Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I move:

Tuesday's business shall be: - Motion reProposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022 (Section 9(2)) (Amount of Financial Contribution) Order 2022 (back from Committee) (without debate)

- Motion reMinisterial Rota for Parliamentary Questions (without debate)

- Motion reProtocol and arrangements for President von der Leyen’s address to a Joint Sitting of both Houses of the Oireachtas (without debate)

- Motionre Amendment of the Orders of Reference of the Committee on Gender Equality (without debate)

- Employment Permits Bill 2022 – Motion for a Financial Resolution (without debate)

- Statements on COP 27 (not to exceed 2 hrs 25 mins)

Private Members' Business shall be the Motion reToll Charge Increase, selected by Sinn Féin. Wednesday’s business shall be: - Motion reReferral to Joint Committee of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of Regulation of Providers of Building Works and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2022 (Appointment of Registration Body) Order 2022 (without debate)

- Motion reReferral to Joint Committee of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of Sustainable Energy Act 2022 (Conferral of Additional Functions – Energy Efficiency) Order 2022(without debate)

- Motions for Supplementary Estimates for Public Services [Votes 20, 21, 22, 24, 31, 34, 37 and 42] (to be moved together and decided without debate by one question)

- Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2022 (to conclude within 55 mins)

- Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2022 (Second Stage) (if not previously concluded, to stand adjourned either at 4.30 p.m. or 45 minutes after the conclusion of the Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2022, whichever is the later)

- Social Welfare Bill 2022 (Committee and remaining Stages) (to be taken no earlier than 4.30 p.m. and to conclude within 90 mins)

- Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022 [Seanad] (Report and Final Stages) (to conclude within 2 hrs)

- National Tourism Development Authority (Amendment) Bill 2022 (Report and Final Stages) (toconclude within 30 minutes)

- Air Navigation and Transport Bill 2020 (Amendments from the Seanad) (to conclude within 30minutes)

Private Members' Business shall be the Motion reDrug Policy and Decriminalisation of the User, selected by the Labour Party.

On the resumption of the Dáil on Thursday following the joint sitting for the purposes of an address by H.E. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, the business shall be:

- Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2022 (Second Stage, resumed) (to conclude at the end of the first round and any division claimed to be taken immediately prior to Committee Stage)

- Local Government (Maternity Protections and Other Measures for Members of the Local Authorities) Bill 2022 (Second Stage)

Thursday evening business shall be the Motion reReport entitled “Embodied Carbon in the Built Environment”, by the Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Proposed Arrangements for this week's business:

In relation to Tuesday’s business, it is proposed that: 1. the ordinary routine of business as contained in Schedule 3 to Standing Orders is modified to the extent that the time allotted to Government business shall be extended for the purpose of allowing the Statements on COP 27 to conclude, and private members' business shall be taken on the conclusion of the statements, with consequential effect on the commencement time for Parliamentary Questions to the Minister for Social Protection, topical issues and the adjournment of the Dáil, which may be later than 10.30 p.m.;

2. the Motion reProposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022 (Section 9(2)) (Amount of Financial Contribution) Order 2022 shall be taken without debate;

3. the Motion reMinisterial Rota for Parliamentary Questions shall be taken without debate;

4. the Motion reProtocol and arrangements for President von der Leyen’s address to a Joint Sitting of both Houses of the Oireachtas shall be taken without debate;

5. the Motion reAmendment of the Orders of Reference of the Committee on Gender Equality shall be taken without debate;

6. the Motion for a Financial Resolution on the Employment Permits Bill 2022 shall be taken without debate; and

7. the Statements on COP 27 shall not exceed 2 hours and 25 minutes, with arrangements in accordance with those agreed by Order of the Dáil of 30th July, 2020, for 135 minutes, following which a Minister of Minister of State shall be called upon to make a statement in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes, and members may share time. In relation to Wednesday’s business, it is proposed that: 1. the ordinary routine of business as contained in Schedule 3 to Standing Orders shall be modified to the following extent:

(i) Government business may continue after 8.45 p.m. in order to allow the proceedings on the amendments from the Seanad on the Air Navigation and Transport Bill 2020 to conclude; and

(ii) the weekly division time may be taken later than 8.45 p.m. and shall, in any event, be taken on the conclusion of proceedings on the amendments from the Seanad on the Air Navigation and Transport Bill 2020, with consequential effect on the time for the adjournment of the Dáil, which may be later than 9.30 p.m.;

