Cathy Bennett
Cavan-Monaghan · Sinn Féin · Ireland
“It is important that we are having this discussion but that we will have many more discussions that must be had if we want to achieve a united Ireland in a planned and structured way.”
“I welcome this debate on the financial implications of a united Ireland. I acknowledge that the Tánaiste and so many other Members in this House see its merits in the future. I would have hoped that in this House we would at least have moved past the time of framing this without casting a value judgment.”
“As a person from a Border county, the North should never have been treated any differently from Cork, Kerry or Dublin. Irish unity is an opportunity to move beyond very real consequences that were inflicted upon the North, by a dysfunctional British State, and one that is totally disinterested in the needs of our people.”
“Most recently, we had a situation whereby the Government's refusal to adequately fund our schools led to cuts being imposed on every Government Department. If the Government wishes to work towards truly free education and to avoid being the cause of stress and financial hardship in the year ahead, there are a few things it should do.”
“The idea that education in Ireland is free at any level is a myth, whether it is the so-called voluntary contributions or a student contribution fee that costs more even though the Government claims it is reduced. It is utterly galling for hard-pressed families who shell out hundreds or even thousands of euro a year.”
“I welcome that we have recently seen progress on a number of important measures relating to domestic abuse, but what is of crucial importance is that we get the legislation and policy right.”
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“I will finish today with a reference to the Tánaiste's words about what a united Ireland could create. We in Sinn Féin believe that we need a plan and to benefit from the economic benefits to be had.”
“It is important that we are having this discussion but that we will have many more discussions that must be had if we want to achieve a united Ireland in a planned and structured way. I recall to all Deputies, these words of Charles Stewart Parnell, spoken 141 years ago, and inscribed on a monument at the top of O’Connell Street, less than 1 mile from here: "No man has a right to fix the boundary of the march of a nation; no man has a right to say to his country, 'Thus far shalt thou go and no further.'" I would invite them, as demand for Irish unity grows, as its moment presents in front of us, to eagerly take a leading part in these conversations, and not to be a source of frustration. At the very least, they should never be contrarian to those sacred words.”
“As a person from a Border county, the North should never have been treated any differently from Cork, Kerry or Dublin. Irish unity is an opportunity to move beyond very real consequences that were inflicted upon the North, by a dysfunctional British State, and one that is totally disinterested in the needs of our people. This is an opportunity for the people in their ordinary lives and business, to move beyond artificial divergences, which at different times may have negative impacts on either side of the Border. This is an opportunity to seek not just co-operation, but holistic, integrated planning in terms of healthcare, transport, education, tourism and so much more.”
“I welcome this debate on the financial implications of a united Ireland. I acknowledge that the Tánaiste and so many other Members in this House see its merits in the future. I would have hoped that in this House we would at least have moved past the time of framing this without casting a value judgment. Any discussion on the financial implications of a united Ireland today that is based upon credible analysis would show that Irish unity is a clear economic opportunity for the entire island, and one that we should seize with both hands. Today such arguments serve only as a tool tor those who would frustrate efforts to realise what is our national ambition. Far more relevant is the economic underperformance of the North, as outlined by Professor John Doyle.”
“Most recently, we had a situation whereby the Government's refusal to adequately fund our schools led to cuts being imposed on every Government Department. If the Government wishes to work towards truly free education and to avoid being the cause of stress and financial hardship in the year ahead, there are a few things it should do. It should ban voluntary contributions - Sinn Féin has brought forward the legislation necessary to do this - and adequately fund our schools, including ICT. The Government should ensure the school transport scheme is not the shambles it is every year, and that it is actually free. It should reverse its decision to reintroduce the examination fees. These would be real supports for parents and would finally put an end to giving with one hand while taking back with the other.”
“The idea that education in Ireland is free at any level is a myth, whether it is the so-called voluntary contributions or a student contribution fee that costs more even though the Government claims it is reduced. It is utterly galling for hard-pressed families who shell out hundreds or even thousands of euro a year. That is not to say there have not been positive initiatives - for example, the schoolbook scheme. However, the benefit many parents have seen from that has been wiped away by the increasing numbers of schools mandating the purchase of digital devices. We have an absolutely ridiculous situation whereby in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis continuing unabated, the Government has decided it is the optimum time to reintroduce costs for junior and leaving certificate examinations.”
