Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach. Fearaim fáilte roimh an Taoiseach. Is iontach an rud é go bhfuil sé anseo chun labhairt linn. Is í seo an chéad uair dó a bheith anseo mar Thaoiseach. The Taoiseach is very welcome to the House. This is not an easy time for a leader and this has already been acknowledged and said. I agree with the comments of Senator Paul Daly on forestry and on the accounts given in respect of funding, particularly for Galway County Council. I know that the Minister, Deputy Darragh O’Brien, is working and engaging on that issue.

Just transition is very important for my part of the country. I appreciate the number of conversations that we have had. Just transition, initially, was for the region of Longford, Offaly, east Galway, Roscommon and parts of Kildare. It must be maintained in that area for now. The delivery is slow. I know that the Taoiseach and the Minister, Deputy Ryan, are working to sort this out. It must be remembered that we have been very badly hit economically with the loss of the Bord na Móna and ESB jobs. I appeal to the Taoiseach today to take that on board, take it seriously and to ensure that Bord na Móna and the ESB, in particular, deliver on the financial allocations that they promised to the local communities which is of great importance.

Many live artists in the entertainment sector are going to be in trouble until next spring because of the rising Covid-19 figures. There are cancellations all over the place. I am appealing again to the Taoiseach and to the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, to put a package together to ensure that those people do not suffer financial economic hardship over the coming months. Gabhaim buíochas.