2. the Motion reReferral to Joint Committee of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of Regulation of Providers of Building Works and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2022 (Appointment of Registration Body) Order 2022 shall be taken without debate;

3. the Motion reReferral to Joint Committee of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of Sustainable Energy Act 2022 (Conferral of Additional Functions – Energy Efficiency) Order 2022 shall be taken without debate;

4. the motions for Supplementary Estimates for Public Services [Votes 20, 21, 22, 24, 31, 34, 37 and 42] shall be moved together and decided without debate by one question which shall be put from the Chair;

5. the proceedings on the Motion reProposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2022 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 55 minutes and the following arrangements shall apply:

(i) order of speaking and allocation of time shall be as follows:

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

- speech by representatives of Sinn Féin – 10 minutes;

- speeches by representatives of the Labour Party, Social Democrats, People-Before-Profit-Solidarity, the Regional Group, the Rural Independent Group and the Independent Group – 5 minutes per party or group;

- a speech in response by a Minister or Minister of State – 5 minutes; and

(ii) members may share time;

6. the proceedings on the Second Stage of the Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2022 shall, if not previously concluded, stand adjourned either at 4.30 p.m. or 45 minutes after the conclusion of the Motion reProposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2022, whichever is the later, and shall not resume on Wednesday;

7. the proceedings on Committee and remaining Stages of the Social Welfare Bill 2022 shall be taken no earlier than 4.30 p.m. and shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 90 minutes by one question which shall be put from the Chair and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for Social Protection;

8. the proceedings on Report and Final Stages of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022 [Seanad] shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 2 hours by one question which shall be put from the Chair and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media;

9. the proceedings on Report and Final Stages of the National Tourism Development Authority (Amendment) Bill 2022 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 30 minutes by one question which shall be put from the Chair and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media; and

10. the proceedings on the amendments from the Seanad to the Air Navigation and Transport Bill 2020 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 30 minutes and any amendments from the Seanad not disposed of shall be decided by one question which shall be put from the Chair, and which shall, in relation to amendments to the Seanad amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for Transport. In relation to Thursday’s business, it is proposed that: 1. the ordinary routine of business as contained in Schedule 3 to Standing Orders shall be modified to the following extent:

(i) the Dáil shall meet at 8.54 a.m.;

(ii) Questions on Policy or Legislation pursuant to Standing Order 35A shall not be taken;

(iii) Government business shall be taken no earlier than 4 p.m. and shall, if not previously concluded, stand adjourned at 8 p.m. and shall not resume on Thursday; and

(iv) topical issues pursuant to Standing Order 37 shall be taken either at 8 p.m. or on the conclusion of Government business, whichever is the earlier, with consequential effect on the time for the commencement of the Motion reReport entitled "Embodied Carbon in the Built Environment" and for the adjournment of the Dáil, which may be later than 9.27 p.m.; and

2. on the conclusion of the first speaking round on Second Stage of the Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2022, a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a speech in reply, which shall not exceed 10 minutes, whereupon proceedings on Second Stage shall be brought to a conclusion; Provided that any division claimed shall be taken immediately prior to Committee Stage of the Bill.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Is the Order of Business agreed?

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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It is not agreed.

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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Are we likely to see the vitally important reform of planning legislation come for the House before the end of term? We are all conscious that there are only two more sitting weeks. This is a vitally important Bill that has been promised by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien. The Minister previously committed to bringing the Bill before the House before Christmas. I and others have heard from many constituents about concerns and delays in the planning system caused by the ongoing chaos with aspects of the governance of An Bord Pleanála. We need this vitally important legislation to come before us soon, given the scale of the housing crisis.

Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Independent)
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We have reached a tipping point in the housing crisis. It is as hard as I have ever seen for somebody to get a house or find a place to rent. There are 11,000 people homeless. A young woman and two children came to my constituency office yesterday and pleaded with me to contact the Housing Agency, which I did. Within the space of two hours, 114 people had sought accommodation. Things have become really serious. It is time that all parties got together and had one working group. Four weeks out from Christmas, people want their own homes. I ask everybody in the House to work together. I know the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, is trying to do his best. Instead of shooting from four or five different points, we need a working group to work together before Christmas.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Deputy, we are on the Order of Business.

Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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I want to raise the matter of the House sitting on 17 December. No consideration has been given to the families of staff or Members in coming up with that date to facilitate the switchover in respect of the position of Taoiseach. Has consideration been given to providing childcare facilities? To expect that staff can just drop their families on the Saturday before Christmas and come in to facilitate that sitting goes against everything we talk about when we discuss having a family friendly Parliament.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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On behalf of the Rural Independent Group, I am seeking an urgent debate on what happened at this morning's Cabinet meeting regarding the bonuses to be paid to the fat cats in the banks. In case the Taoiseach tries to put words in my mouth, I am not talking about ordinary officials. Many nurses and healthcare workers are still waiting for the €1,000 the Government promised them. At the stroke of a pen, the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe can bring in this measure bankers and those in government will all say it is great. This is at a time when people cannot live and cannot put food on the table or fuel in their oil tanks. They are being obliged to choose between doing one or the other. On what kind of planet are those in government living? I know they go over and back to their friends in Europe and they have nice meals and talk and everything else, but I ask them to think of the ordinary people who bailed out the banks. The grandchildren of those individuals will be paying back that debt in the future. The Government is giving the two fingers to people with this decision to pay those on €500,000 per year bonuses of up to €20,000.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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This is the Order of Business.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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Yes, it is. I am objecting to the Order of Business because I want an urgent debate on this matter in order that we can bring some reality to the situation for people who are struggling so hard to live, get homes, educate their children and everything else. This is what we give them two weeks before Christmas - the two fingers. It is shocking.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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For months we have been asking the Government to increase the social housing income thresholds. There was an announcement a couple of weeks ago, but we have had no detail about that whatsoever. There needs to be a debate to establish what the new thresholds are and, critically, whether the thousands of people who were taken off the housing list in recent years because of the failure of the Government to increase the thresholds will be restored to the list. We also need to know what will happen to people who are above the new thresholds and what housing supports they will get if they find themselves threatened with eviction or homelessness or if they are unable to afford market prices on houses. Those matters need to be discussed before the end of this term. Will we get a commitment from the Government to that effect?

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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A couple of weeks ago-----

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Is this the Order of Business?

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Yes.

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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A couple of weeks ago, I raised the need for an urgent intervention in respect of families who are in homes that are not fit for human habitation. The relevant legislation was passed in July, but those families were protesting outside the Donegal County Council offices in Lifford yesterday. They are desperate. They are in houses with black mould on the walls. Their houses are crumbling and falling down around them.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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This is the Order of Business. Is there a question?

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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Can I get an update on what is going to happen? Will this matter be resolved? If not, we need an urgent statement from the Minister.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Deputy Bacik expressed her concern regarding the consolidated planning and development Bill, which the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage will bring to Government on 13 December. I have repeatedly stated that we will publish the Bill before the end of the year but that it will go into the pre-legislative scrutiny process because it is a major legislative measure and will require such scrutiny. The Minister will be bringing forward the planning and development and foreshore (amendment) Bill in respect of An Bord Pleanála. The heads of the Bill were approved by Cabinet earlier today. The Minister will bring the Bill before the Seanad next week. That Bill will provide for amendments in respect of An Bord Pleanála and will also contain emergency measures to accelerate the provision of rapid social housing on public lands. That will be debated in the House.

On Deputy Fitzpatrick's comments, all parties need to get together in the context of housing projects that come before local authorities. I refer, in particular, to projects envisaged for lands that local authorities own. There needs to be quick agreement in respect of how those lands should be used for housing. The Government published Housing for All. We appeal to everybody to get behind Housing for All and to not to be opposing projects too easily. Too many projects are being opposed for local political reasons at a time when we have a major crisis in the context of trying to get more houses built as rapidly as we can.

Deputy Whitmore referred to the House sitting on 17 December. This is similar to what happened when the Government was first formed.

It has merits and challenges. The Oireachtas committee is engaging with the childcare providers in respect of what can be done on the day. It will allow for flexibility in the following week, which is probably arguably more child-friendly in some respects. In other words, Deputies will have more flexibility in the crucial days leading up to Christmas. That is a consideration also.

Deputy Mattie McGrath raised the need for an urgent debate on the bank bonuses. Again, it is not bonuses for people earning more than €500,000. The removal of the cap is about basic remuneration, and to allow bonuses and variable pay for ordinary workers at all levels of the banks, and standard benefits as well. I do not know why the Deputy would be against workers in banks.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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I am not against workers. I made that quite clear.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The union representing the workers is very clear.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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We know who the Taoiseach is serving.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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We are on the Order of Business; this is not a debate.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The union representing the workers has been very clear that this is something it welcomes on behalf of the 20,000 workers it represents.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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The Taoiseach can spin it any way he likes: it is disgusting.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I am not spinning it. The Deputy just wants to grab a headline.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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We are on the Order of Business.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I accept that; I am just responding to the points that were made by the Deputy.

