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Guess the TD quiz: Who said the country's housing situation is 'like The Hunger Games'?

Guess the TD quiz: Who said the country's housing situation is 'like The Hunger Games'?

BreakingNews.ie2 days ago
From fiery Dáil exchanges to passionate speeches on housing, climate, international affairs and more, Ireland's elected representatives have delivered their fair share of memorable (and sometimes controversial) quotes in recent years.
Whether you're a political junkie, a casual news follower or just love a challenge, this quiz will test your knowledge of Ireland's TDs and their most recent reported-on quotes.
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They make the laws, lead debates and dominate the headlines, but can you tell which TD said what? Take our quiz to find out!
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By likening Nigel Farage to Jimmy Savile, Peter Kyle has handed Reform a free gift
By likening Nigel Farage to Jimmy Savile, Peter Kyle has handed Reform a free gift

The Independent

time10 minutes ago

  • The Independent

By likening Nigel Farage to Jimmy Savile, Peter Kyle has handed Reform a free gift

Just when Nigel Farage and his tiny parliamentary party were beginning to be exposed as shrill and clueless, Peter Kyle, one of the most promising cabinet ministers, handed them a free gift. By saying that the Reform leader is on the side of 'people like Jimmy Savile', Kyle destroys his own arguments for the Online Safety Act. The attempt to link Farage with a notorious child sex abuser is gratuitous and offensive. It makes Kyle seem desperate and allows Farage to pose as the wronged party – Farage's criticisms of the Act seem more credible after Kyle's outburst than before. It is surprising that Kyle has chosen to use this slur when Labour people were so indignant – and rightly so – when Boris Johnson used it against Keir Starmer. That was when Johnson was desperate: Sue Gray's report on lockdown parties in Downing Street had just been published and Johnson wanted some way of deflecting attention. His attack on Starmer had nothing to do with Gray's report. It was an aside referring to Starmer's time as director of public prosecutions, during which, Johnson said, 'he spent most of his time prosecuting journalists and failing to prosecute Jimmy Savile, as far as I can make out'. But it was more relevant than Kyle's attack on Farage. It is factually correct that the Crown Prosecution Service failed to prosecute Savile when Starmer was in charge, and it is unclear whether it could have done more to bring Savile to justice at the time. But Farage has nothing to do with Savile – at all. Kyle's attempt to smear the Reform leader was phrased thus on Sky News: 'If people like Jimmy Savile were alive today, he'd be perpetrating his crimes online, and Nigel Farage is saying that he's on their side.' Nothing could be better calculated to distract from the real issue, which is whether Farage's pledge to repeal the Online Safety Act is a sensible one. The Reform rhetoric about 'authoritarian' and 'dystopian' legislation is overdone, and Farage admitted yesterday that he didn't know how he would protect children online instead. But rather of exposing the weakness of Farage's arguments, Kyle allowed his opponent to protest on X that his comment was 'disgusting' and to demand an apology. Kyle responded: 'If you want to overturn the Online Safety Act you are on the side of predators. It is as simple as that.' This is a terrible way to conduct a public debate. There are well-founded concerns about the Online Safety Act, which seems to put unworkable obligations on non-profit-making websites while doing little to ensure that the big tech companies behave more responsibly. A lot of well-informed people said it was badly drafted legislation even before it was passed by the Conservative government two years ago. Kyle is now overseeing the coming into effect of provisions of the Act relating to age-verification, and instead of acting on the concerns that have been expressed, he has ploughed ahead – in effect accusing anyone who has doubts, including for example Ella Dorn of the New Statesman, of being aligned with Savile. When Johnson gratuitously dragged Savile's name into his attempt to save his disintegrating premiership, the disgust at his deliberate attempt to invoke conspiracy theories driven by fears of paedophilia was felt across the political spectrum. Munira Mirza, Johnson's adviser who was consulted in advance, begged him not to do it, and resigned when he did. Kyle should not be using the same disreputable tactic, which not only speaks volumes about this government's self-confidence but also allows Reform off the hook. Only this morning, Sarah Pochin, Reform's newest MP, was struggling to explain what her party's policy on small boats actually is. All she could propose was that Britain should 'do something drastic', by which she seemed to suggest that we should let migrants drown in the Channel. If the next election really is a fight between Labour and Reform, Labour must fight it better than this.

