Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh (Kildare South, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I rise today with deep gratitude and I want to begin by stating a chéad míle fáilte and ár mbuíochas to my dad Declan, mo pháistí Síog, Déaglán, Féile agus Luán, my brother Ciarán and all of those in Kildare South constituency who voted for me, and mo chairde, my Palestinian comrades and my republican family, the Grey Abbey Martyrs Sinn Féin Cumann in Kildare, for their unwavering support in bringing me here. It is because of their belief, hard work and bhur muinín ionam that I stand in this Chamber today. I stand proudly before them as Sinn Féin TD for south Kildare determined to be a strong voice for my community.

If these were normal times, in my maiden speech, I would be speaking to the House about how I will fight tirelessly for infrastructure we urgently need in south Kildare, for better transport links, as a múinteoir for school places, and for the right of every child, especially those in special schools, to receive the education and support they deserve be that as Gaeilge or as Béarla. Of course I will do that but these are not normal times.

We are currently in the midst of a genocide perpetrated by Israel, which has slaughtered tens of thousands of Palestinian and counting. Ó mhí Dheireadh Fómhair 2023, táim tar éis a bheith ag seasamh seachtain i ndiaidh seachtaine leis na sluaite i gcoinne an chinedhiothaithe atá á dhéanamh ar mhuintir na Palaistíne. Sheas mé ag Aerfort na Sionainne ag éileamh go gcuirfí deireadh le húsáid náireach ár n-aerspáis chun armlón a iompar a mharaíonn na mílte Palaistínigh. Seasaim anois os bhur gcomhair sa Dáil ag iarraidh ar na Comhaltaí an Bille seo a reáchtáil. Gheall an rialtas deireanach seasamh leis an bPalaistín agus an Bille um chríocha gafa a rith ach tugadh an gealltanas sin nuair a bhí an rialtas sin sa tóir ar vótaí. Now, when it matters most, the Government has turned its back choosing cowardice over courage, complicity over conscience. Ni fhéadfaimid tír neodrach a ghlaoch orainn agus muid ag éascú an chogaidh seo. Tá stair bhródúil againn mar thír a bhíonn ag seasamh le daoine atá faoi chois. D'fhéach an domhan orainn tráth mar chomhartha dlúthpháirtíochta. Cad a déarfaidh an stair fúinn anois? Ní píosa reachtaíochta amháin atá san occupied territories Bill. Is tástáil é ar ár moráltacht, ár bhflaitheas agus ár n-aontacht. Impím ar an Rialtas seo misneach a bheith aige, a bheith cróga agus cloí lena ghealltanas agus seasamh a ghlacadh le muintir na Palaistíne. Tá comhoibriú forleathan ag teastáil chun an cheist seo a réiteach. Is rud níos mó ná an pholaitíocht é mar is ceist dhaonnachta í seo. Mar sin, is fúinn go léir í. Tá sé in am beart a dhéanamh de réir a bhriathair. Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCeann Comhairle.

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