The matter to which Deputy Boyd Barrett referred has been raised previously.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Could we have a debate or statements on the matter?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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There is no time for statements. The bottom line is that it is coming forward. It will be increased by €5,000. There is a look-back facility.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Can we have statements on the thresholds before the end of term?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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We will see if we can or not, through the Business Committee, but there is limited time for a whole lot of things.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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We have been asking for this for months.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Deputy Mac Lochlainn has asked for an update on mica. I will ask the Minister to forward an update to him.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Are the proposed arrangements for this week's business agreed to? Agreed.

We will now take questions. I appeal to Members to be conscious that there is very limited time. They should try to ensure that their contributions are under one minute.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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As the Taoiseach is aware, the 35 families living in Tathony House have all received notices to quit. The landlord is selling the property. Among the tenants are healthcare workers, construction workers and community workers. These families, many with children, are facing a future of homelessness. It is that stark. Dublin City Council has met with the residents. It is currently exploring whether it or an approved housing body can purchase the development and keep the families in situ, as social and cost-rental tenants. Will the Taoiseach commit to doing everything in his power to ensure that these 35 families do not become homeless?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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To be fair, Deputy Boyd Barrett has been raising this matter in the House for about three months. The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage has engaged with him on the matter. As Deputy McDonald stated, Dublin City Council is engaging with the residents. Every effort will be made to get a satisfactory outcome.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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It was actually my question.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Yes, I know. What is the problem?

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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Ordinarily, the Taoiseach does not answer any of my questions; now he is answering a question to-----

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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No. I thank the Taoiseach.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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-----Deputy Boyd Barrett who, with all due respect, did not ask the question.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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No, I did look at Deputy Boyd Barrett and I referenced the fact that he has raised this issue and he has been asking about it for some three months.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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Which is objectionable.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I do not think that is objectionable, because it is true.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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Yes, but the Taoiseach might respond to me.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Then I looked at the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, for confirmation and affirmation that he is indeed continuing to engage with Deputy Boyd Barrett on it, and Deputy McDonald, now that she has raised it, and also, more critically, with the council in order that we can get a resolution of the matter.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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You are such an ignorant man.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy should calm it down.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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I am very calm.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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She is getting too sensitive.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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I call Deputy Bacik.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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In fact, above all else, I am very calm.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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I call Deputy Bacik. She should be allowed to speak without interruption.

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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Last week, I asked the Taoiseach about childcare and if the Government will move more swiftly towards a public childcare model; affordable for parents, fair for professionals and guaranteeing equality for children. I am looking at the Taoiseach and the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy O'Gorman, because I did also acknowledge the steps the Minister has taken towards building that model and the provision of core funding. I want to ask about one specific aspect. Last week, the Taoiseach said that the budget will support a reduction of 25% in childcare fees for parents. In reality, however, and certainly in Dublin, it looks as if the fee reduction parents are likely to see next year will not come close to 25%. Fees in Dublin are significantly higher than the national average. Parents in my constituency are paying as much as €1,000 per month per child. Many parents are unable to access childcare places. Another crèche in my constituency will be closing this week. Will the Taoiseach say what the Government will do to secure affordable childcare for parents?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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It is an average cut of 25%. It is €121 million this year. We want to increase it again next year and do better. Overall, it is €259 million this year in core funding. Again, if the Deputy has specific issues, I invite her to take them up with the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth as well. We are getting some concerns articulated by some areas in the wider childcare sector but, by and large, the funding has gone up exponentially in the past two years. Last year, it was used to improve pay and conditions and the employment regulation order was introduced and agreed by unions and employers, which was good, while this year, we are working on affordability to a significant degree. The Minister is whispering to me about his bid for next year in terms of the Estimates but the Ministers for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform are not here to comment. The Deputy might revert with details on the specific cases.

Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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Primary schools all over the country are finding it difficult to get teachers, with the issue near crisis point in Wicklow, Kildare and Dublin. In fact, principals are finding it nearly impossible to provide the most basic educational service and that is just keeping classrooms open. This is causing significant problems for all pupils but particularly those with special needs. Earlier throughout Covid, those children were left behind because classrooms and education were not available to them.

