I move amendment No. 15: In page 17, line 33, to delete “paragraph” where it firstly occurs and substitute “paragraphs”. I will again be brief because I want to get to the next section, which is really important. This section is also important. Amendments Nos. 15 and 16 were proposed by a group of academic researchers and experts in probation services. Most of them gave their time to the joint committee as witnesses. They are experts in community sanctions, judicial attitudes, sentences and use of research and evid…

It is ironic that the Minister is talking about merging Acts. He has merged a whole panoply of issues into one Bill here. I listened to the previous debate, and he wanted to squash everything in. I am sure there was a way to get this done. I will bring something forward on this again in my own time, probably as Private Members' business.

I move amendment No. 16: In page 18, between lines 3 and 4, to insert the following: “(ab) Where a court, by or before which an offender stands convicted, is of opinion that the appropriate sentence in respect of the offence of which the offender is convicted would, but for this Act, be one of imprisonment for a period of 24 months or less, and where, having considered in accordance with subsection (3) whether to make a community service order, decides not to make such an order, the court shall, as an alternative t…

I want to raise the waiting times for therapies for children’s disability network teams. A couple of weeks ago, I raised the unacceptable waiting time for children in Lucan for speech and language therapy. The average is a two-year wait. I thought that was bad until I received a response yesterday about a four-year-old boy from Clondalkin who will be waiting five years before he gets speech and language therapy. Every expert will say that early intervention is key. One of the worst jobs for TDs across this House is…

I raised the issue of stopping the game two weeks ago and I said at the time that the Minister of State’s response was a cop-out. His response tonight is again an absolute cop-out. The amendment he tabled is another cop-out. I am a season ticket holder for the Irish national team and for a League of Ireland team. I love football. My missus will tell the Minister of State I love it too much. However, I hate the idea of Israel using my sport, the sport I love, to sportswash its way out of genocide.

That is what the Minister of State is standing over. He is complicit in this. The Minister of State can shake his head all he wants. Does he know what else is a cop-out? It is not having the balls to go to the Aviva or wherever the match is going to be on and backing the Irish players. The Minister of State is afraid to go to the match but he will send the young men out in the green to go and play it without any backup from the Irish Government. The Government needs to stand by its convictions if it is going to do …

The 2021 Act introduced a change in the law to allow for the sale and consumption of alcohol in relevant outdoor seating areas where the use of those areas has been permitted by local authorities on public land or private land next to a licensed premise. This was emergency legislation that was brought in during Covid. Five years later, we are still dealing with six-month extensions of that legislation. I am a member of the justice committee and am aware that there is legislation pending in this area. Hopefully, tha…

We all do.

DART+ South West will bring DART services through Clondalkin, Lucan and Adamstown. Construction was expected to start in 2025, but it has been delayed to 2030 at the earliest. This project would enable 20,000 passengers from Clondalkin, Lucan and Adamstown to go each way every hour. The Minister, Deputy O'Brien, said the delay was interlinked with another project. I do not believe that is the case. It is ultimately down to funding from central government to the NTA. Will the Taoiseach confirm this? Will the Governm…

I am going to keep this local as well. I want to talk about the 13 bus route. It is planned to be replaced with the D3 route under BusConnects. After Watery Lane, the D3 route will now go down the New Nangor Road and up the Long Mile Road towards Cork Street. Clondalkin, and Bawnoges in particular, will now lose a valuable connection to Bluebell, Inchicore, St. James’s Hospital and the Liberties. There is a strong historical, cultural and familial connection between Clondalkin, Inchicore and Bluebell. Many families…

I move amendment No. 1: In page 3, between lines 13 and 14, to insert the following: “Amendment of section 3 of Principal Act 2. Section 3 of the Principal Act is amended by the insertion of the following new definitions: “ ‘crime against humanity’ means any of the acts specified in Article 7 of the Statute of the International Criminal Court; ‘genocide’ means any of the acts specified in Article 6 of the Statute of the International Criminal Court; ‘war crime’ means any of the acts specified in Article 8.2 of the …

The Minister was right in saying at the very start that, right now, I was speaking about the IDF but I also did say that these amendments would stop future situations arising where another country could be inflicting genocide and war crimes on other people. They would stop people from Ireland being recruited into such organisations and training on these lands so it is not just about now with the IDF. It is about future situations that may arise. If the Minister accepts that Israel is committing genocide, then he mu…

I move amendment No. 2: In page 3, between lines 21 and 22, to insert the following: " 'organising or facilitating travel for the purpose of serving in the armed forces of a state engaged in war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide' shall be construed in accordance with section 4F;".

I move amendment No. 3: In page 3, between lines 25 and 26, to insert the following: " 'providing training in the armed forces of a state engaged in war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide' shall be construed in accordance with section 4F;".

I move amendment No. 4: In page 3, between lines 27 and 28, to insert the following: " 'receiving training in the armed forces of a state engaged in war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide' shall be construed in accordance with section 4F;".

I move amendment No. 5: In page 3, between lines 27 and 28, to insert the following: " 'recruitment for purpose of serving in the armed forces of a state engaged in war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide' shall be construed in accordance with section 4F;"

I move amendment No. 6: In page 3, between lines 27 and 28, to insert the following: " 'travel for purpose of serving in the armed forces of a state engaged in war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide' shall be construed in accordance with section 4F;".

I accept that amendment Nos. 7 and 8 are connected to the amendments I spoke about previously but I will speak on amendment No. 8 and possibly come back in on amendment No. 7. We have to remind ourselves of what we are dealing with and why we cannot allow citizens of our State to serve in the IDF or any other armed force engaged in war crimes. In addition to the destruction of Gaza and the killing of tens of thousands through indiscriminate bombing, members of the IDF have engaged in the shooting of pregnant women …

I have some concerns that the definitions in the Minister's amendment are overly expansive. They risk capturing non-terrorist activity and blur distinctions between intent and action, potentially granting disproportionate State power without sufficient safeguarding or clarity. Does the Minister have any concerns that the amendment's vague definitions could risk capturing lawful protest, activism, research or humanitarian work as terrorism by relying on expansive intent tests and extraterritorial reach that exceeds …

I move amendment No. 8: In page 4, between lines 6 and 7, to insert the following: "(f) organising or facilitating travel for the purpose of serving in the armed forces of a state engaged in war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide, (g) providing training in the armed forces of a state engaged in war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide, (h) receiving training in the armed forces of a state engaged in war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide, (i) recruitment for purpose of serving in the armed …