Aengus Ó Snodaigh
Dublin South-Central · Sinn Féin · Ireland
“In a reply to a parliamentary question on MetroLink in April of this year, the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, again stated his belief that the MetroLink terminus can facilitate any potential future MetroLink expansion to serve the south west, south or south east of Dublin should sufficient demand develop. That demand is already there.”
“A millennium and a half later, with Ireland serving as the President of the Council of the European Union, it is the same law we want to see enforced in the era of AI. In the words of the author Scott Turow, in paraphrasing The Atlantic's Alex Reisner, the bold future promised by AI has been "created with stolen words".”
“Tá roinnt samplaí anseo agam. Glacaim leis gur chuir an conradh agus BÁNÚ roinnt samplaí eile chuig an Aire ag léiriú an damáiste a dhéanfaidh sé sin. In ainneoin an méid atá ráite aige, i gceantair áirithe, tá coinníollacha ar leith ann ó thaobh forbróirí atá ag forbairt iliomad tithíochta faoi láthair.”
“Theft is being rewarded and creativity is being punished to the tune of €22 billion globally in music and film, according to the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers. The European directives are no longer fit for purpose because of the exemptions granted to train AI.”
“Cloisim é seo. Chuala mé é thar na blianta ó dhaoine a bhí ag iarraidh go laghdófaí teorainn na Gaeltachta. Bhí siad ag iarraidh díriú isteach ar na ceantair a bhí in ísle brí ó thaobh labhairt na Gaeilge chun iad a chaitheamh amach ón nGaeltacht. Bhí siad ag iarraidh go mbeadh an Ghaeltacht srianta go dtí ceantair ina bhfuil 50% ann.”
“Bhí líne den scoth sa leabhar Ag Caint Linn Fhéin , a scríobh Joe Steve Ó Neachtain, laoch an Ghluaiseacht Chearta Sibhialta na Gaeltachta agus ealaíontóir ildánach, "Is é an croí atá i gceol na hÉireann a dhéanann náisiún mór den náisiún beag seo ar fud an domhain." Tír gan teanga, tír gan anam. Tír gan ealaín, tír gan chroí.”
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“This is about correcting a wrong this State presided over, even if all it did was continue a tradition of the British where the abominable crime deserved penal servitude for life, or death as a felon because of, according to them, "outrages of decency". There are no exact figures for the numbers of people convicted of the offences during the reign of this State. Some figures suggest there were 1,000 or more convictions between the 1920s and 1993. However, there were probably thousands more because sometimes when people were charged, they jumped bail. Others evaded the courts. Some were acquitted. There was stigma attached to them. Some had cases dropped as they had funds or because of the scandal associated with it. Others died of suicide in that period.”
“Tá buíochas ag dul don Aire as seo a chur os ár gcomhair inniu. Mar a dúirt mo chomhghleacaí, is trua nach raibh sé os ár gcomhair roimhe seo agus nach raibh an dul chun cinn déanta go dtí seo. I welcome this legislation. This is not the way to do this; it should have been done in a stand-alone Bill. This is substantial legislation, which is welcome, of course. We are not going to get the proper time to tease through all of the implications and the bits that are missing. Hopefully, when the Bill is in the Seanad, the Minister will be able to address some of the shortfalls or omissions that have been pointed out already by the LGBT+ Restorative Justice Campaign, which has raised issues. There are simple, technical issues which can be addressed and I hope we will have time, when discussing amendments, to point to some of those.”
“Along with others in this House, I have seen with my own eyes, the confiscated land, the clearances, the apartheid road, the contaminated farm lands, the demolished homes and businesses, the destruction of olive trees which take decades to grow, the harassment and interference with the day-to-day lives of Palestinians and the detention of hundreds. Last month alone, there were 1,695 attacks by Israelis - by military and settlers - against Palestinians in the West Bank. That needs to end.”
“The company that the Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, has endorsed to demolish the historic Moore Street site, Hammerson, is now in partnership with a company that has been named by the UN as having sustained Israel's settler colonial project of displacement and replacement of the Palestinians in the occupied territory and is profiting from Israel's economy of illegal occupation, apartheid and now genocide. The Allianz asset management subsidiary, PIMCO, purchased nearly €1 billion of Israeli war bonds. We need to boycott Allianz, boycott Israel and impose sanctions.”
