Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin and foreign affairs role
Ned O'Sullivan paid tribute to Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin and announced his new spokesperson role on foreign affairs, Irish abroad and the diaspora. He outlined priorities including visas for the undocumented in the United States.
I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach. I will come to that matter presently.
I would like to be associated with the tributes to Professor Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin, who gave a lifetime to music in Ireland. It is an art form that does not get the same exposure as literature, for instance. Professor Ó Súilleabháin was part of a long tradition of Munster pioneers like Seán Ó Ríada and Aloys Fleischmann in Cork and has left behind a proud record.
I wish to advise the Leader and Members of the House that I have taken on new responsibilities as party spokesman on foreign affairs, the Irish abroad and the diaspora.
Comment on this
It was the absence of a hard border.
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Senator Norris has interrupted almost everybody today. He should allow the speaker to continue without interruption.
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I am glad to be appointed to that position by the leader of my party, Deputy Micheál Martin. I look forward to working with our Dáil spokesperson on foreign affairs, Deputy Niall Collins, and to engaging constructively with the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Coveney. We will give constructive criticism where necessary. At present, a great deal work is being done on the issue of visas for the undocumented in the USA. In fairness, my predecessor did a lot of work on it and I intend to bring some fresh initiatives and new energy to that particular portfolio. I had a brief meeting this morning with Deputy Deasy, the special envoy on that area and offered him my full support. Hopefully, we will get that over the line in the coming weeks. It is a matter for internal US politics which, unfortunately, is entirely confrontational, polarised and divisive at the moment be we are hopeful of a bipartisan approach to this matter. We might be lucky. As the Tánaiste has stated, it is our intention to find new legal pathways for emigration to North America and to give comfort and relief to those who are already there in an undocumented position.
I look forward to that.
I have a choice of motions but I have selected to second Senator Norris's proposal to adjourn at 5.15 p.m.