

Obviously, he does not know.

That is the truth.

Is the Deputy saying there is no contract between the ESB and the farmers?

Where? In the west of Ireland-----

You are not writing much.