“This is not the Bill that Senator Frances Black intended that the Dáil would pass. Others have outlined the differences already and I will not repeat them. Given Israel's actions since the Senator first published her occupied territories Bill, a watering down of the intent is not what is or was required. Given the slaughter in recent years by Israel, I reiterate my full support for calls for boycott, divestment and sanctions. The Israeli state's barbarity against Palestinians and neighbouring countries in comparable to very few regimes in modern history. It is genocide through and through. Seventy-five thousand are dead in Gaza, 175,000 are wounded, and 1 million have been displaced in the space of two and a half years. This is being funded by large companies, which have to be boycotted, divested from and sanctioned.”
“Is féidir linn tacú leis ach caithfimid déanamh cinnte de go bhfuil athruithe ag teacht chun cinn ar Chéim an Choiste le cinntiú fad is atáimid ag gabháil don chraoltóireacht go bhfuilimid cinnte gurb é an Bhille is fearr gur féidir linn a chruthú agus go mbeidh sé sin rite ag an Dáil amach anseo.”
“Is earnáil í a bhfuil airgead de dhíth uirthi, go háirithe nuair nach bhfuil an tAire sásta díriú isteach ar an treoir a thabhairt “content levy” a chur chun cinn. Bheadh airgead breise ar fáil don earnáil ina iomlán dá mbeadh sé sin déanta. Bhí cúpla moladh eile. Ar mhaithe leis an Aire, breathnóimid orthu arís agus déanfaimid iad a chur chun cinn nuair a shroichfimid Céim an Choiste chun féachaint an mbeidh athrú poirt ag an Aire amach anseo maidir leis an líofacht atá acu siúd atá ar bhord RTÉ ó thaobh an Ghaeilge de. Bhíomar sa choiste ag iarraidh go mbeadh níos mó fócas ag na craoltóirí náisiúnta ar na pleananna agus a leithéid timpeall na tíre. Nílim ag cur i gcoinne an Bhille seo; is Bille maith é.”
“Feicimid agus cloisimid fógraí trí Ghaeilge anois níos mó ná mar a chualamar riamh roimhe seo. Is léiriú é sin go bhfuil tionchar aige nuair a dhéantar craoltóireacht ar an nGaeilge - cloiseann agus feiceann daoine í. Má chuirimid airgead i dtreo TG4, beidh toradh air. Feicimid an dea-thoradh atá ar TG4 leis na duaiseanna atá bainte amach aige go hidirnáisiúnta mar gheall ar na cláracha ar thacaigh sé leo agus na cláracha spóirt atá aige. Ní hamháin go gcuireann sé an Ghaeilge chun cinn, ach tá sé ag cur spórt nach raibh ar fáil roimhe seo ar RTÉ ar fáil. Is féidir linn tacú leis an dá rud ag an am céanna má dhéanfaimid cinnte de go bhfuil breis airgid aige ionas gur féidir leis an t-airgead sin a chaitheamh ar an earnáil seo.”
“Is léiriú é nuair a fheicimid ar Société Radio-Canada, SRC, nó ar stáisiúin teilifíse i dTír na mBascach go bhfuil gá déanamh cinnte de go bhfuil an t-airgead ann le gur féidir le TG4 bheith san iomaíocht ag an leibhéal ceart agus na cláracha is fearr a chur amach má táimid ag iarraidh níos mó daoine a mhealladh chuig an teanga agus chun líofacht sa teanga a fhorbairt. Cuideoidh sé chomh maith leis an gceangal idir an dúshlán atá ag an Stát tar éis glacadh air féin go mbeidh 20% dóibh siúd atá earcaithe sa Státseirbhís líofa sa Ghaeilge ag leibhéal B2. Chun go dtarlóidh sé sin, caithfidh daoine óga nó iad siúd atá ag foghlaim na Gaeilge í a chloisteáil i bhfad níos minice ná mar atá siad faoi láthair. Thacaigh mé agus tacaím go fóill leis an gcinneadh a ghlacadh maidir le fógraíocht agus mar sin.”
