I thank the Senator for raising that important issue. I know she has issued a statement in that regard. I thank the Senator for his comments this morning. I call Senator Aisling Dolan.

Today, we have budget 2022, which has €87.6 billion of supports. It is there to help people get back up on their feet again after this pandemic and lockdown. For jobs, we are seeing a continuation of the wage subsidy scheme and the raising of the standard income band by over €1,500. For young families, there is the largest budget ever allocated for Housing for All. For older members of our community, there is an increase in the fuel allowance by €5 and €5 for the pensions. There is an increase in the minimum wage and in the USC rate bands to accommodate that rise. We are also seeing a focus on healthcare, with the increase in acute beds and in mental health as well. For young people and students travelling to work or college, that 50% off public transport with the youth travel card is going to make a massive difference, in particular as many students are commuting as they are unable to find accommodation. In further and higher education, there are over 7,600 new places and over €200 million is being allocated for students under the Student Universal Support Ireland, SUSI, scheme. In our primary schools, the staffing ratio has been reduced by a point, with 350 new teachers and 1,165 extra special needs assistants, SNAs, bringing their number up to 19,200.

With regard to my area of Roscommon and Galway, the remote working income tax reduction will encourage people to live and work in rural and remote areas, in regional areas and in towns and villages outside of urban and city centres. That is proposing an income tax reduction of 30% in regard to heating, broadband and electricity. For hospitality and for pubs, cafés and hotels in our local areas, the VAT rate is maintained at 9%. The zoned land tax is crucial to getting developers moving and building homes. Retrofitting of homes is also crucial and it is happening in our estates and in my own town of Ballinasloe.

Some €11.1 billion in 2022 is allocated for the national development plan. That is about getting the 50-bed unit Portiuncula Hospital, it is about getting the new national rehabilitation unit in Roscommon hospital and it is about getting another 50-bed unit for the Sacred Heart care home in Roscommon. It is also about getting the Galway to Athlone cycleway, which was launched yesterday. It is incredible to see that work is starting and progressing on the bridge over the River Shannon. That is investment into the west. We are also seeing the importance of sport and physical activity, which, of course, is linked to mental health - it is good for heads and good for hearts. We are seeing an increase, hopefully, to the funding allocated to sports capital.

This is a budget to support all and I look forward to more discussion on it. It is important that it is bringing benefits to rural areas as well.

I would like to follow up on and commend Senator Ned O'Sullivan on what he had to say about antisemitism and the decision by author Sally Rooney to refuse permission for her novel to be translated into Hebrew. Perhaps somebody needs to remind her that Israeli people are normal people as well. Perhaps this is an example of when virtue signalling can actually turn quite vicious, wittingly or unwittingly.

It is in that context that I wanted to raise the recent 48th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. After that session, 48 countries, led by Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, issued a statement pledging to combat the growing international scourge of antisemitism, and Ireland was not a signatory to that statement. I would like to know, and I would like a debate at which we can ask the Minister, why not. What possible reason could there be for the Irish Government not to sign up to such a statement? This very strange omission by the Government comes at a time of growing evidence of antisemitism here. Within our political system, in academia, on our streets and, of course, on social media, we see the problem increasing by the day. We have seen it in politics. We have even seen it in these Houses on occasions, and I will not mention the people or the parties, but we see subtle and tacit support being given to individuals and groups who are on the record as supporting the genocide of Jewish people.

Much of this arises from the ongoing conflation of Zionism with antisemitism. In other words, some people seem unable to draw the line between opposing Israel's actions as a state on the one hand and opposing Jewish people on the other. I am on the record of this House as being very uncomfortable, to put it mildly, with how the state of Israel conducts itself at times, particularly in regard to settlements. There is an increasing trend among the Irish political class to strongly criticise that country while remaining mute about antisemitism. Last week, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Coveney, stated that he seeks to be balanced and fair, that he has criticised Israel's foreign policy towards Palestinians and that he has been extremely critical of violent movements such as Hamas. That has to be acknowledged, but at the same time I do not like it when, one week, he excoriates Israel in the Dáil for its retaliation against Hamas and then days later meets the Foreign Minister of Iran, the very country that is arming Hamas with rockets designed to kill Jewish citizens. Mit Brennender Sorge, I ask for a debate on this important issue as early as possible.

I am sure the Leader will point out the following but, as the Senator will be aware, the meeting with the Foreign Minister of Iran was in regard to our membership of the UN Security Council and our designation in regard to the ongoing agreement on the nuclear issue in that country. I remind Members that when speaking about people outside of the Chamber they should be mindful that such people are not here to defend themselves and that when in the same contribution they speak about antisemitism they must be careful when they speak about an individual and their actions and other issues. I do not want Members to infer or make allegations against people who are outside of this House who are not able to defend themselves.

That is true. We can always call out foolishness or, at least, I hope we can in this House. There is a lot of it abroad in the culture at the moment.

We do not have enough time.

Agreed.