Conor Murphy
Industrial and Commercial Panel · Sinn Féin · Ireland
“Given the complex legal issues the appeals would involve, such as the interaction of legal residency, habitual residency and social housing support, it would have been better to have one single, independent appeals office located within the Housing Agency, similar to how social welfare operates.”
“I move amendment No. 16: In page 16, after line 39, to insert the following: “(i) the household or members of the household were refused access to emergency homeless accommodation provided under Section 10 of the Housing Act 1988”. I will speak to amendment Nos. 16 and 17.”
“I move amendment No. 19: In page 17, to delete lines 12 to 16 and substitute the following: “(6) A social housing appeal shall be made to an independent appeals office located within the Housing Agency within 28 days of the notification by the housing authority to the household concerned of the making of a determination in respect of the…”
“In relation to this Bill, the amendment seeks that the habitual residence conditions do not act as a barrier to those who have perhaps not worked here or have been resident here but have worked away for all of their lives and do not have a history of paying into the State or have a history of employment here but are Irish residents but pe…”
“I move amendment No. 2: In page 6, between lines 4 and 5, to insert the following: “(5) Within twelve months of the commencement of this Bill the Minister for Housing shall lay before the Houses of the Oireachtas a report on the implications of Part 2 of the Bill for returning Irish migrants, and in particular those Irish citizens returni…”
“The intentions behind this Bill may well have been good but the delivery of it has left a lot to be desired. One of the issues that came up during dialogue has nothing to do with migrants but concerns people from Ireland who have been working away abroad all of their lives and with to come home to retire.”
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“He also said there is no evidence of any conversation, which defied all logic and available evidence. The question is, does the Government agree with his position and his assertion? If the Secretary of State continues to say that in the face of mounting evidence to the contrary, is the Government prepared to go to the British Government and say it is wrong and that the evidence does support the need for a border poll? Or is the Government, as this statement seems to indicate to me, opting out of that? That is a major deficiency we need to hear from the Government about. Second, the Government says it is not planning for unity, and I agree entirely with Senator Byrne's contribution. Senator McDowell chided us for no preparation.”
“If you want to be involved in reconciliation, then get involved with the rest of us and help us with the heavy lifting. Various Ministers, and I have met plenty of them over the years, have come North and privately said, "How do you deal with these people?" Then they tell us that a deal has not been good enough and we cannot move forward. Let us all work together on that and step up to the plate with regard to reconciliation. There are two key points I would make regarding preparation and this is where I feel there are two areas the Government is deficient on. The Minister of State said that "the Secretary of State has stated unambiguously that there is no evidence that the necessary conditions have been met" with regard to calling a border poll.”
“I have been involved in this process for more than 30 years. There is one difference I would remind the Government parties of. The tone of the debate has been good and I am respectful in saying this. We took the choice to go into Stormont in 1998. It was not something we wanted to do but we did that because we agreed it was a space where we could work with unionism on matters of importance to both our communities. That choice was also available to Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael but they chose not to come North and they chose to allow us to do the heavy lifting with regard to reconciliation. Then they tell us that the two communities have not moved close enough together and we cannot progress other matters. To me, that is hypocrisy.”
“Multitudes of people were disappeared in the Civil War and the War of Independence with no questions answered, no process for truth and no closure process. That clearly was a wrong approach to take so we would be fully in support of a legacy process. That is why we reached an agreement in 2014 in Stormont House, which I was part of with the other parties and both Governments, to identify a legacy process to try to deal with those issues. Unfortunately, the British Government walked away from that unilaterally and now we are back to the stage where we are trying to put that together again. I fully agree with the idea of legacy and we are fully on board with that and the contribution it can make to reconciliation. I agree with the point Senator McCormack made about reconciliation. We have worked assiduously on it.”
“Thankfully, the money is back on the table and of course we will all pull together on that. The Minister of State, Deputy Richmond, mentioned sectarianism in his discussion and I fully agree with his abhorrence of that and its use in the presidential campaign. Being a party that, more than most, gets those kinds of vile attacks on social media, we fully understand the damage that does, but sectarianism is the antithesis of republicanism, and certainly the antithesis of the republicanism I stand for. Another theme that was mentioned was legacy, and I fully agree there is a need to pursue that project. There is an idea that post Civil War, the parties who formed Governments here simply drew a veil over that.”
