Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

On the last sitting day of the Dáil, I add my own words of thanks on behalf of the Labour Party to you, a Cheann Comhairle, and to all the staff here in the Oireachtas who make the complex run smoothly for all of us. I thank them for their great help and support over this term; it is deeply appreciated.

As we face into our own election, we are all conscious of enormous impact internationally of the US election result just yesterday for Ukraine, for Gaza, for climate action, for women's rights, for migrant rights and indeed for Europe. Yesterday, Irish media reported that internal Government briefings warned of potential impacts of Trump's win for Ireland's economy. When we saw Irish troops in Lebanon targeted by Israel, I was very grateful to the Tánaiste for his constructive engagement with Opposition leaders at that time. I ask for the same transparency and the same engagement to take place even as we face into an election campaign and that the outgoing Government would brief Opposition leaders on the potential impact of president-elect Trump's win for the economy and for Ireland more generally. It would be helpful if we saw that. Many of us do have concerns about what a more protectionist American trade policy will mean for Ireland. It would be helpful if we could have those briefings.

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