We will divide it between us. This is a very important debate because all around the world we are seeing an increase in violence, genocide, brutality and gross inequality. That is the reason people are fleeing the countries they are from and that we are discussing tonight the measures the Government is taking, which very much fall in line with the British Labour Government and other governments around the world. Some of the things that are happening are very similar to what Trump is talking about. We do not have Im…

In the time between this debate beginning and ending, six women will have been murdered by family members. That is a shocking statistic from the UN. I support this Bill. I support anything that will help survivors of sexual assault to have peace in their lives. It is the very minimum that is needed, though. In a previous Dáil, I introduced a Bill to provide for no-contact orders. Anybody should be able to prevent anyone who is harassing them from having any contact with them. They should not have to go to jail. We …

I want to raise a very important issue for people in the greater Blanchardstown area, and Dublin West in general, which is the application and granting of planning permission for parking charges and barriers in Blanchardstown town centre. This is a proposal to fleece the community in a cost-of-living crisis and to fleece people who work in the centre. It will drive online shopping, job losses and shop closures, and we have already had plenty of them. It will put a barrier, literally, to community facilities in the …

I am just wondering why I stayed until 12.15 a.m. to hear that explanation of what a planning application is. I do understand that the Minister of State has to be careful. I do get that. I thought we might be able to have a general discussion about whether people should pay car parking charges to access community and shopping facilities. What does the Minister of State think? Does he think this is right? Does he think it is good to use the guise that it is all being done for the environment? Does he seriously think…

Yes, but on a general discussion.

Survivors of gender-based violence have just held a press event calling for Government action and for people to attend global marches taking place on Tuesday, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. I welcome Natasha O'Brien and Becka Clarke to the Gallery. They are among the survivors who just spoke. I also send solidarity to the loved ones of Stella Gallagher, who was killed in Cork this week. Violence against women and LGBT people is a global epidemic. The UN recognises it as such. E…

Please do not.

I was here on a Thursday for the last debate on gender-based violence. It was pretty empty and it was many months ago. I get Leaders' Questions once a month, so I would appreciate if the Tánaiste could focus on the issue of the counselling notes and the DPP. He did at the end there; fair play. On the counselling notes, the Minister has drafted a Bill under massive pressure and after campaigning by survivors who should not have to do this. Sarah Grace told the world she would nearly rather be attacked again than go …

I want to read a quote about this Bill: If passed, Ireland and her Parliament will be sending a strong message, that it condemns the occupation of territories deemed illegal under international law. This Bill, at its most basic, is about upholding international law. It applies to illegal occupations anywhere in the world and not just to Israel and Palestine. It was a member of the Minister of State's party, Deputy Niall Collins, who said that in this House in 2019. What has changed? What has happened in the interve…

I want to raise the genocide that has been happening in Sudan. It is the forgotten genocide because so much of our focus has been on Palestine. There is a large and important Sudanese community in Ireland. I had meetings with members of the community before the election. Many of them are doctors, contributing massively to our health service, engineers and so on. They are living with the reality of trying to keep in touch with relatives at this time. I want to mention how this relates to the EU. Interestingly, when …

I am in a small party so I do not get as many speaking opportunities on this issue as other, bigger parties, but I have been in here many times asking for a public statutory inquiry from the word go. I have known Gillian and, particularly, Stephen for just over a year, from before the tragedy with Harvey. We have to learn lessons from this because time and again, on so many issues, parents and relatives have had to campaign for years and years for justice on these questions. I remember saying that we would be in he…

I was going to address Deputy Donohoe as Minister; I do not know what to call him right now. Obviously, personally I wish him and his family well but I am here to be political. He is a very ideological person so I am sure he will appreciate this.

No, and I am proud of it. I am proud to be a socialist and there are not many of us here.

The Taoiseach is eating into my time, which is very little. I want to start with where Deputy Donohoe is going with his new job. The World Bank and the IMF usually work together. Their policies drive inequality and austerity all around the globe. They decrease workers' rights, environmental considerations and life expectancy in any country they go into. We have a situation where 1% owns more than 95% of the wealth according to Oxfam, and where a dozen men roughly have the same amount of wealth as half of the entire…

It is very concerning that a violent, extremist, far-right group has threatened to attack mosques and any place where there are migrants. Its slogan is "an eye for eye", apparently. A couple of men have been arrested and charged with possession of explosives. This is a very worrying development for families, particularly since there was an attempted murder in broad daylight in Drogheda. I put it to the Taoiseach that this is not just the far right; it is also about politicians across the Dáil who are legitimising r…

This matter was recently reported in the media, but, apparently, no journalists were interested in pursuing it any further.

Sorry, it is just a factual finding. People who were working for TDs were promoting racism, so it is obviously widespread.

It is increasing anti-immigrant racism.

Nobody is shutting it down with facts.

That is no problem. Governments have fallen over less than what has happened in relation to Harvey Morrison Sherratt. We found out over the weekend through a protected disclosure that a worker heard or became aware that Harvey had been taken off the waiting list because he was mistakenly, or for whatever reason, considered "palliative" - in itself a horrible phrase. First, his parents were not told and, second, no care plan or treatment plan was drawn up if he was "palliative". This just defies belief. Aside from t…