“I thank all those who participated in the debate and I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Murnane O'Connor, to listen to the conclusion of it. In the short time I have, there were so many opinions and ideas shared that it is not possible to do justice to them all. I will deal with a few specific points and then maybe some of the themes. Senator Blaney mentioned the A5. I was actually Minister for Infrastructure from 2007 to 2011 when that was announced by the North-South Ministerial Council. I had to remind him, and I will remind him again, that the money was taken off the table by the Government led by Enda Kenny at that stage, which was an enormous setback to the A5. It is not a matter of political disagreement that holds it up; it is a matter of courts. There is political agreement to go ahead with it.”
“There is a major role to be played by civic and community groups, which will be central to winning the referendums. Our global diaspora must be included as well. We have an opportunity to forge a new relationship with Britain. It will always be our nearest neighbour and the ties of family and friends mean that there will always be a close affinity with that country. Going forward, it will be a partnership of equals. That is one of the lessons of the Brexit experience. The other critical lesson is that significant change must be planned for and managed by governments. The Good Friday Agreement clearly identified where such responsibility lies. To ignore the process of change gathering pace across Ireland is not simply to stick your head in the sand; it is a dereliction of duty for any sovereign government.”
“There cannot be a new lreland that does not celebrate and include those from this tradition. They will be every bit as valid as Irish citizens as anyone in this Chamber this evening. Crucially, we believe it is now time to work to secure a date for the referendums on unity provided for in the Good Friday Agreement. That means the Irish Government must, without delay, initiate a conversation with the British Government around the holding of such referendums. Most, if not all, of us in this Chamber share the desire to see self-determination for all the people who share this island. Sometimes we differ in our view on the best path to achieving that goal, but I think the unity campaign can be a great unifier among both the parties and the people who support it.”
“Our hard-earned peace has benefited everyone, and we are ready to write the next chapter together. This Private Members' motion is a call to action to the Government. We are asking that it establish an all-island representative citizens' assembly or assemblies to allow for informed debate and an Oireachtas joint committee on Irish unity to enable careful planning. We want the Government to produce and publish a plan towards Irish unity in conjunction with civic society and key stakeholders. This was also a recommendation of a committee of the Oireachtas in the previous mandate. We encourage the Government to engage with northern Protestant and unionist opinion about the future of Ireland, as we have done, publicly and privately, for many years. People from the Protestant tradition are a vital and integral part of our new shared future.”
“The democratic decision of the people of the North was not respected because the right to self-determination continues to be denied. Our economy, if properly managed, has the potential to significantly benefit from the removal of barriers on the island. The potential of the North as part of the all-island economy is extraordinary. Cross-border trade has grown from less than £2 billion in 1998 to £12.4 billion annually today. Across the North there is massive potential for renewable energy delivery, advanced manufacturing, creative industries, fintech and cybersecurity. There are world-class universities, teacher training colleges, researchers and a young, ambitious workforce. There is a vibrant cultural heritage, a thriving tourism sector and, of course, great poets, athletes and artists. The Irish language is thriving.”
“However, the Good Friday Agreement was not the end of the matter. Rather, the agreement outlined for the first time a peaceful and democratic pathway to unity. This was agreed by both the Irish and the British Governments. The referendums on Irish unity are an integral part of the Good Friday Agreement, and the Irish Government is a co-guarantor of that agreement and has a responsibility to facilitate the democratically expressed wishes of the people of Ireland. We want to be free to govern ourselves and determine our own destiny. That is what uniting Ireland is about. That is what self-determination is about. Without the right to self-determination for the people of the North, all other rights are illusory. Brexit proved that, if there were any doubt.”
