People are reeling since events that took place in Dublin last Thursday. In broad daylight, small children and their carer were attacked, stabbed outside Gaelscoil Choláiste Mhuire on Parnell Square. One five-year-old child remains in hospital fighting for her life and we pray that she and all those injured will make a full recovery. We stand with this amazing school community who, under a heavy cloud of shock and trauma, did incredible work in getting children back to school on Monday. How have things got so bad t…

And therein lies the problem. The Taoiseach is not listening to communities, parents and businesses, including retail businesses. The failures on Thursday in Dublin were political failures. After 12 years of Fine Gael in government, we do not have enough gardaí to keep people safe. This is not just a problem in Dublin; it is much broader than that. In cities and towns across Ireland, hundreds of stations have been closed, there is a depleted force and a serious recruitment and retention crisis, with people feeling …

It is an absolute disgrace.

You have been 12 years in government and Dublin city burned under your watch. You are a disgrace.

On Friday, the Taoiseach's Government broke another shameful record. Over 13,000 people are now homeless in this State. Nearly 4,000 of those are children. Behind those numbers are real lives damaged by the housing crisis and childhoods stolen as kids grow up in hotels, bed and breakfast accommodation and hubs instead of a place they can truly call home. This awful experience is the sharp edge of the failure of the Government's housing policy. It is a living nightmare for people. I would like the Taoiseach to set o…

I make my remarks as a proud Dubliner and one of the TDs who represent Dublin Central. In the aftermath of these awful events, this vicious knife attack on young children and on a childcare worker, I was actually on the scene. I do not recall seeing any of the Members opposite out and on the ground to fully appreciate the devastation that was felt at the unfolding events, as well as the clear realisation very early on that this was very ugly and that there was a very malicious cabal of people who had gathered, were…

The Minister for Justice let us down.

The Garda Commissioner let us down.

The Government says it is listening to people. Maybe listen to this, because here is reality from Dublin. By the way, to people who are not from Dublin, I know this experience is about more than the city, but these events happened here, so let me start here. On any given day, you can walk from Heuston Station, you can come along the quays, you can go onto O’Connell Bridge and up onto Nassau Street, and you will not see a garda. When you turn the corner and come to this place, I bet you it is the first time you will…

I am representing the people who elected me, Deputy Gannon and others from our constituency and people right across the country who looked on and said it was always going to happen. Why? Because Dublin was deserted; because the Government has failed. As for Fine Gael in government, here are the stats for you. I know you are keen on numbers, Darragh. Since 2009, you have closed 130 Garda stations. You have cut Garda numbers by 450 in Dublin. Despite all your promises about law and order, we have fewer gardaí on the …

It is about resourcing, it is about a proper plan and it is also about leadership, and you are not providing it.

That is the reason we have full confidence in An Garda Síochána and zero confidence in the Minister for Justice, the Government and, for that matter, the Garda Commissioner himself.

Taoiseach, more than 5,500 children have now been killed in Israel's brutal bombardment of Gaza. More than 13,500 Gazans have been slaughtered and nearly 6,000 are missing. Entire Palestinian families have been wiped out, entire neighbourhoods and communities wiped from the face of the earth and generations erased. Forty-five days of horror have rained down on the Palestinian people in a merciless crescendo of 75 years of oppression, occupation and apartheid. Israel's relentless onslaught means nowhere in Gaza is s…

The Spanish Government and the Norwegian Parliament are moving to formally recognise the Palestinian state. Ireland must do the same. The Belgian Government has called for sanctions against Israel. Ireland must do the same. Israel must be held to account and we need a ceasefire now. We need a deal to secure the release of all hostages now. We hope that Irish girl Emily Hand will be finally returned safely to her family. Aid must be let into Gaza immediately. People there need food, water, medicines and fuel urgentl…

No, and I am sure the Taoiseach is aware of the clarification. The referral to the International Criminal Court would be actions that occurred on the occupied Palestinian territories because, of course, Palestine, unlike Israel, supports and is a signatory to the ICC. I very much welcome the fact that there are live discussions, and the real prospect of a hostage release. Of course, all of us long for young Emily Hand to be back with her family. She celebrated her ninth birthday only last Friday. I put it to the Ta…

They are not agreed. Today in the High Court in Belfast, families are taking the first legal challenge against the British Government's shameful amnesty legislation. It goes without saying that families should not have to take this action. They should not have to go it alone in these circumstances. The Government has now had two months to consider the legislation. I believe the Irish Government must take up an interstate case against the British Government on this matter. Time is of the essence. Will there be state…

In the budget announced a few short weeks ago, the Taoiseach deliberately decided to underfund the health service. Despite the system creaking at the seams, he stated that there was no issue at all. In fact, he denied having underfunded things. Now it seems the Government has done a U-turn on that matter and a further €1 billion will be allocated to the HSE. This is an admission that the Government has got it wrong. Does this additional funding mean the Government will end the disastrous recruitment freeze in the h…

The Government is carrying over €500 million to next year.

What about the recruitment embargo?

Israel's merciless military attack on the people of Gaza continues. The attack has killed more than 11,000 Palestinians, including more than 4,500 children and more than 3,000 women. A child is killed every ten minutes in full sight of the world. Gaza is a graveyard of innocent children. Israel's bombardment has destroyed Gaza's health infrastructure. Hospitals are running out of fuel and the electricity needed to power vital equipment. Maternity care and cancer care, all care, is decimated. As the wounded and dyin…