When the President of the European Commission stood in Tel Aviv and declared that Europe stands with Israel on the same week as Israel announced it was going to purposely deny the people of Gaza food, water and electricity, she undermined Europe and she did not speak for Ireland. My question to the Tánaiste is if the Irish Government is seriously contemplating supporting her for a second term in office.

I agree with the Tánaiste about the important and constructive role that Josep Borrell has played since the aggression against Gaza began. However, Ursula von der Leyen has seriously damaged the credibility of the European Union globally through partisan interventions in support of Israel during the onslaught in Gaza. She offered Benjamin Netanyahu unconditional and unqualified support at what was a pivotal and escalating point in Israel's onslaught against the civilian population in Gaza. The President of the Euro…

It is important to remind ourselves the competency for foreign policy at the European Union is at the European Council level. Each state has a veto and Ursula von der Leyen's actions were in clear and direct contravention of that fact. Of course there are different views, and everybody accepts that, but there are not different international laws. There is a single international law and Israel is in grave violation of it. Ursula von der Leyen has yet to call out Israel for that. My fear is that Ursula von der Leyen …

Yes. That is why I am saying it is important to be consistent.

It will not matter what grouping we are in. We will not support somebody who has facilitated a genocide.

We will not support somebody who has facilitated and endorsed a genocide, regardless of which group we are in.

I welcome the announcement by the Cabinet that Ireland will be opening new embassies in Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Moldova, as well as a consulate in Malága. I particularly welcome the announcement that Ireland will open an additional consulate in Melbourne, something I have been advocating for some time. Will the Tánaiste outline a timeframe for the opening of those embassies and consulates and indicate what other embassies and consulates will be opened this year?

The Tánaiste was reading from a prepared script, so he did not include the dates of the openings for which I asked him.

Will he give a timeframe for the openings of the embassies and consulates general that were announced this week, particularly the consulate general in Melbourne? I have been pressing the Government for some time on this. As the Tánaiste noted, Melbourne has a significant Irish community. Australia is a country with which Ireland has an ever-strengthening relationship but this relationship could and should be much stronger geographically and politically. There is a lot to be gained from even stronger relationships a…

I did not get a timeframe. We will continue to chase that. The establishment of new embassies and consulates is always welcome. I agree with the approach of expanding Ireland's diplomatic footprint. We are behind many similar-sized states in terms of our diplomatic reach. I welcome the fact that we have been improving that in recent times. Apart from some of the high-profile postings like the UN, Brussels or London, a very small number of Irish diplomats are posted to individual missions with the number falling far…

On 30 January, the Tánaiste said he was seeking a legal analysis of the genocide convention and the court's provisional measures. Has he received that analysis and, if so, has he taken any action on foot of it? South Africa has again gone before the ICJ to seek further provisional measures in light of recent developments. I agree with Deputy Gannon that it is unfair of the international community to put the entire burden on South Africa. To be quite clear, and this is important, there is no prohibition on Ireland s…

I concur with that. The Tánaiste reaches for the political card, the performative card and the accusation card if anybody asks him to do something. Regarding those accusing people of playing politics, I remind him that the very first response from Government was from An Taoiseach, Deputy Varadkar, whose words were that Ireland had no intention of joining the South African case. That was the language used. I welcome that the Government has moved on to such a point that the Tánaiste brought a motion before the Dáil i…

The Tánaiste should not question people's motives. I do not question his.

I do not. I have not. What I have asked of the Tánaiste is to do more. That is entirely legitimate for an Opposition spokesperson to do. It is not legitimate for the Tánaiste to try to play political games and go down into the gutter on this issue as he has done consistently.

We are asking the Tánaiste questions in respect of the ICJ. I ask him to please keep his responses to that.

I hope the Tánaiste will listen to himself and recognise the inconsistency in what he is saying.

The climate and biodiversity crises stand among the greatest challenges facing humanity. Action is needed and there are two ways in which we can try to take those necessary actions. We can either do so in collaboration with communities, workers, farmers and other affected sectors or we can try a top-down approach, finger-pointing, condescension and the imposition of measures with little regard for those who will be affected. This Government has repeatedly chosen the latter route. It is failing. For all their talk, …

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, for being here. A few weeks ago I hosted a disability forum and invited Sinn Féin's spokespeople on health and disabilities, Deputies Cullinane and Tully, to come and hear directly from parents, families and people with disabilities in County Monaghan. I invited a number of people I had worked with who had come to me requesting support in their battles with the HSE, CDNTs and the NCSE. I expected a good proportion of those I contacted to make an effort to attend, but I…

I know the people in the NCSE work incredibly hard and provide a huge service for a growing number of children. However, forward planning always leaves much to be desired. I have dealt with schools that have made approaches to the NCSE to offer their schools to accommodate special classes. The NCSE has said that there has to be a demand and that it takes a number of years. By the time the class is actually open, the demand far outstrips what is available. I deal with numerous families in County Monaghan who today, …

That is no comfort to the families in Monaghan.