“The Good Friday Agreement provides the pathway to reunification. It is very straightforward. Referendums must be held concurrently North and South. The referendums must be successful and a new phase of nation-building must be initiated, one which is inclusive and welcoming and involves people from diverse backgrounds. All of us in this Chamber know our nation's past and the colonial oppression that has been endured by our people for centuries. There were multiple references to that yesterday, when President Zelenskyy was visiting, from some of the speakers who addressed both Houses. We know too the effects that partition has had on our island. Crucially, the Good Friday Agreement ended the war in lreland, and the current generations of children thankfully do not experience the conflict some of us grew up with.”
“While territorial reintegration is central to the unity proposition, it is the opportunity which unity provides to build a true Ireland of equals for all the citizens of our nation that is the driving ambition behind the unity campaign. Reunification is not simply the aspiration of united lrelanders; it is fundamentally supported by Bunreacht na hÉireann, and the reunification of Ireland is the stated position of all the major political parties in this State. There is growing momentum across political, business, cultural and civic society for constitutional change. The fact that discussions are at such a level is remarkable when one considers the refusal to date of the Government to initiate a comprehensive process which would facilitate the detailed analysis and planning required for a successful unity project.”
“Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. I thank the Minister of State for his presence in the Seanad Chamber this evening to discuss the fundamental issue of the future of our country. As we are aware, this Private Members' business was discussed in the Dáil Chamber in October. The Dáil agreed with the motion on that occasion, and I am hopeful the Seanad will adopt a similar position this evening. The reunification of our country will be the greatest gift our generation can bestow on the young people of Ireland. Irish unity is about much more than simply stitching on the Six Counties of the North to the Twenty-six Counties of the South.”
“I move: That Seanad Éireann: recognises that: - the reunification of Ireland is an objective of Bunreacht na hÉireann; and - there is a growing national discussion around constitutional change with people from diverse backgrounds now exploring the possibility of Irish unity; notes that: - the Good Friday Agreement 1998 provides the democratic and peaceful means to achieve reunification through the provision of unity referendums; and - the significant Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement report, "Perspectives on Constitutional Change: Finance and Economics", which recommends the establishment of Citizen Assemblies and other relevant forums, a designated Joint Oireachtas Committee and a Government Department to take responsibility for planning and preparing for constitutional change, received cross-party support; and calls on the Irish Government to plan and prepare for Irish unity through the following actions: - establish an all-island representative Citizens' Assembly or Assemblies, to allow for informed debate, and a Joint Oireachtas Committee on Irish Unity to enable careful planning; - produce and publish a plan towards Irish unity in conjunction with civic society and key stakeholders; - engage with northern protestant and unionist opinion about the future of Ireland; and - work to secure a date for the referendums on unity provided for in the Good Friday Agreement.”
“The Government parties must live up to their manifesto commitments and begin active preparation to plot the course to reunification. Sinn Féin rejects the Finance Bill before us. It will do nothing to ease the burden on hard-pressed citizens. It benefits the elite, the developers and bankers. It is the wrong focus from the Government. Sinn Féin will vote against the Bill.”
“It lacks any real ambition for the country – a fact proven by the failure of the Government to make planning for constitutional change an integral part of the budget. We must harness the potential of our island-wide economy. That is the best way to provide housing, health and other services for all the people who live on the island. It is long past time that the Government began planning in earnest for the constitutional changes that are on the horizon. I welcome and commend all of the work of the shared island initiative. It is excellent work. We have heard a lot of success stories in the Good Friday Agreement committee. However, an all-island funding pot is not a substitute for the structural reform necessary to unify the country.”
“That means the banks are avoiding paying about half a billion euro each year. The bank levy itself is woefully inadequate too. Sinn Féin would have doubled it. The burden of Government policies is reserved for the poor, the sick and the hard-working people of the State who are running to stand still. Is it any wonder that emigration is soaring? We are again hearing stories of three and four rural GAA clubs being forced to amalgamate due to falling underage numbers. On a recent visit to Australia I met scores of recent emigrants who were bemused by the Government's come-home-to-build-Ireland campaign. Come home to live where, they asked me. This Finance Bill and the budget it enables will do precious little to tackle the inequalities in society. It will keep the rich rich and the poor poorer.”
