Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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In accordance with Standing Order 35, I must now call on the Chief Whip-----

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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Before the Ceann Comhairle calls the Chief Whip, I wish to raise a point of order. The proposed Order of Business includes changes to Standing Orders. I have made a submission to the Ceann Comhairle on this issue on behalf of Sinn Féin. It is very clear, looking at the video recording of what happened last Tuesday, that the motion on Standing Orders was not passed. It was an amendment to the motion that was passed. It is absolutely clear that any suggestion to move now to the Order of Business and implement changes to Standing Orders is illegitimate. I am asking that the Ceann Comhairle not proceed and that she remove those changes to Standing Orders, particularly the provisions regarding so-called Other Members' Questions.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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I thank the Deputy. In response, I would say that Standing Order 35 has been amended and has to be implemented. On that basis, I have a strict obligation to apply the rules. Deputy, please, I ask you to resume your seat until I have finished what I have to say.

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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If I can respond, then I will resume my seat.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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I have a strict obligation to apply the rules. I understand it is disputed. I understand but you have set down your remedy for this afternoon. Could you co-operate so we can get the Order of Business carried out? You have your remedy later this afternoon to work on.

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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With respect, a Cheann Comhairle, that is not the remedy.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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With respect, Deputy-----

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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What I am saying is that in any objective assessment of the video, you can see with your own eyes and hear clearly tells you that the motion was not passed. It is an amendment to the motion that was passed.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Deputy-----

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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It is very clear that the Government is completely out of order to bring in these changes to Standing Orders that are so controversial when the motion was not passed.

Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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The Ceann Comhairle is speaking.

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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Hold on; you are not the Ceann Comhairle, young man.

Deputies:

Neither are you.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Excuse me, I ask Deputies to please-----

Deputies:

Young man.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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With all due respect, you have set down a remedy.

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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No, it is not a remedy.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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With regard to acting as Ceann Comhairle, you have. I would say to the Deputy that Standing Order 35 has been amended. I am going to ask the Chief Whip to move the Order of Business.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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No, this is not our remedy.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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The Deputies have put forward their remedy-----

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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Any objective assessment tells you this is completely out of order.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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I am sorry, Deputy. It is your assessment that you disagree with the note. I am putting the Order of Business to the Chief Whip to move.

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I move:

Tuesday’s business shall be:- Motion re Presentation and Circulation of Revised Estimates for Public Services 2025 [Votes 24, 41 and 46] (any division demanded shall be taken immediately)

- Motion re Confidence in the Ceann Comhairle (any division claimed to be taken immediately)

- Motions for Revised Estimates for Public Services 2025 [Votes 24, 41 and 46] (to be brought to a conclusion after 60 minutes, and to be moved together and decided by one question)

- Statements on Diverting Young People from Criminal Activity (to adjourn after 2 hours)

- Financial Motion by the Minister for Finance (to conclude within 60 mins and any division demanded to be taken immediately)

- Finance (Provision of Access to Cash Infrastructure) Bill 2024 (Committee and remaining Stages) (to commence no earlier than 5 p.m. and to adjourn either at 9 p.m. or after 3 hours, whichever is the later)

1. the ordinary routine of business as contained in Schedule 3 to Standing Orders shall be modified to the following extent:

(i) the Dáil may sit later than 10.48 p.m.;

(ii) the time allotted to Government business shall be extended in accordance with the arrangements for that business;

(iii) private members’ business may be taken later than 6.12 p.m. and shall in any event be taken on the conclusion of Government business, with consequential effect on the commencement time for Parliamentary Questions to the Minister for Foreign Affairs; and

(iv) topical issues pursuant to Standing Order 39 shall not be taken and the Dáil shall adjourn on the conclusion of oral Parliamentary Questions to the Minister for Foreign Affairs;

2. the proceedings on the Motion re Presentation and Circulation of Revised Estimates for Public Services 2025 [Votes 24, 41 and 46] shall be taken without debate, and any division claimed thereon shall be taken immediately;

3. the Motion re Confidence in the Ceann Comhairle shall not exceed 2 hours and 27 minutes and the order of speaking and allocation of time shall be as follows:

(i) the arrangements for the speeches, not including the Ministerial response, shall be in accordance with the arrangements contained in the table immediately below (to be read across, not down);

