Liam Quaide (Cork East, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I am really honoured to be making this address today as a Social Democrat TD for Cork East in the Thirty-fourth Dáil. I thank the people who placed their trust in me in the election. I also owe a huge debt of gratitude to the party members, relatives and friends who put heroic efforts into my campaign.

Ireland is a great place to live with a flourishing economy, yet so many of the basics of a modern, prosperous country are not in place. The lack of affordable housing, the neglect of our disability and mental health services and the decline of our natural world are all the results of political decisions over many years and can be resolved with a different type of political will. If we continue with business as usual, inequality will become more entrenched and social divisions will deepen. These conditions are fertile grounds in which the far right will thrive.

In terms of our international relations, we have a particular responsibility in respect of Palestine because our closest allies, the US, the EU and the UK, are aiding and abetting crimes by the Israeli Government in these territories that debase our collective humanity and make a mockery of the idea of a western, rules-based order. These crimes include mass murder, ethnic cleansing and enforced starvation of innocent civilians, among other unthinkable deprivations and cruelties. We frequently hear legitimate concerns about Russian interference in western democracies but we also need to confront interference by US and Israeli diplomats in the enactment of the occupied territories Bill which was passed by a majority of TDs, two governments ago, in 2019. The Bill has been in limbo since, not because of legal constraints but because of diplomatic pressure.

I look forward to working over the coming Dáil term towards a fairer society, better resourced public services, more ambitious climate and biodiversity targets, and the consistent application of international law.

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