Ruth Coppinger

These annual statements are important. It had to be called out when they were not tabled in June last year. However, they also have to be real. We saw remarkable progress in 2015 with the same-sex marriage referendum passing after a grassroots movement. This was followed by repeal, the Gender Recognition Act and huge social progress. However, this is a completely different decade. Hostility, trans…

If there is anything we do not need during a climate emergency when we are literally having a heatwave right now - we had one two weeks ago and we will probably have many more over the rest of the summer - and when the world is literally burning, it is the Minister is coming in today to lift the passenger cap on flights at Dublin Airport. People are saying that we need this for growth. We need to …

There are issues for residents. An earlier speaker said that everyone living in a house near the airport knew this would happen. In fact, people did not know. There are lots of much older communities in the area that predate the airport. People certainly did not know there would be relentless growth of the airport. The impact of airport noise on people's sleep is being studied worldwide, including…

Consistently, socialists who have been elected here have come in and expressed our opposition to these powers being extended. We are in agreement with the ICCL, the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, the UN human rights committee, Amnesty International, and a myriad of legal experts and civil liberties campaigners. The Irish Government likes to portray our country as a liberal democracy,…

8. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she has considered a model of childcare based on direct public provision to ensure access, affordability for families and quality pay and conditions for staff in the sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47544/26]

In 2024, parties were falling over themselves, as we know, including the Minister’s, promising parents €200 a month childcare. The latest Fianna Fáil meeting was talking about €786 per month, possibly, later on this year, so it will be like €200 a week will be nearer the mark. However, the real problem we have is childcare provision. The private childcare model is simply not working for parents. W…

The problem is that the private childcare model is being heavily subsidised by the State, but even with these subsidies it is simply not working. Discovery Montessori in Castleknock has written to TDs, for example, in my area. It is the latest childcare provider saying that the core funding model cannot work for it. The fee freezes mean that it would not be able to meet its costs in wages, utiliti…

I do get that it is the first step but it is a very slow process. It needs to be a lot more ambitious and radical. It took long enough for a realisation that the State needed to lead on childcare in Ireland. In other countries, it is par for the course. Things like training schools have to be set up where people would be guaranteed decent pay and conditions. It is appalling what many childcare wor…

The FAI released a statement on 12 June justifying playing Israel behind closed doors and outside Ireland. It spoke of consultation with stakeholders, in particular the Palestinian Football Association which the statement strongly implied backed the FAI's position. Today, the Palestinian Football Association has had to release a statement saying it did not endorse or support the decision to procee…

Today's statement was contradicting the way the FAI used that.

I recall in the Dáil about a decade ago when Leo Varadkar was the Minister for Health. He said that he would almost become a socialist when it comes to the issue of the drug companies and the health industry. It did not quite work, obviously. Here we are again asking why it is taking so long for drugs to be approved in this country. These are drugs that we know are having life-saving impacts. We a…

If ever there was a Government policy that was just so reckless and servile, it is this policy of welcoming and allowing data centres at the cost of our environment but also now at the cost of the pockets of ordinary working-class people. For the second month in a row, Ireland has the highest electricity prices in Europe. They are 52% higher than the European average. The average household in the …

15. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his attendance at the recent EU Council meeting. [45028/26]

The world has its first trillionaire, thanks largely to the policies of the likes of the EU and the G7. Should billionaires exist? Should a trillionaire exist? Elon Musk is now richer than 46% of the world's population, 3.8 billion people. He makes $1 million a minute. It has been estimated that $1 million could feed 5,500 for a year. It is wealth you cannot even spend. It is wealth that is not in…

-----and people to hate trans people. Should such a person exist?

It is very clear what it means.

We have billionaires as well. It is not just an American thing.

We have billionaires. I asked whether billionaires should exist.

The Taoiseach is picking out one example.

It is a yes-no answer.

It is absolutely terrible that women and anybody who can become pregnant have had to wait eight years for this to happen. There has been no Government Bill and no Opposition party one up to now either. It is a crying shame that people have had to endure this. The O'Shea report made it very clear, especially about the three-day wait. I hate that term. It should be called a second doctor visit or s…

66. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport to report on his engagements with an organisation (details supplied) in relation to the upcoming Nations’ League fixtures with Israel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44836/26]

Apologies, I did not realise my question was grouped.

I have heard the Minister of State say that sport and politics are separate. I thought that was quite amusing since he is a political representative in charge of sport, so obviously they are not separate. The Government, including the Tánaiste recently, has said it has no role whatsoever in the Irish team playing against Israel in the two upcoming fixtures and it is solely up to the FAI. I do not …

I keep hearing the Minister of State say "we will continue to do". What has the Government actually done? I know it has talked but here is the chance to actually do something. For example, under the ruling of the International Court of Justice, which this Government has signed up to, all states are obliged not to recognise Israel's illegal acts. Only this week, two Palestinian women footballers we…