“Níl a fhios agam an gá go mbeadh sé i reachtaíocht go bhfuil sé seo le bunú ach is gá go mbeimid, na polaiteoirí, ag tacú go hiomlán leis agus ag impí ar Choimisiún na Meán agus ar an Aire déanamh cinnte de go dtarlaíonn Raidió Rí-Rá amach anseo. Recommendation No. 51 proposes that funding for TG4 be increased and that Coimisiún na Meán and the Government take account of the vital role of the media in intergenerational language transmission for our national and minoritised language when making decisions on funding. Cé go bhfuil ardú tar éis teacht thar na blianta ar an maoiniú do TG4, tá i bhfad Éireann níos mó ag teastáil.”
“Bíonn taispeántas nó scéim phíolótach ann nach mór gach bliain i gcomhar le Raidió Rí-Rá - tá stáisiúin eile ann, ní gá go roghnófar an ceann sin – a léiríonn go bhfuil spéis ag daoine óga éisteacht leis an raidió agus le cláracha raidió dírithe orthu féin seachas ar lucht na Gaeltachta amháin. Tá Raidió na Gaeltachta tar éis sár-obair a dhéanamh thar na blianta ó bunaíodh é. Caithfimid déanamh cinnte de go leanann an cur chuige atá aige agus an ceangal atá aige leis an bpobal ar aghaidh. Tá a lán daoine óga nach mbíonn ag éisteacht le gnáth-stáisiúin raidió, bíonn siad ag éisteacht le cláracha ar leith atá dírithe orthu. Sa chás sin, tá sé léirithe gur gá dúinn féachaint ar an gcineál sin stáisiún a bhunú.”
“Sin an fáth go mba chóir go mbeadh an tAire ag teacht chugainn ag déanamh cinnte de go bhfuil an neamhspleáchas seo ag TG4 maidir leis an nuacht agus gur féidir leis a thaispeáint gur seirbhís nuachta ann féin é, seachas a bheith ceangailte le RTÉ mar atá sé faoi láthair. Tá costas i gceist leis sin agus bheadh air caint le Coimisiún na Meán chun déanamh cinnte de gur féidir leis íocadh as seo. Níl sé sin ag tarlúint faoi láthair. Recommendation No. 17 from the pre-legislative scrutiny process relates to the establishment, by means of the Bill, of a national Irish-language youth radio service. Tá sé seo mar cheist le tamall fada de bhlianta.”
“In an era when RTÉ is moving towards a lot more outsourcing, there is a danger that this could lead to bogus self-employment such that people would be employees but would be told that they are not. Another issue I want to raise is the recommendations the committee made in relation to the Irish language. The committee sought to ensure that TG4 will have independent editorial control over its news service. Tá an fhadhb seo leanúnach agus tá sé ardaithe ag TG4, na coistí istigh anseo, agamsa leis an Aire don Ghaeltacht agus le Aire na meán thar na blianta agus fós nílimid tar éis déileáil leis an gceist. Níl an Bhille seo tar éis déileáil leis. Bheadh sé i bhfad Éireann níos éasca dá mbeadh sé seo déanta gan é a bheith sa reachtaíocht ach níl sé sin ag tarlúint.”
“We learned this week of the amount of money being spent on limousines and the likes. Hopefully that era is at an end and we are now seeing the end of the wasting of money that was happening, week in and week out, in RTÉ over the years, where some people thought they could spend public funds willy-nilly. We need a proper public service. That has to be paid for, and I have absolutely no problem with that. We need to ensure that workers are protected and paid correctly, that performers are paid properly, that their performances, writings and so on are properly protected under copyright. The era of bogus self-employment is well and truly at an end. There must be strict adherence to the Karshan decision which ensures that bogus self-employment will not happen again.”