No10 confirms if there will be bank holiday for Euros win after Lionesses' victory with penalty heroics
No10 confirms if there will be bank holiday for Euros win after Lionesses' victory with penalty heroics

The Sun

time11 minutes ago

  • The Sun

No10 confirms if there will be bank holiday for Euros win after Lionesses' victory with penalty heroics

THE Government has confirmed if there will be a bank holiday following the Lionesses' historic Euros victory. 4 4 They are the first senior England football team to win a major tournament on foreign soil and the first to retain a trophy after victory in 2022. But speaking today, the Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds revealed that there won't be a bank holiday to celebrate the win. Speaking to Times Radio, Mr Reynolds said: "There should be a day of celebration. That's what the prime minister promised. "That's not a bank holiday, but there is a Downing Street reception today. There'll be the Victory Parade tomorrow. "I'm afraid I can't announce a bank holiday, but there should be a celebration to mark this brilliant achievement." The Downing Street reception today is due to be hosted by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and sports minister Stephanie Peacock. The team will then attend a homecoming celebration event on Tuesday, with a ceremony expected to take place outside Buckingham Palace. The Prime Minister has previously pushed for a bank holiday to celebrate the Lionesses' achievements. Ahead of their loss to Spain in the World Cup final two years ago, Sir Keir Starmer backed a day of celebration. Writing on X at the time, he said: "It's almost 60 years since England won the World Cup. "I'm never complacent about anything… but there should be a celebratory bank holiday if the Lionesses bring it home." Mr Reynolds added: "It's a magnificent achievement and it was just a privilege to watch. "I think this team handles the big tournament pressure better than any England team I've ever seen. "I mean, there were some tough moments, but they really came through." England fell behind to a goal by Mariona Caldentey in the 25th minute, but Alessia Russo scored a stunning equaliser after half time. Chloe Kelly delivered the perfect cross to Russo in the box, who brilliantly headed it into the side-netting. The teams battled it out in 30 minutes of extra time before England's Kelly scored the winning goal in penalties. The match took place in Basel, Switzerland, at the massive St Jakob-Park stadium and just over 34,000 fans are in attendance. Sir Keir and The Prince of Wales watched on from the stands in Basel, while an estimated 16 million Brits supported from home. The Prime Minister hailed the team's triumph, saying: "The Lionesses have once again captured the hearts of the nation. "Their victory is not only a remarkable sporting achievement, but an inspiration for young people across the country. "It stands as a testament to the determination, resilience and unity that define this outstanding team." Supporters stood on tables, waved flags, threw drinks in the air and excitedly hugged each other as England claimed victory. The FA confirmed there will be an open-top bus parade along the Mall before the ceremony at the Queen Victoria Memorial. Fans can attend for free and it will be broadcast live on BBC, ITV, and Sky. Manager Sarina Wiegman ran on to the pitch punching the air as she joined the mass of players and staff mobbing Kelly. The Arsenal ace was in tears as she joined thousands of delighted fans singing Sweet Caroline. Moments later, Kelly said: 'I am so proud of this team. So grateful to wear this badge. So proud to be English. I was cool, I was composed. 'I knew I was going to hit the back of the net. Unbelievable. All the staff and Sarina Wiegman — she has done it again! Unbelievable. 'It is going to be crazy. I hope the whole of England comes out to support us and shows their love to these girls as they deserve it.' 4

Zelenskyy says at least 22 people killed in Russian attacks on Ukraine, hours after Trump put pressure on Moscow
Zelenskyy says at least 22 people killed in Russian attacks on Ukraine, hours after Trump put pressure on Moscow

The Guardian

time11 minutes ago

  • The Guardian

Zelenskyy says at least 22 people killed in Russian attacks on Ukraine, hours after Trump put pressure on Moscow

