We are beyond trading words, taking credit for standing with the Palestinian people or recognising Palestine, which I fully praised the Government for at the time. There is no Palestine left to recognise on the ground. Some 80% to 90% of it has been destroyed. What is on the ground is the resilience of the Palestinian people, who have failed to give up at any stage. As an independent republic and sovereign state with a particular background that gives us an understanding, it is time to make our words mean something…

It has been declared illegal by Israel.

The Government must also enact it.

Comhghairdeachas leis an Aire Stáit nua. Guím gach rath air ina ról nua. I welcome the short amount of time I have to speak on this. It goes without saying that I fully appreciate the work of all the workers on the ground. I will use my time to highlight what has been brought to my attention. I have a file here with a range of human experiences. There are 13,000 households still without power as I stand here today. Quite a lot of those are in Galway county and some in the city. I have a letter here that was sent to…

Faraor géar, tá orm díriú isteach ar chathair na Gaillimhe arís agus an easpa infreastruchtúir atá ag cur bac láidir ar thuilleadh forbartha. De bharr na stoirme, tá spotsolas ar an easpa infreastruchtúir. Tá sé seo ardaithe go mion minic ach faraor, tá orm é a ardú arís. I raise the lack of infrastructure in Galway that is a serious block to development. The city is one of five cities identified in the national plan to grow. It is one of the five cities destined to grow, to a population of 120,000 by 2040. That is…

This is a city that is struggling. It is a thriving and beautiful city. Is cathair dhátheangach í agus tá a lán fostaíochta inti. Tá baic ann, áfach, ó thaobh infreastruchtúir agus ní inniu ná inné ó bhí na fadhbanna sin againn. We have struggled for quite some time. I am reassured, maybe foolishly and innocently, that the Tánaiste tells me there will be an emphasis on capital infrastructure because I have heard that, but what I am trying to highlight here today is that the city council is openly telling us that if…

I welcome the time to make my points. I thank Sinn Féin. It is an obscenity that we are here today. In truth, what we know is that 61,762 people are dead or missing. We are here today when the leader of the free world has told us he is going to take over Gaza yet, in a speech of five pages, there is not a mention of what President Trump said last night. I have difficulty calling him “President Trump” given he is somebody who has clearly said he is going to invade and take over Gaza. When Russia did that to Ukraine,…

I will stop in mid-sentence because my two colleagues want to come in.

Ar dtús báire, is mian liom chomhghairdeas a ghabháil leis an Taoiseach. Is pribhléid iontach dó a bheith ina Thaoiseach ar an tír - ní hamháin den chéad uair ach don dara huair – dá chlann, atá 100% taobh thiar de, agus do na hAirí nua. Ba mhaith liom mo thacaíocht a thabhairt don Taoiseach ach ní féidir liom mar tá easpa aitheantais ó thaobh na n-athraithe bunúsacha atá ag teastáil go géar ag eascairt as an bpaindéim Covid-19, as an bpaindéim tithíochta agus as na cogaí atá ag dul ar aghaidh go leanúnach. I will …

Ar dtús báire, is mian liom mo chomhghairdeas a chur in iúl don Cheann Comhairle. Gan dabht, tá éacht déanta aici. Ní raibh bean riamh sa Chathaoir, ról nó cóta sin. Tá éacht déanta aici agus níl amhras ar bith orm ach go mbeidh sí cóir agus cothrom agus í ag déileáil linne sa Dáil. On a more general level, the people of this beautiful country are crying out for change. They are crying out for leadership that will guide us through the transformative action that is necessary to deal with climate change and the norma…

Seanad Éireann has accepted the Finance Bill 2024, without recommendation.

I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 37 and the name of the Member in each case: Deputy Claire Kerrane - to discuss the need for a rural Garda plan. Deputy Brendan Smith - to discuss the need to approve DEIS status for St. Patrick's National School, Shercock, County Cavan. Deputy Marian Harkin - to discuss the interim accommodation arrangement for the post-primary school at Grange, County Sligo. Deputy David Stanton - to discuss the anoma…

Rinne tú go maith------

-----leis an aistriúchán uathoibríoch.

Go raibh maith agat.

I also take the opportunity to wish Deputies Howlin and Catherine Murphy the very best. I have no hesitation in saying that, without a doubt, parliamentary democracy will be poorer for their absence. I wanted to say that. I thank the Social Democrats for bringing this motion and using their time. I read the Tánaiste's speech with despair. It was carefully crafted, completely avoided the issue and did not reflect the outrage on the ground. I can tell the Government that it is completely out of touch with the despair…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as a chuid oibre. Cibé bealach a siúlann sé anois, go n-éirí leis. Níl aon duine eile anseo. Bogfaidh muid ar ais go dtí an tAire Stáit.

I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 37 and the name of the Member in each case: Deputies Mattie McGrath and Martin Browne - To discuss overcrowding at Scoil Aonghusa, Cashel. Deputy Claire Kerrane - To discuss the need for a specific rural policing plan. Deputy Marc MacSharry - To discuss a reinvestigation of an Aer Lingus flight crash in 1952. Deputy Gino Kenny - To discuss future funding for Scoil Mochua, Clondalkin. Deputy Darren O'Ro…

The Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach has completed its consideration of the following Supplementary Estimates for Public Services for the service of the year ending on 31 December 2024: Votes 4 to 6, inclusive, 9, 11, 12, 14 and 17 to 19, inclusive.

I thank Sinn Féin for bringing forward this motion. It is an issue about which this group has talked many times during my time in the Dáil since 2016. I welcome the motion and also welcome the fact that the Government is not opposing it. However, no timespan has been given for the abolition of the means test. It is the most basic thing we should do in our Republic, along with having a payment for disability. Those would be two practical measures to show we are serious about living as a republic. This debate takes p…