“This is public money, at the end of the day, that RTÉ has overseen in the past and right up to recent days. One of the examples I have seen lately is the amount of money being spent on consultants to distribute "The Late Late Toy Show" funds. For God's sake, can someone not just sit down and work it out? Why is RTÉ paying consultants to distribute the charitable funds that are raised? The fact that consultants would even take the money to do that is an even bigger scandal, and it needs to be addressed. If RTÉ needs consultants to look over it, there are consultant firms out there that should be able to offer this as a service as part of a donation to the "The Late Late Toy Show" fund. That is a scandal in itself because, ultimately, it is money being taken out of the public purse or out of the fund itself.”
“The other issue is one where I welcome the approach that, at long last, a Minister has taken. It is an issue that has come up over quite a number of years, and the Minister of State mentioned Groundhog Day. It is the fact that the Comptroller and Auditor General did not have the powers to investigate or have oversight of the RTÉ accounts. The decision to address this is to be welcomed. It is a pity that, a year ago to this day, the Minister of State's party and the Government voted down a Bill that I had in the House which did exactly that. It was a very simple Bill. It was not party-political, as we can see from the fact that it is being brought in under this Bill. However, it is a year on, and by the time this is enacted, it will be longer than that. Hopefully, this will address some of the scandals and the waste of money.”
“There is a need for us to approach broadcasting on this island as an island. We need a single approach to these issues to ensure we have commonality, that we address the issues in advance of a united Ireland and that we create an all-Ireland market for broadcasting rights. They can all be tied in together. When RTÉ or TG4 are making approaches to other broadcasters or making agreements, they can do so on the understanding that any agreement they get will allow broadcasts across the island. That goes for the Olympics and the all-Ireland finals, and there should be no differentiation of the different parts of this island. I am disappointed that the Minister has not addressed this. Hopefully, during Committee Stage of the Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill, he will do so, and we can have an amendment to address this issue.”
“There are simple solutions, and a simple approach is possible with the national broadcasters. The national authority of a Minister can overcome it, but if that is not the case, then we will have to ensure that our legislation comes in. That is where we are at currently. Recommendation 13 from the scrutiny came on the back of a discussion that we had about programmes like “Bluey”, “Dora the Explorer” and so on. These are programmes that kids enjoy in this jurisdiction, perhaps during the summer months in Donegal. When they return home, they have no access to the RTÉ Player and these programmes that they have grown to love, and the characters who are speaking as Gaeilge to them. Those are not the only issues. We have already mentioned Olympic coverage, all-Ireland finals and other issues.”
“It is a pity the Minister is not present to hear this, although that is not a slight on the Minister of State, Deputy Niamh Smyth. We have had this engagement with the Minister, so he sometimes gets what I am talking about because I have had it out with him over a number of years, in particular over geoblocking. That is something that has not gone away and will not go away unless it is addressed. It needs to be addressed in legislative format at this stage because every other attempt by us to address it has been ignored. We had the ability to do this. We put forward the Broadcasting (All-Ireland Service) (Amendment) Bill last year, which was aimed at addressing it. The committee, in its pre-legislative scrutiny, looked at the challenges. The challenges are there, but they are not ones that cannot be overcome.”
“Dúradh linn go mbeadh na caighdeáin ar fáil laistigh de mhíonna tar éis don reachtaíocht sin a bheith foilsithe. Níl siad sin le feiceáil go fóill. Tá plean gníomhaíochta ann ach níl aon spriocdhátaí ann. Tá fadhb bhunúsach ansin. Cén uair a fhoilseofar na caighdeáin? Ar a laghad, tabharfaidh sé sin treoir nó sprioc dúinn.”
“Glacaim leis nach dtarlóidh sé seo thar oíche, ach níl athrú thar oíche i gceist againn. Mar a dúirt mé, bunaíodh an Stát breis is 100 bliain ó shín. Tógadh Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla isteach ar dtús 23 bliain ó shín. Leis an Acht sin, cuireadh scéimeanna ar bun i ngach uile chuid den Státchóras chun cuidiú linn na seirbhísí sin a chur ar fáil, ní hamháin do phobal na Gaeltachta ach don phobal i gcoitinne. Is é an dúshlán ná conas is féidir, ar a laghad, na seirbhísí a sholáthar dóibh siúd a bhfuil cónaí orthu i gceantair atá aitheanta gurb í an Ghaeilge príomhtheanga an cheantair sin, áit ar mian linn an Ghaeilge a chaomhnú. Ina dhiaidh sin, ba chóir na seirbhísí a leathnú amach lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht chomh maith céanna. Tháinig Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla (Leasú), 2021 isteach ina dhiaidh sin.”
