In the context of troops going through Shannon Airport, the Tánaiste has never once inspected those troops. Repeatedly, he has got information about arms and soldiers carrying arms. Never once did he engage in an inspection. He reassured us. I am never reassured by institutions nor Governments. I like to see evidence. There is no progress on the occupied territories Bill, which goes to the core of our credibility in relation to how we deal with different aggressors, be it Russia, the US or Israel. The Government is…

We were told that over and over. When I talk to people on the ground in Fianna Fáil, they tell me that neutrality is absolutely at the core of what we stand for.

Tá cúpla soicind fágtha ach ní fiú dul ar aghaidh le haon cheist eile, faraor. Is é sin deireadh le ceisteanna chun an Tánaiste agus an Aire Cosanta.

Is that agreed? Agreed.

It is right that we had a minute's silence today and that we have statements on the illegal invasion by Russia of Ukraine. It is important that we continue to show solidarity with the people of Ukraine. I welcome the visitors to the Gallery and also those who have left. The figures are indeed shocking, with 12 million people displaced from their homes in Ukraine. As of 31 January, the UN has advised that there had been 12,605 deaths and 29,000 people had been injured. I am sure the figures are much higher. It is re…

It is seven years since the Government decided to bring in a very good policy at the end of December 2018 to stop trawlers over 18 m in length fishing within the six-mile limit. A significant part of that policy was to stop the unsustainable fishing for sprat. This is the seventh year of the policy. Unfortunately, because of the Government's or the Department's failure to carry out the consultation process properly, the policy was held void. We were promised by the previous Minister and Government that another poli…

We are finished that.

When will the policy - it is a brilliant policy - be rolled out?

I will preface my remarks by saying that if the Government is seriously interested in helping to empower people with disabilities, it would abolish the means tests for carers immediately and it would bring in a cost of disability payment immediately. I will pick up where my colleague left off when she spoke about breaking the law. The Government is blatantly breaking the law. Twenty years ago - 20 - we brought in the Disability Act to give rights to people in a very limited way that an assessment would be carried o…

Gabhaim mo bhuíochas le Sinn Féin as an rún seo a chur os comhair na Dála. Tá sé thar a bheith tábhachtach agus tá mé buíoch dóibh go bhfuil an deis tugtha dúinn páirt a ghlacadh sa díospóireacht. On the previous occasion, I wished the Minister of State the best. On this occasion, I note that he and the Minister are not amending the motion. That is good. He might confirm whether the motion, which is quite basic, is going to be implemented. Very little is being requested. It is the most practical motion I have seen.…

My question specifically relates to the UN guiding principles on business and human rights. Unfortunately, the first action plan we had, from 2017 to 2020, has now been out of date for five years. I ask specifically about the stakeholder forum that was set up. I know how often it met. When will we have the plan? It is to follow on the guiding principles that were accepted by the UN in 2011. Now, more than ever, in today's world, we need to embed human rights.

I thank the Minister. I appreciate that the Department met me. It was a very helpful meeting and it is a way to work. There is, however, no progress in relation to the plan and we are into our fifth year. Trinity College did a report that was a snapshot of large firms operating in Ireland. The embedding of human rights principles received the lowest score. Embedding respect for human rights and conducting human rights due diligence was the theme on which companies, on average, scored the lowest. While some of the a…

I thank the Minister. I would love it if the Minister could give me a date on that. Why? It is because we are talking about embedding respect for human rights, and protecting, respecting and remedying human rights. While we fail to do that, this is the report from Trinity College, which is now dated, in relation to failure to embed human rights. I could cite various examples. As I understand it, the ESB is still importing coal from north-east Colombia - I will not insult anyone by attempting to pronounce the names …

The Minister might forward them-----

I tabled a very similar question that is further down the Question Paper. I was taken unawares as the questions were not grouped. That is the Department's decision, but the two questions are on the exact same issue. I have the most serious concerns about the increase, with seven times the amount of exports within a year. Could we get some explanation for that? How are the decisions made? Which licenses were refused? On what basis were they refused? Were licences refused in respect of exports to Israel? We are told …

Does the Minister of State have details on how many have been refused?

I thank the Social Democrats for bringing this motion. There are six basic asks in their motion. They are pretty basic when we have a housing crisis with just under 15,000 people homeless. Homeless accommodation in Galway is at capacity and people are waiting between 15 and 20 years. People are living in tents. People are living in cars. People are sleeping on couches. I have talked more on this subject than any other subject since I came in here in 2016. This Government and previous governments have absolutely cre…

The Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act was passed in 2017. Under that Act, there was not merely a promise but a legal obligation to carry out a review. That Act was brought in ostensibly to provide better protection for sex workers on the ground. There was much debate at the time so the review is essential to see if the legislation is achieving what it was set up to do. We were promised it in 2020, 2021, mid-2022 and on into 2023 but no review has been completed, although I am given to understand that it may have b…

Tá muid réidh le tosú le ráitis maidir le hintleacht shaorga, IS, a bharrfheabhsú don mhaith choitianta sa ghnó, sa gheilleagar agus sa tsochaí i gcoitinne. We are now moving on to statements on maximising AI for our greater good in business, in the economy and in wider society. I call the Minister of State, Deputy Smyth, to make the opening statement.

I wonder whether AI could help us to get a copy of the Minister of State's speech.