(ii) following the speeches, a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a speech in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes;

(iii) members may share time; and

(iv) any division claimed thereon shall be taken immediately;

-	Gov	SF	Lab	Gov	SF	SD	Gov	SF
Mins	25	15	10	13	3	10	13	3
-	IPTG	Gov	SF	ITG	Gov	SF	Other Members	Total
Mins	9	13	3	9	13	3	5	147

4. the following arrangements shall apply in relation to the proceedings on the Motions for Revised Estimates for Public Services 2025 [Votes 24, 41 and 46]:

(a) the proceedings shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 60 minutes;

(b) the motions shall be moved together and decided by one question which shall be put from the Chair; and

(c) the order of speaking and allocation of time shall be as follows:-

‒ opening speech by a Minister or Minister of State – 10 minutes;

‒ speeches by representatives of Sinn Féin, the Labour Party, Social Democrats, Independent and Parties Technical Group, and Independent Technical Group – 7.5 minutes per party or group;

‒ speeches by Other Members – 7.5 minutes; and

‒ a speech in response by the Minister – 5 minutes; and

(d) members may share time.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Is that agreed?

Deputies:

Agreed.

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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It is not agreed.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Now we have the situation where we implement the amendment to Standing Order 35, which is that either the Whip or deputy Whip of each party has 30 seconds.

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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No, it is not. I am presenting to the Ceann Comhairle, and to be very clear, I am presenting in protest. Any objective assessment of what happened last Tuesday, if you look at the section that dealt with the motion-----

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Deputy, your protest-----

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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A cheann Comhairle, in your haste to get the business done, you actually passed an amendment to the Government's motion. It is clear. I can read it out to you if you want.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Could the Deputy let me speak?

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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I have the transcript here: Is the amendment agreed; It is not agreed; I propose; I ask is the amendment agreed; Tá or Níl; Tá; The question is carried; Votáil. It is clear; that is the transcript. That is the Dáil transcript.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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I ask the Deputy to resume his seat and let me speak.

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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I will resume my seat.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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The issue for the Deputy to object on is now; he may partake now and oppose the Order of Business. That is the process. The Deputy is perfectly entitled. I have put the question. Does he wish to take his 30 seconds? If not, I will move on to the Labour Party Whip. It is up to the Deputy. He has 30 seconds.

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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What I will say to the Ceann Comhairle now is that under protest, I am taking the 30 seconds. To be clear, every party should have the right to decide who speaks for them on the Order of Business. This is blatant what is happening here. The Taoiseach does not want to be held to account, so the Government Chief Whip responds. It is treated like some procedural matter. Rather than dealing with the actual business of the Dáil for the week, we will have huge political controversy potentially every Tuesday. This is an attempt to tell every political party who should speak for them on the Order of Business. It is blatant what is happening here, and it was not even passed. We will absolutely oppose the Order of Business because it is illegitimate. It is illegal and blatant what happened.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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My job is not to advise the Standing Order; I am implementing it, which the Deputy knows is my obligation. I call Deputy Duncan Smith.

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal East, Labour)
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I was aghast to read in the Mail on Sunday that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael backbenchers are absolutely livid at the breakdown of time for other speakers.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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That is an awful commentary on the Mail on Sunday.

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal East, Labour)
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In the interests of fair parliamentary order, and it being clear that backbenchers in Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, with whom I have deep sympathy, who are sent out to bat, (a), did not have a clue what they were arguing for; (b), had no idea ultimately what they were voting for; and (c), were ultimately clueless as to the impact, having been utterly misled by their own Whips, I ask that we convene that Dáil reform committee and do away with this, which is not working for the Opposition or Government, and indeed is breaking up new friendships in the Regional Independent Group?

Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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I agree with the points that have been made. I want to ask the Government about tariffs. I looked for time to be on the Dáil schedule this week to discuss tariffs. It is a huge issue that is going to impact on this country.

Will the Chief Whip reconsider and actually put time on the schedule this week so that we can get an update from the Government on tariffs and have questions and answers with the responsible Ministers?

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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I wish to register an objection to the way things were done last week. Now we are into the situation where we have Michael Lowry sitting very lonely on his own-----

A Deputy:

He is not.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Please, Deputies.

