First, I wish to inform the House that today the Government appointed the first ever ambassador from Palestine to Ireland. That is an important moment. Deputy Pringle should not tut-tut about that. It is something that is seen as very important by the Palestinian Authority. If Deputy Pringle wants to tut-tut about that, that is on him. The ambassador is very pleased at being appointed, as are the President, Prime Minister and Government of Palestine. That is the first point to make.

The second point is that it is my understanding that this matter will be discussed at the Oireachtas foreign affairs committee today. I understand the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs is attending the committee. It is also my understanding that agreement has been reached with the Chair and the sponsor of the Bill on how to proceed. I acknowledge the huge leadership and highly constructive engagement shown by Senator Black. She has engaged intensively with the Tánaiste on this. I thank her for that. It is further my understanding that the Senator, the Tánaiste and his officials, including the legal adviser to his Department, will present to the committee this evening on the legislation. That is quite important.

Deputy Pringle is right on this. While I do not speak for the entire Dáil, I get the sense that there is now a consensus across the Government and the Opposition that we would like to see legislation passed in this regard, but we would also like to see legislation passed that is not going to fall at the first hurdle or in the European courts.

The US Attorney General will tell the Government how to write it.

I am getting an echo back.

The US Attorney General is in on it.

There is so much muttering going on it is hard to speak. We have to get this legislation correct and I think the appropriate way to proceed is for the foreign affairs committee, where the Bill will be at, to consider this issue this evening, to be briefed by the line Minister and the sponsor of the Bill, to receive presentations from both, and then for that committee to advise us on how to proceed.

In relation to Deputy Naughten, I can certainly-----

What about the US ambassador?

Please Deputies, let the Taoiseach respond.

I ask him to respond.

I can only account to this House what I have been informed. I have been informed what I have relayed to this House by the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs. That is my information. That is all I can relay to this House.

In relation to Deputy Naughten, I can discuss that with the Minister but we are not proposing to make time available, to tell the truth, because we have a lot of legislation that we want to get through in the remaining days of this Dáil. I will ask that the Minister engages with the Deputy on the matter and I note his views as well regarding the issue of Garda numbers. In response to Deputy McGrath, I appreciate that Garda numbers is an important issue. That is why we reopened Templemore and why we see Templemore full and at capacity. It is also why we see more Garda recruits coming out in his county from the Garda College every 12 weeks.

Not a single one.

The Government will continue its work in that area.