“Glacaim leis an ndúshlán atá ann anois toisc gur theip ar an Stát le breis is 100 bliain na seirbhísí i gceantair Ghaeltachta a sholáthar don phobal. Níorbh fhéidir roimhe seo agus ní féidir le gnáthshaoránach a bhfuil cónaí orthu sa Ghaeltacht a labhraíonn an Ghaeilge mar phríomhtheanga – b’fhéidir gurbh í an Ghaeilge an t-aon teanga a bhí acu roimhe seo - a gcuid gnó a dhéanamh trí Ghaeilge leis an Stát, lena n-airítear comhlachtaí poiblí, Ranna Stáit agus daoine a bhíonn ag obair thar ceann an Stáit. Tá 23 bliain imithe ó ritheadh Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla 2003 ar dtús. Tá muid anois cúig bliana ó ritheadh Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla (Leasú), 2021. Tá muid anois ag fanacht leis na caighdeáin. Is é sin atá an tAire tar éis a rá. Tá an plean gníomhaíochta ann, ach níl aon spriocanna ann.”
“As a TD in Dublin South-Central where Linn Dara is based I welcome the fact it is going to open but it is not additionality. This is something that was closed in 2018 and 2022. It was supposed to be for three or four months. Here we are how many years later? It is four years later and the Minister of State says it is an expanded service. It is not expanded - it is a reinstatement of service. If it was expanded, the Minister of State would be announcing 20 extra beds in Linn Dara or she would announce the capacity would increase based on St. Vincent’s. That is not the case.”
“The fact that one service is closing to facilitate the opening of another is absolutely ridiculous. We need to know about the planning and where the funding for the CAMHS services in the children's hospital is going to come from because in two years' time we do not want Linn Dara to close again to facilitate the children's hospital.”
“Linn Dara closed in 2022 for what was supposed to be four months. It has still not reopened with the beds that are due to open again. That was a crisis at the time and it has been a crisis since. It is welcome that the facility is to reopen but will it reopen with a full complement of staff? When Linn Dara opened, the problem from day 1 was that there was never a full complement of staff. Then there were staff changes because of the pressures that were put on staff. The unit eventually closed because it was no longer safe as there was not a full complement of staff. Linn Dara is needed, St. Vincent's Hospital is needed and the children's hospital, which is also in the area, is needed. Nobody is saying that they should not all be open. We know we have a crisis in this country and in this city. We need all of those services.”
“We need to ensure we will not stand by and allow Israel to slaughter all around it and exile and displace hundreds of thousands or millions more Palestinians. We should stand proud. There are brilliant people in civil society in Ireland who have taken action, who are marching day in and day out, picketing and organising events and meetings, but they have been let down by the Government, which has made promises and has not lived up to those promises. I hope people will join us again this Saturday in Dublin at 1 p.m. at another march to mark Nakba day and stand in solidarity with those who have endured the slaughter by the Israelis, not only in recent years, but for generations at this stage. I support this Bill. I support the intentions of the BDS movement. We need to act and there should be no prevarication on this.”
“We need to be seen to act, not just talk, because by the time the European Union will act, the Palestinian people will be flung to the far corners of the world. That is the intention of the Israelis. They intend the clearances, as happened in Scotland and parts of Ireland. They want to ensure there is no Palestinian population left in Palestine. That is the intention. We have seen and heard it. We have seen the maps and the actions of the Israeli Government and we need to stand up and stand on the right side of this. We need to stand up and be counted and stand against the genocide that is happening in Palestine, and of late in Lebanon. We need to ensure those involved in those actions are punished correctly. It is appropriate that this is the eve of the anniversary of the Nakba.”
