Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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I have a point of order.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Let us see if it is a point of order.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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Yesterday during Taoiseach's Questions, the Taoiseach said that People Before Profit-Solidarity Deputies were "puppets" for Putin's regime. I believe this to be an abuse of privilege and disorderly. It is a very serious allegation for a Taoiseach to make about Opposition Members of Parliament that they are agents of a foreign state, particularly a state like Russia.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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That is not a point of order. The Deputy is entitled to raise the matter but what is he asking?

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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I am asking for the remark to be withdrawn in light of People Before Profit's very consistent record of opposition to Putin, the fact it is our co-thinkers who are in prison in Russia for opposing Putin's invasion of Ukraine and, while Bertie Ahern was shaking hands with Putin-----

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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No, we will not go into a discussion.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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-----we were opposing the invasion of Chechnya.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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The Deputy is asking for the comments to be withdrawn.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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Yes.

Micheál Martin (Taoiseach, Department of An Taoiseach; Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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This Parliament is the last bastion of democracy and free speech. The Deputies opposite feel free to make all sorts of assertions and allegations against Government Members on a consistent basis, whether we are puppets of oil and gas or of NATO, which is a constant assertion of Deputy Murphy and others. I will always retain the right to speak freely in this House. The far left does not get the right to frame the narrative in this Chamber. I will not withdraw it.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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So the Taoiseach is not withdrawing that Opposition Members of Parliament are agents of a foreign power? That is incredibly authoritarian.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Thank you, Deputy. We are not having a debate.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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It is genuinely quite chilling that the Taoiseach feels able to discount what we say and attempt to smear us by saying we are agents for Putin with no evidence whatsoever.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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I have shown some flexibility on this. The Deputy has raised it-----

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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It is very serious. It is a real diminishing of democratic rights.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Thank you.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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The Taoiseach is accusing Opposition Deputies-----

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Deputy, we will not continue-----

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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-----because they do not go along with the Taoiseach's agenda of militarisation, of being agents of Putin.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Thank you, Deputy. Resume your seat.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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It is quite shameful.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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The Deputy has raised a matter of order but what he has asked is for the comments to be withdrawn and the Taoiseach is saying he will not withdraw them. There the matter rests for the moment. We will move on.

Mary Lou McDonald (Leader of the Opposition; Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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What remedy is there to be?

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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No, the issue has been dealt with at this point. The question has been asked and the comments have not been withdrawn. I am moving on to ceisteanna don Taoiseach.