Catherine Noone (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wholeheartedly agree with what Senator Mac Lochlainn has said about the dumping issue. We need to adopt a cross-party view on the environment as a whole.Notwithstanding the issue pointed out by the Senator earlier, we have an uneducated population when it comes to the environment. That is reflected in how we are performing internationally on the environment. So much more needs to be done. I have been requesting a debate for some time just on the environment. We need a lengthy debate on it.

At local level, if one deposits something in a refuse bin on the street, there is no recycling at that level. Across the board, we are performing poorly on the environment. Every day it becomes more obvious, once one takes a keen interest in it. I support the Senator on that and anything that can be done to improve our laws in this area. In general, when it comes to the environment, our behaviour is way below par. Clearly, all sides of the House need to take a keener interest in the environment.

On the issue of the Mexican-US border, Senator Marie-Louise O’Donnell is correct. I do not know that the US President, Donald Trump, will give a damn if we do not turn up for a Fourth of July party which has been organised. However, it is something we can do to show what we think of his latest policy when it comes to the more vulnerable members of society. It is inhumane and horrific. The scenes and descriptions of how families are being treated would draw tears from anyone. Acts like this are happening in the US, a country that was seen in the past by Irish people and by many other nationalities as the land of hope and opportunity. This is how it is conducting itself now. It is a small gesture we could make on this and I support Senator Ó Ríordáin on this. The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Coveney, has been vocal in his disgust at how these families are being treated on the Mexican-US border. Clearly, anything that can be done at an Irish level should be done.