The comments of former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern are deeply disturbing. Particularly alarming was the way in which he singled out specific ethnic, religious and national identities. More than being just offensive and irresponsible, his language was dangerous and inflammatory. For a politician who devoted so much of his career to finding a resolution to the Troubles - a conflict based on religious division - it was shameful to hear him refer to a child's religion, Islam, when he said he is worried about the next generation of Muslims. In the context of the Dublin Central by-election, it was profoundly wrong to use language that could direct public anger towards migrants and minorities. We have already heard a candidate in that constituency make an outrageous call for internment of refugees. In the other by-election in Galway West, a torrent of despicable online racist abuse has been directed at the Labour Party candidate, Councillor Helen Ogbu.

Sentiment score: -0.63

Meta has failed to take responsibility for the hate speech it is facilitating. The former Taoiseach, Mr. Ahern, remains a member of the Council of State. He is more than just a private person making ignorant remarks at a doorstep. As he should know, discourse around migration must be rooted in facts, humanity and respect. That is why the Labour Party, just last month, launched the Together We Thrive campaign. Our promotes the urgent need for a fair, fact-based national conversation on migration that highlights the enormously positive contribution made by those with migrant backgrounds to our society and our economy, and this is clear from the figures. We know the health and social care sectors, in particular, rely heavily on migrant workers. The Tánaiste knows that nearly one in four nurses and midwives employed by the HSE comes from abroad. I met this morning with representatives of Nursing Homes Ireland, who confirmed that the nursing home sector simply could not function without the migrant workers who make up a huge proportion of its workforce. However, we are failing many of those migrant workers. I met yesterday with members of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, INMO. They told me about the enormous delays in the system for nurses working here who seek to have spouses and children join them from abroad. I heard directly from those affected heartbreaking stories of family separation due to the delays in processing visas for family reunification. I spoke to a mother who works in cancer care in Rathgar, in my constituency, whose two daughters aged 4 and 7 have been living in Ghana with their grandmother for the past two years while they wait for permission to come here. We are failing the people whose work is building our communities. We need to change our rhetoric and improve their reality. We must improve the family reunification process. Moreover, we need to be careful about our language. Does the Tánaiste condemn Bertie Ahern's comments? Will he call on him to apologise? Will he support my party's Together We Thrive campaign for a fair, fact-based and positive conversation about migration?

Sentiment score: 0.09

I thank the Tánaiste for his comment that Bertie Ahern's remarks were not appropriate and were wrong. Will he go further by calling them out and calling on Mr. Ahern to apologise? It is ironic, as the Tánaiste will appreciate as Fine Gael leader, that Bertie Ahern should have the temerity to fuel rhetoric that blames immigrants for systemic problems in Ireland. This is the man whose policies brought about the worst financial crash in the history of the State. Since that crash, migrants have played a pivotal role in rebuilding our economy. Let us acknowledge that. We should look around this Chamber. We are dealing today with an outrageous slur made by a former Taoiseach against people of African heritage and descent. Yet, in this Chamber, there is no one of colour. There is no African voice to testify to the hurt those comments caused or to testify at first hand about the direct experience of racism. My Labour colleagues and I very much hope that will change after the Galway West by-election. We know we have a candidate who exemplifies the new Ireland. I am not going to speak any further-----

Sentiment score: -0.15

-----but we hope that will change.

Sentiment score: 0.44