“That is simply not good enough. We need to see progress to ensure that victims of domestic abuse are not those forced out of their family home. I thank and commend Jason Poole, brother to Jennie, who was murdered by her ex-partner, on his advocacy for the establishment of a register of domestic violence judgments. I have no qualms in saying that is the reason we are here today. The legislation before us is a positive step, but I appeal to the Minister to accept the amendments to increase the timeframe in which a person can seek to be removed from three to five years, and to ensure that register evasion is not possible through plea bargains. I also commend my constituency colleague, Deputy Carthy, for all his work and efforts on this issue.”
“I welcome that we have recently seen progress on a number of important measures relating to domestic abuse, but what is of crucial importance is that we get the legislation and policy right. In the face of what report after report expose as an epidemic of violence against women and girls, I do not accept incremental change as good enough. Legislation will pass in the Houses tomorrow on the callous use of counselling notes in sexual offences trials. The lack of a full prohibition is simply not good enough. I welcome the Dáil last week supporting the EU opting into parts of the Istanbul Convention, but that convention mandates twice as many domestic violence refuge spaces as the Minister has committed to delivering. What is more, the Government has rowed back on its commitment to provide spaces in both Cavan and Monaghan.”
“The suggestion that free contraception is enough is a complete failure of this Government and I ask the Minister of State to rethink this and do more for women.”
“The scheme was first introduced in 2022 and limited to those aged between 17 and 32. The increase to 35 in 2024 was woefully inadequate. Now, in 2026 we are still in the same place. That suggests there is no political will. I appeal to the Minister of State to make this a priority and let us dispense with the listless and lethargic pace we have seen to date. Women's health deserves to be embedded as a core service across pharmacy and community services. Not enough is being done for endometriosis. The Minister of State suggests that the pill is the solution; it is definitely not the solution. Endometriosis is a life-changing diagnosis and more needs to be done. Women with endometriosis are forced to go abroad. Ireland is nowhere near the point of providing vital care for women with endometriosis.”
“I hope that this measure does not become like the HRT and blister packs we have seen in the past. When the Minister fails to do the groundwork, the roll-out can be unnecessarily delayed. A related issue is that the free contraceptive scheme is still limited to women aged 17 to 35. Did the Government forget about the women who can still get pregnant right into their menopausal years? It is a big failure that it did not recognise that and forgot the women from 35 to 50 years of age. Last August I described the pace at which it is being rolled out as woefully inadequate. That was in response to the Minister answering a parliamentary question I placed seeking information on the expansion of the scheme by alluding to pilot schemes and referencing the annual budget process.”
“I welcome this legislation that progresses the free contraception available for those aged 17 to 35 and will allow pharmacists to prescribe contraceptive medicines and products. What annoys me is to see that the Government has said the pharmacies will set their fees locally. This is not good enough and this is not free contraception. There has to be something put in place to ensure that the contraceptive is actually free when somebody goes to the counter to purchase it. Pharmacists are entirely capable of providing enhanced care beyond that which they currently do. It is a positive step. Of course, when we ask more of our pharmacists it is incumbent upon them to ensure they are adequately supported, which is not happening at the moment and is not going to happen with this legislation.”
“We found this out at the Committee of Public Accounts. There is a multimillion euro public expenditure crisis due to the lack of competence. More needs to be done. I ask the Minister of State to ensure the necessary reforms are introduced to end the unnecessary waste.”
“I do not know how the Minister of State can say there is early engagement when a €4.3 million Fórsa project was abandoned, an unaffordable affordable childcare ICT system exceeded its original estimate of €3.5 million by nearly 50%, and now, €30 million spent by Irish Rail has effectively been written off. These are just examples of the tens of millions of euro in taxpayers’ money that is as good as gone. I am not seeking to absolve the Accounting Officers of the responsibility but it is clearly widespread across Departments. It is a big problem. In the context of the Arts Council, some €5.3 million was written off. We saw a State body report its concerns. It tried to seek assistance from the Department but never got it and in return, the Department allowed it to flounder and did not give the help it was seeking.”
