Paramedics and emergency medical technicians, EMTs, play a crucial role in the healthcare system, despite the fact that they are incredibly stretched, with personnel numbers approximately 1,800 short of the target. They are often running on fumes as they try to respond to situations. They are going on strike on Tuesday, as things stand. They do not want to be on strike. They want to be out there responding to emergencies but the reality is they feel that they have no other option because the report that has been si…

Tosóidh mé le rá go n-aontaím leis an Aire Stáit gur rud an-dearfach agus gur ábhar dóchais é go mbeidh an Ghaeilge in úsáid mar theanga oifigiúil le linn na hUachtaránachta. Tá sé sách tábhachtach go mbeadh an Ghaeilge feiceálach agus in úsáid anseo, sna hinstitiúidí Eorpacha agus in imeachtaí na hUachtaránachta. These statements on Europe are an opportunity to reflect on what the EU was intended to be, its purpose, our place in it, what it is not intended to be and where it is failing. There is no doubt in my min…

Beimid ag tacú leis an rún. Tá sé tábhachtach go mbeidh cuntasacht ann agus go mbeidh pionós ar an Rúis de bharr na héagóra atá déanta i gcoinne na hÚcráine. We support this motion. We believe it is important for Ireland to continue to do what it can to support vulnerable people in Ukraine and elsewhere and to support the protection of human rights and international law globally. It is important in this debate, which is framed very much in the context of international law, accountability and compensation, that the …

I have spoken to tenants in various Dublin City Council properties and I know they feel the exact same as tenants in Cork City Council flats. They feel that when it comes to housing, they are at the absolute back of the queue. It is a case of out of sight, out of mind and they are shuttered away. Not only has the Government neglected buildings, it has neglected people. These people are watching their children with lung conditions becoming unhealthy. Every year they are throwing out bags of clothes and other possess…

I will give the Minister of State some of the context in a moment but the simple ask is that the children, staff and parents connected to Owenabue Educate Together National School want to know what the plan is and when their project will go to stage 2. The current situation is totally unsustainable. The school was opened in 2020. To give some context, Carrigaline is probably a bit like places in the Minister of State's constituency. The town has grown rapidly, from about 12,000 people in 2006 to 15,000 or 16,000 by…

If that is something the Minister of State could facilitate or help to facilitate, I will take him up on it. This is, of course, frustrating. The schools is looking for answers. When will the project go to stage 2? We can say the school delivery team has so many projects and it is hard to get through them all, but if the Government, at the highest level, is setting a target for the delivery of that many schools, it clearly needs to ensure the team is resourced enough to get through them. There are many other school…

Climate change has real and profound implications for us here in Ireland and right across the world. Here in Ireland, as globally, it is most likely those on the lowest incomes and the poorest who will potentially pay the highest price. I think the Irish people understand that very clearly. Sometimes when listening to these debates, we might imagine that the Irish people are yet to be persuaded that climate change is real and we need to tackle it. I do not believe that is the case. Of course, there will always be a…

It is reasonable to ask what it would possibly take for the European Union to suspend the EU-Israel trade agreement. What possible threshold must be met and what new horrors and breaches of international law are required before it moves away from its position of intransigence and failure? At times, we have debates in relation to the EU and some on the benches opposite try to make the Sinn Féin position on Europe sound complicated. I think it is pretty straightforward. We do not propose to leave the European Union. …

During my contribution, I addressed the next package of sanctions against Russia, in particular Rosatom, which is the Russian atomic agency. Is this something the Irish Government is specifically referencing? I know it said it was supportive of it, but is it specifically calling for it? Second, it is five or six months since the European Council had conclusions on Sudan, as I mentioned earlier. Kaja Kallas made some comments yesterday on the European Council. It is important that the pressure remains. Can the Minis…

I make the point again that the whole fiasco in relation to SNAs was symptomatic of a wider attitude. An awful lot of SNAs and parents viewed it as the Department and the Government trying to pull a fast one, failing to recognise the manner in which the role of the SNAs has changed, even though it was apparent to everyone. It was entirely obvious to anyone who took the time to examine what an SNA how much the role has changed and how much more complex it is now, with the huge responsibilities they have now. The Gov…

I want to put on record my disappointment and frustration at the fact that this debate is being guillotined. This has to be taken in the context of the Government and the Government members of the committee having moved to avoid pre-legislative scrutiny of this legislation, which was crucial. We in the committee have all cited international authorities, and will likely do so here tonight again, outlining the manner in which the investor courts have huge potential implications for the environment, for workers' right…

It is effectively the same.

There is a difference between the ISDS and the investor courts system but it is in form rather than substance. Ultimately, the Irish courts or the Irish government will have the same difficulty, potentially. It is true there are permanent judges and more transparency in the sense of openness and so on but in terms of the power they have when they make a decision against an Irish government because of some policy decision it takes we will still be in the same position. Again, I ask for the Minister of State's opinio…

How could there be?

It has not been established yet.

The Minister of State he had nothing to do with the scheduling of the football debate. I am sure that is true albeit it is an important debate. It is a pastime enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of people. Perhaps he can tell us if he had anything to do with the decision to propose a guillotine or did he encourage it?

I can take a nod or something like that either. I suspect the Minister of State and certainly the Government very much supported the clear party line vote of Government TDs to not proceed with pre-legislative scrutiny within the committee. He might not have had much to do with the football decision but I think he has something to do with the decision to rush this and not allow pre-legislative scrutiny, which is probably a bigger issue than the guillotine but that is profoundly wrong as well. We are getting to three…

Hear, hear.

This question has been frequently debated in recent months and years. The Government was elected on the basis of both parties committing to pass the occupied territories Bill, not a watered-down version of it. In any event, the progress we have seen on any occupied territories legislation has been quite halting since the election of this Government. When are we going to see that Bill on the floor of the Dáil?

My concern and that of a lot of people is that we are going to continue with this dance whereby the Attorney General sends something across to the Government, the Government looks for clarification, the Attorney General sends something back and we are at this slow-bicycle race forever. The urgency of this is very clear. For all of the talk of the ceasefire, the Board of Peace and so on, the situation on the ground is desperate. The Minister is quite aware, I am sure, that at the minute aid organisations are being r…