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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His companion has had to move right up into the corner to disassociate from the absolutely abysmal reputation that the Taoiseach has decided to bring-----

Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North-West, Fianna Fail)
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This is the Order of Business.

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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----- this Government into. This is the first time we will have the cordoning off of time purely for pro-Government TDs to speak, not to be accountable to the Opposition in any way this week. I absolutely do not agree.

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South-Central, Sinn Fein)
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A Cheann Comhairle-----

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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I thank Deputy Coppinger. I call Deputy Michael Collins.

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South-Central, Sinn Fein)
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A Cheann Comhairle, under Standing Order 35(3)-----

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Sorry, you are not entitled to speak. I call Deputy Michael Collins.

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South-Central, Sinn Fein)
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No, I am entitled to speak.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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You are not entitled to speak in this instance.

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South-Central, Sinn Fein)
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I am, and the Clerk can confirm. Under Standing Order 35(3), "Any member may propose an amendment to the motion for the adoption of the arrangements for the week’s business: Provided that ..." they provide adequate detail. I wish to propose-----

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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Hear, hear.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Just a second, Deputy-----

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South-Central, Sinn Fein)
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I wish to propose-----

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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I just want to confirm that. We will stop the clock.

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South-Central, Sinn Fein)
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Very well.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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We will come back to Deputy Ó Laoghaire when we are finished with Deputy Collins.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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Hear, hear. Very welcome.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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We will now restart the clock.

Michael Collins (Cork South-West, Independent Ireland Party)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle.

I agree with the previous speakers, but there are other issues of serious concern too. Today we need time to debate farmers' payments and the delay in same, up to months for some people. A staggering 9,300 farmers are waiting since early 2024 on delayed agri-climate rural environment scheme, ACRES, payments, 2,300 of whom are waiting for their payments since 2023. There are also farmers in the targeted agricultural modernisation scheme, TAMS, and the suckler carbon efficiency programme, SCEP, waiting for urgent payment. The Minister has promised to solve this issue, but if farmers are waiting almost two years for their income, it puts them under enormous pressure. A debate must be had in this House immediately to try to address that issue.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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I thank the Deputy. Before Deputy Ó Laoghaire begins, I ask the Clerk to confirm his entitlement.

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South-Central, Sinn Fein)
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That is correct. Any Member is entitled to move an amendment to the Order of Business under the Standing Orders supposedly adopted by this Dáil. I wish to propose an amendment to the Order of Business. It relates to the point made by Deputy O'Callaghan regarding the significant threats we face in terms of trade, the tariffs and the developments which may take place this week, particularly on foot of President Trump's announcement tomorrow.

I wish to propose that No. 2 of Thursday's business is amended to include statements on tariffs and global trade, subsequent to the conclusion of the statements on diverting young people from criminal activity.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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I thank the Deputy. I ask the Chief Whip to respond.

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I note the dissent as set down by the various Deputies. They also dissented at the Business Committee last Thursday. We will do our best to find some speaking time. I will engage with the Opposition Whips to find speaking time regarding tariffs. We had speaking time on that two weeks ago. I said last Thursday that, as soon as 2 April had passed, we will know exactly where we are and that we will find time.

Deputy Collins looked for time regarding Uisce Éireann, which will be facilitated next week, as I told him last Thursday. Now, I notice that he is looking for time regarding ACRES. There is only a certain amount of time every week. We will facilitate that in due course but the Deputy will also recognise the fact that all parties and groups can use the Private Members' time to facilitate discussions on areas they want to discuss.

Regarding what was said by Deputy O'Callaghan, I think, regarding speaking rights, we have just had Leaders' Questions. Leaders' Questions were allocated by party and grouping. The Other Members' Questions will be allocated by party and grouping. We are following the Standing Orders.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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A Cheann Comhairle-----

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Sorry Deputy, I am just about to respond. Resume your seat, please.