“The Bill makes provision for: extensions to the rent tax credit and the deduction for retrofitting expenses by landlords; a corporation tax exemption in respect of certain cost-rental income; an enhanced corporation tax deduction for certain apartment construction costs; the extension and amendment of the residential development stamp duty refund scheme; and amendments to the residential zoned land tax. Developers have been handsomely looked after in this Finance Bill. The banks will also look forward to a good year too on the backs of the people of the State who bailed them out when they almost wrecked the economy in 2008. These are the same banks who essentially pay no corporation tax. They do this because the Government permits them to carry forward historical losses from the bailout to offset against profits today.”
“It is another pledge that was not honoured, which means that in 2026 landlords will see their tax credit increase but renters will not. Are we not right to say this is a landlords' budget? When we add to that the VAT reduction on the sale of apartments, it will result in a direct transfer of millions of euro from the State to the pockets of developers for apartments that would have been built regardless. The list of dig-outs to developers is extensive.”
“The Government says these are choices that will support industry and infrastructure across the State, but budget after budget, homelessness continues to rise, public services are reduced and the Government can never explain that. It never takes responsibility for the tens of thousands of working people for whom home ownership is a pipe dream. We in Sinn Féin asked the Government to deliver a fairer tax package by abolishing the USC on the first €40,000 every worker earns. This would have put €746 in the pocket of workers. We were ignored and, as a result, workers will be worse off next year. Renters have also been thrown to the wolves by the Government, which committed to increasing the renters' tax credit in the programme for Government.”
“The budget contains a hard message from the Government parties: that the pre-election courtship of voters is over and the promises made then are now abandoned until the next election campaign. This Finance Bill spends big. We are surrounded by millions and billions of euro, which the Government would say is evidence of an economy that is firing at full throttle. Who benefits from the roaring economy? It is certainly not workers, since the Government failed to introduce any income tax cuts to benefit them, never mind measures to support struggling families with the cost-of-living crisis. There were tax cuts for some. In fact, the Finance Bill will herald a total of €2.5 billion in tax cuts for landlords, developers, investors and others.”
“My colleagues and I will be opposing the Bill before us. It seems the Government has been determined from the outset to steamroll the Bill and the measures contained within it through the Houses. Not one Opposition amendment was accepted. We can only conclude that the budget, which the Bill before us enacts, is for the wealthy, the developers and the bankers. It turns its face away from ordinary citizens of this State who have struggled for years with the cost-of-living crisis that continues to turn the screw on workers and families. It is a budget that refused to acknowledge the hardship that would be felt by hundreds of thousands of households as vital cost-of-living measures were ruthlessly scrapped.”
“I fear some of these rollbacks are ideologically driven and not decisions made on the basis of fiscal pragmatism. The ordinary workers of Ireland did not cause any financial instability yet they carry the burden. That is not fair. Workers in this country have never worked harder just to stand still. The Government's housing policies have resulted in ordinary workers and families being priced out of the market. The number of minimum wage jobs advertised last year was double what it was in 2023. Real workers' rights are being eroded under this Government's watch. I call on the Government to enact this legislation but not to shirk its responsibility in respect of older workers and to lower to 65 the age at which people can access the State pension.”
“Many of these countries do not have anywhere near the economic prosperity of this State. What is prosperity if it is not used for the betterment of citizens? There are many other aspects of workers' rights that the Government committed to in advance of the last general election but which have yet to materialise. There has been a reversal on the promises regarding introducing the living wage, paid sick leave entitlements, increasing the minimum annual remuneration for employment permits and automatic enrolment for pensions. These have all been kicked down the road. The Government will say it is being fiscally prudent at a time of global uncertainty. That is what the former finance Minister said. I am not sure what the current finance Minister's view on this might be but I hope it is more enlightened.”
“The elephant in the room is the fact the pension age still needs to be reduced. A colleague, Deputy Louise O'Reilly, tabled a motion in 2021 which could have done that. While we support the important right to keep working if that is what a person desires, we also firmly and clearly advocate for people's right to retire at 65 with a full pension. Citizens have not forgotten that this was abolished by the Government in 2013. There is justifiable concern that some of the Government parties have their sights set on even higher age limits in the future. Legislation introduced in the past by Fine Gael would have raised the pension age to 68 years by 2028. There are variations across Europe when it comes to pension age but workers in Estonia, France, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Austria and Poland can retire by 65.”
