Paul Murphy

Jesus.

He says hopefully.

162. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will stop the use of Shannon Airport by the US military while it is assisting Israel’s genocide in Gaza; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49150/25]

I want to raise a major unaddressed public health failure. It is a local issue that arose not in my constituency but in Dún Laoghaire, but it has quite wide national implications in the context of climate change and the likelihood of an increased number of gorse fires. Effectively over a two-week period in August, repeated fires in Ticknick Park affected thousands of residents in Cherrywood but th…

I thank the Minister of State for his answer. He might acknowledge himself that there is not much in his response relating to the incidents residents have experienced and the petition they have launched. By the way, they have sent all the data to the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. I will outline some of the key findings from the survey conducted by residents, which give a picture o…

I thank Deputy Ward for that excellent speech and for his campaigning. I also thank the campaigners he is connected to. It is a rare day in the Dáil that a motion is signed by the entire Opposition. That speaks to the injustice that is being inflicted on people here. It also speaks to the incredible campaigning that has been taking place for years. I have had the pleasure of meeting many of the ca…

We should be clear on why we are having this debate now because I think some Deputies on the Government benches are confused about it. We are having it now because the Government tabled this motion. The Government chose to put down the motion of confidence this week in what is clearly, blatantly and openly an attempt to avoid scrutiny of its appalling record, especially on children's health, righ…

The Government may win this vote; that is likely-----

-----but the people will have a chance to pass their verdict in nine days' time-----

-----and I am not sure they will have confidence.

I will focus on the tax break for developers in the budget. The reason I want to focus on it is that it is outrageous. It is a transfer of wealth from the public to those who are profiteering from the housing crisis. I heard the Taoiseach say the day after the budget during Leaders' Questions that this was not a tax break for developers. His saying it was not a tax break for developers reminded me…

Irish households are being ripped off by electricity companies. That is not just how they feel about it; that is a fact. We have it black and white from the International Energy Agency and I quote its report, which states the disparity in Ireland, talking about the gap between wholesale electricity prices and retail prices, was the largest in all of Europe, with the energy component of retail pric…

Earlier the Taoiseach posed the question as to what we were proposing to do to pressurise the energy companies to lower their costs. We have a Bill already to have price controls to stop the blatant profiteering. I put it back to the Taoiseach: what is he going to do? The answer, it appears, is "Nothing".

He mentioned a bunch of things that have already been done. He is standing over the withdrawal of the cost-of-living supports, the impact of which will be deeper poverty. The budget was spoken about as a budget for child poverty. It absolutely was a budget for child poverty - increased child poverty. The Taoiseach should look at the report of the Parliamentary Budget Office, an impartial office, w…

-----and the Taoiseach is saying we will do nothing about it and we will not have price controls.

He has power, under the Consumer Protection Act, to introduce price controls to stop this profiteering and people want him to act.

Tax them.

Tax them more.

I have written to the Business Committee about, and raised with it, the need for statements and questions and answers with the Minister for justice on the scenes of Garda brutality we saw the Saturday before last, with the indiscriminate use of pepper spray and batons against peaceful protesters at the docks - people protesting in solidarity with Palestine. We need to hear whether the Minister fo…

Other Deputies have already raised the case of the elderly, vulnerable people on hunger strike. I think they have been 22 days on hunger strike outside Leinster House. They are survivors of industrial and reformatory schools who are putting their health on the line to try to access justice for themselves and their fellow survivors. They were failed once by the State when they were committed to th…

10. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on the economy, trade and competitiveness will next meet. [50160/25]

Education is crucial to competitiveness. We will not have it without teachers, yet many schools are in crisis situations. I will give one example from my constituency. St. Mary's Boys National School in Rathfarnham is set to lose another teacher next year, having lost one in September, unless the Government commits to reducing class sizes. I have been contacted by many parents, one of whom wrote t…

20. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on EU and international affairs will next meet. [50161/25]

I welcome the ceasefire. Any relief for the Palestinian people facing genocide is obviously welcome. I emphasise that a lasting peace will only be built on the basis of justice and there is still definitely no justice for the Palestinian people. My question relates to Government policy in this context. I am concerned that the various commitments that have been given in the context of pressure of …

Can we get answers on the occupied territories Bill?