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal East, Labour)
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That makes no sense.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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It is just a point of clarification on what the Government Chief Whip just spoke about. I was at the meeting of the Business Committee, as was the Ceann Comhairle, and other business was set down for Thursday. That business fell last Thursday, which meant that there was time. The objection to us looking for statements on tariffs was raised and it was stated that no time was available-----

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Thank you, Deputy.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Time became available on Thursday last week-----

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Deputy-----

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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It is disingenuous for the Government Chief Whip to stand up here and tell us time was not available.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Thank you, Deputy.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Time was available because it happened that day.

The Government knew in advance that the Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner's Pension) Bill-----

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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I thank the Deputy. He has set down his amendment.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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It is not an amendment. This is a point of information, that the Government Whip is misleading the Dáil about exactly what happened at that Business Committee.

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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For anybody who was not present at the Business Committee last Thursday, what I said was that we had statements on tariffs two weeks ago and that we were all waiting with trepidation as to what would happen on 2 April and that then we would discuss speaking time in the very near future about what we will all find out tomorrow.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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The question is that the amendment to the Order of Business is hereby negatived and that the proposed arrangements for this week's business are hereby agreed to. Is that agreed?

Deputies:

Not agreed.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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We are all waiting to see what will happen tomorrow with US tariffs. However, we know there are no winners in a trade war and that we should not see a knee-jerk reaction from the EU. At this point, we need cool heads. I was taken aback by what Paschal Donohoe had to say at the weekend when he asserted on RTÉ that Europe has to respond. We will not face down an erratic US Administration by copying it. We cannot, on the one hand, say that what Trump is doing is act of self-harm and then do the same in kind. The ESRI was very clear about tariffs and EU counter-tariffs: they both hurt the economy and both impact on jobs. Just as Trump's tariffs will be a tax on American people, EU tariffs would be a tax on Irish and EU people. We should not cut off our nose to spite our face. We need to prioritise Irish interests and protect jobs and workers and their families. Does the Taoiseach agree that talk of automatic counter-tariffs is premature and not in Ireland's interest at this stage?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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I agree with the Deputy that tariffs are bad all round. Essentially, they represent a tax on people. They will be a tax on people's groceries and medication in the US. Europe will not respond prematurely or in a knee-jerk way. Europe will engage in a strategic response. The objective of the European Union's response will be to encourage the United States to the negotiating table in order to get a mitigation of whatever tariffs are announced tomorrow. No one is precisely sure how high these tariffs will be. It does make sense that there would be a negotiation to try to get a reasonable resolution. It will not be satisfactory to everybody but at least it could mitigate some of the damage that undoubtedly will be done as a result of the imposition of these tariffs.

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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It feels like every day we are seeing more horror around the world. At the weekend, we saw the appalling earthquake and loss of life in Myanmar. There is also the ongoing slaughter of Palestinians by Israel in Gaza and the continued bombardment of Ukraine by Russia. At this time, it is particularly concerning to see the rowing back across the world of aid programmes, with UNRWA under attack and, of course, with Donald Trump's cuts to USAID, which are triggering a global public health crisis. Even our nearest neighbour, Britain, is winding down aid budgets. How is the Government going to act to stem this growing trend? Can the Taoiseach provide a commitment that Irish Aid programmes will continue to be funded in an effective manner? We are all conscious that job losses are imminent in Irish Aid organisations as result of the USAID cuts. However, we need to ensure that our aid budgets remain robust. I ask for a commitment from the Taoiseach at this very worrying time.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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Absolutely. We have a very strong aid programme that is conducted by Irish Aid and a number of well-established non-governmental organisations in this field. We will have to provide aid to the people of Myanmar following the earthquake. The slaughter in Gaza continues. We have been one of the biggest supporters of UNRWA; I believe we have provided about €58 million in core support to it. Our overall support to the people of Palestine since 2023 is over €71 million.

By any yardstick, and in comparison with anything that went before, it is a substantial aid programme for the people of Gaza and the West Bank. We are not forgetting Sudan. There is appalling violence in Sudan, and huge displacement of people, starvation and hunger. We also want a ceasefire in Ukraine. The evidence is that Russia does not seem to be up for a ceasefire right now. It is continuing to bomb and has put in belated conditions to the latest announcements around the potentiality of a ceasefire.

