Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Burke. I add my words of condolences on the loss of John Bruton. It is a serious loss to his family and friends. Beyond that, he was former leader of Fine Gael, the Minister of State's party. One can hear in the public domain the high esteem in which people held him, even on a personal basis. He was a former Taoiseach who played a huge role. I might have disagreed with him on almost everything but he played a huge role in the State and in public service.

He played a role in the peace process with all the difficulties that entailed. He is a man who will be remembered. I would like to be associated with what was said previously.

In fairness to Deputy Howlin, he probably has dealt with a significant number of the questions that I was going to deal with but as members are aware, I am never in fear of repeating myself. It goes without saying that the crisis in Gaza is an absolutely brutal slaughter. We become bored by using the same words. Yesterday, the total number of dead was 27,585, of whom 12,000 were children and 8,190 were women. I do not think anybody in this entire building could stand over those ratios as to what Israel is doing or what it may claim to be doing. We all hope we have seen what may be the possibility of a ceasefire that involves the Egyptians, the Qataris and the Americans. I would like to think that America would start to play a more powerful role in its relationship with Israel. We would all agree that we would like to see that happen. It has to be a permanent ceasefire and it has to lead to negotiations. Outside of the deaths and the 60,000 to 70,000 people who have been injured, many of them brutally, as the Minister of State noted, infrastructure in Gaza has been destroyed. Unfortunately, we have heard Benjamin Netanyahu say that there will be no Palestinian state. In fairness, this is probably something he has said many times and in many ways before. We all know the other characters who are involved in what is the most right-wing government Israel has ever had.

As much as we try to be hopeful, it is very difficult to be so. We need to see the Western world, and particularly the European Union, play a more significant role. That is taking into account the difficulties faced by countries such as Ireland that are more progressive. It is unacceptable for other countries to basically back what is an absolute slaughter and what many people more eminent than me would label as genocide. We hope the ceasefire happens.

We welcome the engagement of the Irish Government with others from the point of view of getting the very obvious request for a ceasefire. I do not think there are many people in the wider world who can understand in any way, shape or form why this has not been possible up to now. That is not to take away from the political differences that exist. I have heard the Czechs and the Germans and at times it is brutally shameful what has been said and the views that have been espoused. However, the Taoiseach also spoke about getting the support of a number of countries. That may be the way it has to happen. A number of countries may get agreement on recognising Palestine. Beyond that, the Taoiseach spoke recently about dealing with the EU-Israel Association Agreement, particularly regarding the human rights conditions which we can all take for granted have been flagrantly flouted.

While there are a number of things we could do within this State with the occupied territories Bill and the illegal settlements divestments legislation, it would be beneficial if we could get a number of countries to be on the right road with us. We need to do things that are practical and concrete. Engagement with the Americans is important because they are the big players who can move things along. The fact that the European Union has been all over the place and very weak on this issue has probably let America and Israel off the hook. That goes without saying. I was going to ask the question in relation to QMV.

It is about getting the detail of the German and Slovenian proposal. We all recognise the difficulties in dealing with Viktor Orbán. At times, unfortunately, he is presented with an opportunity to grandstand. That needs to be dealt with but Ireland knows it would be a very different European Union if QMV was to disappear. Everyone here would be interested in the detail of the German and Slovenian proposal. I think the Minister of State said we were somewhere supportive of that. There was movement in respect of Ukraine but it is a very different set of circumstances and is being made more difficult by the escalating situation in the Middle East. That creates its own difficulties and I would say the Ukrainians understand that very well. Beyond that-----