I welcome the words of concern and support and the consular assistance being provided. Respectfully, I asked what are you going to do, not what are you going to say. This is a microcosm of the Government's position on Palestine in general whereby it is able to correctly say that what is happening is a genocide but the action does not necessarily follow. It is welcome that the matter is going to be raised at diplomatic levels and so on, but what are you going to do? There are Irish citizens who, as the Minister agre…

On a point of order, the Government did not allow a motion to be passed to be further discussed. That is not what happens. The Minister knows that. That might happen with a Bill but the motion was passed. The position of the House, with the Minister’s agreement, is these awful reactionary policies that were proposed. The Simon Community is in the Dáil today to highlight the devastation the Government’s housing policy is inflicting on thousands of families. Over 16,000 live in emergency accommodation, including over…

There was a huge protest on Saturday in Dublin, called Cearta. The streets were dearg le fearg with 25,000 people coming out to demand action on funding for the Irish language and the Gaeltacht as well as action on education, the housing crisis and language rights. The turnout speaks to, on the one hand, a moment for the Irish language of a renewal or resurgence from below, with more and more parents wanting to send their children to Irish-medium schools, for example, and a complete failure of the Government to act…

I dealt with funding and housing to some degree in the introduction, so I might now deal with education and language rights, which are the other two features of the protest and the demands of the movement. The striking thing in education is the mismatch between parents' aspirations and wishes and the reality of school availability. Almost one in four parents say that if they had the option in their local community of sending their children to an Irish-medium school, they would do so. The previous Government pledged…

I have apologies from Deputy Coppinger. Our group will divide the time equally between the three of us. I thank the Labour Party for bringing forward this motion. One thing it does very well is draw a straight line between handouts for big business and child poverty and homelessness. It is utterly scandalous that the Government is planning to hand over €675 million in unnecessary VAT cuts to hotels, restaurants and fast food chains when one in five children is living in poverty. Employment in hospitality is up 6.6%…

I seek confirmation from the Government that it agreed to have statements next week on Gaza. I think we do have that confirmation. We might get an initial response. Micheál Martin made a significant statement at the UN yesterday opposing the right of Palestinians to self-determination. Is that now the position of the Government?

I wish to raise the issue of funding for rare diseases. Rare diseases are not all that rare, given that 300,000 people are affected by one rare disease or another in Ireland, involving over 8,000 different diseases. While each individual disease is very rare, as a total they are quite common and have a big impact on people's lives. Often they suffer from a lack of research into their condition which then impacts treatment and the assistance they are able to get. I want in particular to raise Okur-Chung neurodevelop…

I might just quote from Elizabeth who was in touch with me to let the Minister of State hear her voice. ... I would like you to explain to [the Minister] Leo's everyday struggles (he has autism, a heart murmur, a learning disability, and muscle weakness) these are all due to his ocnds [Okur-Chung neurodevelopmental syndrome] diagnosis I would like you to explain that though deteriorating isn't a noted symptom this is likely due to the lack of research on the small numbers of 300 people worldwide! That I've spoken t…

Yes.

He is seven.

Yes.

It is called international law. We do not just get to invade other countries.

Where is the Tánaiste going to send them?

Where are you going to send them?

That would mean the triple lock then.

-----is the UN Charter.

Eleven missions.

Fianna Fáil was not at all.

His manifesto was not.

I will bluntly ask this question of the Tánaiste. Where does he want to send troops that he cannot currently send them under the triple lock? Does he agree with the Taoiseach, Deputy Micheál Martin, and the call of the so-called coalition of the willing, where he is willing to send Irish troops on the ground, presumably without an agreed UN peacekeeping mission? Otherwise, that would meet the requirements of the triple lock. Where does the Tánaiste want to send troops that he cannot currently send them?