Mary Lou McDonald

I move: "That the Bill be taken in Private Members' time."

Go raibh maith agat as sin. Cuirim fáilte freisin roimh H. E. Dr. Jilan Wahba Abdalmajid. You are very welcome, madam ambassador, and we are honoured to have you here. Today we stand with the Gazan people, who face annihilation. Entire families have been wiped out. Millions have been displaced from their homes and schools and hospitals have been obliterated. They are now starving and blockaded on…

What is truly repulsive is allowing the Irish Central Bank to oversee the sale of Israeli war bonds that are funding this genocide.

If the Government is serious and sincere, it will back our Bill and stand with Palestine. If you are really serious, Tánaiste, about recognising and respecting the convictions of the people of Ireland, if you are serious about doing everything as you say within your reach, and if you are serious about ending the clear barbarism that we watch every day in Gaza and indeed in the West Bank, you will …

I cannot withdraw it because the record of this House will reflect that fact that the word that was used across the Chamber to me was the word "repulsive."

Why is the Taoiseach using our speaking time with this nonsense?

I am not withdrawing it.

I am not withdrawing a remark that you made.

I extend a céad míle fáilte to the students of Coláiste Eoghain from Buncrana and to the women from the Breaffy walking group in Castlebar. They are all very welcome. At 10 o'clock this morning, Cara Darmody, a 14-year-old disability campaigner, began a 50-hour protest outside the Dáil and she joins us in the Gallery as well. I extend a very warm welcome to her and to her father, Mark. Cara is an…

What the High Court found is that the State is breaking the law.

What the High Court demanded is that the State be in compliance with the law.

That is what the ruling means. It does not mean change the law. The Taoiseach's message to us today is that rather than working to be in compliance with the law to ensure that children get the assessments of need to which they are legally entitled within the statutory framework of six months, his idea is to change the law and remove that provision. There is a common view, certainly across those wh…

I put it to the Taoiseach again that rather than suggesting he simply changes the law, he should comply with the law and tell us how-----

-----he is going to make it possible that those 15,000 children, who wait and wait, will get their assessments of need and consequently the services and supports to which they are entitled.

No, no.

Yes.

You need an assessment of needs before you decide on a child's therapist.

Or combine with the law.

Similarly, under Standing Order 35(3), I wish to move an amendment to the Order of Business-----

-----to ensure that at the end of Thursday's business we have statements on the Government's deal with Michael Lowry and that the Taoiseach and Tánaiste make statements and take questions and give full-----

-----clarity and transparency. What is the relationship with Cabinet?

What is this rota of Ministers? What deal was struck?

Michael Lowry.

What about Michael Lowry?

The question was asked.