Simon Harris

First, I thank Deputy Collins for his kind words and solidarity. I appreciate it. Second, he is right; anybody at the ploughing who did not hear very clearly about the tillage issue probably needs their ears cleaned out because the IFA and farmers have been very clear about it. He is correct that my colleague the Minister for agriculture was at the crisis meeting called by the IFA in Naas last wee…

I thank Deputy Coppinger. First, I was very angered to see how Kitty O'Brien was treated. My Department and our embassy have conveyed that to the German authorities. I say that on the record of this House. I am not fully convinced. Deputy Coppinger may end up being right but I hope she is wrong. I know she will hope she is wrong that we cannot have a majority in Europe voting to implement the san…

I thank Deputy Burke very much. I know he has been in direct contact with the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, on this issue. She has looked into the matter. My understanding is that the treatment has now been confirmed, which I am very pleased is the case, and that she will confirm that directly to the Deputy. I wish his constituent, Aishling, the very best in her treatment. I know that the Dep…

I thank the Deputy for his kind words and solidarity. I thank him for the work he did as Ceann Comhairle on the issue of public safety. He led on this with the appointment of former Commissioner O'Sullivan. I was grateful to the Ceann Comhairle for her leadership yesterday as this Dáil term resumed. I wrote to her last night about her suggestion of convening party leaders to look at this wider iss…

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. He is right that this was a big part of the general election. We all put forward our stalls on it. There was almost political unanimity around the figure of €200 per month per child. We certainly had it in our manifesto and our colleagues in government did too. It is also in the programme for Government. I always say to people at every opportuni…

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. First, let us very clearly acknowledge that there is a real problem in this country when it comes to energy prices. The facts are clear in relation to that, which is why we called this out very clearly in our programme for Government and acknowledged the pressure increased energy costs place on households and, indeed, businesses. We are seeking ways to lo…

Please do not paint a picture that nothing is happening to help people in the here and now.

There is an air of unreality about Deputy Doherty's contribution today and many of the contributions we have had during this Leader's Questions slot over the last number of weeks. Being very honest with the people of Ireland, one would have to go back a long, long time to find a summer recess-----

Deputy Doherty probably does not need Deputy Hearne's help. One would have to go back a very long time to find a summer recess in which we have seen a moment of greater economic uncertainty, yet Deputy Doherty does not want to talk about trade, he does not want to talk about tariffs and he does not want to talk about the 48,000 people who work in pharma in this country. He does not want to talk ab…

-----by protecting their jobs at this dangerous moment. We will support families but we will also support the economy, something the Deputy does not like talking about very often.

I presume I will get the few extra seconds, too. If the Deputy genuinely believes that the economic challenge facing our country this summer is the equivalent to moments of economic challenge over the last couple of summers, I really worry for his level of economic literacy. If he genuinely thinks-----

-----that this situation with tariffs, trade, pharma and global uncertainty is the same as it was last summer, come on. He is better than that.

The Deputy did. The record-----

Deputy Doherty spends a lot of his political career standing up and saying the Government does not get it, it does not understand, it is out of touch. Does the Deputy know what I know? I know who owns SuperValu.

It is not an American multinational. I know who owns SuperValu.

It sponsors the GAA. It sponsors Tidy Towns. It is in-----

-----towns and villages across the country. It is a proud Irish company. The Deputy thought it was owned by an American multinational and he wants Paschal Donohoe's job? He wants Paschal Donohoe's job and he does not even know who owns SuperValu or cannot even use Google? Give me a break.

Give me a break. Does the Deputy know who had the answer? ChatGPT. Paschal Donohoe or Pearse Doherty - we know who we want running the finances.

Here we go.

I do not need this sort of lecture from the Deputy.

I do not blame the Opposition for any of the challenges the country faces. I just blame it for its hypocrisy. The Deputy gave out there about the one-off payments. Last year, I asked her interim leader to name one of them he did not want. I will ask Deputy Whitmore the same as well. Is it the parents in Greystones and Delgany who should not have got a double child benefit payment? Did the Deputy n…

I offer Deputy Whitmore that chance again. Tell me which one-off payment in the social welfare code last year she is against and that the Social Democrats do not want. Was it the child benefit payment? Was it the carer's payment? Was it the fuel allowance? Just let us know because the Social Democrats would not last year. They were happy to vote in favour of them all and their offices were happy t…

Deputy Doherty is-----

It is different, okay. There is talk of a united Opposition. They are all out there on the plinth-----

Sorry, the way this works is I am asked a question and I get a chance to answer, please. A united Opposition-----