“They are the duties we have when we know a genocide is happening, yet it is the likes of me, Deputy Boyd Barrett or Senator Black and others who are continually trying to appeal to the Government through legislation, questions and other debates to do the right thing, to stand up and be counted. The Government has not even joined the Hague Group which is also taking action. Ireland has not stood up, as Spain has stood up, yet it goes around the world saying how great we are in terms of Palestine. Yes, we are better than some other countries but we are a lot worse than others because we have identified the issues and the stances we can take, yet the Government has failed to take them and that is on the Minister. That is why we need to take the actions in this Bill and other Bills.”
“This week, I published a Bill, titled the Comptroller and Auditor General (Due Diligence Complicity Audit) (Amendment) Bill 2026, to give effect to our obligations under international law to audit all of our cultural, diplomatic, economic, financial, political and military relations with Israel to ensure we are not contributing or otherwise assisting Israel's serious violations of international law. That Bill needs to be passed. I should not need to come in here to move it; this should have been a given. The Government should have immediately acted on that. This is not a call by me; it is a call by international lawyers and the International Criminal Court.”
“We need to look at what we can do here in Ireland. We need to have cultural, university and sporting boycotts of Israel. I will come back to some of those in a minute. The University of Galway needs to cut its links to the Technion Institute of Technology, the university that refers to itself as a research and development wing of the IDF. What in God's name is any Irish university doing having any types of links with an Israeli university in this day and age, especially given that university's links with the IDF? Let us not forget the University of Galway is a public body. It needs to cut all ties with Israel. The message should go out, not just from the Opposition benches but from the Government, that all universities should cut ties with those involved in genocide. It is pure and simple.”
“We were right to impose sanctions on Russia but we would be right to impose sanctions on Israel. It should have been done a long time ago. If this Government and other European Governments had paid heed to the calls made 20 years ago, maybe, God willing, Israel's ongoing slaughter in Gaza and Palestine, Lebanon and Iran would not have happened. Governments did not do so, however. By ignoring the rules in place in those trade agreements, rather than imposing those rules and suspending the agreements, we sent out a message to Israel that it is okay to carry on as it is not going to be punished. Israel was not punished and is still not being punished. There is still nobody in the EU, other than those countries that have had the strength to stand up and impose sanctions, punishing Israel for what it is doing in Palestine.”
“I asked whether he would use the EU Presidency to propose a suspension of preferential trade with Israel on the basis of persistent and systematic human rights violations. Here we are, 22 years later, and I am still appealing to the Government to ensure the EU does exactly what it says in the tin. Any preferential trade agreement or neighbourhood agreement with Israel, or, for that matter, any other country that is abusing international norms and human rights or engaged in slaughter and genocide, should be suspended immediately. Sanctions then need to be imposed where that continues. We have not done that. The EU was very quick to jump through hoops to impose sanctions on Russia. Israel's slaughter has been a lot worse than what Russia has done in Ukraine. That is not to say the Russians are right in any way.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire, who happens to be the target today. This is not aimed at the Minister personally, but the fine, well-meaning words she read out are hollow. Genocide is happening as we speak and has been happening for a long time. There has been no proper action which the Israeli state will pay heed to. It has ignored every supposed protestation by the Irish Government and other European Governments. We need to take action, which is one reason the Bill is before the House today. It is not the only reason, however. This Government and previous Governments have failed miserably to take action over the years as the Israeli state flouted international law. In 2004, I asked a simple question of then Minister for Foreign Affairs, Brian Cowen.”
“It states: Each State is obliged to undertake a thorough due diligence review of its aid and assistance to Israel and determine whether it is being used by Israel to support and maintain the unlawful occupation. This is stated in light of the fact that "all States are under an obligation not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the unlawful occupation." This is also the advice of the leading human rights lawyer Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh, who recently made a similar call before the Oireachtas foreign affairs committee. The Hague Group of 12 nations agreed last July to commence an urgent review of all public contracts to prevent public institutions and their funds from supporting Israel's illegal occupation of Palestinian territory and entrenching its unlawful presence. Ireland is falling behind.”
