Mixing the issue of anti-Semitism with day-to-day politics is dangerous.

This is something that we must be clear and have a full stop on. We have a proud record in this country of our dealings as an honest broker in the Israel-Palestine situation in support of a peaceful solution that protects all of the people of that region.

The European Council will take stock of preparations for the November Asia-Europe summit, the Eastern Partnership summit, the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP26, in Glasgow and the UN Biodiversity Conference, COP15. The European Council will discuss preparations for the 13th Asia-Europe Meeting, ASEM, on 25 and 26 November. This biannual summit will bring together leaders from the 51 ASEM partner countries along with the institutional leaders from the EU and Association of Southeast Asian Nati…

B’fhéidir nach n-úsáidfidh mé an t-am iomlán but I am very grateful for the opportunity to speak on budget 2022 both as the Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs and as a Deputy proudly representing the people of Meath East. It is a great privilege to represent the people in this Chamber, and I think about that every day. Many of us may be feeling that privilege and responsibility even more, following our time in the convention centre, now that we have returned to representing the concerns and …

Does the Deputy know why?

He announced that he has symptoms of Covid - he had a negative test.

The figure for animal welfare is €1.5 million out of €1.8 billion. It is 0.1%.

The French are not happy either.

The French people are not happy. The Deputy should not come in saying the French are happy. They are not.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach as an bhfáilte a chur sé romham filleadh ar an seomra álainn seo, seomra inar shuigh mé ar feadh cúig bliana, idir 2011 agus 2016. Tá áthas orm a bheith ar ais leis an Seanadóir Daly agus é ina Chathaoirleach. Ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil leis an roghchoiste maidir leis an mBreatimeacht. Tá obair an-tábhachtach déanta ag na comhaltaí go léir faoi chathaoirleacht an tSeanadóra Chambers. Is obair í atá an-tábhachtach chun cur in iúl do gach duine go bhfuil fadhbanna f…

My best wishes to the Acting Chair, Senator Flynn, not just in the role this morning, which is significant, but I hope for her and her community that it will become routine and part of the normal fabric of our society. This is very important. I thank the Acting Chair for all the work she is doing. I thank Senator McGreehan for taking a patriotic approach to the island rather than an ultra-nationalistic approach of division. Senator McGreehan has taken a unifying approach on the issue of this island, and this is esp…

I will bring the exact proposal to the attention of the Taoiseach and he will be watching this closely today. I will also bring it to the shared island unit in the Department of the Taoiseach. Expanding the North-South school exchange programme is a crucial part of the programme for government commitments on a shared island. We need to bring young people together. The Senator mentioned that I was an education spokesperson. Quite frankly, the number of educational movements North and South is not as high as we would…

I thank the Senator for raising this issue. I must say that it is an issue about which I am most concerned. We often hear scaremongering when new technologies or particular products are developed that they may pose a health risk. While that always is debatable, in this case, it is not. Radon poses a clear risk to health, as the Senator has mentioned. It is something of which we all need to become more aware. It is there and can be dealt with. The first phase of the strategy had tangible outcomes including the provi…

I thank the Senator for raising the matter. There is information available and there are things going on. I will bring the Senator's concerns to the attention of the Minister. Progress on the implementation of the radon strategy is reported to Government regularly. This discussion has been very useful and I have a strong interest in the issue as well. I will bring the Senator's concerns back to the Government. I look forward to further actions that will come from the strategy.

That is not true. We got €2 billion.

There was no delay.

If there are not enough Deputies in the Chamber, I am happy to answer the questions that have already been asked.

I have a script for the last contribution which deals with the issues laid out by the Taoiseach. Almost none of them, except Turkey, has been raised in the debate but they are very important. I will speak on Turkey at the end of the debate as there is quite a detailed script on it. With regard to the vaccines, we are very hard on ourselves in this Chamber as regards what the European Union in doing about vaccines. At every European Council, General Affairs Council and health ministers Council there has been extensi…

I am sorry, gabh mo leithscéal.

Regarding the vaccines, I already mentioned what the EU is doing with the WTO. More importantly, and Deputy Brady asked about this aspect, I refer to supporting manufacturing capacity in Africa and putting significant resources into that endeavour, apart from what our own manufacturing capacity is doing. Turning to the issue of Israel and Palestine, it is fair to say that the motion from this Dáil went out far and wide and was heard across the world. Not every member state of the European Union would agree with thi…