What measures is the Taoiseach's Government taking to make sure our classrooms have enough teachers available to them and will he reintroduce the banked hours system that ran during Covid so that those children with additional needs and their special educational needs, SEN, teachers can bank the hours being spent on other classroom provision?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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As a basic principle, I think teachers and special needs resources should stay in special needs.

Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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But they are not-----

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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They should. I am just saying what is my basic principle.

Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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Absolutely, but it is not happening.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Every child is entitled to a pupil-teacher ratio irrespective of whether he or she is a mainstream or special needs pupil, and resources should always be ring-fenced for special needs students. That is a principle to which I have always held strongly ever since I brought in special classes in 1998, SNAs and so on.

On the broader question, there is an issue with supply in certain areas, but the Minister for Education has taken a raft of initiatives, as the Deputy is probably aware, to try in the short term to provide additional resources to schools to enable them to access teachers on a temporary basis and also to increase longer term supply. I will ask the Minister to outline in detail to the Deputy the range of measures she has introduced.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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I do not know whether the Taoiseach saw the "Prime Time" story on Thursday which was a powerful exposé of the context of apartment and duplex defects, the horrendous situation facing the victims and the responsibility for the system of self-certification introduced by Fianna Fáil. It focused, in particular, on those living in The Crescent, Park West, who are facing an incredible bill of €68,500 to fix defects that are not their fault and that they could not possibly have known about, and that is just the tip of the iceberg. Up to 100,000 people are in similar situations, but most of them do not know it yet.

Will the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage meet the residents of The Crescent, Park West, and other developments who are working together in the Not Our Fault campaign? After the way it has treated these people, why is Harcourt Developments, the developer in Park West, in receipt of massive sums of public money through, for example, the regeneration scheme of Waterford’s north quays?

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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If I may, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, the Deputy will know we commissioned the apartment defects report, the largest ever survey of the apartment defects issue, in which 28,000 households participated, and that is how we know that close to 100,000 homeowners are affected. I intend to bring recommendations to Cabinet in advance of Christmas. I have been engaging directly with the Apartment Owners’ Network and the Construction Defects Alliance, which form part of the working group, on a regular basis and I continue to do so. We are going to set up a mechanism in advance of Christmas to update other interested residents. I know the Deputy has mentioned this to me previously. We have had about 100 different requests from different groups right across the country that, to be fair, are engaged in the process and we will find a mechanism to be able to meet them, potentially virtually, and to do that in advance of Christmas.

Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Independent)
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One of the main priorities of the Government relates to climate change policies and tackling emissions, and one of the main focuses is on the transition from petrol or diesel to electric vehicles.

Can the Taoiseach explain why the grant process for inserting an electric vehicle charger within the home must be assessed and approved prior to postage and insertion? An older cohort of my constituents have complained to me about this process. They actioned Government policy to move to electric vehicles. They inserted the charger and then applied for the grant for the charger. Their application for the grant was subsequently rejected due to the fact they had already inserted the charger. This is backwards. I have an electric car. When one applies for the grant, one must have the registration of the car. It makes no sense whatsoever.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Can the Deputy tell me-----

Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Independent)
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I know a 65-year-old pensioner in Dundalk who bought an electric car and they will not pay him the grant money. Can the Taoiseach please have a look?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Is it that they will not pay him the VAT?

Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Independent)
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What happens is that a person gets an electric car and then applies for a charger. It is backwards.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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The Taoiseach to respond.

Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Independent)
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I ask the Taoiseach one simple thing. Can he please reverse it? It makes sense to have the charger in place before getting the car.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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We are way over time. The Taoiseach to respond, please.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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First, I commend to Deputy's commitment to electric vehicles. I thank him for raising the issue. I will talk to the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Ryan, in terms of the working out of this. What the Deputy said makes sense. I will follow through on it.

Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Independent)
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Will the Taoiseach ask the Minister to get back to him on that issue?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I will come back to the Deputy on it.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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I want to ask the Taoiseach about the situation that is going on in East Wall and many other areas in this country with inward immigration. As the Taoiseach knows, the Irish are people of céad míle fáilte and 1,000 welcomes. They are a very welcoming people. However, we one sees busloads of young men arriving in an area in the dead of night and being put into industrial buildings, which we see happening in different parts of the country, we need a proper debate and a proper understanding. We must listen to communities and not have the head of an NGO for dealing with refugees lecturing the community as to what they should do and how they should behave. This has gotten out of hand. We need a major review of how this is being handled. The Taoiseach said that there should be consultation in spite of what these NGOs said.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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I thank the Deputy.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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These highly paid NGOs cost nearly €6 billion per year. They are running amok in this country and are treating the people like second-class citizens. We need proper legislation on this. We cannot just sustain this.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Go raibh maith agat.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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It is causing strife and angst to everybody. We are trying to help people who are in a war, but these people are not from Ukraine.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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That is shameful.