“Government IT projects have become synonymous with overspends, not best practice, as far as I can see. Of 220 such projects since 2024, 67 have projected overspends or have had overspends. The Department contains various units in agencies that sanction projects or provide advice on the activities of Departments and State bodies. I am thinking of the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer, OGCIO, the Office of Government Procurement, the National Shared Services Office and the advisory services that the Minister of State mentioned. Yet, somehow, when it comes to IT projects, time and again, there are gross overspends and even project write-offs. Does the Minister of State accept there is a problem and that his Department has a role to play in addressing this? What is he going to do about it?”
“I understand that this legislation will facilitate an additional €15 million allocation to An Post this year in line with what was advocated by Sinn Féin in our alternative budget proposals last year. This is positive and I do welcome it. This funding will contribute towards preventing upwards of 40% of the remaining post offices from having to close, which the Irish Postmasters Union had warned last year would occur without it. While this funding and this measure are welcome, there is an urgent need now for the Government to finally accept the need for a new public service mandate for post offices. I must commend the Irish Postmasters Union on this. It has brought forward proposals of enhanced benefits it can deliver. Now is the time for Government to urgently reflect upon and progress this.”
“Post offices provide proven, irreplaceable benefit to the communities they serve. They contribute to local economies and offer critical services and access for older people, vulnerable citizens and marginalised communities. When we see in the decade up to this time last year that 257 post offices had closed across the State, it should have set alarm bells ringing. As a TD for a rural constituency, it is particularly stark that 201 of those post offices were rural. Eleven of them were across Cavan and Monaghan. I welcome the opportunity to discuss increased funding for our post office network and I welcome that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have finally woken up to the challenge.”
“I ask the House to endorse Sinn Féin's motion tonight and let us begin the work of actually delivering for early years educators, the people who both need and deserve this. People have been waiting 574 days now for a plan the Tánaiste said he would bring forward in 100. How long is it going to take for this to happen for our parents, children and early years educators?”
“Despite Fine Gael having pledged to have a plan within 100 days, there are upwards on 50,000 children on waiting lists for childcare places, 50% workforce turnover in some counties and an employment regulation order process for setting pay that is simply not working. There is a dire need for urgency from the Minister of State's Government to finally publish a roadmap for the delivery of the €200 per month that Fine Gael promised in the election in 2024. With so many families continuing to pay over €800 per month, the Government's current policy - putting costs closer to €200 per week than per month - is simply not good enough. Our early educators deserve better. Families and their children deserve better.”
“It is simply indefensible that more than a decade after the media started referring to the cost of childcare as comparable to a second mortgage, the pace of action from the Minister of State's Government could be so lethargic. In 2024, my colleague and the Sinn Féin spokesperson on children, Deputy Kerrane, published a detailed costed plan outlining how Sinn Féin would deliver childcare capped at €200 per month. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, in advance of the general election in 2024, went on to cog Sinn Féin's homework. The problem is that while the Minister of State's party lifted the intended result in its promise to the electorate, it never showed any workings and it has not since. Now, the Minister of State says it is not about cost.”
“I appeal to all Members of this House to endorse this plan because this is what the children of our nation deserve - not excuses that they will not receive the healthcare that is their right simply because a dentist has retired or is off having a baby. We need a workforce plan and complete reform of our access to dental care.”
“If the Minister and senior HSE management are unable to implement adequate workforce planning to account for women having children or people retiring, that calls into question basic competencies. Equally, at one point last year when I asked the Minister about access to orthodontic treatment for people from Monaghan, she told me that service was under-resourced, with three vacant orthodontic posts. This is utterly unacceptable and I commend the Sinn Féin spokesperson on health, Deputy David Cullinane, on bring forward these very detailed proposals, which outline the solutions that seem to be needed for this ever-worsening crisis.”
“The Government has utterly failed in terms of dental services. It has especially failed every child, with more than 11,000 children waiting years to get braces and half of all children not getting their scheduled dental check-ups through the school dental scheme. The Government is especially failing children in my county of Monaghan, where, as of October last year, not a single child in the 2024-25 cohort had received their dental checkup. Not a single child out of 832. How do Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael account for this failure? When I submit questions to the Minister for Health, the excuse provided is that it is down to staff vacancies arising from maternity leave and retirement.”
“In that context, I appeal to the Government to progress this legislation, but to do so in the context of a wider, considered aviation strategy in which balanced regional development, including tourism, are to the fore. Ireland, as the Minister knows, has 32 counties. We need to encourage tourism to all counties and to increase flight caps nationwide, not just in Dublin.”
