I wish to comment first on a comment by Deputy Doherty regarding my colleague, Deputy Ardagh, and her non-attendance in the Chamber. Deputy Ardagh is not here; we do not know why she is not here. I do not think anybody should be commenting on that. I have tabled a question for the Tánaiste on defence in the afternoon and I cannot be here because I am attending my uncle's funeral. I do not, therefore, think any of us should be judge and jury on that.

I acknowledge the Government's continued efforts to meet housing targets and strengthen our national infrastructure. One key issue we are facing, especially in the midlands, is the need to upgrade our electricity grid to support new housing and developments. We know that transformers and other critical components are not necessarily in short supply right now, but they are being ordered and manufactured globally. If peace were to emerge in places like Ukraine and Palestine, as we hope, global demand for these infrastructural goods will increase sharply. Will the Government act now and secure orders to invest in future-proofing our grid? Can the Tánaiste provide an upgrade on any promised legislation and policy to accelerate these upgrades in line with our housing ambitions?

I thank Deputy McCormack. I offer my sincere sympathy to him and his family on their loss.

The Deputy is so right to highlight the importance of the electricity grid, both from an energy security and from a housing point of view. We quite rightly talk in this House about the emergency that is housing - there is no doubt about that - but the key enabler to moving forward on that emergency is water, wastewater and energy supply. That is why the Government is very minded to invest significantly more funding through Uisce Éireann and into the grid through EirGrid and others. We will be looking at this in the context of the Apple escrow account and that once-off opportunity to make that investment. We will consider this in due course in the months ahead. We are determined to get that right and make sure there is bang for buck in terms of that investment leading to extra houses. I will keep the Deputy updated as that progresses.

Deputy McCormack, just for clarification, no one is acting as judge and jury, certainly from the Chair anyway. I would like him to know that. I am obliged to call the Deputies from the list I have. It is just to note that.

I call Deputy Colm Burke.