“I am thinking of carpenters and brickies, service staff in hotels making heavy beds, hairdressers on their feet all day and kitchen staff, as well as those with long commutes to and from work and people working two or three jobs to make ends meet as the cost of living spirals and the Government set its face against introducing any cost-of-living mitigations. It must be emphasised that the report of the Pensions Commission recognised that people working in certain occupations, including hairdressers and those in construction and retail, feel by the time they hit 65 that they have done their shift. Many do not want to, nor should they be compelled to, work past the age of 65. While that is contained in the commission's report, the Government has not yet made provision for it.”
“It is influenced by multiple factors, including health, financial situation, the type of work one is engaged in and plans for the years ahead. We believe no worker should be forced to retire at any age simply because their contract stipulated so. This legislation enables flexibility between the employee and the employer and provides dignity of personal choice to the worker. For those reasons, we will support it and recognise the positive impact it will have on people's lives. Unfortunately, this legislation only tells one side of the story. For many workers across the country, the thought of working into their late 60s and 70s will bring real hardship.”
“For many people, it is the social aspect of working which brings the most satisfaction. They enjoy the camaraderie with their workmates, the sharing of experiences and the collaborating on different projects. For many people, work is much more than the pay cheque at the end of the week; it is a huge aspect of their everyday life. The wisdom and experience of older workers is of huge value to any workplace. As it stands, too many workers are being pushed out of jobs and into unemployment long before reaching pension eligibility. With that income gap comes financial stress and uncertainty, which has a negative impact on mental and physical health. I welcome the provisions of the Bill which mean employees cannot be penalised for exercising their right to continue working. The decision regarding when to retire is a deeply personal one.”
“Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. We will support the passage of the Bill, as we did in the Dáil. In tandem with the introduction of this Bill, the Government should introduce legislation to enable access to the State pension at 65. I know this is a matter for the Minister of Social Protection but the genesis of all these matters is the Pensions Commission report, which is across a number of Departments. After decades of contributions, workers who choose to do so deserve the right to access their State pension. Many people choose to remain in work because of the value and sense of purpose that going to work brings to their lives. The sense of structure and the weekly routine are deeply ingrained in workers when they have spent all their adult life in the workplace.”
“What we really need to see is Departments coming together to provide a consistent approach across all areas of medicine that require this type of collaboration. I ask the Leader to raise this with the Minister for Health and to arrange a debate in this Chamber on collaboration between the Departments of health, North and South, in the interests of all of the people that we serve across this island, in terms of both the health and economic benefits.”
“Professor Frank Casey, who gave evidence to the committee, suggested that developments in congenital heart disease can be replicated in other areas of medicine. Last week in the North, the chair of the British Medical Association, BMA, the association for GPs, was arguing for an all-island GP service to become available. Discussions at the committee outlined the benefits of collaboration in research, including the economic benefits, in terms of protecting life but also improving quality of life and enabling people to continue to make an economic contribution. The case is very well made and has been underpinned by support from the shared island initiative, which is very welcome and beneficial. The evidence is clear, not just in terms of the health benefits but also in terms of the economic benefits across the island.”
“I very much look forward to this development. That coincides with evidence given to us at a meeting of the Good Friday Agreement committee earlier this week by the all-Ireland congenital heart disease research programme and the All-Ireland Cancer Research Institute on some of the terrific work that has been going on at an all-Ireland level in the area of health. Those joint services have contributed to stopping people from having to go off the island for critical medical interventions. This is particularly the case for children with heart disease. Services on both sides of the Border have moved to a position where they are now world leading due to the collaboration that has been undertaken in the last ten to 15 years.”