“I was a member of the Sliabh Beagh Partnership Committee when I was a councillor. I was delighted to see the allocation of funding last year to develop the Sliabh Beagh area as an eco-tourism destination. I know that every county has similar potential. Investment is needed but so too is greater encouragement for tourists to travel to all destinations. All of our regional airports have a role to play in this. Derry and Belfast also need particular consideration in the context of cross-Border tourism. It should be recognised that to maximise tourism potential on the island of Ireland, all airports on our island need to be considered. We should seek to remove the hurdles and recognise that Ireland is a single destination, one that has a diverse range of offerings in every corner of the country and the space in-between.”
“Our regional airports are necessary components of balance, which has been lacking. Galway and Sligo airports are closed to commercial traffic. Kerry, Knock and Waterford airports need far greater consideration, Waterford Airport in particular where positive development is being seen almost in spite of the Government. It is a positive thing that we can look to Dublin Airport as having even greater potential, but with 88% of passenger traffic passing through that airport, it would be wrong to think our regional airports do not have more to offer. We need to encourage more tourists to visit the untapped parts of the country beyond Dublin and the larger and more traditional destinations. There is not a county in Ireland that lacks the potential to draw great numbers of tourists.”
“I am also deeply concerned about the impact maintaining the cap could have on our tourism sector, which supports well over 200,000 jobs, often in parts of the country that have otherwise suffered from a dearth of inward investment. The tourism sector, as the Minister knows, has not had enough attention from the Government in particular areas where it is needed. This is especially case with regard to the many workers in the sector on the minimum wage and the Government's decision to delay the implementation of the national living wage until the end of the decade. Crucially, the tourism sector has immense potential in terms of geographical spread and even greater again in terms of its ability to contribute to economic regional balance. I contend that has yet to be realised.”
“I will not take lectures from Independent Ireland which recently said sport should not become a tool about Israel playing Ireland. The Minister should have taken a stronger stance on that, but Independent Ireland should not accuse Sinn Féin of anything when we are only trying to help the public. I welcome the legislation, which will encourage tourism on the island of Ireland. However, it is a blunt tool which is not fit for purpose and may well be legally unsound. That said, there is an absolute need for the Government and the DAA to recognise the outstanding issues that local residents have. It is disappointing that the Bill does not provide that recognition. I appeal to him to work constructively with the Opposition as we seek to address these issues. In particular, he should mandate the DAA to engage meaningfully with residents.”
“Doing so would significantly alleviate the pressure on Cavan hospital and ensure that the people of Monaghan, a county with a growing population of over 65,000, have timely and safe access to emergency care.”
“I wish to raise the ongoing and very serious issue of excessive waiting times in the accident and emergency department in Cavan General Hospital. As the Tánaiste is aware, residents of County Monaghan do not have access to an accident and emergency department in their county. Instead, they have to travel to Cavan hospital to receive emergency care. This places significant and unstable pressure on services. I continue to receive deeply concerning reports from constituents who are waiting for up to 24 hours before being seen by a nurse or doctor. The situation is simply not acceptable. Today, I urge the Tánaiste to consider the case for restoring a full accident and emergency service at Monaghan hospital.”
“I ask Deputy Ardagh as a new Minister of State to stand up to this supposed Government, stand by the consumers and make the big tech companies pay for their electricity.”
“The Government imposes a carbon tax on the people yet at the same time it stands aside and allows our constituents to be hammered on energy costs. It takes a light-touch approach to energy companies especially data centres which now consume 22% of all electricity. Government is not responsible for the root cause of this crisis but it is utterly shameful that its policy choices are responsible for the scale of the impact on ordinary households. The Government needs to act for the people. Action needs to be taken to end the practice of ordinary households subsidising energy bills for big tech companies and for households in need of relief through the restoration of energy costs.”
“I congratulate the Minister of State on her new post. I alert her that the Government continues to fail the ordinary people struggling to keep the lights on and their homes warm. A new record of more than 500,000 are now in arrears on their gas and electricity bills. The most impactful action by this Government was to pull the plug, withdrawing energy credits that were for many people just keeping their heads above water. There are an additional 200,000 households in arrears since the Government made that cruel choice. Even that does not take into account those who cannot afford to top up their pay-as-you-go meters or reflect those who cannot afford to keep their homes warm with home heating oil because not one cent was reduced.”
