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

The Minister of State was obviously in the House when I spoke earlier but chose to ignore what I said. He spoke of hypocrisy but his hypocrisy has been shown and thrown open today. I will repeat what I said. I made absolutely clear that I opposed both imperialist powers that seek to divide the world into their respective spheres of influence. I said I openly opposed the US empire and equally opposed its Russian and Chinese rivals. Maybe the Minister of State is deaf or maybe he chooses not to hear it but what he did here earlier was disgraceful. Thankfully, he withdrew his comments.

I have a couple of questions that I would like the world to repeat to this Government. When is it going to bring the Bill to end the triple lock before the Dáil? Clearly, and for very good reasons, it is not going to happen before the European and local elections. It is because the Government knows it would make it unpopular. If it is going to bring in the Bill before the general election, then make it a general election issue if it will not give the people a referendum. It should give us a new manifesto from Fianna Fáil which states it is ditching our neutrality and will bring the sons and daughters of working-class people to engage in combat in any part of the world it chooses. I repeat that question. Where does the Government want to send the sons and daughters of Irish people to take part in combat? The Government cannot and has not answered this.

Lastly, an important question was asked today that needs to be repeated. How does the Government know that US aircraft, such as the C-17 which carried UN general commander Erik Kurilla into Tel Aviv to engage in discussions with the Israeli military, are not carrying weapons or bombs? It does not inspect them. The Seanad will deal with this today in its motion on air navigation and transport and we fully support it. I thank all Members of the Opposition who spoke. I will give Deputy Boyd Barrett an opportunity to speak.

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