The report of the Business Committee has been circulated and can be taken as read. Are the proposed arrangements for the week's business agreed to?

Not agreed.

Not agreed.

Two weeks ago, I raised with the Taoiseach in the Dáil the crisis that the residents and landowners of Dursey Ireland are facing with the closure for seven months of the world famous Dursey cable car for repairs. Since this announcement two weeks ago, I have raised the urgency of getting the Department of Rural and Community Development involved with the council and locals to find a temporary solution to aid residents and animal owners. Cork County Council failed to get any response from the Department to date, after trying to communicate with it. This proves to me what I always said, that rural affairs and islands would be thrown under the bus when this Government relegated them to the Department of Social Protection. We need to debate the crisis that people in Castletownbere face without the cable car to Dursey Island. There has been no electricity on the island since Friday morning.

Can we have a debate this week in the Dáil to look at urgent solutions to this?

I think I have selected a Topical Issue matter on that, so the House will be able to have that debate.

I appreciate that.

I do not know if the Minister wishes to offer more time to debate the matter.

Two weeks ago Amnesty International produced a devastating report rightly condemning the state of Israel for the crime of apartheid. I and others have asked the Whip that we would have a debate in this House about that report. I note that the Ceann Comhairle and Deputy Carroll MacNeill will hold a briefing with the Israeli ambassador this week. There is no doubt but that the ambassador wants to trash the Amnesty report. That is his entitlement, but this House has a right to discuss this report and its very serious allegation, with which I agree absolutely, that Israel is an apartheid state. We need to have a discussion about this. It has global implications and very serious implications for our foreign policy and for the well-being of the Palestinian people.

As the Minister will know, the Cabinet made a decision today on the compulsory use of face masks. This is causing a huge amount of anxiety, particularly among older people, who now say they are afraid to go on public transport because face masks are no longer compulsory. Can we have a debate in this House on the matter? Can we have the detail of the evidence provided to the Government and a debate to tease out the issues in this regard? There is a lot of concern out there among people who are immunocompromised and older people and we need to see some clarity on this issue.

I thank Deputies for raising those issues.

Deputy Collins raised the issue of the Dursey cable car, which Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan has raised with me and colleagues as well, and I see the Deputy has a Topical Issue matter selected in that regard. That is perhaps the most appropriate forum in which to deal with that issue. We all recognise how important that piece of infrastructure is and we will take note of the points Deputies Collins and O'Sullivan have raised.

In response to Deputy Boyd Barrett, there is no opposition to the holding of a debate on that Amnesty International report. Perhaps it might be possible next week. The agenda this week is very full. There are three Private Members' Opposition slots. We also have statements on legacy issues in Northern Ireland-----

Could we have the debate next week?

-----which we have been asked to introduce, and we do want to advance Government legislation. That is a central purpose of this House. We will liaise with Deputy Boyd Barrett, the Minister, Deputy Coveney, and the Business Committee to find an appropriate slot for discussing what we recognise is a really important report.

In response to Deputy Naughten, we recognise that for many people the decision on mask wearing is a significant change and that there will be concern among many people, including some older people, some people who are immunocompromised and so on. It is important to restate that the wearing of masks on public transport remains advised, so it is no longer mandatory but it is still the advice that people should wear masks on public transport. As a Government, we received public health advice that there was no longer a public health rationale for maintaining the mandatory nature of that. On balance, we felt that removing the mandate from next week was the correct course of action, but I expect that many people will continue to choose to wear a mask in many settings, certainly on public transport services.

The Business Committee will try to agree a date on Thursday for the debate on the Amnesty report to take place in this House.

On a point of information, there is a debate scheduled on that report in the Seanad next Tuesday, so it is being debated within the Houses of the Oireachtas-----

Good.

But if we could have the debate-----

-----but we will bring the matter before this House too.

Is the proposal for the week's business is now agreed to? Agreed.