Please entitle them to have a normal family life. These mothers should not be separated from their kids.

Even I, as a socialist and somebody who critiques and challenges the market and the capitalist system, never thought I would be here, 11 years after first getting elected, and that the housing crisis would have been left to fester and become as rancid as it is. I want to ask about Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael TDs. Where have they been? It has been like "The Silence of the Lambs" over the past 11 years as this has worsened. There are a few of them in here tonight. The only time I heard a peep out of any of them was whe…

It is the greatest cod that judicial reviews are what is delaying the development of housing and planning in this country. It is also the height of hypocrisy because we all know, when we go to community meetings where residents are up in arms over some development, the Minister's own party members will also be there giving it loads. I attended meetings before the election. If the Minister recalls the other planning changes that were made, many developments went straight to An Bord Pleanála at the time rather than g…

It depends on what it is.

No, it was not.

No.

Should people not have the right to object to any development?

It is usually a Fianna Fáil member who objects.

It is Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael that object to houses.

There was something said that was not true. I am not a serial objector to housing.

Vótáil

I start by sending my solidarity to the Sudanese community here in Ireland, many of whom are doing amazing work in so many spheres of life, particularly our health services. They are doctors, engineers and so on and many have lived and contributed here. I send them solidarity because of what they are dealing with, hearing about the absolute horror that has happened at home. I spoke on Sudan in 2019. It was just after a revolution had taken place to throw out the despot al-Bashir. Unfortunately, that revolution was …

Nobody agrees with that Bill.

We do not want it reduced; we want it outlawed.

Maybe you should protect-----

Ireland is an outlier in allowing cruel fox hunting. It is 20 years since it was banned in the UK, which first introduced this colonial pursuit here. I want to ask the Taoiseach a question but I do not want him to answer it now. Unusually, I would prefer if he gave it consideration. There has not been a Bill to outlaw fox hunting in the State. I will move one on behalf of Solidarity on 17 December. I ask the Taoiseach and other party leaders in the Dáil to consider allowing a free vote on this issue. Some 77% of pe…

Give it a rest

That is what it was.

It is very important that the Minister does not beat the rural-urban drum that he has been trying to beat on every animal welfare issue. We have greyhounds in Dublin, we have foxes in Dublin and we have horses in Dublin, and most of us living in an urban area are a generation away from a rural one anyway. The fact that €100 million is being given to the racehorse and greyhound industry is absolutely scandalous.

I will devote most of my remarks to the greyhound industry but I will mention that horse racing is endemically linked with gambling, which is a real scourge and an addiction. There have been programmes broadcast throughout the week on that. Some €20 million is to be given to the greyhound industry. Animal welfare charities were given €6 million. Last year the ISPCA was given €1.2 million, which was €868 per dog to house, while the greyhound industry got €8,000 per dog. What is so special about this industry that it…