Sinéad Gibney (Dublin Rathdown, Social Democrats)
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Since 2016, there has been an almost 70% increase in the number of aircraft permitted to bring weapons of war through Ireland or on Irish-registered aircraft. A significant number of flights carrying weapons destined for Israel have travelled through Irish airspace without permission. One would have to wonder, given the carte blanche that apparently exists in the relevant Department, why those flight operators did not simply apply for exemptions because the likelihood is that any such requests would immediately have been rubber-stamped. Since 2016, the Department has refused just 1% of the 9,848 applications it received. This is damning and represents a complete undermining of our neutrality. How can we be neutral when we facilitate the transfer of these weapons, many of which are destined to be dropped on densely populated areas of Gaza and which will annihilate the maximum number of innocent civilians. We have long called on this Government to do more than use strong words when it comes to the genocide in Gaza and to act instead. It turns out that it has been doing so by green-lighting weapons transfers. Will the Taoiseach indicate if he has concerns and if he intends to do anything about this?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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Those are wrong assertions. It is important that the Deputy engages properly on the issue and finds out the facts.

Sinéad Gibney (Dublin Rathdown, Social Democrats)
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They are the facts.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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I will go through it here. I have just been on to the Department about the matter. It is not accurate at all that the increase is related to Gaza, and it is wrong to assert that. It is just plain wrong to assert that. Basically, the Department did see an increase in applications for exemptions from October 2023. However, these were representative of an increase in applications for Irish-registered civil aircraft operating outside the State.

Sinéad Gibney (Dublin Rathdown, Social Democrats)
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The legislation applies to both-----

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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There was no connection to the United States military or to Israel. Correlations have been drawn between the initial Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023 and the increase in applications for exemptions from that month. The two are unrelated.

Applications for exemptions predominately fall into one of two categories, namely US civil air operators contracted to carry US military personnel with their unloaded, standard issue weapons, which require an exemption if they operate in Irish sovereign territory, or scheduled flights in Europe by Irish-registered aircraft operating outside Ireland. There was one particular case that has given rise-----

Sinéad Gibney (Dublin Rathdown, Social Democrats)
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The legislation-----

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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That case has nothing at all to do with Gaza or America. People just deliberately jump to conclusions to paint the wrong picture about the objectives or intentions of the Government. That is wrong.

Brian Stanley (Laois, Independent)
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I wish to ask about the commitment in the budget last October to provide free hormone replacement therapy, HRT, for women. We are told that pharmacies and the State are in deadlock over the provision of HRT. Pharmacies have indicated that they were not consulted about this. Women still have to pay for HRT despite the commitment given by the Government last October. Brigid is a widow who has no medical card. She had to skip HRT. She is 61 years of age and cannot afford it. Sinead in Laois said that she is just about able to afford HRT and GP appointments but that her heart goes out to those women who cannot do so. Many women have contacted me who cannot afford HRT. A Kildare woman informed me that one of the reasons she voted for the Government parties of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael was because of the commitment to provide HRT. She said, "I now feel foolish for believing them." Will the Government try to get the problem solved for those women who need HRT?

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The commitment in the budget last year was to provide for HRT medication to be free. That has been available to be implemented since January. The Deputy is correct to say that there had not been enough dialogue with pharmacists in the context of the implementation of the scheme. I met the Irish Pharmacy Union twice - in early February and again last week - in order to try to resolve the issues relating to the scheme and make sure that the medication is free. Women are paying in or around €45 to €50 for HRT at the moment. We need to reduce that. There was no provision in the budget last year to pay the dispensing fee, as would often be the case with other schemes. Women on the drugs payment scheme will obviously be covered if they are paying more than €80. Those on medical cards are also covered. We want the cost of the medication to be eliminated and just the dispensing fee to be left. The matter is still under negotiation with pharmacists more broadly to make sure it is workable for them.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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The impending tariff war with the US is the biggest existential economic threat to this country in generations. Yet shockingly, it has been practically eclipsed by Dáil dysfunction over the past couple of weeks. Billions of euro worth of Irish trade and corporation tax are under threat. Both the future intake of tax and public spending are in the balance. I am struggling see any evidence of direct impact by this Government in terms of the EU's decision-making process or its negotiation with the US Administration. The EU will make decisions on the basis of the German, French and Italian economies. This is clearly visible in the decision on a retaliatory tariff on bourbon and is evidence that the EU was not thinking of the Irish whiskey industry. What direct steps is the Government taking to influence the EU's retaliatory tariff strategy? What engagement has the Government had with senior members of the US Administration in the context of protecting Irish industry?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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I met with the President von der Leyen last week in Paris on the margins of the meeting on Ukraine. At the EU summit the previous week, I also met her to discuss the matter. On Sunday, I had a phone call with President von der Leyen to discuss it further. As stated, we have not had the EU's substantive response yet because the tariffs are only due to be announced tomorrow.

