Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister. I know that he welcomed the opportunity to visit Turkey last week and to enhance trade and cultural relations with Turkey. He has acknowledged the important role that Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq are playing in the Syrian crisis and in accommodating refugees from Syria. I thank those countries too. I recently visited Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, which was an eye-opening experience. The Turkish Government and people daily demonstrate their generosity and humanity in providing support to their Syrian neighbours caught up in the conflict.

The Minister referred to issues around settlements, Area C and the Gaza blockade and the very strong Foreign Affairs Council statement on those issues last May. That was 12 months ago, yet we are still in a state of suspended animation in regard to the process.

The Minister has indicated he is hopeful there is a window of opportunity emerging, given that the elections in Israel and the US are completed. I note he has engaged comprehensively with the Secretary of State, John Kerry, in regard to the Middle East peace process. Time is of the essence and it is not on our side. There is an opportunity which will only happen once in a generation to deal comprehensively with some of the issues. There is a necessity for the United States to be involved and to provide an initiative. Will the Minister agree there is also an opportunity, as the European external action service evolves, for the European Union to play a much stronger enhanced role in moving the process forward? We have a moral and ethical responsibility to engage as best and as forcefully as we can.

I refer to Deputy Crowe's remarks about settlement produce which is an issue of concern to the committee. The Minister has stated his position with regard to settlement produce. What are the prospects for an Irish ban on settlement produce or an EU-wide ban? There is conflicting legal advice on the capacity of individual states and the European Union to operate such a ban. However, it is the firm view of this committee that it would send a very strong signal to Israel about the position being taken by the Irish people and by this committee.