This is a big day for na Teachtaí Michael McGrath and Chambers. They are elevated to high office as this Government is in its endgame, as Europe stands at a crossroads and as the world watches on at the relentless slaughter in Gaza. My first message to the Government and to its nominee to the European Commission is that nobody representing the Irish people can support Ursula von der Leyen for a second term as President of the Commission. She has acted in support of Israel as it slaughters Palestinian children, civi…

Today, as one Minister moves on and another Minister moves in-----

-----one thing is certain: everything will remain exactly the same. That is the present reality and that must change.

The choice that will face the people at the next election is stark. It is a choice for more of the same or for something new and something different.

The country has had enough of Fine Gael in power, enough of Fianna Fáil propping them up, enough of record homelessness, eye-watering rents and runaway housing prices and enough of a Government which believes that €500,000 is the price of an affordable home. A general election is coming; it cannot come soon enough. When it does, Sinn Féin will make its case and the people will make their choice.

I thank an Cathaoirleach Gníomhach. We have a great country-----

-----and we can deliver so much better for people on things that matter-----

-----on housing, on health, on the opportunities to build a good life here, where housing is affordable, where healthcare is accessible, where the State has your back and supports you when you need them. That is what we need. That is what Sinn Féin offers: a Government that is on the side of workers and families, opening the corridors of power to the voices of ordinary people, new people with new ideas, ready to prove ourselves and to prove that we can deliver something better. This is why we will not be supporting…

We need better than leaving children with scoliosis on waiting lists for years and breaking promises to them again and again. That is what this Government has done. We need an end to policies that leave workers and families worse off since you came to office due to rip-off prices. The out-of-control costs must end. We can and we will do so much better. Bring on the election. Bring on the day on which people will have the choice as to who will lead the next Government. That day is long overdue.

As the Ceann Comhairle said, we extend our deepest sympathies to the family, friends and loved ones of Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh, a man who it is fair to say can only be described as a legend of Irish life. He was the voice of the GAA and what a tonal voice he had. His voice will forever be associated with long, hot summer afternoons and the hopes and expectations of so many. He was a very proud Kerryman, an ambassador of the kingdom but also of everything that is great about being Irish. We are so sorry to hear of …

I am pleased to hear that the Taoiseach is willing to work with all of us because Natasha said to me that the experience of the courtroom was more traumatic for her than even the attack itself. I find that a shocking scenario for a young woman in any era but in a time of enlightenment when we all agree that we have an epidemic of violence against women and that we have to adopt a zero-tolerance approach, this is the lived experience of this woman. She said to me that the system, if I can paraphrase, is ass about fa…

This is so profound it requires immediate action by all of us. By the way, there are still nine counties with no domestic violence shelters. The Taoiseach knows this. Some progress has been made but let us not delude ourselves. We are not in a good place in this scenario. The question to the Taoiseach in respect of what he described in the Defence Forces - we know there is at least one other case where somebody got a slap on the wrist and got sent off on their way.

We know how profound these issues are. We need to see real leadership. We need to see collective leadership, but there is a particular onus on the Taoiseach as leader of the Government in that regard.

We are just hearing the very sad news that Tommie Gorman of RTÉ has died. It is very shocking. We extend our initial sympathies to Ceara and his family. I certainly I did not see that coming. He was a tremendous man, and I am sure we will have an opportunity again to reflect on him. This week, Dublin City Council has announced the price of so-called affordable homes on Oscar Traynor Road in Coolock. When Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil were pushing Dublin City Council to sell this site to a developer we warned them that …

Next Wednesday, Aer Lingus pilots will embark on industrial action commencing with an indefinite work to rule. The announcement represents a deepening of the pilots' pay dispute with the company and this dispute did not come out of the blue. The frustration of pilots has been building for a long time as Aer Lingus failed to deliver improvements in pay and conditions in line with colleagues in British Airways and Lufthansa. The airline needs to re-engage with the pilots' union, get back around the negotiating table …

I thank the Minister. I agree with her that this is a source of huge anxiety for many people who have looked forward to their summer holiday and have scrimped and saved for family holidays, holidays with friends, weddings or other family occasions abroad and, as she said, people who are planning to come home. I am also conscious of our hospitality industry, in particular, which has endured so much disruption in recent times and which must despair at the thought of further disruption. The Minister is quite correct t…

We have an epidemic of domestic violence. This morning, Women's Aid reports that last year it received its highest level of domestic abuse disclosures in its 50-year history. The figures cited in the organisation’s impact report are frightening, with more than 40,000 disclosures of abuse against women and children made in 2023. That is a jump of 18% on the previous year. Reports of physical abuse increased by 74% and economic abuse increased by 87%. Emotional and sexual abuse and the scourge of coercive control are…

I think we can all agree that the zero-tolerance culture and reality is one that we strive for across Irish society. However, it is important to acknowledge that we have very significant ground to make up and that for far, far too long, this issue did not have the kind of political priority or social priority that it so rightly deserves. The funding for services is inadequate. The Taoiseach cited an increase. I invite him, on this day when we hear of the highest level of reports to Women’s Aid in its 50-year histor…

Tomorrow, 13-year-old Cara Darmody from Tipperary will again protest outside the Dáil. It is not her first time. She has been campaigning for several years now. Her key demand is that the Government gives a clear date as to when the State will comply with the Disability Act 2005 which, as the Taoiseach knows, sets out that children with disabilities are legally entitled to an assessment of needs within six months. In the past seven years we had two Ministers for Health, namely, the Taoiseach himself, and the curren…

The Government is wrong to adopt the EU migration pact. That it did not even consider, it seems, exercising Ireland's opt-out from any element of the pact is shocking. Migration is a challenging issue. We must, of course, respect international law and co-operate with other states but, ultimately, migration policy must be set by an Irish Government elected by the Irish people. We must retain the flexibility we currently have. Only by retaining the powers to make our own decisions on migration will we have a rules-ba…