Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

In his engagement with international Heads of State and Government, has the Taoiseach met or does he intend to meet President Macron of France any time soon? When he does meet Mr. Macron, will he condemn the shameful police violence that has been perpetrated on citizens throughout France who are protesting the elongation of their working lives? To be clear, their working lives are not increasing from 62 to 64 years of age. There is also a clause contained in the pension extension that will force most workers to have 44 years of continuous service in order to receive a full pension. For French people, who leave school much later than we do, that will mean working until they are 67 or 68 years of age. That is a possibility for workers in this country. Perhaps we need some French lessons to show us how we need to resist this kind of thuggery against older people and workers. I ask the Taoiseach to condemn the violence of the French police against workers across the country and indicate this to President Macron.

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