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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As a country, we are providing accommodation to 64,000 people right now, many of whom are from Ukraine. These are men, women and children who are fleeing the war there. However, over 17,000 are men, women and children who are fleeing wars elsewhere. Ukraine is not the only war on our planet right now.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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It was all men.

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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There are wars in Syria, Afghanistan, Ethiopia and Eritrea. Just as much as Ireland offers protection to women and children, we also offer protection to men because men are victims of torture and persecution as well. We will not make a determination on whether we protect someone due to his or her gender. We will make a decision-----

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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There is no documentation.

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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-----in terms of when people have gone through an international protection application process. A determination will be made at the end of that.

Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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The mica action committee held a protest in Lifford yesterday regarding the inaction of Donegal County Council in rolling out a scheme that many homeowners could buy into. It seems that the council is simply waiting for the Department to make a decision in terms of putting the scheme together. Something needs to happen very quickly to provide accommodation for families who have had to leave their homes because they are being destroyed by mica. They cannot wait for a remediation scheme. The council should be putting together sites and preparing temporary accommodation for those families who urgently need it. They cannot wait for a scheme to be addressed.

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Deputy Pringle for raising this issue. Deputy Mac Lochlainn raised it previously and, obviously, so did my Government colleagues. I met with the chief executive and two directors of services from Donegal County Council very recently. We went through the specific issue regarding those homes that are deemed to be uninhabitable right now and discussed how we can advance the arrangements with regard to expenses and other accommodation. Those are the same enhanced measures we brought forward in the new defective concrete blocks scheme that is underpinned by the legislation we passed. I am waiting for the local authority to revert to me on some items, particularly around the scale of that particular cohort of homeowners we want to help, and we will help. We are working through that right now. I will keep Deputies from the region fully informed of progress on that. I am acutely aware of how urgent it is, however. The basis we are doing this is under the new enhanced scheme.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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We have gone over time.

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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It is important that that is in place. However, I know homeowners are waiting for word on that.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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I thank the Minister; we are over time

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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We are trying to move through the applications as quickly as we can now.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Before we continue, can I ask Deputies to stop interrupting with whatever computer or phone they are operating, please? It is very intrusive. I call Deputy O'Dea.

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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Just under two years ago a company called Rehab Logistics in Raheen in Limerick, which provided sheltered employment for vulnerable people, went out of business and made its 38 staff members redundant. At the time, a redundancy package was agreed between the workers and Rehab Ireland and both parties signed off on that. That agreement was subsequently endorsed by the Labour Court and the Workplace Relations Commission, WRC. Now, unfortunately, Rehab Ireland has decided to renege on that agreement and is proposing to offer much less. Many of those people have worked for this company for a very long period of time, and most of them are suffering from profound disability and will need care into the future. In view of the fact that Rehab Ireland is a publicly funded body, can the Government use its powers of persuasion or influence to ask Rehab Ireland to honour its commitment to these vulnerable workers? It is an appalling way to treat them. The amount of money involved is only a couple of hundred thousand euro.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Deputy for raising this issue. I will certainly pursue it and will ask the Minister to do so. It would be very regrettable if an organisation that receives substantial funding from the State would renege on a WRC agreement, which seems to have materialised here, and it is an agreement reached some years back in respect of redundancy. I will certainly follow that up.

Marc Ó Cathasaigh (Waterford, Green Party)
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I raise with the Taoiseach a letter that was sent to the Minister of State, Deputy Calleary, by the Irish Coalition for Business and Human Rights about the negotiations on the corporate sustainability due diligence, CSDD, directive. The coalition has identified that there is an opportunity for this directive to be a win-win for citizens, women's rights, companies, states and the planet. The general approach is to be agreed at this Thursday's Competitiveness Council meeting on 1 December. There are concerns and reports abroad that the Council is taking an approach which is detrimental to human rights and the environment. There are also reports that Ireland is advocating for the exclusion of, for example, of asset managers and investors from the CSDD. Where do we stand on this? How will the Minister of State, Deputy Calleary, be using Ireland's voice on our behalf in these negotiations? Will we be looking for industry carve-outs or will we be looking for the strongest and most constructive position possible?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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We will be as broadly supportive but, as ever, we endeavour to try to shape directives as well. Every country is involved in negotiations and in the shaping of any directive that comes forward. Sometimes that gets misinterpreted but I will follow up on this matter for the Deputy and will bring further clarity on it for him.

Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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I raise the issue of e-scooters with An Taoiseach. Legislation is due on them soon. There is a rush on this and it has to be dealt with as a matter of urgency because we have lists of serious injuries being reported where members of the public, pedestrians, cyclists and, indeed, users of e-scooters are being injured.

Many parents will buy them now as Christmas presents for their children, and I would urge them not to do that, particularly for young children. They are not toys; they are a dangerous vehicle. Some are capable of high speeds, are being driven with no lights, helmets or high-vis jackets. You can see them coming and going at night out of this place, and no protective clothing whatsoever is being worn. There are increased numbers of complaints from pedestrians, cyclists and other road users about them. As I said, many people are being seriously injured, including the users of the scooters. The Bill has completed its Fifth Stage in the Seanad, as I understand. Secondary legislation will deal with many of the issues such as age, helmets, insurance, max speeds, lights and footpaths. I just ask that the Minister for Transport will include those-----

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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The Deputy is way over time and his colleagues will not get in.

Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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-----in secondary legislation. This is an important issue, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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They are all important issues; every one of them.

Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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They are very dangerous.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising the issue and it is a very important one. Very serious issues arise from the use of the e-scooters and the safety of all concerned.

Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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This is also in small towns.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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This is the case everywhere, and wherever they are used, issues arise. I am simply saying that the Bill is in the Seanad, where amendments have been tabled which will then go to the Parliamentary Counsel. It looks like the Bill will then come back to the Dáil, given that amendments are being tabled in the Seanad. We will all try to work collectively to see if we can get this through the House before the end of the term.

Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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As a veteran politician, the Taoiseach will understand the importance of campaigns which led to the important decision by the Office of Public Works, OPW, and the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan, to bring the live crib back to Dublin, after Dublin City Council made such a decision. The ESRI launched a report yesterday and addressed the Joint Committee on Environment and Climate Action this morning on the importance of the provision of information to the public concerning decisions that affect climate change and have an impact on our climate action targets in the coming years. Does the Taoiseach agree it is important for Government to re-evaluate some of the campaigns it runs annually across all Departments?

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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We are over time.

Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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Could he bring to Cabinet that all Departments review their campaign methodology in terms of getting information to the public through the media, which is an important means of getting across the message of the importance of climate change?

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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I will have to give up. There are about six or seven waiting to come in, all with equally important issues. I ask for Deputies’ co-operation.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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All reviews are kept under constant – sorry, all campaigns are kept under constant review.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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Freudian slip.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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On the live animals being back on St. Stephen’s Green, we will pay acute attention to the methodologies of that campaign. In a more serious vein, I think many good campaigns are on the way concerning climate change. We all in this House should be ambassadors for measures to deal with climate change. That is why I am glad Leinster House does not have as much manicured lawns as it once had. We could extend the wild garden element to Leinster lawn, all Government Buildings and so on. There is much more we have to do and there is new regulation coming forward from the European Union on restoring biodiversity, both rural and urban, which would challenge any lingering complacency among some Members of the House.

Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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I have concerns about the plight of small businesses in small towns. I would like to see an action plan to prevent closures and protect them. They have experienced a perfect storm. They have survived Covid, largely due to the supports we in government provided, but now face an energy crisis, the increased cost of insurance and increased commercial rates in some counties. Added to that are some necessary measures we have brought forward, such as statutory sick pay and pension auto-enrolment. I would like to see some of those measures staggered to help businesses survive this and to see an action plan.

I have to address Deputy Collins’s comments on west Cork. He portrayed it as a bleak dump. I would like to------

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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We are on one issue.

Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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-----make the point that west Cork is a paradise for anybody who lives there or has visited. I would encourage anyone to go there.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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We are out of time. I asked for co-operation. Members say their issues are important. Everybody has tabled an important issue and it is important that everyone gets in. I will, with the Taoiseach’s co-operation, go on to the five who are left and take the six answers together. I ask Members to work with me on that.

Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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I raise the issue of online disinformation and hate. On Sunday, a man filmed himself as he seemed to knock down a cyclist on the Castletown Road in Dundalk and then posted the video. The Garda is investigating.

