We are out of time but there are three remaining Deputies. I will take a 30-second question from each of them.

Some 650 Tara Mines workers are facing a bleak and uncertain winter. Their income has fallen off a cliff. Another 1,000 jobs in County Meath are in serious trouble. Shops have reported a collapse in their turnover in recent times. The workers have been listening for a long time to the Minister for Social Protection speaking about income supports but according to current plans that will not happen for several years. Can the Government bring in emergency legislation to help the workers in Tara Mines? The issue of electricity is key. It is the elephant in the room. Other zinc mines in Europe are still operating because they are dealing with lower electricity prices. Will the Tánaiste ask the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, to meet with the management and unions at Tara Mines?

According to the most recent census, the population of County Wexford reached more than 160,000 people. Wexford General Hospital has a capacity of only 280 beds. A 96-bed unit was promised and included in the capital plan. What capital has been allocated this year to progress this project? Is there projected capital to progress it in 2024? Can the Tánaiste guarantee that funding for the 96-bed unit at Wexford General Hospital will be available next year?

I raise with the Tánaiste the issue of the public counter of the Probate Office having been closed since Covid. As he is aware, the death of a family member and the processing of probate can be a difficult experience for many families. It is not acceptable that a public counter is not available. Delays are being created because people have to put documents into a drop box and wait for the office to respond and emails to be sent. These things could be resolved much more quickly, as was often the case for a long time previously. Unfortunately, my questions on this issue have been disallowed because the service is not directly accountable to the Minister. We need the Minister to send a message that the service should reopen, however.

The Deputy is correct in what he says about the number of questions. There is an inordinate number of questions now appearing in respect of the Probate Office.

On the matter raised by Deputy Tóibín, the Minister for Social Protection is actively working on the issue of pay-related benefit and will be bringing proposals to the Government and before the House in due course. When I say "in due course", it will be done in a reasonable timeframe. It is a matter for the Minister to announce that. I am conscious of the pressure on Tara Mines. It is a world market price issue. The Minister, Deputy Coveney, and others have met with the company and unions on a number of occasions and will continue to engage with management to give any supports we can in respect of it.

As regards the issue raised by Deputy Mythen, I do not have a specific figure before me but a capital project of that kind takes design, working through and so on. That will all proceed. The capital allocation plan has yet to be determined but the project in question will not be drawing down capital immediately. If it is a 96-bed unit, there will be design and so on. I will come back to the Deputy on that.

On the Probate Office, I hear what Deputy McAuliffe and the Ceann Comhairle are saying. I will take that up with the relevant Minister. During Covid and in the aftermath of Covid, a number of agencies took the opportunity to pull back on services that were there prior to Covid but have never re-emerged. I had that in my domain in terms of swimming pools and various things. It is not good practice. What was there before, serving the public, should have been continued post Covid. Covid should not have been used as an excuse to stop things.

Hear, hear.

That concludes the morning's business. Before we suspend, I am told by Deputy Devlin that we have German guests in the Gallery. James, Anika, Liam and Alvin Martin and Peggy Kearns are all very welcome.