“I agree with the proposition put forward by my colleague, Senator Clonan. I draw attention to some of the work that is already going on in relation to that, albeit at a lower level. I very much welcome the announcement by Queen’s University Belfast and Dundalk Institute of Technology, DkIT, yesterday of the creation of the first all-island university college, which is a very exciting proposition. As someone who lives not far from DkIT and who represents communities in that Border area, I am keen to ensure that they have access to the best opportunities on their doorstep. More importantly, this could be the first step towards a more consistent and accessible education system across the island. My party colleague, Deputy Ó Murchú, has raised this with the Taoiseach and he has indicated support from the Government for it.”
“The Tánaiste should engage directly with the British Secretary of State in the North and remind him not only that there is an imperative under the Constitution to seek reunification of the country but also that doing so is a legitimate right under the Good Friday Agreement and that that right must be supported and reflected by a British Secretary of State and not dismissed. It is patently untrue to say there is no conversation ongoing when the conversation is happening all around him. The inaction of the current Government in this regard lends itself to him making such an assertion and I would like the Government to engage, as it promised to in its manifesto, in active preparation for reunification.”
“There was much to commend in the speech an tUachtarán Connolly made yesterday, particularly her reference to the imperative in Article 3 of the Constitution for reunification. In that sense, I share the anger and frustration of many people, particularly those north of the Border but also those across the island generally, at the casual dismissal by the British Secretary of State, Hilary Benn, of all efforts to have conversations and make preparations in that regard. We are used to arrogant dismissals by unionists of our legitimate aspirations, as reflected in the Good Friday Agreement, but for such a dismissal to come from a British Secretary of State, whose job is supposed to be that of an honest broker, was reprehensible. I ask the Leader to raise this matter with the Tánaiste.”
“More is the pity that the deputy First Minister, who is from Markethill, was unable to attend and did not nominate someone to represent her in her place. The presence of people from my county brought home the fact that while we were able to attend, and while the reverend gentlemen were able to participate in the service associated with the inauguration, none of us can vote for our President. That is an anomaly that has persisted for far too long. Commitments were made some 13 years ago to address this, yet here we are beginning a seven-year mandate without the ability to extend voting rights to citizens north of the Border and to the diaspora. Surely the Government must now, with some urgency and having committed to addressing this issue under previous mandates, begin to do so.”
“On a slightly more positive note, I commend and congratulate our Uachtarán nua, Catherine Connolly, on her inauguration yesterday. Many of us were privileged to attend the ceremony. On behalf of my group, I wish her well in her term. I have every confidence that she will be an excellent President, following the course of previous Presidents who have also distinguished the office. I had thought when I was at the inauguration ceremony yesterday that I might be the only representative present from County Armagh, but I realised afterwards that the Church of Ireland archbishop is from Lurgan, the Presbyterian moderator is from Tandragee and the Methodist minister is from Portadown. Therefore, the county was very well represented.”
“In a political and practical sense, there are many issues that can be addressed to make that aspiration something which has a level of practical support rather than an expressed desire on behalf of the Government.”
“We need to take practical steps in terms of the issues they are raising with us. Other issues that arose were driving licence exchange, housing challenges - an obvious one - visas for non-Irish spouses and partners, and education and third level fees for children of Irish-born citizens. These are all barriers to people returning home. The sentiment is correct. The visit coincided with the presidential election, which was an obvious sore point for a lot of Irish citizens abroad and their inability to participate in the political life of the country, yet there is a desire on the part of the Government to have many of them return home.”
“The ability to come back and have their own home is the biggest single barrier in people’s minds to returning. There are practical things that can be done and I ask the Minister of State to examine some of these. For instance, there is the issue of healthcare staff who go and practise in Australia and their ability to transfer that experience when they come home, the ability of a person to say they have seven years’ experience working in a healthcare setting and they would like to see those qualifications and that experience recognised. People in a whole range of professions, not just healthcare, told us they come back and basically start at square one. Dealing with that would be a practical step. If we want to encourage people to come home, we need much more than billboards.”
