Martin Kenny

We are all somewhat at a loss as to how we got into this situation. We now have bluetongue both north and south of the Border. We have a major difficulty with animals moving up and down across the Border. That is a very difficult problem, particularly in my part of the world where an awful lot of the marts are experiencing a huge loss in trade because of it. Bluetongue is obviously a virus that is…

It is everyone else's fault but the Government's.

I am sure the Tánaiste watched the "Prime Time Investigates" programme on the mental health service and the catastrophe within it. The families of Natalie McGuinness and Jimmy Loughlin, both of whom lost their lives as a consequence of failures within the mental health service, appeared on the programme. Both families live in my constituency, and I have their issues here several times. Many other …

I am dealing with constituents who are in a situation where they have loved ones who are afraid they will lose their lives because the system is failing them-----

-----and the Tánaiste stands over that system.

The programme was very clear.

The Tánaiste is stonewalling the families.

People are dying.

The issue of the Operation Kenova report has gone on for ten years and at the core of it is the very concept that the British state broke the law and set out to break the law. I was just thinking earlier of Michael Davitt. He used to say the law was little more than another weapon in the government's arsenal to keep the lord in his mansion and the peasant in his place. It is very much the same thi…

As the Minister of State knows, the purpose of the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences (Amendment) Bill is to try to ensure that we can avoid situations where individuals are taking advantage of technology. He mentioned that technology is moving so fast it is hard to keep up with it. That is certainly the point. He also made a valid point to the effect that the victims are prim…

I move: That Dáil Éireann: notes: — that Bord Bia's mission statement is to bring Ireland's outstanding food, drink and horticulture to the world, thus enabling growth and sustainability of producers; — the importance of Irish food and drink exports to the Irish economy; — the importance of Ireland's reputation around the world as a food producer; — that the Irish food and drinks industry is…

We are back here again, unfortunately. I first want to welcome all the farmers in the Visitors Gallery, who represent thousands of farmers around the country, and who are not "emotional", but are extremely angry about this situation. Bord Bia has done amazing work promoting Irish food, Irish drink and Irish horticulture around the world, and it has played an important role in increasing Irish exp…

The motion was put down beforehand.

The Minister is so disingenuous. He is something else.

The Minister knows this motion was put down last week before that happened. The Minister knows that.

Honest debate seems to be gone, just like an honest chairman.

The Minister of State said "South America" there.

You are a waffler.

Yes.

Ah now.

Two days before, the Taoiseach said we would vote for it.

Deal with the issue.

Seriously.

We are talking about the chair of Bord Bia.

Ha ha.