On bourbon, those were already measures that had been enacted but suspended on a previous occasion when US tariffs were also suspended. The US tariffs were restored and, as a result, the EU simply implemented what had been paused. There will, however, be a fresh assessment by the EU after the announcement tomorrow. Europe will then decide how to respond. We are already in discussions. The Tánaiste has been in discussion with Commissioner Šefčovič. Our officials are working with the officials in the Commission in respect of its response.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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The Taoiseach is over time.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Tánaiste has been in touch with Secretary of State Lutnick. That communication will continue.

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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Has the Minister for Health received the interim report from HIQA on accident and emergency facilities in the mid-west? Does the Minister expect the final report to be published next month as promised? Is the Government committed to implementing the recommendations of the final report?

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I updated the House last week to the effect that I had received the interim report. It has since been published. The report outlines the process that HIQA is going through, including in the context of the submissions that have been made and that are being collated. In the report, HIQA indicates that it will publish the final report in May. We will need to see what that is going to say.

Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Surgical hubs are being developed in north Dublin, south Dublin, Limerick, Cork, Waterford and Galway. Surgical hubs eliminate day-care waiting lists and take the pressure off various departments in hospitals. I am disappointed that there is no surgical hub for the area north of the Dublin-Galway line. The programme for Government contains a commitment to explore the possibility of providing an additional surgical hub in the north west. I understand there is a site available in Sligo. Will the Minister provide an update on progress so far?

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy is correct that the programme for Government contains a commitment in respect of the establishment of six surgical hubs. We are examining a business case for an additional hub in the north west. I am going through the detail of that. It is extremely important to recognise how additive a surgical hub can be and the support it can provide to a local acute hospital to try to remove some scheduled care in order that people have a completely separate and predictable system. A hub also makes matters easier for the hospital involved as well. We are examining in detail the business case. I would welcome any submissions the Deputy has in relation to Sligo in particular.

Joanna Byrne (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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This morning, I hosted a briefing here in Leinster House with Dignity4Patients, an organisation that supports victims of sexual abuse and inappropriate sexual behaviour in medical settings. For decades, the great and the good of Irish politics have pledged their support to this organisation and, in particular, to the survivors of Ireland's most prolific paedophile, Michael Shine. Yet, survivors still have to come here in 2025 and relive their pain and trauma in order to elevate their campaign for the establishment of a commission of investigation. I acknowledge and thank Larry, Cianan, Gerard, Peter and Ian for their bravery this morning. I understand the Taoiseach will be meeting this group on 16 April.

With that in mind, with comes healing. Will the Taoiseach commit to delivering the commission of investigation? Not only that, will he commit to a concrete timeline to give the survivors some hope that their need for truth and justice will finally be met?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. It is fair to say that over the past three decades, there have been very extensive inquiries into sexual abuse in this country in almost all settings and it continues. We have to evaluate that experience as well. There have been very extensive inquiries. There has been horrific abuse, which has visited trauma on thousands of people in different settings, including in healthcare settings, institutions, church environments and indeed education. It was across the board. It is a real stain on Irish society. I am meeting the group and I pay tribute to it for its work and advocacy. I will engage with it. I am not making any commitments in advance of meeting it. I will work to determine the best method of getting to the truth in a timely manner. I am also conscious that on previous occasions, people might not have been entirely satisfied with the outcomes of other types of inquiries that took place.

Martin Daly (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
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Could the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Butler, indicate when the Mental Health Bill 2024 will proceed to Committee Stage for examination? It is critical that we get the legislation right. While strong safeguards are essential, we must also ensure timely and appropriate access to treatment for people who are seriously ill and cannot make that decision for themselves. Thankfully, involuntary admission is in a minority of cases and for a short period, but it is critical that those people have access to intervention in a timely and accessible manner.