“It proposes one thing that we are entitled to do without awaiting agreement at EU level or clutching at the excuse that international law is complex. We propose an audit of our State's complicity. A due diligence audit is not just something we can do but something we are required to do under international law. That is the legal advice of the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in Israel on the implementation of the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on the legal consequences arising from the policies and practices of Israel.”
“This is a day when the catastrophe perpetrated against the Palestinian people since 1948 is marked around the world. Horrors beyond our worst fears continue to unfold before our very eyes. Yesterday, The New York Times published an article by Nicholas Kristof entitled "The Silence That Meets the Rape of Palestinians". This reported on the brutal sexual abuse of male and female Palestinians at the hands of Israeli prison guards, soldiers, settlers and interrogators. The United Nations has reported that sexual violence has become standard operating procedure. We in Ireland cannot be complicit in facilitating such a brutal regime. That is why this Bill, sponsored by Deputies Brady, Ó Laoghaire and Ní Raghallaigh and me, is before the House today.”
“We want you to stop doing us active harm." This is the message of Omar Barghouti, founder of the Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, which I hosted here in Leinster House in my role as convenor of the Ireland-Palestine parliamentary friendship group. Our State's complicity is doing Palestinians active harm. Complicity in genocide, apartheid and occupation is incredibly serious and requires immediate actions, including sanctions against the State of Israel, an arms embargo, and the enactment of the occupied territories Bill and the Illegal Israeli Settlements Divestment Bill. These are all actions we can and should take but that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael refuse to. This week, we approach Nakba Day, 15 May.”
“I move: That leave be granted to introduce Bill entitled an Act to amend the Comptroller and Auditor General (Amendment) Act 1993 to require the Comptroller and Auditor General to conduct a due diligence review of the State’s relations with Israel in line with the legal analysis and recommendations of the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel on implementation of the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice on the Legal Consequences arising from the Policies and Practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem. I will share time with Deputies Ó Laoghaire, Ní Raghallaigh and Brady. "We are not asking for your solidarity.”
“Tuigim go dtuigeann an tAire an cheist. Ní bhím ag féachaint ar "Bluey" mórán ach nuair atá na garpháistí linn, bíonn siad á lorg i mBéarla, i nGaeilge nó i pé teanga ina gcraoltar é. Is breá leo "Bluey". Nuair a bhí m'iníon óg, is ar an chlár "Dora" a bhíodh sí ag féachaint. Nuair atá RTÉ agus TG4 ag ceannach cláir mar seo agus ag déanamh aistriúcháin orthu, má dhéanann siad iad féin é, tá sé tábhachtach go bhfuil na ceadúnais acu chun na cláir a chraoladh fud fad na hÉireann ina iomláine. D’fhoilsigh mé an Bille Craolacháin (Seirbhís Uile-Éireann) (Leasú), 2025 chun díriú isteach ar an gceist seo. Tá sé tábhachtach go mbeadh an Rialtas ag díriú isteach air seo ionas gur féidir linn teacht timpeall ar an bhfadhb seo.”
“Tá muid anois tamall maith de bhlianta ó Chomhaontú Aoine an Chéasta inar glacadh leis go ndéanfaí cinntí le déanamh cinnte de nach mbeadh cosc nó baic maidir le cothú agus forbairt na teanga.”
“Baineann an cheist seo le halt a bhí ar Journal.ie le déanaí. Is ceist í atá ardaithe agam agus ag daoine eile i dTithe an Oireachtais. Baineann sí le cláir do leanaí ar nós "Bluey" nó "Dora". Bíonn an clár “Dora” ar TG4 agus bíonn “Bluey” ar RTÉ. Tá geo-bhlocáil á dhéanamh. San alt céanna, dúirt Pádraig Ó Tiarnaigh ó Chonradh na Gaeilge: Tá sé scannalach, beagnach 30 bliain ar aghaidh ó Chomhaontú Aoine an Chéasta, go bhfuil RTÉ iad féin ag déanamh socruithe clár teilifíse a cheannach agus a chur ar fáil trí Ghaeilge, agus ansin bac a chur...[orthu siúd] do phobal na Gaeilge atá lonnaithe sna sé chontae. Bhí leanaí Phádraig ag baint sult as "Bluey" trí Ghaeilge agus iad ar saoire I dTír Chonaill. Nuair a d'fhill siad abhaile, áfach, bhí "Bluey" imithe don seinnteoir.”
