What has happened in Rafah over recent days, what is happening in Gaza and the reality of the situation is beyond belief. I never thought I would come to the day where I would see this horrific genocide. I go to bed at night and think of the people who are alive still and the terror they must be feeling. They have nowhere to go. They have been asked to move but they have nowhere to go. They are walking but they are going nowhere. I think of how they must feel about how the international community has abandoned them…

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I am very glad to be here to speak on this Private Members' motion brought forward by Sinn Féin. We all know, and have to face, the reality that housing is the biggest disaster in Ireland right now. Failure in housing is having a spillover effect, which is impacting our ability to retain trained teachers, nurses, doctors and those in the mental health area all over the country, but particularly in Dublin. I am a member of the health committee and that is what we are hea…

I move amendment No.4: In page 12, between lines 23 and 24, to insert the following: “ Report on seasonal work 3. The Minister shall, within 12 months of the passing of this Act, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas reviewing the conditions and wages of workers holding a permit for seasonal work.”. The Minister of State is very welcome to the House. She might not be aware that much work has been done by the Houses and Departments on the rights of migrants and integration. My colleagues and I in the Civ…

I will withdraw it, with a view to resubmitting it. Maybe we could have a discussion going forward.

I move amendment No. 5: In page 12, between lines 23 and 24, to insert the following: “ Report on dependent permit holders 3. The Minister shall, within 12 months of the passing of this Act, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas outlining the labour market access available to spouses of employment permit holders, particularly looking to the gender impact.”. We are very concerned about the inequity permit holders will experience in terms of reunification with their families. Last week, hundreds of migran…

I will withdraw the amendment with a view to resubmitting it.

I move amendment No. 6: In page 12, between lines 23 and 24, to insert the following: “Report on workers’ rights 3 . The Minister shall, within 12 months of the passing of this Act, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas reviewing the terms, conditions and remuneration afforded to workers holding regular permits and seasonal permits broken down by sectoral employment.” While we accept the need for a more robust system for personal permits, which is being established with this Bill, we must be mindful tha…

I move amendment No. 7: In page 12, between lines 23 and 24, to insert the following: “Report on right to unionise 3. The Minister shall, within 12 months of the passing of this Act, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas outlining measures taken to ensure that workers holding both regular and seasonal permits have a right to organise and to collective bargaining in their respective sectors.”. In 2021, the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission published its report, Monitoring Decent Work in Ireland,…

I withdraw the amendment.

Go raibh maith agat a Chathaoirligh. The Minister of State is very welcome to the House. I am sure he is well aware that the freedom flotilla is an international fleet of civilian ships attempting to break the illegal siege and blockade of Gaza by Israel. The flotilla is organised by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition and had brought together participants from more than 20 countries, including Ireland. The flotilla is the first humanitarian mission to carry aid sufficient to meaningfully alleviate the food and medical …

Will the Minister of State be able to follow up on this? I am aware he is also passionate about this issue. It would be great if he could follow up on this issue and come back to us on it. It would be awful to think the application went in and just nobody has bothered with it. My concern is that nobody has bothered with it. That is worrying.

I take this opportunity to express my solidarity with Councillors Tania Doyle and Janet Horner. Janet was attacked last night while putting up posters and Tania and her husband were attacked recently by what I would call a racist while erecting her election posters. Some months ago, Councillor Hugh Lewis had a brick thrown through his window in an effort to intimidate him because of his support for the local refugee community. These are dedicated community activists who work so hard and who are placed in great dang…

Go raibh maith agat. I must again raise the issue of Gaza and the invasion of Rafah in its southern part. It fills me with so much dread it is hard to articulate at this stage. Rafah is about the size of Limerick city and is now home to more than 1.5 million people who have been displaced from their homes in northern and central Gaza by Israel's murderous invasion. People in Rafah are living and dying in tents. Many of them have fled multiple times in the last six months. Rafah has become a city of tents and precio…

I welcome the Minister of State to the House and wish him well going forward in his new position. I also thank the Green Party Senators for using their Private Members' time to table this important and timely motion. The results of the European Commission's research report, which shows that Ireland is the loneliest country in the EU, are honestly really shocking. They run contrary to many of our assumptions about Irish life. We think of Ireland as such a warm place, full of close-knit communities and community spir…

I feel like I am repeating myself here, but I must bring up the freedom flotilla again today. I spoke about it last week. For those who do not know, this is a convoy of ships staffed by doctors, nurses, activists and human rights observers dedicated to breaking the illegal siege of Gaza in order that they can deliver lifesaving food and medical supplies to starving Palestinian civilians. These volunteers are drawn from all over the world. I believe there is an Irishman on board. There are also relatives of importan…

I welcome the Minister of State to the House today. I welcome the statements on the horrific flooding that happened in Lough Funshinagh. I am happy to be here today to speak on it in a formal sense. It is an opportunity to express our concern, sympathy and solidarity with the residents who had to evacuate their homes. The broader community is so worried about this. No doubt the Minister of State is aware of all this and I thank him for his work on it. The fact that people, including elderly people in their 80s, are…

Is the question whether I would like to move amendment No. 13.

I apologise; I am a bit confused as to where we are. It is amendment No. 17 that I can speak to.

Is that the grouping beginning with amendment No. 12?

I move amendment No. 17: In page 11, between lines 10 and 11, to insert the following: “(d) to support tangible measures to bring an end to precarious work in the research sector and ensure quality and sustainable employment for all researchers;”.