Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There is a great deal of inflammatory language in the House, understandably, because people have genuine concern about this issue. However, it is not helpful for Deputy Boyd Barrett to talk about Saudi citizens who are in an embassy here and who are diplomats. The ambassador, whom I met last week, is from my experience a decent person who is trying to make a coherent case in very difficult circumstances in the context of the Khashoggi murder. I do not think it is either right or accurate to be referring to all Saudi citizens in the way the Deputy has today.

That is the first thing. Second, I agree with some of what Deputy Wallace said. This matter is more complex than it is sometimes portrayed. There are clans and many different sources of power in Yemen. The impact of this war is devastating across those multiple clans. They are being bombed from the air, and many women and children are being killed alongside soldiers. That has to stop. The EU wants to use all of the influence it has to stop this conflict. I attended the meeting yesterday and heard French and British Ministers, among other EU ministers, speaking about how we can put as much pressure as possible on Saudi Arabia to stop military attacks in Yemen. Deputy Boyd Barrett's portrayal of the western world is driven by an ideology, rather than accuracy, unfortunately.

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