Immigration, housing and the situation in Gaza dominated proceedings as the Dáil resumed for its first sitting of the new year on Wednesday.
Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl briefly suspended the chamber after People Before Profit (PBP) TDs, who were calling for a debate on the “genocide” occurring in Gaza and South Africa’s action against Israel at the International Court for Justice, failed to resume their seats.
PBP TD Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection, who was standing in for the Taoiseach, whether there would be a debate “where we can discuss the genocide, the worst possible crimes”.
When the Dáil resumed, Mr Ó Fearghaíl told Mr Boyd Barrett he did not believe there was a single member in the House who wasn’t “sickened by what they see happening in Gaza and what we saw happen in Israel on October 7th”.
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“We’re shocked and appalled by all of it, but I don’t know what is being achieved by shouting in here and jumping up and down, or by a debate,” he said.
Separately, PBP TD Bríd Smith said there were echoes of “Nazi supporters’ lies” regarding refugees from Rural Independent and other TDs in the Dáil. Ms Smith called on Government parties to “rein in” their local councillors who were passing motions that refuse to deal with the Department of Integration concerning housing refugees.
Mr Ó Fearghaíl said while he was in favour of very robust debate, it was not fair “by any stretch of the imagination to equate any member of this House in any way with nazism, not in any way, not by any stretch of the imagination”.
“You diminish the appalling nature of what nazism is to do so,” he told Ms Smith.
Independent TD Michael Lowry said the Government had “failed” Roscrea on immigration and “neglected” to support the town in its time of greatest need. The Tipperary TD said the Government had put forward “face-saving proposals” after “the damage has already been done” and it was making up immigration policy “as you go along”.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald used her first Leaders’ Questions of 2024 to raise the issue of investment funds bulk buying homes. Ms McDonald said in Belcamp Manor in Dublin, it was “a case of here we go again”, where a vulture fund had bought up 85 per cent of the homes in the development.
“It has put these homes up for rent, charging upwards of €3,000 a month,” she said. “It is a real kick in the teeth for those who have scrimped, saved and sacrificed for years to buy a home. This is not a once-off occurrence either and the Government knows it.”
Labour leader Ivana Bacik also raised the issue of housing, pointing to the record 13,514 people in homelessness, describing the figure as “shameful”.
“The housing crisis is also impacting on the hundreds of thousands of young adults living out of childhood bedrooms, on the many thousands who are emigrating to Australia and other countries every year to find homes of their own, and it is affecting the thousands of people… who are stuck in a rental poverty trap and cannot now see themselves ever owning a home of their own,” she said.
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