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this really important mental health Bill, which, as he knows, is a priority of the Government. The restoration of the Bill to the Order Paper was one of the first actions undertaken by this Government. I was delighted to reinstate it. I met the Attorney General only last week on this. We are just trying to finalise the last of the amendments, which are quite technical in nature and some of which relate to other legislation, namely the Assisted Decision-making (Capacity) Act. There are just a few technicalities to iron out. I hope to bring the legislation to Committee Stage next month.

Joe Neville (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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As someone from a Garda family, my father having served in the force and my brother currently serving, I know at first hand the vital role that an effective and well-resourced Garda service plays in keeping our community safe. However, in north Kildare, where towns like Kilcock, Maynooth, Celbridge, Leixlip and Naas are experiencing rapid growth, Garda numbers have not kept pace. Celbridge, with its population of 23,000, has a Garda station that opens for an hour every day. Maynooth, even with its university, has a station with similar hours. We are down in sergeant numbers and, despite receiving five new recruits, we are losing five members, so the balance will be the same. At the moment in Kildare, there is no crime prevention officer.

Given the Government’s commitment to increasing Garda recruitment in the coming five years, what specific steps are we taking to ensure north Kildare receives an adequate allocation of new gardaí to reflect its growing population and policing needs?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I pay tribute to An Garda Síochána for the outstanding work it does to keep us all safe and protect society and our citizens. I pay tribute to the Deputy’s family on their distinguished contribution to An Garda Síochána. We are recruiting more and more gardaí. As we recruit more, we will be in a better position to deploy gardaí to Kildare and indeed farther afield.

Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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Last night in two parks of Dublin 15, namely Hartstown Park and Mick Walsh Park, local people were forced to leave the parks due to fears over safety. Scramblers have been running amok in both of those parks and throughout Dublin 15 for the past several weeks and months. I am deeply frustrated about this because I have raised it literally since I came into the Dáil and every single time it has been brought up. There is a continued lack of action. We do not need studies, plans or reviews, or all the usual mechanisms to delay or block. This week I again watched a video of a police force in Britain effectively dealing with scramblers through an anti-scrambler unit. They have them all over Britain. I have been saying this time and again. I ask the Minister for Justice to sit down with the Garda to discuss this and put plans in place to deal with it effectively, because at the moment there is absolutely nothing to stop individuals on scramblers running amok in our communities.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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This has been an ongoing issue. I am aware that Deputy Paul McAuliffe led on this, and legislation was passed at the time. Implementation is very important. I will ask the Minister for Justice to engage with the Garda Commissioner. As the Deputy knows, the deployment of gardaí is an operational matter. We are told that repeatedly. If you establish more units, you reduce the number of gardaí available for broader duties.

What is happening in the two parks is unacceptable. Ordinary life cannot continue because of the dangerous practice in question, which could endanger life and limb. It is unacceptable. Some people have had horrific injuries because of this.

Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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Yes.

Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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Over 9,000 farmers are waiting for their ACRES payments, many for more than two years. Many of these farmers are financially strapped at this time. No other group or individuals would wait that long for their money. These people have bills to pay too. We have been told the system is broken down. If we had an old tractor or lorry broken down for two years, it would be timely to call Hammond Lane or Cork Metal Company to take it away and scrap it. The system the Government has must be scrapped. It should at least pay 70% or 80% of what the farmers are owed to keep them going. They will go under. They have had an awfully hard winter and a long spring and they are struggling for money. It is theirs and they are entitled to get it. I cannot understand why, after two years, the system has not been fine-tuned. Many of the farmers are still without a payment. We see in the Irish Farmers' Journal this week that there are 9,300, and many of them are coming to us.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. My understanding is that number has been reduced, but 9,000 still waiting is too many. What happened was that the scheme was expanded to accommodate everybody. When the Minister paid out what the Deputy suggested, he made advance payments. Some of them were over what people might have been entitled to, and then people were concerned about having to make payments back. In any event, I will talk to the Minister for agriculture in respect of how we can expedite payment and get this concluded.

