Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I will also return to the issue of Gaza. My party leader has asked that, as a consequence of the horror being inflicted on the Palestinian people and people in Gaza following the October massacre inflicted on the people of Israel by Hamas, the Taoiseach would use his leverage at EU level to look at Horizon Europe funding and human rights clauses in EU trade agreements.

We ask him to use that leverage because there must be consequences for the devastation that is being inflicted upon the people of Gaza, where a child is killed every ten minutes. Some 4,273 children have been killed.

The Taoiseach mentioned that he will call for a ceasefire at the next meeting. I will support that call. However, the next meeting of the European Council is on 14 December. Is the Taoiseach really telling me that should the situation remain as it is for another month or six weeks and a child is killed every ten minutes, we will hold that position? We will still have words but no action. We need action and even at a unilateral level, I ask the Taoiseach not to be afraid to take action.

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