We are in the midst of two global crises of unprecedented proportions. The Covid-19 pandemic has had an impact across the globe and no nation or people has escaped unscathed. Covid has resulted in countless deaths, devastated industries and disrupted the lives and livelihoods of millions, if not billions. Worrying, rising infection rates testify to the ongoing threat of the pandemic as we move into the winter. Of the 1.8 billion vaccine doses promised to the world's poorest countries, only one in seven has been del…

That is not true - give with one hand and take with the other.

Carbon tax is not progressive; it is regressive.

I also want to raise the issue of Palestine. What measures or actions were taken at the European Council to raise the continual violation the rights of the Palestinian people, the continued illegal colonial expansion within the occupied territories, the fact a further 3,000 colonial settlement units were given the go-ahead in the West Bank, and the fact Israel has breached international law by designating six Palestinian human rights organisations as terrorist organisations, which is an attempt to censor the ongoin…

In fairness, it is tokenism.

We could take immediate action by recognising the State of Palestine.

Over the past 20 months or thereabouts, countless student nurses and midwives were sent into harm's way, alongside all our front-line workers, to fight the pandemic that came to our shores. There have been almost 29,000 Covid cases among healthcare workers and a large number made the ultimate sacrifice in defence of their communities. My family and I have felt the full impact of this. My daughter, who is a student nurse, contracted Covid while on placement and brought it into our home, which wreaked devastation thr…

No.

Yes or no.

Yesterday, the Alliance for Insurance Reform published a report revealing that insurance renewal costs have increased by 15% on average. In Wicklow, a local business, Squirrel's Scramble Tree Adventure Park, was recently forced into making a very difficult decision to close down following a 280% insurance hike. Its insurance went from €26,000 to €88,000. Clearly, further reform is required in the insurance sector, with particular focus on the duty of care to ensure an appropriate balance in responsibilities between…

It is not even included in the priority Bills for drafting in the autumn schedule. When will we see the duty of care legislation?

I move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to provide for fairness in the market for property insurance, and to provide for related matters. The Flood Insurance Bill 2021 is designed to provide for fairness in the market for property insurance and related matters. This legislation is intended to address a situation of blatant unfairness which discriminates against businesses and private property owners in flood-affected areas where remedial work has been carried out by the Office of Public Wo…

I move: "That the Bill be taken in Private Members' time."

If we reduce the mood, attitude and atmosphere surrounding the relationship between the EU and the British Government to a phrase that could capture the situation in which we find ourselves, "perfidious Albion" resounds. Despite continuing attempts by EU negotiators to lower the political temperature, take British demands seriously and focus the British on working on the technical aspects of the negotiations, the British never had any intention of standing by their word according to Dominic Cummings, formerly a sen…

First and foremost, I have significant concerns in relation to this proposed agreement and I outlined some of those last week in committee. In the first instance, there are serious and long-standing concerns shared by all democratic states at the appalling human rights record of the Singapore Government. Second, there are very serious concerns surrounding the similarities between the Singapore agreement and the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, CETA, particularly the investor court system, ICS, …

It managed to put manners on Israel as well. It is really working.

I want to welcome the increase in the ODA allocation in the budget. It is important that we recognise when something is done right. While the Minister predicted a dramatic increase in the number of passports issued last year, it is important that he address the crisis relating to the passport service and builds capacity within the Passport Office in order to allow it to be able to deal with the expected demand next year. It is to be hoped that as part of that we will see the opening of a passport office in Belfast.…

Given the registering of a European citizens' initiative by the European Commission calling for an end to trade with illegal settlements in occupied territories in places such as Palestine and Western Sahara, is the Government prepared to examine the issue of trade with illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories?

On 8 September this year, the European Commission registered a European citizens' initiative that calls for an end to trade with illegal settlements in occupied territories such as Palestine and Western Sahara. This came after the organisers of the initiative won a lawsuit against the Commission, which had first rejected the initiative claiming a lack of competence. That rejection was annulled by the European Court of Justice. By agreeing to register the citizens' initiative, the Commission officially acknowledges …

It does, because the recognition that stopping such trade is an EU trade measure confirms that individual member states can decide to stop trade with settlements at any moment under EU common rules for imports, which allow for import restrictions for reasons such as public morality and public policy. We have a moral obligation and an obligation under international law. The false narrative that it breaches EU rules or law is now shown to be baseless. The notion that we would be working in contradiction of EU law doe…