I welcome these measures and recognise that they are not enough to cushion everybody in this country from the effects of the greatest global energy crisis we have ever seen. It is unrealistic to tell people that the Government is in a position to do that. Let us be honest with people. Deputy Collins and I were on the radio this morning talking about this and he said he did not block anyone. I am not saying he did, but he supported people who did. Let us be honest about it, because those blockades stopped people getting to work and hospital, and carers getting to elderly people. I do not really want to get involved in recriminations and playing the blame game. What is much more important is that we look at it through a lens of realism. Something has just been said about the Minister, Deputy McEntee, going to Ukraine and giving a certain amount of money. I have heard this from constituents as well. One person asked me in Dún Laoghaire yesterday why we are giving money to Ukraine and what Ukraine has ever done for us. That is to fundamentally misunderstand what it is to be part of a global community. If the shoe were on the other foot and we were in a bad place, it might not be Ukraine helping us, but there would be other countries, particularly in the European Union-----
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-----we would be calling on.
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They have helped us in the past. We have relied on them in the past.
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When the economic crash came, we relied on the international community to keep us afloat and ensure Irish workers could put the country back where it was. Let us be honest about this. Being part of an international community is not only about taking and taking.
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It is give and take. I am very proud of the work we have done as a country to help to provide for Ukraine. I have been there and seen what they have come through. The same argument could be made about Irish Aid and the work we do in much more under-developed countries, where children are starving. Is the Deputy saying we should take away their money as well?
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Why does he not go over and join Donald Trump's USAID cuts as well?
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Let us be realistic and honest and get on with the fact that these are resolutions that will do the people of Ireland good and that is why we should support them.
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