Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I want to start by acknowledging and welcoming the Government’s recognition this week of the State of Palestine. Ireland, along with Spain and Norway, is leading the way in giving recognition to the Palestinian people. I want to commend and thank the Tánaiste, everybody in the Government, the Department of Foreign Affairs and various NGOs, and all who have worked to get us to this point. It is not an end in and of itself but more of a beginning. It is a very clear statement of our collective belief that there can be no peace in the Middle East until such time as the Palestinian and Israeli people can, in equal measure, live in freedom, dignity, security and peace and can co-exist with respect for each other and with a shared ambition for a better future for all. I would renew our appeal for the release of all hostages, for an immediate ceasefire to allow for sustained humanitarian aid in Gaza, and for all sides to commit to a two-state solution.

I also ask the Acting Leader to ask the Taoiseach’s office to engage with Seanad Éireann on the Taoiseach’s proposal for an inner city task force. The Taoiseach’s announcement indicated that the task force would complete its work and make recommendations within a 12-week period. Four weeks have already passed and it is critically important that the task force is seen to deliver an incremental benefit to the inner city. To do so, it should really engage with residents, businesses and all of the stakeholders in the inner city. It is not clear whether there will be any form of public consultation or engagement. A debate in this House with the Taoiseach’s Department on the issue would be very welcome. It is really clear that what the inner city needs and what we all want is for it to be a safer, cleaner and more liveable place for us all. It is not that at the moment. I would welcome the Taoiseach’s commitment to a debate in this House and a sharing with this House of his ambition for his task force.

Finally, I want to acknowledge the debate which took place here yesterday evening on the report of the Housing Commission. Members of the Opposition were probably a bit out of step and did not put themselves in the best position to progress a discussion on housing, and not for the first time, when they hastily submitted an amendment which failed to appreciate the value of the work that was undertaken by the Housing Commission. I thank everybody who worked on the commission. I urge members of the Opposition to engage with its report in a constructive way so that, collectively, we can map out a vision and a plan for the delivery of housing post 2030. In the meantime, if they could support Housing for All and allow us to continue to increase the supply and affordability of housing for our citizens, everybody would benefit.