Marie Sherlock (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Yesterday, I spoke to Louise Collins in Tralee, County Kerry. She is mother to 14-year-old Daniel, who suffers from severe scoliosis and has 95% curvature to his spine. The Taoiseach might have been alerted to the article about the family in The Irish Times today. In the 14 months since Daniel was told he needed surgery, his surgeon in Crumlin has not been able to offer him a single date, not even a missed or potential date. That flies in the face of everything we have been told would be put in place for such children. I cannot square in my head how, in February of this year, when 132 scoliosis patients were waiting for surgery, there were only 47 planned procedures. Flying to London or New York will not be possible for all the children. Crucially, we know the three CHI hospitals will have to scale back their theatre activity next winter to transition to the new hospital building. My question for the Minister for Health and the Taoiseach is this: will CHI be able to live up to its commitment to provide surgery within the four months? Will Daniel get the surgery? Crucially, why has the HSE not put anything with regard to scoliosis in the waiting plan for this year?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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The situation in relation to Daniel is unacceptable in many respects. I have read the article. My understanding is that there is engagement, and the clinical nurse specialist is engaging with the family today.

Marie Sherlock (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Not today.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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No, but there has been engagement. My understanding is that there is a pathway, but I would obviously prefer if the team in CHI communicated with the family. My understanding is that prior to coming in this afternoon, progress was made in respect of the case. I will follow up on this, and I know the Minister is here as well. There is a pathway, hopefully in the shorter term. In the first instance, the clinical nurse was in touch or will be in touch with the family today - hopefully by the time I have spoken today - and there will be follow-through. I do not have the full background to the case or its complexity.

Pádraig Rice (Cork South-Central, Social Democrats)
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Where is the promised amendment to the Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Bill? In July of last year, the Dáil passed the first assisted human reproduction Bill, which has still not been commenced. A second Bill, to close the gaps in the law, was promised within weeks, but we still have no sight of it.

Two days before the election, the then Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, wrote to campaigners to say that the legislation would be commenced on 1 June. That is two months from today, yet we still do not have a timeline for the Bill. Ten years on from the marriage equality referendum, we should not have the absurd situation for some families where one spouse is a legal parent and the other is a legal stranger. This is utterly unacceptable in a modern, inclusive republic.

When will the second AHR Bill be published? Will the commitment to commence the legislation on 1 June be met? Will the Government re-engage with the affected families and advocates? Will it once and for all provide equality for the children of Ireland?

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware, there needs to be an amendment to that legislation. There is considerable engagement between the Department of children, the Department of Justice and my Department on it and there has been intensive work. It is on the priority list for the spring legislative programme. I expect that amending legislation to be published in June. My own target is that it will be enacted by December.

There is another option to commence a piece, but it is not the complete legislation and we have to set up the regulatory authority. I am quite happy to speak to the Deputy in detail about the sequence of the two elements together but the amending legislation is crucial and my target is for that to be published in June.

Michael Collins (Cork South-West, Independent Ireland Party)
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This weekend's CSO figures on visitors to this country have cast a serious doubt over our once glorious tourism sector. The figures show a drop of 20% in the number of visitors in January and 30% in February. Visitor spending has dropped 31% in those two months compared to last year and overnight bed bookings are down 33%. This is a concern for cities like Dublin, Galway, Cork, Waterford and others but it is also a disaster for rural communities like west Cork, Kerry, Connemara, other areas and more if this trend continues.

The reasons given are cost of staying in Ireland, cost of food spiralling out of control and the low availability of hotel space, as many of our traditional hotels are now IPAS centres. This is not a dip. It is a collapse unless measures are immediately put in place to counteract this drop, such as a decrease in the VAT rate from 13.5% to 9% and the freeing up of hotels throughout the country. What are the Government's plans in counteracting this huge fall in the tourism sector numbers?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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More and more hotels are decanting in respect of IPAS and the beneficiaries of temporary protection, BOTPs, over the last while. Obviously, we will do everything we possibly can to increase numbers. There are significant issues globally in terms of confidence in the world economy - that may be a factor playing out - but again, it is early days yet to be writing off the tourism industry. Our tourism industry is very resilient and very robust. We have a very good product. We have some very big events coming that will swell the numbers, give us a good start to the spring. Hopefully, we can improve on those numbers. I will ask the Minister for tourism to engage with the Deputy on the matter.