I want to begin with a very simple premise: that is, that migrants have contributed hugely to our country, as we did when we went overseas and contributed to others. I think it is important to start there. Ireland would grind to a halt without the work of migrants who live here and have contributed both through their labour and their enhancement of our culture. They have powered our industries, which would completely collapse without their service. Some 40% of our doctors are migrants. Our healthcare system, public…

I thank People Before Profit-Solidarity, for tabling this motion, as well as the opportunity to discuss these two very important topics, namely, the triple lock and our neutrality. Despite the fact that the Tánaiste has said for several years now that we need to have a discussion about these issues, very few opportunities are presented to the Dáil to have this discussion. It is only when the Opposition tables the matter that we are given the opportunity. I therefore highlight the fact that the Government never give…

Let me begin by acknowledging our friend, Dr. Jilan Wahba Abdalmajid, ambassador of Palestine. I also acknowledge the members of the Palestinian community who are in the Gallery. In particular, I extend my warmest welcome to Dr. Wael Abunamous, his wife, Suha and their seven children. Bombed from their home in Gaza, they found refuge in my community in East Wall. They have made our community all the better for it. We are so sorry for all of your suffering. We mourn with you and hope that this will come to an end. T…

Is the Minister aware of the lack of eligibility to access student grants for persons who hold stamp 4 visas and, if so, what he and his Department are doing to evaluate expanding the criteria? I hope they are doing so. I think we have raised this with the Minister's predecessor every year for the past four years. I have also contacted the Minister's Department numerous times since he took up the role, so I hope he is aware of this and will be able to outline what he is doing to change it and make it fairer for tho…

I know.

I thank the Minister. I acknowledge the diligence of his office in liaising back and forth with me. From the Minister's response, I am conscious he is aware of the issue. I might just get a commitment from him that we can have a meeting-----

-----sometime over the next week or so or, if not, over the coming weeks. I will leave it there.

I thank the Minister. I look forward to the meeting.

I will look at this from a different vantage from the previous speaker. When I was walking across the city this morning, I listened to the Ombudsman for Children responding to the child poverty report, which, once again, highlights that the level of child poverty in this State is increasing. Then, I came in here to talk about this motion. I thank Deputy Shortall for bringing it forward. The first call we have in our motion concerns the fact that there are an estimated 104,000 children on waiting lists for school sc…

No, it is not.

I would like to understand if it took the Taoiseach by surprise when the International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan announced charges against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant? The first point around which they are building a case is the use of starvation of civilians as a weapon war. I really want to understand the Government's position. Like many others at the weekend, I almost fell back in astonishment when I looked at the news and saw the Israeli ambassador, …

I am laughing because the Taoiseach is going to vote for Ursula von der Leyen.

Through hanging posters and knocking on doors, we have a very intimate relationship with our electorate as part of our democracy. Over recent weeks, I have watched local election candidates who simply want to hang their posters and knock on doors receive a level of vitriol that I have not witnessed during my time in politics. It is having a chilling effect. In my constituency, I have seen two women, one on my party's team, being threatened with a box blade to take down the posters. Yesterday, a local election candi…

That is always the case.

Has the Taoiseach taken a walk along the Grand Canal lately? I did earlier today and over the weekend. What is usually a public amenity for the citizens of Dublin, where you would see people on a day like today having a picnic or a jog along the canal, has seen fencing erected by this Government. The Taoiseach should not shake his head. He orchestrated a multi-agency task force. I argue strongly that rather than the tents, which are an equal failure, those hoardings are a reflection of the Government's failure. It …

Do we get the opportunity or does the Taoiseach have the good grace to tell us what exactly the plan is? Will the Government keep fencing off the city of Dublin? That we do not have statements or the Minister for Justice answering questions this week is a poor reflection of the Government's commitment to the citizens of Dublin and the vulnerable people in those tents. As a matter of urgency, I would like to be updated on the plan for my city.

I thank Sinn Féin for bringing forward this incredibly important motion. In Dublin everybody has a story about the bombings that took place 50 years ago this week, in 1974, but absolutely nobody feels they have a full understanding of the truth of what happened that day, although everybody suspects they know what happened. We will go into that further. I have talked to a number of different people who shared their stories about that day in 1974. Earlier today, on my way back here, I had a conversation with my fathe…

These are important statements on special education. In advance of this debate, I took the opportunity to ask schools and educational leaders in my community and other parts of Dublin about the circumstances of special education in their schools. While I will not refer to any school by name, I will speak to some of the issues they raised with me during those telephone conversations in the past few days. One school pointed out to me with great frustration that earlier this year, following the furore regarding the sp…

I have had this matter selected as a Topical Issue on four separate occasions. Each time, I called for a comprehensive, Cabinet-led approach to violence in our city centre, which too often has plagued and blighted the place that I love and that I walk through every day. We have had some satisfaction in that regard. The Taoiseach has announced that he intends to construct a task force to address antisocial behaviour in Dublin. Today, I come before the Chamber seeking to understand the nature and make-up of that task…

No one for a second believes that incidents of crime and assault should ever become the norm. The frustration on everyone else's part is that they have become the norm. The announcement of a task force only matters if in 12 weeks' time, or preferably tomorrow, when someone is being attacked on the street, there will be a garda who will be able to intervene quickly. Those are the brass tacks of it. Regardless of the operation - the Minister of State mentioned Operation Citizen and there have been any number of opera…