Ivana Bacik

Yes there was.

It is in our manifesto.

The Taoiseach says he is open to new ideas on housing but every time anyone in opposition raises a new idea with him he never misses an opportunity to denigrate it and belittle it.

As he well knows, the Labour Party's proposal clearly set out in our manifesto was to scale up the existing Land Development Agency, which we have supported in opposition, in order to ensure the State could bear the risk of building upfront. What I am hearing from builders and developers throughout the country is they desperately need upfront financing and that the absence of that is what is causi…

With respect, people will take with a large pinch of salt the Taoiseach's claim to be willing and open to taking up new ideas to deliver more homes more quickly. People see for themselves that homes are not being delivered by the Government, nor were they by the previous Government.

Scale it up.

It is how it is spent.

Many of us in opposition are very concerned to hear the Government suggesting that we are somehow delaying the formation of committees.

It is the Government that is seeking to change Standing Orders. The Ceann Comhairle ruled on the Lowry lads’ status to the effect that they are not a technical group in opposition. We in opposition are abiding by that ruling of the Ceann Comhairle. The Government is seeking to change it. It is looking to bring in changes to Standing Orders that we have not seen. Our Whips have not seen the detail …

A Leas-Cheann Comhairle-----

A Leas-Cheann Comhairle-----

It is deeply distressing to see the resumption of Israel's brutal bombardment on the people of Gaza and horrific to hear Netanyahu describe Israeli airstrikes as "only the beginning". We have already seen horrific levels of deaths of civilians, including children, and what little hope was left for the population of Gaza seems to be gone, with barely any aid reaching civilians. Our moral obligation…

5. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on climate action, environment and energy will next meet. [9457/25]

The latest warning today from the World Meteorological Organization is stark. We know that human-induced climate change has reached new extremes and some consequences are, sadly, now irreversible. The Government is simply not being proactive enough to meet our essential targets for emission reductions. On "Morning Ireland" today, Peter Thorne, chair of the Climate Change Advisory Council, expresse…

No, that is not true.

The Opposition is not obstructing.

I said it this week.

Intervene now.

After the decision has been made.

Excuse me. We are not pandering-----

16. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Taoiseach to report on his attendance at the informal EU leaders' meeting in February. [7610/25]

I note that the Taoiseach said the focus of the informal meeting of EU leaders was on security. Clearly, there is a huge threat to European democracy as we see increasing authoritarianism, both from Trump's Government in the US and much closer to home from the threat of Russia on Europe's borders and the threat of the Russian dictator, Putin, and his regime in particular. It is very positive to he…

26. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent attendance at the commemoration for the liberation of Auschwitz. [7611/25]

I welcome the Taoiseach's recent attendance at the commemoration ceremony for the liberation of Auschwitz. It is particularly important as we see a rise in fascism and authoritarianism worldwide and a terrible rise in antisemitism. It is very important that the Taoiseach attended to represent Ireland. I always attend the commemoration in the Mansion House on national Holocaust memorial day and wou…

Mervyn Taylor-----