“Baineann an cheist seo leis an geo-bhlocáil atá á dhéanamh ar chláracha Gaeilge ó chraoltóirí seirbhíse poiblí nach bhfuil ar fáil don lucht féachana sna Sé Chontae de bharr an geo-bhlocáil atá á dhéanamh ar sheirbhísí beo agus ar sheinnteoirí ar líne araon. An bhfuil sé i gceist ag an Aire aon ghníomh a dhéanamh chun deireadh a chur leis an geo-bhlocáil sin ionas gur féidir le lucht féachana ar fud na hÉireann ábhair atá á chraoladh sa teanga náisiúnta a fháil?”
“There are a number of issues here. We are not in disagreement. We must ensure our national cultural institutions and other museums are aware of this issue and will take a proper approach to it. However, funding is required to address that and perhaps to make 3D copies of the material on display so that we would still have a facsimile in the collection. As the Minister has said, it is not a one-way street. Over the years, we have seen countries, particularly England, holding material belonging to or relevant to Ireland that is hidden away in museums. This material is sometimes surplus to the museums' requirements. Such material has sometimes been given back by way of permanent loan rather than being returned outright. When he worked in a museum, my father managed to return some such items without anybody's permission.”
“The French National Assembly in some ways is setting out where we need to go with this but, given that it is a former imperialist and colonial power, it has a lot more work to do than we should have. That is not to say that there is not within our national institution collections elements of colonial plunder. We should look to ensure that the repatriation of those, where demanded or sought, takes place. As to the real question, the Minister has mentioned the advisory committee on restitution and repatriation of cultural heritage, saying that it met in November. I believe he also said it was due to meet in February, which was its final meeting. When do we expect the committee's recommendations and final report?”
“This question is about the law adopted by the French National Assembly on 30 April with regard to the repatriation of heritage objects taken as a result of colonial plunder. I ask if the Minister plans to establish a similar framework of cultural heritage objects in this State, when the advisory committee on the restitution and repatriation of cultural heritage last met and the recommendations it has made.”
“The appeal is for artists to apply. They have until 12 May. The appeal from here if, as the Minister said, anybody is listening, is for people to make the application between now and 12 May. They will then have to wait. When exactly will the scheme start? The Minister has allocated, I think, €18 million. That amount suggests six months for this year and it will cost €33 million per year based on 2,000 people. Can the Minister indicate when the scheme will start? The last time it started, there was a-----”
“When somebody gets to that page, it should state somewhere that this is the basic income portal and make the sign-up part larger, just for the next couple of weeks while we are waiting for applications.”
“The portal has been moved higher up on the page. Originally users had to scroll down several thousand words before they found the portal to click on. It is now in the first one or two paragraphs. When they click onto it the user is brought to a page that says "An Roinn Department Client Portal" and asks for an email and password to log in. It is only down at the end where it prompts if they do not have an account to create one account. The person will not have an account; that is the whole point. This is a one-off. For people who are not tech savvy, it can be scary. There are a lot of people who do not like filling out forms, whether they are on paper or online.”
“I also encourage professional artists and graduates because it is not just professional artists who can apply. There is a number of positions available in this scheme for those who have just graduated. The issue I had raised initially relating to the website has been addressed. Originally people could not find where to click unless they read the whole front page. That issue is addressed. However, there are other issues. People who have been leaving voicemails or who have been looking for help were not getting the help as quickly as they felt they should. If somebody is an artist and is busy and is trying to access the website or a person to talk to, there is frustration. That has already led to some people thinking they might not apply. I encourage them to apply.”
“They are the best people in the world, yet we have allowed them to continue to live in unfit accommodation with all of the other pressures these communities are under. We all know about the antisocial and criminal behaviour of people selling drugs in many of these complexes. That needs to end, and it needs to end now.”