Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Tá ceist agam maidir le cursaí diaspora. I have been calling for a debate on diaspora issues for quite a while. I raised an issue last week relating to the budget, which states in respect of budgetary line for the diaspora that it purports to serve our people at home and abroad and to promote reconciliation and co-operation. A total of €4 million in current and capital expenditure has been taken out of that budget. I have asked for clarification on this and I have not received it. I seek clarification from the Leader on this or will he ask the Minister of State, Deputy Cannon, to come to the House for a debate in order that we can find out what is happening? My understanding is that this strand of the budget provides for the emigrant support programme and other programmes run by Irish organisations abroad.

Statements have often been made in the House about the undocumented Irish in the US and how the US Government should act, etc. We have had a great deal of debate about Brexit and what the British Government needs to do and about Scottish independence and what the parliament there should do. I find it extraordinary that there is such resistance to us having a debate on the issues in Catalonia. Serious situations are unfolding. This morning, the Spanish Prime Minister indicated that his government will meet on Saturday to put the wording together in respect of article 155 of the Spanish constitution, which would rescind the powers of the Catalan Government. There will be many knock-on effects. For us as a Parliament to say that is not an issue for us means we are putting our heads in the sand and to think this will not have a knock-on effect on every member state is absolutely preposterous. However, on the broader issues of human rights and civil rights, including the right to free speech, the right to assembly and so on, we need to have a voice and we should certainly have a debate. If we only considered this from an EU perspective, Catalonia has a massive, thriving economy. There are concerns and I understand Spain's credit rating has been downgraded because of this ongoing controversy. To think that will not have a knock-on effect on European economies, including the Irish economy, is to deny that there is an issue whatsoever. I do not know who is dictating to the Government. We should not be dictated to by other governments, no matter where they are from, as to what we can discuss in this House. No group in this House should allow that to happen but there is certainly a strong sense that the parties in this Chamber do not want to discuss the issue of Catalonia and Spain and the call for international mediation.

I propose an amendment to the Order of Business that we take No. 41, motion 16, on the Order Paper today and that we ask one of the relevant Ministers to come to the House to discuss the Sinn Féin motion tabled regarding the constitutional status of Catalonia.