Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail)

I will first comment on what our esteemed Senator from County Meath said. She only mentioned one Minister but I remind Senator Nelson Murray that it was in fact her Meath colleague, the former Minister for Justice, Deputy Helen McEntee, who introduced this legislation that is now difficult for the Government to deal with. Regarding the subcommittee, I also remind her that there are three Fine Gael Cabinet Ministers, one Fianna Fáil Cabinet Minister and one Fianna Fáil Minister of State on the subcommittee that is meeting next Tuesday.

Moving on to other issues, I was shocked to see in a recent report that Ireland had the highest level of skin cancer in Europe. Some 12,000 people per year suffer from skin cancer, with 90% of that linked to UV rays. I have raised this before but I believe the 23% VAT rate should not apply to SPF products because cost is a factor in people using them. I pay tribute to Noelle O’Connor, who has done a lot of work lobbying on this issue and has worked with Kelsey O’Donnell, who is a skincare clinical specialist at the Mater hospital. Basically, they are saying, and they are right, that SPF should be classified as an essential product and should be VAT-exempt. I echo that. Perhaps we could get the Minister in to speak about that.

I also raise the issue of the Palestinian GAA group that has come to Ireland over the years. With everything that is going on, it is more important than ever that we should be able to welcome a group of young people from Palestine.I understand this group of about 45 are facing significant delays in getting visas. They are due to come at the end of July. Flights have been bought and paid for. That is now in question. Together with that, a cultural group from Lahiya, West Bank, is in Belfast. They were here in 2022 for music, dance and now football. They were due to be coming at the same time. Again, visas have not been permitted at this point. The group is frustrated in relation to having to pay for accommodation and so on and I would appreciate it if the Leader could raise that issue.

It is good to see there is possible movement in relation to a ceasefire between Israel and Gaza. However, to see a wanted war criminal nominating a convicted felon for the Nobel Peace Prize is absolutely incredible. To think of Nobel Peace Prize winners we have had in the past such as Seán MacBride, John Hume and David Trimble, to name but three, and to see somebody like President Trump being nominated is beyond belief.