“It is welcome to have a rare opportunity to discuss this with the Minister for Finance, whose own Department publishes a report each year confirming the dwindling CAP receipts the Government oversees. I appeal to the Minister of State to seek to reverse previous cuts during the coming negotiations. However, he cannot seek to restore that funding as he denies it was every taken away. I suggest that he actually read his own Government's reports and recognise that his predecessors sold out our farmers in previous negotiations.”
“It is therefore of deep concern that the CAP has been viewed by successive European Commissions as a soft touch and something to be raided to fund the pet project of the day. This has led to decreasing funds for Irish farmers in real terms at the very time Ireland became a net contributor to the European budget. The Government wants to spin the figures but I am not sure any farmer would say that the CAP today serves them better than the CAP of 20 years ago. Is anybody queuing up to tell the Minister of State that the new agri-climate rural environment scheme, ACRES, is a patch on the old rural environment protection scheme, REPS? It has also led to reduced LEADER funding for very important programmes in our rural communities.”
“One cohort of people who are no strangers to shocks are the farming families. During the times they are receiving a fair price, which are too rare, the one certainty is that it will not last forever. That is part of why the CAP is so important. It is an important mechanism whereby farmers are paid largely for the environmental, biodiversity and animal health and welfare benefits that they deliver in spades. It is also a mechanism that helps many farms stay viable as it somewhat offsets the entirely unfair prices, which are below the cost of production, they receive for their produce. It is a crucial driver in rural economies, particularly when it is taken in tandem with the LEADER programme with which it is linked.”
“I thank Independent Ireland for putting this motion forward today. In recent years, ordinary workers and families have endured a number of economic shocks. Consistently, however, this Government has had to be dragged, kicking and screaming, in order to deploy countermeasures - kicking and screaming to support workers, families, farmers, hauliers and many more. Developers though, have got their tax breaks and, of course, bankers have had their bonuses increased. However, for people struggling to pay electricity bills, heat their homes and put fuel into their cars the Government's response has been half-baked half-measures, often deployed too late and withdrawn the moment the Government feels it is politically acceptable. I welcome this proposal, which would mandate the Government to outline an emergency response to such shocks.”
“Surely, it has had enough time to decide what to do. We cannot listen to any more excuses, nor can people with disabilities.”
“What are people with disabilities to do? It was an error of judgment when the Government pulled supports last year. This motion recognises the lived reality of people with disabilities. It mandates urgent intervention through a lump sum of €500 for people with disabilities and a permanent intervention through a new cost-of-disability payment to be introduced immediately, rather than at the next budget or later. It is a disgrace for the Government to say that. Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and their Independent supporters have a choice now. Do they agree that these interventions are necessary or do they think that people with disabilities should wait until budget 2027 or beyond before the Government responds and actually does something? The previous Government carried out a report on this five years ago.”
“No person should be left socially, politically or economically worse off because of a disability. I think all of us in this House would agree on that in principle. Where the problem lies, however, is that Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have their heads in the clouds. The estimated additional cost to a household in which a person with a disability lives stands at €555 per week. Worse again is that, rather than improving the situation, the Government’s budget last October actually made the situation worse. Despite a cost-of-living crisis continuing unabated, the Government chose to withdraw supports for people with disabilities to the tune of €1,400. It is simply not good enough to tell people that they have to wait for budget 2027 or beyond. It is a failure to recognise the current pressures that people are facing.”
“We know that only a few years ago the NTMA spent €51,000 on two parties for staff. As I said last week in the Committee of Public Accounts, it is a great place to work. It seems the jobs in NTMA are among the best in the country, with the remuneration of the private sector and all of the benefits of the Civil Service.”
“In terms of the practicalities of the wind-up, one that was recently considered by the Committee of Public Accounts, of which I am a part, relates to the former CEO of NAMA who returns to the NTMA on the same terms and conditions he is currently on. We were told last week in a committee meeting that he will return with a salary of €430,000. That does not seem right. There is no vacancy for a CEO, as far as I am concerned, in the NTMA. Perhaps the Minister of State could fill in the blanks. Why is a job in the NTMA being offered to the former CEO of NAMA? We would like clarity on that. NTMA officials are among the most highly paid in the Civil Service. We are told this is necessitated by their expertise and that they receive bonuses when most in the Civil Service or public service do not.”