Update: Date: 2025-07-29T10:37:29.000Z Title: Volodymyr Zelenskyy Content: At least 85 people injured in overnight attacks after Trump said he will shorten the deadline for reaching an agreement on a ceasefire to '10-12 days' Jakub Krupa Tue 29 Jul 2025 11.37 BST First published on Tue 29 Jul 2025 08.44 BST From 9.06am BST 09:06 Ukrainian president has just confirmed that at least 22 people were killed, and 85 injured in attacks targeting 73 Ukrainian cities and villages overnight, just hours after 'everyone once again felt hope for an end to the killings.' He described some of the attacks in more detail, including a strike on a city hospital in Kamianske which killed three, including a pregnant 23-year-old woman, and a 'deliberate' attack on a civilian penal colony in Zaporizhia. Zelenskyy said: Every murder of our people by the Russians; every Russian strike, when there could have been a ceasefire long ago, if Russia had not refused – all this shows that Moscow deserves very tough, truly painful, and therefore fair and effective sanctions pressure. They must be forced to stop the killings and make peace. He thanked US president Donald Trump for his comments on Monday, and to all leaders putting pressure on Russia, but added: Peace is possible, but only when Russia stops the war that it started and stops tormenting our people. 11.37am BST 11:37 Meanwhile over in Brussels, EU trade spokesperson Olof Gill offered a bit more detail on what's going on with the EU-US agreement amid growing questions about some of the details of what was agreed and let's say less than whole-hearted support from some member states. Addressing the media at the European Commission's briefing just now, Gill said: 'Let me just be totally clear about what's happening here, folks. So on Sunday, the two presidents reached a deal, a political agreement. What we are doing now is taking that political agreement, fleshing out the details, making sure that everything we need to be in there is in there that will lead to a joint statement. I can't tell you precisely when that joint statement will be ready, but it should be soon. That joint statement itself is not a legally binding document, but rather it's a road map. It's a political commitment, a series of political commitments, if you like. And from that, we can generate the stability I talked about, the predictability I talked about, that we can get back to doing what we do best in terms of transatlantic trade and investment. Our companies are deeply integrated supply chains, moving products and services across the Atlantic on a daily basis, worth €1.6tn annually. And from there, we will look at further areas where we can reduce tariffs and other areas of cooperation. But the joint statement, we view it as a kind of a platform, a foundation, from which we can allow transatlantic trade to continue to grow and to develop.' He added: 'So we have now achieved and across the board, all inclusive tariff ceiling of 15%. That's not the perfect outcome for the EU, nor is it the perfect outcome for the US. We believe it gives us a platform for moving forward, for putting this kind of saga behind us, and focusing on allowing transatlantic trade to develop, to cooperate in key areas of economic and geopolitical importance in an unstable world. And we are confident that this can enjoy the backing of our member states, of our businesses, of our citizens. We are making the best of a challenging situation, and we are determined to make this deal work.' 11.03am BST 11:03 We are now getting a reaction from the Kremlin, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov telling journalists that Russia 'has taken note' of president Trump's comments yesterday. He then said that a 'special military operation' – that's their term for the illegal invasion of Ukraine – continues, but Russia 'remains committed to the peace process to resolve the conflict around Ukraine and secure our interests' – despite deadly attacks overnight. Peskov also confirmed that there was a 'slowdown' in Russian efforts to revive diplomatic relations with the US. 10.16am BST 10:16 Speaking of Russian and Russian-inspired attacks, Poland said today that it believed a Colombian national acting on behalf of Russian intelligence services carried out two arson attacks in Poland last year. The 27-year-old was trained by a person linked to Russian intelligence services, receiving detailed instructions on how to carry out the attacks, Polish authorities said. The man was also later involved in an arson attack on a bus depot in the Czech Republic and was planning to carry out another attack on a shopping mall before being detained by the Czech authorities. The Polish Internal Security Agency, or ABW, said that Russian intelligence services were using messaging service Telegram to 'systemically and at large scale recruit people of Latin American origin and with previous military experience' to carry out attacks, later distributing photos and videos online for propaganda reasons. The man was already sentenced to eight years in prison in the Czech Republic, and faces another sentence in Poland. The disclosure from the Polish authorities come after the Czech intelligence services warned in their annual report that Russian recruiters particularly targeted poorer economic migrants from outside the EU to carry out attacks (Europe live earlier this month). Updated