I agree with the Deputy on both fronts. I think we all agree that we need to invest more in renewable energies. We need to invest more in offshore wind and in solar of all types, not just on land but on roofs and on our public sector and service buildings. We also need to engage with communities and make sure that we get this right. What the Deputy has outlined in his county is a similar concern that I have in my own county where a huge number of solar farms have been approved and more applications are coming in. I…

While I cannot point to something specific to this at the moment, I do know a body of work is being done, looking at trees planted along our roadside. That is specifically following Storm Éowyn and some of the recent storms where the trees have become a danger during the storm, including taking down electricity wires and by causing danger on our roads. Unfortunately, we know a young man was killed in one of the recent storms because of a falling tree. A body of work is being done through the Minister, Deputy O’Brie…

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. It is really important that we do everything in our power to bring derelict properties back into use, that we use every lever available to us and where local authorities are not responding that we look at what other levers are available. It is a priority for this Government, and a priority in the Government’s housing plan. The Derelict Site Act contains a number of actions and powers that can be provided to the local authorities. There is a derelict site register, statuto…

I am happy to raise the specific cases and specific area. I know it has been a challenge over the years to fill all the teams across the country but there has been a huge focus and a huge investment specifically in disability funding to try to fill the particular places the Deputy mentioned. There has also been a look at restructuring and how the teams work so that you are not dependent on perhaps the senior clinical officer to be able to sign off on various different strands of support that might need to be provid…

The Deputy is right. One of the biggest barriers or things that slows down projects is a lack of engagement and at the earliest stage possible. I fully agree with the Deputy and support the need for the NTA and TII to engage directly. I know the Deputy will do so himself in his own capacity and to highlight what is happening and the benefits and the challenges that will arise as is the case with any development of this size or significance. This is a massive investment in the Deputy’s community and in our communiti…

The Digital Omnibus package is one of perhaps 12 pieces of legislation we are bringing forward at the moment under the simplification objective we have during the Presidency. I want to dispel the myth that might be out there that changing legislation in some way weakens or loosens it a bit. The whole objective is to make it more straightforward and simplify it where we can while, at the same time, protecting people’s rights and making those responsible and accountable for protecting consumers too. Like the Deputy a…

No.

I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "That Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: notes that: — the Government reiterates Ireland's longstanding policy of military neutrality; — Ireland's policy of military neutrality is characterised by non-membership of military alliances or common or mutual defence arrangements, and this policy choice has been practised by successive Governments since the Second World War; — the Government reaffirms its commitment to this policy and reiterates that it has no pl…

That is not what we are doing.

Talk facts now. Talk facts.

The Deputy just said bullets. There is a big difference between drones and bullets.

I appreciate that we have had these discussions on a number of occasions. I look forward to debating this as the legislation comes through the Houses. It is important that we have these discussions, and that we have a debate as to what exactly is in the Bill, what is not in the Bill and what the intention of it is. I appreciate that there are very strongly held views on this matter, so I appreciate this opportunity to discuss it prior to the Bill moving forward. I want to be clear on what the Bill does not intend t…

I would ask the Deputy a number of questions. First, does he trust Óglaigh na hÉireann? Does he trust our Defence Forces? If he does, then he trusts them to make the decision. The triple lock, as amended, will ensure-----

No. The Deputy should listen to me. If he trusts the Defence Forces-----

-----to make a recommendation, because that will still be included in this, they will make a recommendation to the Government and will assess the type of mission we are talking about in the way they currently do. Does the Deputy trust the people of this country to elect the people they want to be elected?

Does he trust them to make that decision? That is how we democratically form a Government here. The triple lock, as amended, would ensure that we have recommendations from Óglaigh na hÉireann, which knows what it is doing and has for decades deployed its troops on peacekeeping missions. These are troops that we respect. We know they are highly trained and well respected across the world. They will continue to make those recommendations under the amended legislation. It would then be put to this House for us to deci…

The triple lock is not in our Constitution.

This is why we need this debate. To be quite frank, we are talking about amending legislation. The triple lock is not in our Constitution. Our treaties are in the Constitution. The triple lock was never part of our Constitution. We were a militarily neutral country before we voted for the treaties and before we introduced the triple lock. We will continue to be a neutral country. The attempt to suggest that we need to have a referendum to change our Constitution for something that is not in our Constitution is tryi…

On what? A referendum is to amend the Constitution.

This is not in the Constitution.