“The conclusion of the work of NAMA and the IBRC is not the end for the taxpayer or many Irish generations to come. The Government may try to portray this as a success, but the fact of the matter is that this was a core component of the Government's overall bank bailout, a bailout for which the Comptroller and Auditor General put the net cost at €45.7 billion. NAMA achieved a meagre €5.2 billion return on €32 billion in assets when the market was at its very bottom. The same principle holds for the State sale of AIB and PTSB shares, which were sold on the cheap and cost the State billions. The Government is not just failing in terms of public services; its management of State assets is woeful.”
“I welcome the Bill to facilitate the orderly wind-up of NAMA and the IBRC, an end of sorts, in part, to the contemptible chapter of history, which saw Irish taxpayers bail out the banks in a process that was quite poor in terms of the return for the Irish people. In many cases, these assets were captured by vulture funds at rock bottom prices. The full truth of Project Eagle and other projects may never be known. Given that NAMA was handed a portfolio of property assets at the bottom of the market and against a backdrop of having seen complete market recovery and a deepening housing crisis, it sticks in the back of people's throats. It is difficult to understand and hard to dismiss how a cynical person might view the outworkings of NAMA. As I have said, this is an end of sorts but only in part.”
“I invite him, and in fact all members of Fianna Fáil, to reflect on what value they believe members of the public should place on their word.”
“He tells us that it will have no impact on our neutrality, despite his having told this House in 2013 that it was the core of our neutrality, and despite the Department of foreign affairs website clearly stating our European partners understand our policy of military neutrality with reference to the triple lock. The Taoiseach needs to be upfront as to why his public statements on neutrality today differ from those of the past and from those of his Government's contemporary publications. He should consider what it means to him to hold something as solemn, because he was part of the Government that made a solemn national declaration to the Irish people on the triple lock in advance of the second Nice and Lisbon treaty referendums.”
“The Government proposal to cut the triple lock neutrality protections stands among the most significant foreign affairs and defence policy departures in decades, so it is important that it be properly considered and understood. It is concerning that the Taoiseach's own position is consistent only in its shifting nature. Initially, the Taoiseach proposed a citizens' assembly on neutrality. Then it became a so-called consultative forum on international security policy, providing minimal interaction for the public or the Opposition, in favour of voices hand-picked by Government. When the report from that stroke reported no public appetite for change to our position on neutrality, the Taoiseach announced his plans to get rid of the triple lock neutrality protection altogether.”
“Across the State, there has been a 50% rise in evictions since the new rules came into force. Once again, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are making the housing crisis worse. What is needed now is a response from the Government that for the first time prioritises renters, not vulture funds, landlords or speculators. Sinn Féin's motion includes provisions mandating the Government to introduce an emergency ban on rent increases and no-fault evictions and to cut private rents by putting a full month's rent back in every private renter's pocket. These measures should be agreeable to every Member of this House who is concerned about the well-being of their constituents. I urge Deputies to give this motion their full support.”
“Many people are at risk of homelessness. People expect their Government to have their back. That is why they are so frustrated, especially renters, when it seems that every intervention from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael actually makes their situation worse. In my constituency of Cavan-Monaghan, both counties were among the six in the State which saw double-digit rent inflation last year. We saw rents increase by 10.6% in Cavan and by a staggering 12.4% in Monaghan. What was the Government's response to these rent increases? It was new rent regulations, which will see rents and evictions increase. The RTB has already seen a 17% increase in its caseload in the first quarter of this year. The first three months of this year also saw 118 people evicted from their homes in the Cavan-Monaghan constituency.”
“I hope all Members will recognise the scale of the challenge we face and row in behind our farmers in the months ahead as the EU budget is agreed and, in particular, that we will be united in demanding a larger CAP budget and more funding for our farming families. I will touch on an issue related to the use of lead gunshot and the REACH committee. This goes back to the previous Dáil term. I am aware that at that time, there was an issue in terms of engagement between the Department and stakeholders. I do not want to dwell on that, and we have a new Minister. Is the Minister of State willing to give a commitment to engage with representative countryside, conservation and rural stakeholder organisations on this matter?”