I come from the constituency of Dún Laoghaire, which is not necessarily known for huge fishing fleets. We do, however, have a fishing fleet in Dún Laoghaire Harbour, made up of a number of trawlers. There are also a number of smaller fishermen based in small harbours, such as Bullock and Coliemore Harbours, who make their livelihoods from fishing. It would also be remiss of me not to mention the Dalkey Lobster Festival in August, which will celebrate the shellfish tradition in particular along the south-east coast …

This is a fantastic and really important opportunity for Ireland. I applaud those who have pushed it, particularly our academics. They are not gold-plated academics, as described by another Deputy in an absolutely glib and throwaway remark. That remark is part of the myopia that sometimes goes along with initiatives that involve spending money. An investment of €1.9 million in the context of what we spend on research in this country is insignificant but it gives us access to a very significant resource. It gives ou…

The Future Ireland Fund is a very important planning instrument for the future of the economy, particularly in light of shocks we know are coming down the track. Will the Minister outline how the Future Ireland Fund and the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund are being used and their status at this stage?

It is very important to acknowledge the importance of these funds. The Minister mentioned demographic change. We know a crisis is coming in terms of the shift from those who are working to those who are retired and how the working population here will have to support those people. I want to put on record my support for and acknowledgement of the importance of these funds and the fact that they will be here in 16 or 17 years' time to deal with whatever difficulties the economy might face at that point. I note the Na…

I appreciate that. To what extent does the Department keep an eye on the appropriateness of those financial vehicles in terms of any human rights element? Is this a consideration?

As the Minister is aware, cash is increasingly something many people do not use. One will often hear people say they do not carry cash at all but rely on credit cards and banking apps to make the payments they need to make. While that is very progressive in lots of ways, will the Minister tell us what he is doing to ensure cash remains available for those who need and want to use it?

I acknowledge that the Government takes on board this issue. Exactly as the Minister says, it is an inclusion issue, particularly for people who might not be tech savvy or might even have bad Internet coverage. The lack of access to cash can be a real stumbling block for them in accessing financial services and paying bills. I therefore appreciate that there is a governmental and legislative acknowledgment of the importance of cash. Some choose to use the alternative technological solutions, and that is great, but …

I appreciate the Minister's perspective and his commitment to that. Beyond the banking sector, there are businesses that will sometimes try to dictate to their customers how they will effect payment for a service or a good. Some people will say not just that they want a card payment but that it must be through a particular method - PayPal or whatever it might be. Does the Minister perhaps see a role in regulatory terms for the Government to say to businesses that they may not do that and that they must facilitate p…

Throughout the country, there are only three sites that have UNESCO world heritage status, namely, Brú na Bóinne, the Giant's Causeway and Sceilg Mhichíl. Dún Laoghaire Harbour is a site of particular significance, nationally and internationally in the context of the role that it has played in the history of this country. It is a Victorian harbour that has seen the emigration of tens of thousands of Irish people to the United Kingdom. It is a harbour that has, unfortunately, benefited from very little investment in…

No.

This is a very important debate and one that is very close to my heart. I have spent quite a lot of time in the occupied territories in Gaza and in the West Bank. I have eaten iftar with friends in Hanunas. I have sat down with people in Rafah, Gaza City and other cities such as Nablus and Ramallah in the West Bank. This is a centuries-old conflict. It is not something we will resolve quickly or anything like that. I am generally proud of what Ireland has done in terms of taking principled stance on this issue. I s…

When I stand up to speak on agricultural issues, it causes great mirth among my colleagues in the parliamentary party but it is an important issue for all of us. The sooner we realise that agriculture affects everybody in this country, not just those in rural communities, but those of us in all constituencies, the better. I come from a constituency where we have farms, even though people do not seem to know about it. Ballyman and the Scalp in the south west of the Dún Laoghaire constituency have a number of farms t…

Déanaim comhghairdeas leis na hAirí. Tá aithne agam ar an mbeirt acu agus táim ag tnúth go mór leis an obair atá le déanamh acu agus an seans atá acu chun an obair sin a dhéanamh. Go háirithe, táim ag labhairt faoi smaoineamh an Aire, an Teachta Lawless, iarraidh ar lucht taighde ar fud an domhain, go háirithe dóibh nach bhfuil seans acu obair taighde a dhéanamh ina dtíortha féin, teacht anseo go dtí ár n-ollscoileanna agus ár gcoláistí chun an obair taighde sin a dhéanamh in Éirinn. Is maith an rud é seo dúinne, d…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit as ucht a bheith anseo don cheist thábhachtach seo. There are heritage harbours all over the coast of Ireland. They are extremely valuable historical and heritage assets. I want to talk about the one that is local to me, which is Dún Laoghaire Harbour. It is more than 200 years old and it celebrated its bicentenary a couple of years ago. It is a Victorian harbour of immense proportions but also of immense importance. Its heritage value does not just involve the hundreds of thousa…

I thank the Minister of State for his response. I appreciate the suggestion that the Government is fully committed to the protection and preservation of our maritime cultural heritage. Regrettably, I do not think the evidence is there to support that statement. If we were serious about maintaining these important heritage harbours, we would put in place a scheme to do that, and not say that there is a load of grants that might be available at the right time and in the right circumstances. That will not solve the pr…

Tá mé thar a bheith bródúil labhairt ar an ábhar seo. Tá sé tábhachtach dúinn mar thír, ach tá sé tábhachtach domsa freisin mar Theachta Dála. The value that we have as part of the European Union is enormous, so I am hugely proud to consider myself a European but also to speak on this topic in this House, in the week when we celebrate Europe Day. I am cognisant of the fact that 91% of people in Ireland value our membership of the European Union. That is the highest rate of support that the European Union has in any…

I wish to first acknowledge the huge supports the Government has put in place for businesses to deal with the increase the cost of doing business, energy and other factors. I have been contacted by several businesses that have been miscategorised for these grants and, as such, have been denied grants they could have otherwise got. Is the Minister aware of this and if so, is there a proper appeals mechanism in place to allow them to appeal against any decision that has been wrongfully made?

I am very pleased to hear the Government has approved that appeal process. It is obviously very important. The kind of businesses denied these facilities are quite vulnerable. They are small businesses that need these supports, so I welcome that. I note it was promised some time ago, so when the Minister of State says it will be available soon, how soon might that be and could significant pressure be put on to make that happen? Can the Minister of State also confirm that in circumstances where schemes are closed an…

I acknowledge what the Government has done. These supports are important. We are talking about small businesses that employ an enormous number of people throughout the country but are not massively profitable and, therefore, are vulnerable when these grants are not given to them. The grants are important to ensure their viability. Will the Minister of State do two things in particular? I acknowledge what he said about the appeal process coming along and we have spoken about this before. I welcome that. It is timely…

This is an important issue. The irony of two men discussing a women's health issue is not lost on me. I thank Dr. Gerry Agnew, a consultant gynaecologist at St. Michael's Hospital in Dún Laoghaire, and Dr. Suzanne O'Sullivan, president of the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in Ireland, for bringing this to my attention. The issue I want to raise regards treatment for stress urinary incontinence, which affects one in three women over the age of 45. It is a substantial issue. It is solved by the inserti…