No sanctions - ever.

So have the Israelis.

What does the Taoiseach think the siege of Gaza is except a weaponisation of food?

No sanctions - never.

I am just against all brutality; I am not selective.

The Taoiseach is selective in his condemnation.

The Saudi regime. The Government supports it all right.

Two years ago, the National Economic and Social Council produced a report in which it described Ireland’s housing sector as completely dysfunctional. It stated that this could be addressed by policy intervention by the Government and by structuring permanent affordability into the housing sector. Since then, the situation has got worse, not better. By the way, our housing costs are so far ahead of those of the rest of Europe, on average, that for the Taoiseach to suggest that this has to do with the Ukrainian war, …

Some of our most vulnerable young people in child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS, are being thrown off a cliff when they reach the age of 18. I have a letter in front of me from a mother who is terrified for her daughter, who was admitted in May to an adolescent mental health facility for six weeks of residential treatment but who is being thrown out before it is complete because her 18th birthday falls before the completion date. She is now absolutely terrified of going into an adult unit, where, as …

Did the Deputy mention Carlow IT, by any chance?

On 18 June, the recently established Cost of Living Coalition will hold a national demonstration demanding a compressive package of measures to address the cost of living crisis. That coalition involves workers, pensioners, lone parents and people on low and middle incomes but perhaps the most surprising element of the groups that have affiliated to this coalition, and which is very enthusiastic about being mobilised for that protest, is students. The Union of Students in Ireland, USI, is affiliated as is Universit…

In my book, there is not a lot to recommend Mr. Boris Johnson but he has, under pressure, done one positive thing recently, which was to introduce a windfall tax on the super-profits being made by energy companies. Companies like BP, Shell and others have seen their profits triple while ordinary people are being crucified by the cost of heating and energy. Under pressure, Mr. Johnson was forced to introduce a 25% windfall tax on energy companies. However, this Government resists such a windfall tax even though our …

The energy prices were going up before the war started.

The issue that dominated the general election that brought this Government to office was the housing crisis. In the programme for Government, the Government promised action to address that crisis, particularly in the area of homelessness. It reads: Reducing and preventing homelessness is a major priority for the Government. We recognise the particular challenges of homelessness [facing] families. I am just off the phone from speaking to a young, vulnerable and very frightened woman. It could be somebody else on ano…

What do I say to these people?

I rushed to the Chamber to speak. I was not planning to do so because Deputy Gino Kenny is our spokesperson in this area. However, I received an email this week that connects to the issues at stake in this Bill. I heard the Justice for Wards group referred to in previous contributions. I recently met representatives of the group outside Leinster House. I had a meeting with a Minister of the previous Government, though I cannot remember who, on the issue. The issue of wards of court is complicated. That meeting with…

The recently established Cost of Living Coalition is calling people out onto the streets on Saturday, 18 June, for a national demonstration and day of protest to demand a comprehensive, urgent and radical package of measures to address the cost-of-living crisis that is absolutely crucifying workers, pensioners, students and people on low and middle incomes. It will be a protest against the Government's spectacular failure to address the cost-of-living crisis. Today, we have more evidence of the Government's failure…

The reason so many people have got involved in this new Cost of Living Coalition - pensioners groups, retired workers groups, student unions, single-parent advocacy groups, anti-poverty groups, trade unions and others - is because the measures the Government has been taking are a drop in the ocean; they are making little or no difference to the crucifying increases in the cost of living that people face. The key point is that people are acutely aware that this is a tale of two crises. Ordinary working people, pensi…

I thank Deputy Kerrane of Sinn Féin for bringing forward this motion, which we support. Any contribution to people who are being absolutely hammered with cost-of-living increases should be welcomed. We are happy to support the motion. I want to set out what I believe needs to be a really comprehensive and radical package to deal with the inflation and cost-of-living crisis that people are enduring. There is a need for us to recognise that something is rotten in the way our economic system operates. If we do not get…

That is what it is about. One can look at any sector, but that is what we have to address. My God, even Boris Johnson has, under pressure, been forced to acknowledge this point at some level and introduce a windfall tax on the profits of energy companies that are making a fortune. In the past week, Oxfam produced a report showing that if we put a 1.5% tax on everyone in this country who has more than €4 million in wealth, we could raise €5 billion annually. My God, would that not do a lot to protect ordinary people…