They are not agreed. I listened with interest to the Tánaiste, Deputy Simon Harris's, confirmation of Fine Gael's plans around Irish reunification. We are waiting to hear what the Taoiseach's plans are. For weeks, we have asked for statements on Irish unity. Later today, Deputy Mary Lou McDonald will introduce a Bill for constitutional change about responsible planning for Irish unity, a citizens' assembly and a Green Paper. We would love to hear the Taoiseach's plans. Maybe he could do that through statements in t…

We are waiting for the Taoiseach's plans.

The International Court of Justice's advisory opinion issued in July 2024 concluded that all states are under an obligation "to abstain from entering into economic or trade dealings with Israel concerning the occupied Palestinian territory or parts thereof which may entrench its unlawful presence" and "to take steps to prevent trade or investment relations that assist in the maintenance of the illegal situation created by Israel in the occupied Palestinian territories". It could not be clearer. In 1984, some worker…

First, I thank the Minister for visiting Scoil Mhuire Milford last Friday – it was really appreciated - and seeing for herself the serious challenges that they face with the existing site. As the Minister knows, they have a new site secured. There will not be any issues with planning. It is across the road from Loreto Community School in the existing school environment up there. I hope the Minister can continue the momentum the previous Minister, Helen McEntee, brought and work towards a new school site for Scoil M…

It really was helpful for the Minister to be there and see for herself. She can see the location of the school in relation to the roads outside is entirely inappropriate. The school was built back in the day and does not reflect modern needs at all. The school site has no green area whatever for children to play. These are basic rights. The toilet areas are totally inadequate. The Minister will have seen the inadequate nature of the classrooms and the areas for children with special needs just are not there. I am r…

I checked with the school last Friday. Deputy Naughton is the fourth Minister for education during this process. That says a lot. The public representatives in Donegal - cross party - have come together and appealed to Ministers to come and see the school: Joe McHugh from Donegal was there as were Deputy Norma Foley, Deputy Helen McEntee and now Deputy Naughton. I appreciate every one of them came to the school to visit but the reason we have impressed on the Minister about this is that we feel so strongly, as a cr…

I commend Independent Ireland on the motion. It is an important debate we are having here and it is very clear that the Government has wasted opportunity after opportunity. The calls from the Opposition for an energy credit were supposed to alleviate the burden of homeowners but also to give breathing space to Government to take on the price-gouging of the energy companies. Every time the Government had that opportunity, it wasted it. I am of the view that the Government was cynical because the last time it brought…

I remember when Niall Collins and Billy Kelleher toured the country with Senator Black around the occupied territories Bill. Does the Taoiseach remember that?

It was back in 2019. Fianna Fáil then went into government with Fine Gael and that Bill was scrapped. Here we are now and the Government has gutted the Bill. Will it publish the Attorney General's advice? Will the Minister come urgently before the Dáil and take questions from the Opposition about why the Government has gutted this Bill after years of abandonment?

The Attorney General's advice.

Not agreed.

Sometimes when I am in this Chamber, with its busts and statues of the 1916 leaders all around, I find what I listen to from the Government astonishing. I think of the famous banner that stated, "We serve neither King nor Kaiser, but Ireland". That is a really proud declaration and it is burned into the hearts of the Irish people because they were colonised for long enough and fought empire for long enough. It is a proud stand that we have taken for all of these years, and it has given us real credibility to engage…

We have an extraordinary situation at Elm Park, Buncrana in County Donegal where nine families are living in defective concrete block homes which must be demolished, but these homes are also on a dangerous flood-plain. The Minister, Deputy Browne, and the Ministers of State, Deputies Moran and O'Sullivan, were working before Christmas on a scheme to relocate the families. That was announced by the Minister, Deputy Browne, before Christmas. We are now nearly in June and the families are absolutely traumatised. They …

The reason Israel feels it can kidnap 12 Irish citizens in international waters and act with impunity with no price to pay, is that the occupied territories Bill has been delayed by years. The Taoiseach knows that. He gave commitment after commitment as leader of his party that he would introduce that Bill and it has been held back again and again. That is why Israel can kidnap hundreds of citizens, including 12 Irish citizens; it pays no price or sanctions whatsoever. Why has it been delayed so long?

This is an opportunity for the Ministers to do something really important for fishing communities all around our coast. They have visited quite a few piers and harbours already around the coast where, until recent times, fishermen would have said they just want to fish and do not need financial supports. They are now telling us very clearly that they need those supports. This is a chance to do something radical and game-changing for those communities around the country, and for a not huge amount of money.

I just cannot accept that the only source of funding we have has to come with the consent of the European Commission. We we can talk about how, under the CAP, long-standing financial supports have been provided to primary producers who work on the land. We need an imaginative measure here. This could be a game-changer, and anything that is ever a game-changer requires somebody to take on the system. We spoke yesterday about Thomas McLaughlin, who pushed through the Ardnacrusha project. He was an engineer who pushed…

Our inshore fishermen are a precious part of the heritage of coastal communities and are central to the piers and harbours that we have. There is a great love for them, not just in coastal communities but also right across Ireland. It is about keeping that going by means of what would not be a huge amount of money to subsidise and support them to stay on the water. The factors involved include energy costs, weather and climate change. As I said to the Minister of State previously, five years ago, fisherman said the…

I agree with my colleague, Deputy Duncan Smith, that we need to have a focused debate on the National Ambulance Service. The fact that ambulance workers across this country are on strike today says it all. They do not feel valued and we need to deal with that in these Houses.

We are very proud in Ireland of building up electrification at a time when our country had limited resources. It is a great story of our people. That led to us having the cheapest electricity in Europe. This was infrastructure and a resource that belonged to our people. Whenever the privatisation agenda was pushed by the European Union, Ireland was at the top of the queue to privatise what was publicly-owned infrastructure. That is fundamentally the reason today our workers, families and small businesses are being …

Not agreed.