Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions
Dail Éireann — 2026-01-20
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Ivana Bacik (LAB), Dublin Bay South

I do not appreciate taking lectures on the budget from the party that brought in the tax break for the burger barons and big builders. The Labour Party stood against the narrowing of the tax base. I do agree with the Taoiseach on European solidarity, absolutely. Between them, Putin and Trump have made the unthinkable normal now. They are normalising this hideous threat of annexation and the hideous threat of trade wars that are going damage us all. As my colleague Deputy Lawlor pointed out, there are huge implications for Ireland, by the way, if Trump is threatening military action in Europe and using Shannon Airport for US planes. That is a huge question for us.
We absolutely need European solidarity. We need to stand together on this and the European Union must use every lever at its disposal. We must see a robust response to Trump to stand up to what is really a creeping fascism. We are seeing in his own country armed militias seizing people and shooting people and we are now also seeing the threat of annexation and the seizure of a leader in Venezuela against international law.
This is appalling to see. I want to make one specific, practical ask. Last year, on so-called "liberation day" the Taoiseach and Tánaiste very helpfully provided briefings to Opposition leaders on the Trump threat.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-01-20/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:31+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-01-20