How did she personalise it?

What does the Taoiseach mean by that?

The Government has just voted to block a question-and-answer session about alleged corruption on the part of the Minister of State, Deputy Niall Collins. The Taoiseach described a question-and-answer session in the Dáil with a Minister of State as a kangaroo court. That is quite an incredible attitude to take to the basic idea of parliamentary accountability. If I may take the Taoiseach up on what he just said to Deputy Mairéad Farrell, is it his belief that the Local Government Act does not apply at all to local e…

Can the Taoiseach answer the question? On what basis is he saying that the Local Government Act does not apply to local electoral area committees? It is absolute nonsense.

A Leas-Cheann Comhairle, I apologise but he is not telling the truth to the House. He is pretending there is a legal basis which manages to mean that Deputy Niall Collins's corrupt behaviour is not covered by the Local Government Act. He will not even answer the question about it.

The so-called consultative forums are already up with a predetermined outcome to undermine neutrality further. If that was not already clear from the fact that the Government has Bertholt Brecht-style dissolved the random selection of citizens and replaced them with a so-called expert group, it should be absolutely crystal clear when we look at who the Government has appointed as the chairperson – Dame Louise Richardson, dame of the British Empire – someone who in writing repeatedly identifies with the aims and tar…

Is the Taoiseach concerned about the new arms race that is taking place across Europe? There is a report from the Transnational Institute which draws on research from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute and really highlights what exactly is taking place. By mid-May 2022, EU member states had announced a total of close to €200 billion in increased military spending for the coming years, which is higher than the entire spending for 2020. In 2014, three of the 30 NATO member states were above the targ…

Is there a commitment?

If it is not intended, then why the commitment?

No, because it is not.

As matters stand, we oppose this motion. If we can get something that actually amounts to a commitment that the Irish forces and Naval Service personnel will not be engaged in any capacity-building or training of the Libyan Coast Guard, then we could support this. That is not what we have at the moment. We should be clear on that. Let those of us in opposition not fool ourselves that we have a commitment. Instead, in the Tánaiste stated that it is not intended that Naval Service personnel will be involved. I ask th…

It is over three months since the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, announced a 100% redress scheme for apartment and duplex owners affected by defects. At the time he said emergency funding would be made available this year, but there is still no indication as to how one can apply for emergency funding or what kind of scheme that is going to be based on and no progress on the details of the 100% redress scheme itself. People are still living in dangerous buildings. People are still being pursued for tens of thousa…

Obviously, any measure which tackles human trafficking is welcome. We must, however, look behind the lofty rhetoric of the EU to see the reality of the more complicated situation and the responsibility of the EU for its fortress Europe policies, supported by governments right across the Continent. We must look not only at that broader EU migration policy but also to wider geopolitical conflicts, to climate chaos, to war and to the ongoing dehumanisation of refugees and others seeking shelter and asylum. I refer to …

At the centre of Joe Biden's speech to the House last week was talk of a new cold war, in reality, pitching that the key struggle in the world is between democracy and autocracy. However, he failed to mention that the US provides military support to the majority of dictatorships in the world. Really the idea is to have a US-led NATO in the West against the east of China, Russia and their allies. It is very clear that this Government has no doubt about where it stands on that and would like Ireland to abandon all of…

He is a politician, not a celebrity.

The main process that is taking place across Europe, which is reflected in the council conclusions, is a process of rapid and dangerous militarisation under the leadership of US imperialism. It is a process that has different aspects and national specifics but it is heading in the same direction in all countries. For example, Germany is massively increasing its military spending, Finland and Sweden have applied to join NATO and increased their military spending and in this country we are seeing an attempt to de fac…

We do, all the time.

In an hour and a half or so, we know what is likely to happen. A landlords' Dáil will vote confidence in a landlords' Government. The consequence is that thousands of families will receive eviction notices in the coming months. My message is to those people. Do not leave your home if you have nowhere to go. Do not make yourself homeless. Threshold stated yesterday that more than half of all notices to quit it sees are invalid. Wait until your notice period is almost up and then appeal to the Residential Tenancies B…

The simple message to people is refuse to allow this landlords' Government to make you homeless. It will rule in the interests of landlords; that is what it does. If people stand together, get organised together as communities and as tenants and if they mobilise this Saturday at 1 p.m. in front of the Dáil to evict this Government instead of evicting renters, we can stand together and beat this Government.

They are going up.