at 10.21am BST 9.39am BST 09:39 9.06am BST 09:06 Ukrainian president has just confirmed that at least 22 people were killed, and 85 injured in attacks targeting 73 Ukrainian cities and villages overnight, just hours after 'everyone once again felt hope for an end to the killings.' He described some of the attacks in more detail, including a strike on a city hospital in Kamianske which killed three, including a pregnant 23-year-old woman, and a 'deliberate' attack on a civilian penal colony in Zaporizhia. Zelenskyy said: Every murder of our people by the Russians; every Russian strike, when there could have been a ceasefire long ago, if Russia had not refused – all this shows that Moscow deserves very tough, truly painful, and therefore fair and effective sanctions pressure. They must be forced to stop the killings and make peace. He thanked US president Donald Trump for his comments on Monday, and to all leaders putting pressure on Russia, but added: Peace is possible, but only when Russia stops the war that it started and stops tormenting our people. 9.00am BST 09:00 Lisa O'Carroll in Brussels Pharmaceutical exports from the EU to the US could be hit by 15% tariffs as soon as Friday, according to the White House. It published a text on the EU trade deal stating pharma will be taxed at the base rate agreed in deal sealed at Donald Trump's golf course on Sunday. But it has caused yet more confusion because it comes less than 24 hours after EU officials were told that pharma would remain duty free until Trump's 232 national security investigations into pharma and semiconductors concluded. As part of President Trump's strategy to establish balanced trade, the European Union will pay the United States a tariff rate of 15%, including on autos and auto parts, pharmaceuticals, and semiconductors. However he had also said earlier this month he was going to phase in tariffs for pharma this week. The text also says that the EU has agreed not to introduce a tech tax. It says: 'The United States and the European Union intend to address unjustified digital trade barriers. In that respect, the European Union confirms that it will not adopt or maintain network usage fees. Furthermore, the United States and the European Union will maintain zero customs duties on electronic transmissions.' 8.53am BST 08:53 Lisa O'Carroll in Brussels The EU is considering partially suspending Israel from its flagship Horizon Europe science research programme, in the first concrete sanction of Benjamin Netanyahu's government since the killing of civilians in Gaza started. It is understood the move will need qualified majority of support from member states, meaning no one country can block it. As world continues to condemn the humanitarian catastrophe including demands by Donald Trump yesterday that the starvation of Gazan people must stop, it is the first sign that the bloc is prepared to take a concrete action. 'While Israel has announced a daily humanitarian pause in Gaza fighting and has met some of its commitments under the common understanding on humanitarian aid and access, the situation remains severe,' said a statement released by the Commission on 28 July. It added that the suspension would flow from its review of the trade association agreement with Israel, prompted by calls for a review of the agreement by the Netherlands backed by 17 countries in May. 'This suspension comes as a reaction to the review Art. 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement. Respect for these obligations constitutes an essential part of EU-Israel cooperation under the Agreement, including for bilateral scientific and technological cooperation between the two parties.' The decision was been taken by the college of European commissioners on Monday and will be put to the council of member states. Updated at 9.07am BST 8.44am BST 08:44 Jakub Krupa More than 20 people were killed in Russian attacks on Ukraine overnight, just hours after US president Donald Trump sought to put more pressure on Moscow by shortening the deadline for reaching an agreement on a ceasefire to '10-12' days. At least 16 people were killed in an attack on a Ukrainian prison, with more than 35 injured. More people died in other attacks in different parts of the country, including on a hospital and a private home, authorities reported. Andriy Yermak, top aide to Ukraine's president , said: This is another war crime by the Russians, who will not stop if they are not stopped. He added: 'Putin's regime, which also issues threats against the United States through some of its mouthpieces, must face economic and military blows that strip it of the capacity to wage war.' President Zelenskyy expressed Ukraine's high hopes last night, saying that Trump's declaration was 'right on time, when a lot can change through strength for real peace.' Let's see if we get any further reaction to the overnight attacks. Elsewhere, we will be looking for more reactions from the EU and across the bloc to the EU-US trade deal signed at the weekend, the latest on German response to Gaza as chancellor Friedrich Merz meets with Jordanian King Abdullah II, and more news from across the continent. I will bring you all key updates from across Europe here. It's Tuesday, 29 July 2025, it's Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live. Good morning.

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