Concerning Carlingford, I have spoken to the Minister on the need for communication with the community but we have all been bombarded with online disinformation, conspiracy theories and hateful stuff. I have also seen videos where wrong addresses have been put up as being those of people who have committed crimes, which has endangered families. We need to ensure we have all the tools necessary to deal with this.

Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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I was contacted by a young couple at the weekend who have been saving for their wedding. They had saved a significant sum and, unfortunately, fell victim to a fraud on their Revolut account. That was raised on the Joe Duffy show and in the Irish Independent, and it trended on Twitter last night. It is important for us to use this platform to highlight the danger of that fraud over the Christmas period. The other concern is that the only way to complain or get in contact with Revolut is through a chatbot.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Last Christmas Day, we had a flood in Wexford. Ten days later, a scheme opened. On 2 November, a month ago, we had a tornado in south County Wexford, as I have brought to the floor before. Last night they held their second meeting. I was the only Deputy for the county, for the second time, to attend with these families, who have suffered more than €1 million worth of damage between them. No scheme was mentioned. We met last week Oireachtas Members in County Wexford. In a week, nothing has come from Cabinet. We are a month out and people have no roofs on their houses. Please, Taoiseach, it is a month from Christmas.

Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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The residents of the Metropolitan complex in Inchicore, the Crescent buildings in Parkwest and the Tramyard complex need certainty about when a scheme for remedial works will open and be available to them. Talk of before Christmas and promises of meetings or a scheme coming are not good enough. They need clarity and certainty. Can we give an exact date for when they will get the help they need?

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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The HSE has confirmed there will be an ambulance bypass of Our Lady’s Hospital in Navan and it will start on 12 December. It stated this is the first step in a two-step process to close the accident and emergency department in Navan and the second step will take place at the start of the new year. It is a scandal that this would happen in the middle of a winter surge, when hundreds of thousands of people have been on trolleys in this State over the past year, when we are out the door in terms of pressure in Navan and Drogheda, and when clinicians in Drogheda have said this step is dangerous to health.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Taoiseach, there are six Members’ questions.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Deputy Ó Murchú raised the issues of disinformation and hate. He identified shocking examples and the Minister has published hate legislation designed to go after people who do horrendous acts like that. There is no toleration of that.

On Deputy Mairéad Farrell's issue, I was not quite sure of the legislative response. She referred to fraud on a Revolut account and asked who someone could contact. There is an issue and the banking review published today deals with new technology banking companies, as well as the non-bank sector. I will come back to the Deputy from the Central Bank perspective with clarity around the regulatory context for Revolut and the measures it has.

The Minister of State, Deputy Browne, has been with the residents in relation to that tornado in Wexford. It was decided at Cabinet last week that it would come under a scheme along with other storm-ravaged areas. Because of the difference in the type of event, it being a tornado, there is the question of how to apply the scheme and so on but there will be a scheme. That has been announced.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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When? It was a month ago.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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There will be. The Deputy gave the impression there was no news about anything but there is.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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There has been no news. The meeting was last night.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I assure the Deputy there has been. I know she met the families. All the Deputies have been involved and the Minister of State went down and met with them.

Deputy Costello raised apartment defects in general. The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage was here earlier and answered a question from Deputy Boyd Barrett on it. He says he wants to bring to Government by the end of the year options following on the report and how we propose to deal with that.

Deputy Tóibín referred to ambulance protocols. Those are clinical decisions. We have to be careful here. My understanding is that, in the absence of those decisions around ambulance protocols, we could end up with seriously ill patients being attended by doctors at a junior level who may not have the expertise needed.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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The absence of investment is causing it.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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It is very serious. We cannot second-guess clinical advice on these matters. We all need to be collectively careful.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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The clinicians in Drogheda have said they oppose it.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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No, the Taoiseach is to respond to Deputy O'Sullivan.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I knew there were six. The Leas-Cheann Comhairle said six..

Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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I am offended the Taoiseach did not start with me.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I wanted to end in paradise. The issue related to business schemes and SMEs in small towns.

We are very conscious of that. We did not bring people through Covid with a view to having people in trouble. The temporary business energy support scheme, TBESS, to help businesses with energy costs will be introduced before the end of the year. We need to see how that lands and what the experience is on the ground with a view to keeping it under review. We will be keeping an eye on the impact of the energy crisis on small and medium-sized companies and, in particular, the help they get from the scheme which will be introduced before the end of the year.