Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I echo the compliments to the Cathaoirleach and the staff at the Seanad on the address by US Congressman Richie Neal and the warm welcome that was extended to him by this House. I compliment the Cathaoirleach on his ongoing engagement with the United States. Yesterday's interaction was important.

I also welcome the decision to allow temporary associate membership to PDFORRA of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, ICTU. It is important that members of our Defence Forces have a voice in the forthcoming pay talks. I appreciate that this is only a first step but it is welcome. I think that should be communicated. I congratulate the executive of PDFORRA for its work in that regard.

I am conscious that we have often debated China in this House. Yesterday saw a leak of police files that further prove the appalling treatment of the Uyghur minorities in Xinjiang by the Chinese Communist Party. We know that China is continuing to engage in systematic abuse and in a genocide against the Uyghur minorities. While our attention is rightly focused on what is happening in Ukraine, we cannot avoid what is continuing to happen in China.