Who are you a puppet for?

We will let people think, reflect and cast their own views on that.

Your record for the past ten years, such as when you guys were neutral when Crimea was invaded, tells me for whom you are useful puppets-----

-----as does your record in respect of what is going on in Ukraine as well.

Yes, you were.

The point is the European Union governments are the most consistently constructive and proactive on climate change. Deputy Barry and his colleagues can never bring themselves to acknowledge that.

All you guys can do is attack the European Union and the United States every single day, almost to the exclusion of anybody else.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 to 22, inclusive, together. As I set out in my statement to the House on 16 November, I attended a meeting of the European Council in Brussels on 20 and 21 October. Issues discussed included developments in Russia's war on Ukraine and its wider impacts, supply and price challenges on energy, economic issues, and a number of external relations issues, including preparation of COP27 and the upcoming summit between the EU and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN. On ene…

On Deputy Conway-Walsh's question, the Government took a decision on the solidarity tax today, which applies domestically, particularly in respect of the Corrib field. It is designed to make sure there will be no windfall profits arising out of the increased prices that have occurred. The Government has adopted the correct overall policy in respect of the cost-of-living package in that we did not go for what was proposed by the Deputy's party, namely, a cap to pre-2021 levels. We saw what happened in the United Kin…

On Deputy Boyd Barrett's question, it has to be said that no one has done more than the EU and Ireland to support Palestine through the UN Relief and Rehabilitation Administration, UNRRA, and a whole range of humanitarian supports. That is rarely said. I dealt with the issue of the triple lock. It is not in the programme for Government to remove the triple lock. I do not believe in removing it. I believe we should have a citizens' assembly to discuss all these issues in a more informed way, which I have said. I und…

I have dealt with some of the issues raised by Deputy Durkan. There is a cohesive approach to Ukraine by Europe. We would like COP to be better and stronger but it is the only game in town, so to speak. It brings leaders together and we need to keep that momentum going. On Deputy Barry's question, Ireland is not a member of NATO. We are not a member of a military alliance. That is the definition of our military neutrality, which has been consistent and remains the position.

Is léir gur cailliúnt ollmhór do theaghlach, do chairde agus a lucht aitheantais í Brian Ó hIrghile. Tírghráthóir le tiomantas agus paisean dá thír a bhí ann. Polaiteoir den chéad scoth ab ea é a thuig daoine timpeall air go rí-mhaith. Bhí sé uathúil, macánta agus ceannródaíoch ina smaointe. Fear gnó éifeachtach agus rathúil a bhí ann a thuig gnó ag leibhéal idirnáisiúnta agus mar ollamh acadúil ollscoile thug sé treoir iontach agus spreagadh dá mhic léinn. It is an honour for me as Taoiseach to have the chance to …

I have consistently said that housing is the number one social issue facing our country and it is a priority of this Government. I also said that the Housing for All plan is the most substantive plan document detailed of any plan that has been produced by anyone in this House. No Opposition party has come near it in terms of its detail, variety, breadth and depth. The bottom line is progress has been made. However, for many people, we need to build more houses and build them faster. I have always acknowledged that.…

Deputy Gould, it is no laughing matter. If this is described as a catastrophe, then all bets are off in respect of how we provide housing in this country. That is the point I am making. Sinn Féin cannot play it both ways. You cannot say in this House it is a catastrophe and in another chamber vote against housing and housing provision. It is time to get off the fence. I make that point sincerely. I do not think the Deputy can reconcile those two stances. The Government is making progress. We will exceed our targets…

The country is on track to exceed the Housing For All target for this year of 24,600. Close to 28,000 homes were built in the 12 months to September 2022. There were nearly 21,000 houses alone built in the first nine months of this year. That already exceeds the total for 2021, which was 20,000. We are projected to reach more than 26,000 homes by the end of the year. It will be the highest number of homes built since 2008. There were more than 16,000 first-time buyers in the past 12 months. That is the highest numb…

The Deputy is at it again, trying to interrupt. She should allow me to respond to her sound bites and sloganeering and the absence of substance that comes across time and again. The bottom line is that we have to do more than what we have done already. Let us be very clear that we are making progress. The bottom line is that the Deputy is saying that the figures need to increase and we should be building 40,000 homes per year. My point is that we cannot build 40,000 homes per year if the Deputy herself objects to 1…

I thank the Deputy for raising this very serious issue. The level, scale and nature of sexual abuse carried out in Blackrock College and in other school settings is sickening and shocking. Our sympathies, if that is the right word, and thoughts go out to all the victims and survivors of such terrible abuse. Such sexual abuse causes immense trauma for the entire lives of those who have been abused. It destroys many aspects of their lives. Unfortunately, that has been this story for many people for far too long. It i…

I pay tribute to those who have come forward, including Mark and David Ryan and others. The sexual crime management unit of the Garda National Protective Services Bureau has received a number of new complaints this week. Obviously, the Garda will be fully supported in carrying out its work in pursuing every lead possible. I agree with what the Deputy said about the need to give support to survivors and victims who are coming forward to let them know that they are not alone and that the State will be there to suppor…

I appreciate the Deputy raising this important issue. However, we are in a war situation on the Continent of Europe. These are not normal times. An illegal and immoral war is being waged by Russia on Ukraine. That war is being carried out in a manner that targets civilians. Putin is weaponising migration, energy and food. This has caused significant economic upheaval. About 14 million people have been displaced. It is the worst humanitarian crisis on the Continent of Europe since the Second World War. I understand …

I answered quite a number of the questions that the Deputy raised in respect of rapid builds and so forth. As I have said, my strong answer is that we are in a wartime situation. That is why so much hotel capacity has been made available to take people, including women and children, who are fleeing war. That is why. There is no easy solution to this, but we have managed it so far. There has been an extraordinary response by the country and the sheer numbers are unprecedented. We will work as we have worked since th…