Hear, hear.

I thank the Ceann Comhairle. I was here for Leaders' Questions last week and I got an immediate response from the Taoiseach to my request that we expel the Russian ambassador when he informed the House that four senior Russian diplomats were to be expelled. That was something I very much welcomed. I renew my call to the Taoiseach to expel the Russian ambassador given the horrific news yesterday from Bucha and the growing evidence of atrocious war crimes and their committal by Russian forces in Ukraine.

I am glad the Taoiseach mentioned yesterday's chilling report from the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC, because it leaves us no room for doubt that time is running out to save our planet and ensure the future of humanity. The Labour Party and I believe that the Government response to the climate emergency has unfortunately been characterised by too many delays, an inadequacy of governance and a failure to address the clear interconnection between the climate crisis, the energy security crisis, wh…

I thank the Taoiseach for answering one of my questions, namely, the one on the just transition commission. I agree that there is a need to be honest and constructive in this debate. My party is serious about the environment and ensuring we take the urgent actions necessary to meet our ambitious targets. We support those ambitious targets because we see them as necessary. Indeed, the IPCC has clearly pointed out to us just how urgent it is that we start to take the necessary actions to meet our targets. However, ou…

It is salutary to look at the length of time for which these commissions have been under way and the projected costs. I am conscious that they have not yet concluded. The Siteserv inquiry will be over seven years in existence when it reaches its latest deadline at the end of August. The Taoiseach outlined that there has been another five month extension and that the cost according to his Department's estimate is likely to be about €30 million, which is more than double what the commission originally estimated the f…

I thank the Taoiseach for the updates on the Council of Europe and the conversation with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy. We all look forward to President Zelenskyy's address to these Houses tomorrow. I also want to pay tribute to Larysa Gerasko, the Ukrainian ambassador, who has been to the fore in highlighting how we can do more to support the people of Ukraine. We have seen huge welcome and support for Ukrainian refugees coming here and notable efforts by volunteers and State employees to ensure refugees feel supp…

I move amendment No. 1: To insert the following after "regardless of the outcome of the Joint Labour Committee": "— guarantee a pre-school place for every child; and — begin the rollout of a universal public childcare system." I welcome this motion and commend Deputy Funchion on her work on it. I acknowledge the Minister's breakthrough in securing such an increase in funding and his vision in setting out some necessary reforms of the early years education and care system. Labour believes neither the motion nor the …

Today we are focusing on the cost-of-living crisis and rightly so. We have seen massive and outrageous hikes in energy bills that are hitting households very hard but which are compounded by pre-existing high costs arising out of the housing crisis, where we see people having to spend a huge proportion of their income on rental and mortgage costs but also on childcare costs, which are referred to by many as a second mortgage. There are so many households with children struggling to pay for childcare. Today, I want …

I thank the Minister for his kind words. It is indeed an honour to have been elected as leader of the Labour Party. It is also a big responsibility and a challenge. I look forward to ensuring we grow the support for that strong labour voice and message that is so sorely needed. It is a strong centre-left and red-green voice that seeks to deliver progressive and positive change and a more equal society and, as part of that, to deliver on change for childcare. I note what the Minister said, but parents need to see a …

I welcome the news from the Government today with regard to sick pay but its proposals do not go far enough. We in the Labour Party have been calling for a more robust and effective sick pay scheme for some time now. My colleague Senator Sherlock has pointed out that the scheme proposed by the Government will not address the real needs of many of those who are in the most vulnerable categories of work. We had called for a proper effective sick pay scheme in September 2020 on foot of appeals from representatives of …

I welcome the opportunity to speak on behalf of the Labour Party about the crisis in Ukraine and the governmental response. I want to first express my solidarity and that of my party with the people of Ukraine who have now endured an entire month of the brutal bombardment and horrific onslaught represented by the Russian invasion. Despite some indications in recent days of the scaling down of the siege on Kyiv, there is no indication that this horrendous suffering will end soon. We know just how brutal Putin's impe…

I welcome the opportunity to debate the Circular Economy, Waste Management (Amendment) and Minerals Development (Amendment) Bill, which Labour is glad to support. As the Minister of State said, the Bill aims to shift Ireland's consumption patterns from a take-make-waste linear model to the more sustainable pattern of production and consumption with the aim of reducing and minimising waste and thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It is a very welcome move. In a circular economy, as we know, waste and resource …

Go raibh maith agat.

I will take up that offer. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Leas-Cheann Comhairle. I appreciate that. I also welcome the Taoiseach back. Fáilte ar ais. I pay tribute to my colleague and the outgoing leader of the Labour Party, Deputy Kelly, for his immense work, commitment and contribution to the party, to the House and to public debate over many years. My solidarity and that of the Labour Party is with the people of Ukraine, who for the past month have been enduring the horrific war crimes and the brutal Russian invasion …

Really? Does the Taoiseach wish me every success?

I thank the Taoiseach for his kind words. I also appreciate his comments about the importance of war reporting. I absolutely agree with him that this is an attack on democracy. It is a brutal and unprovoked attack on a peaceful sovereign state. We have to be absolutely clear in our condemnation of Russian action and our solidarity with Ukraine. It is in that spirit that I offer constructively my view that we should be doing more as a neutral country through non-military means to express that condemnation. Just as w…

I understand that a motion regarding the proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the carbon budget under the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Acts 2015 to 2021 has been laid before the Dáil. Will time be made available by the Government next week to debate the motion? This is a matter of urgency. Friends of the Earth and other NGOs have been looking for us to have a chance to debate this on the floor of the Dáil. Will it be on the Order of Business for next week?

I appreciate the Taoiseach's intervention.

I thank the Taoiseach for his response to my question earlier. I certainly did not expect to have such an immediate response to my first set of Leaders' Questions as the leader of the Labour Party. I thank him and commend him, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Coveney, on acting to expel four senior Russian diplomats. Does this mean that the position of the Russian ambassador is now under threat? I very much hope the Government will see fit to move to expel him too. My party, the Labour Party, as an inte…

I warmly welcome the announcement of the memorial site on Seán MacDermott Street. It is something survivors have sought for a long time. It is very good news. I also ask for more clarity on the future plans for ongoing funding for the NEIC initiative and, indeed, whether it will or could be expanded to cover other areas. It is a model that has been effective. I am grateful to my colleague, Senator Marie Sherlock in Dublin Central, who has brought to my attention the report No Child Shall Suffer, published last year…