Annie Hoey (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I will try to whiz through things. I wish to briefly mention the UNRWA funding and a number of countries' withdrawal of it. I understand the accusations made towards UNRWA. However, it has provided flour to 3,482 families outside of shelters since November 2023, combatting what many international organisations call emerging starvation, looming famine and outbreak of disease. It supports 5.7 million refugees in the Middle East and 1.7 million internally displaced Palestinians, hundreds of whom have been killed. Those numbers are telling a devastating reality in Gaza and highlight the importance of UNRWA on the ground. It is horrific that the major states are still choosing to suspend that funding, which will cause the elimination of all the activities carried out by UNRWA by the end of February. I note the Taoiseach and others have made comments that there are no immediate plans to withdraw our funding, but I hope Ireland urges other UN member states to follow our example and continue to support the organisation as is, seeing as it is a lifeline for the Palestinian population. It is providing basic necessities such as shelter, water, food and healthcare to 2.3 million people despite the fact that 150 of their employees have been killed. I wanted to put that on the record.

I wish to highlight another matter. We hear much talk about referenda and voter registration and the deadline for that is Tuesday, 20 February. There have been all sorts of changes around the voter registration process, which have been very welcome. I am not sure whether we could discuss the following, or whether Leader could raise it with her sister parties in government, but a number of youth organisations, such as the Union of Students in Ireland, Labour Youth and others, have pointed out that the local elections are on the first Friday of the leaving certificate. They are calling for it to be changed, so that young people would be able to vote, and that there would be a recognition that it is during the leaving certificate. The dates have not been finalised but the USI, Labour Youth, the Young Greens and a number of organisations are concerned that this clash with the leaving certificate may hinder young people from participating in the electoral process. The last two local and European elections were held in May, so there was not any question of them being held in the middle of the examinations. I echo their calls. Perhaps other people here will engage on that. I do not know if Saturday voting is possible, but it is concerning that it is in the middle of the leaving certificate.