“There is a new country to be built here in the time ahead. I have always encouraged young people to travel and get the experiences and benefits of being abroad, but to come back home and assist in building the new Ireland that lies ahead. In terms of our immediate economic needs we need many people to come back. Many of the same issues were raised with us in that conversation. I had the opportunity to meet people at a political level, both at state and federal level, and to talk to our own diplomats, who are doing excellent work with our new ambassador and consul general in Sydney. I talked to people in the GAA clubs, in the diaspora, in trade unions and in business, all Irish people who have been very successful in Australia, and the same issues kept arising, one of which was housing.”
“This trip occurred at the time of the presidential election and there was huge interest in what was going on back home. In that sense, and given the advertising campaign the Government has engaged in, with the catchline “You built Sydney; come back and build Ireland”, and the desire to get people to come home, it was not lost on people and was remarked on to us by quite a few people that they are not allowed to vote in a presidential election. People want them home and they value them as the diaspora, as Irish citizens living abroad, but yet many other countries - a huge number - across the world facilitate their citizens voting in presidential and other elections and that that was not available to them. I welcome the sentiment of hoping people will return, and we all hope people will return.”
“I agree with the point we should continue to urge other countries to step up in that regard, because if people genuinely want to solve issues of climate change and economic migration, investment in those countries where people are suffering the most hardship is clearly the way to do it. It would be remiss of me not to reference the diaspora, the other element of the Minister of State's brief, though it was not a subject in his statement. I had the benefit over the past two weeks of travelling around Australia on behalf of a delegation from Sinn Féin. It was during the week before Hallowe'en and the week of recess. We spent time in Perth, Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra and the Irish connection there is so strong. Australia is probably as far away as you can get for an Irish diaspora, but its connection to home is really strong.”
“As Senator Ahearn said, as regards the issues that are thrown up by the challenges of immigration, particularly in Europe but also in the United States in relation to South America, the best investment that can possibly be made is in ensuring people do not feel the need, either because of economic or climate circumstances, to make a long, dangerous and arduous trek to somewhere where they can find relief, only to then find that the welcome of the countries they are trying to get to is less than forthcoming, particularly in the case of European countries that have colonised and stripped the assets of the countries those people are leaving. Our commitment in terms of the continued amount we are intending to give to that, along with the values we bring, is important.”
“We have seen very clearly with USAID and with other aid that might be made available to people that it comes with issues and strings attached. The importance of us continuing to do that work, particularly in the areas the Minister of State outlined such as humanitarian areas and the protection of women, is crucially important, along with the focus on the global south.”
“That is particularly so when sources of funding like USAID and others are being withdrawn, which is not only having a devastating effect on many aid agencies across the world but is also allowing other actors to come into that space who are not necessarily as genuinely motivated as we would like to think we are in that regard. The Minister of State spoke about the values of this country and our intent in relation to the work we do overseas. That is recognised. It has a long history that I daresay goes back to my fellow villager and Camlough man, Frank Aiken, and his work in establishing that position of Ireland at the United Nations and our ongoing commitment to being a neutral actor in these matters.”
“Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. I had intended to ask to share time with Senator Chris Andrews, but I presume that will not be necessary. The Senator will have sufficient time to make his own contribution, not that I intend to take up too much of the Minister of State's time. I very much welcome the Minister of State's contribution and the emphasis he put on the commitment the Government has given in respect of continuing to provide overseas development assistance and to fund various projects to the level they are currently being funded.”
“The loss of Senator Billy Lawless will be felt most keenly by those who loved him and were closest to him. On behalf of Sinn Féin, I extend my deepest sympathies to them all. I regret that I did not get to know Billy in person and learn of his admirable qualities that have been expressed here today. On behalf of our group, I offer our sincere sympathies. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a ainm.”
“I was very fortunate in the past couple of weeks to have been able to travel around Australia and meet many people, and I noted the experience is remarkably similar. There is always a go-to person in each area, and clearly Billy Lawless was a go-to person. Everyone who has gone abroad is indebted to people like him who offer support and advice and create an instant connection that makes them feel at home. Clearly, Billy provided that, not only in Chicago but also through his role representing the diaspora on behalf of all of us in this Chamber. Billy has been clearly described by colleagues as a tireless advocate for the diaspora. His loss will be felt by many across the US who benefited from his support, particularly those in Chicago.”